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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So-yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (January 17) :
Question:
Will the Government inform this Council:
(a) whether it has formulated any guidelines requiring government departments to stop sending paper Christmas cards and send electronic ones instead; if so, why the Chief Executive still sent paper Christmas cards to Members of this Council recently; if not, the reasons for that; and
(b) of the number of government departments which sent out paper greeting cards in each of the past two years and the number of greeting cards involved?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a) The Government attaches great importance to environmental protection. Bureaux and departments are encouraged to reduce paper consumption as far as possible and to make better use of electronic means in disseminating their messages. The Environment, Transport and Works Bureau issued a Circular Memorandum in 2003 to draw the attention of bureaux and departments to enhancing green management practice and reducing energy and paper consumption. The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) also compiled "Guidelines on Reducing Photocopying Paper Use" with practicable measures to reduce paper consumption. Disseminating greeting messages at festive seasons is a popular practice. EPD therefore provides "Green Tips for Holidays" on its website and encourages the use of electronic