Requirements of ‘GO!’ and the ‘GO! Checklist’ 「綠識辦」要求及「綠識辦行動清單」

Green Office Programme (GO!) 綠色辦公室計劃（「綠識辦」）

Campus Planning and Sustainability Office

(Updated 31 Jul 2017)

1. By implementing actions on the ‘GO! Checklist’, members

make small changes to their daily operations to them greener.

How ‘GO!’ engages offices

‘GO! Checklist’: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/gop.html#checklist

2. Provide resources and information: Get tips or

resources to help fulfil ‘GO! Checklist’ actions by clicking the ‘More info’ link next to each item.

How ‘GO!’ engages offices

Or: visit the ‘Resources for GO!’ page: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/resources.html

How ‘GO!’ engages offices Example of resources available online: Guide to setting ‘double-sided printing’ as default mode

3. Update members on the campus’ green news and events

4. ‘Competent Green Offices’ e-seal

How ‘GO!’ engages offices

At the beginning the year, select at least half of the

actions from the ‘GO! Checklist’ to implement (including all actions labelled ‘mandatory’ / ‘required’)

Inform all staff about the green actions your office has chosen to undertake (and any new staff engaged during the year) Method: flexible

Fill in the ‘GO! Checklist’ at the end of the year and check the items fulfilled

What offices have to do

‘GO! Checklist’ – What is it? • A list of 34 simple green actions in 4 categories

(energy, waste, purchasing & engagement) • 14 of the actions are required (marked with a

checked box), e.g.:

• ‘GO!’ offices must fulfil minimum 17 actions (14 required ones + at least 3 voluntary ones)

What offices have to do

‘GO! Checklist’ – What is it?

What offices have to do

Link to the E-survey form will be sent to all ‘GO!’ Contact Persons in December

‘GO! Checklist’ action items A. Energy Conservation 1. (Required) We support our office’s Energy Warden(s)

in their implementation of the University’s energy-saving initiatives, e.g. by authorizing the Energy Warden(s) to forward the ‘Building Electricity Consumption Newsletter’ (if we are on the mailing list) to other members of our office, enabling them to attend training programmes, providing information on the office’s equipment to EMO and implementing energy conservation measures recommended by EMO’s Energy Manager.

2. (Required) We set our office’s/ classroom’s air conditioner thermostat temperature to 25.5°C +/- 2°C in the summer. Where appropriate, we open windows for free cooling or use our air conditioners’ fan instead of cooling function in the winter.

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 3. (Required) We turn off

unused electrical equipment whenever we are away from office for classes, long meetings and lunch. Where possible, we unplug equipment like computers, printers, photocopiers and drinking water dispensers before long holidays to save energy consumption in standby mode.

You can keep your office’s printer on if you need to use it to receive fax or if advised by supplier

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 4. We enable our computer monitors to turn off

automatically after 5 minutes or less of inactivity. Where possible, we lower monitor brightness.

5. We have removed or unscrewed excessive lamps if

working areas are perceived to be bright enough. 6. (New) We encourage our members to dress casual if

they do not have to participate in formal meetings or events, and switch off unnecessary air conditioning in offices so as to save energy.

7. We have come up with creative ways / incentives to encourage members of our office to save energy.

Colour of screen: doesn’t matter ; Use Screensaver? – NO!

‘GO! Checklist’ action items B. Waste Reduction 8. (Required) When unable to avoid printing

hard copies, we do double-sided printing/copying or reuse paper that has text on one side, whenever appropriate. 9. (Required) We send and use e-copies of

agenda and minutes for our meetings, whenever possible/appropriate.

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 10. (Required) We do not provide single-serving bottled water at

indoor events or corsages at all events (e.g. meetings, seminars and conferences).

Sharing one large bottle of water is OK! See ‘Resources’ for some suggestions for alternatives to single-serving bottled water

Photo source: GRM and Urban Studies Programme O’ Camp

‘Walking for Health’ 2014

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 11. (Required) We separate recyclable paper, plastics

and metals from general waste and deposit our recyclable plastics and metals at a collection location (e.g. recycling bins). To facilitate waste separation, we have posted the ‘Recycling Tips’ poster near our office’s waste separation container(s).

12. (Required) We have engaged a paper waste recycling company to collect paper waste directly from our office.

‘Recycling Tips’ poster available (click on link after the action item to download)

‘GO! Checklist’ action items

Source: EMO

‘GO! Checklist’ action items

Large carton boxes must be flattened and placed in carton box recycling cages

Source: EMO

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 13. (Required) If our office needs to dispose of usable furniture, we try to

make the furniture available for reuse by other offices using appropriate channels.

We also consider acquiring unwanted furniture of other offices prior to buying new furniture for our office.

A recent notice on ITSC mass mail Question: what if your office did not need to replace furniture?

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 14. When using Microsoft Word or other word processing

tools, we reduce paper margins and use smaller font size where appropriate, or set them as the page setup default where applicable.

15. For printing drafts and other documents to be circulated within the office, we use a lower printing resolution/Econoprint or Ecoprint mode to save toner. Where applicable, we set it as the default mode.

16. (Updated) We issue newsletters, brochures, handbooks & promotional materials in e-format to minimize the number of hardcopies distributed. Where applicable, we include a message on hardcopies to encourage readers to subscribe to the e-version instead, and to circulate the printed matters and recycle them after reading.

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 17. Our office subscribes to e-versions of publications (e.g. newsletters) or

circulate a minimal number of hardcopies of printed matters in the office. 18. We do not use disposable containers and utensils to service drinks and

food in seminars, conferences and functions; and if they must be used, we use eco-friendly or biodegradable ones.

19. To raise awareness about locations on campus that enable reuse/recycling of misc. resources (glass bottles, old clothes, etc.), we have downloaded and posted the ‘Recycling Locations’ poster in our office/ pantry. 20. (New) We encourage participants of our events to bring their own container for water.

‘GO! Checklist’ action items 21. We arrange appropriate quantity of food for official functions we host

and our office’s social gatherings to reduce food waste.

22. If food and beverages must be provided at an event organized by our office, we encourage participants to bring left food back to hostels, workplaces or homes.

Guidelines and poster available (See ‘Resources’)

23. (Updated) We commit to a 10% reduction in office paper use by the end of the reporting year (compared to the last reporting year or the most recent year for which paper use figures are available) and will keep a record of our paper purchase figures for self-monitoring and continuous commitment.

‘GO! Checklist’ action items C. Green Purchasing 24. (Required) We use 100% recycled A3 & A4 white paper for our in-house

printing and copying. (Please visit Buisness Office's centralized tenders page for bulk tender suppliers and infomation on green products.)

25. (Required) We make sure that our purchases (apart from A3 & A4 printing paper) comply with the mandatory requirements of the Green Purchasing Guidelines

The 15 items with mandatory requirements are: • Paper (A4 & A3) • Multifunction photocopiers • Laser printers • Desktop computers • LCD monitors • Notebook computers • Room air conditioners • Refrigerators • Dehumidifiers

• Washing machines • Lamps • Fluorescent lamp ballasts • Paints • Carpets • Sustainability-conscious food consumption

Available at a discount from Business Office’s ‘Centralized Tenders’ page

ITSC ‘s ‘Computer Equipment Acquisition Page (check items marked with the ‘GREEN!’ label

‘GO! Checklist’ action items C. Green Purchasing 26. (Required) We will not order dishes that contain shark’s fin, bluefin

tuna and black moss (‘Fat Choi’) for official meals and our office’s social gatherings.

27. We request printing companies to print our name cards/letterheads/other materials on 100% recycled paper.

Check ‘Printed Matters’ section of Business Office’s ‘Centralized Tenders’ page

‘GO! Checklist’ action items C. Green Purchasing 28. Apart from the mandatory items in the Green Purchasing Guidelines,

we purchase other environmentally-friendly products. Examples include: • Refillable pens • Mechanical pencils • Biodegradable garbage bags • Ozone-safe correction pens • Eco-friendly dishwashing liquid • Environmentally-friendly event souvenirs

Pls check items or equipment marked with ‘GREEN!’ label from Business Office’s ‘CUHK Centralized Tenders’ page, or ITSC’s ‘Computer Equipment Acquisition’ page of ITSC

Totally degradable plastic bags (Source: School of Life Sciences)

Recycled plastic folder (CUHK souvenir)

‘GO! Checklist’ action items D. Awareness and Engagement 29. (Required) We have informed all office members (including any new

members) of our participation in ‘GO!’ and encourage them to support our office’s initiatives.

30. (Required) We inform the Campus Planning and Sustainability Office of any change in our ‘GO!’ Contact Person as soon as possible, and authorize our ‘GO!’ Contact Person to disseminate messages from ‘GO!’ to all members of our office upon receiving it.

31. We have shared new green office practices adopted in our office with the Campus Planning and Sustainability Office.

32. We have read the University’s ‘Guidelines for Sustainable Event Planning and Management’ and taken reference of the green event tips while planning our office’s official functions.

‘GO! Checklist’ action items D. Awareness and Engagement 33. We encourage our office’s staff members to join the activities or

events of Green Office Programme / CU Green Buddies Scheme and become CU Green Buddies.

‘CU Green Buddies’ info & registration http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/cu-green-buddies.html

What is the ‘CU Green Buddies’ Scheme?

• Similar to ‘GO!’ but for individual staff and students

• Voluntary participation • Pledge to do 6 green actions

in daily life • ‘CU Green Buddies receive

updates on green news and events

‘GO! Checklist’ action items E. Other initiatives 34. Other environmentally-friendly initiatives

Are the items hard to fulfill? • For the ‘GO! Checklist 2017’, 93% of the participating offices* that

returned the checklist fulfilled the requirements of the programme and are acknowledged as ‘Competent Green Offices’

• The complete list of ‘Competent Green Offices’ can be seen at: (http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/cgo.html)

• Offices can also provide comments and describe challenges encountered

Next steps – How ‘GO!’ Contact Persons can help

Seek the office head / director’s endorsement on the 17+ ‘GO! Checklist’ actions to commit to

Inform office members and any new staff about the chosen actions

Forward green updates and tips from the Green Office Programme to all members of the office

Next steps – How ‘GO!’ Contact Persons can help Other ways ‘GO!’ Contact Persons can

help Post signs around the office to remind

members to turn off lights, etc.. Recommend suitable resources that

staff can refer to Contact us to share your office’s

successful practices ‘GO!’ Contact Persons are NOT required to X Monitor all members to make sure

they are taking the green actions

Source: ITSC office

Questions are welcome!

‘GO! Checklist’: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/cpso/go!/gop.html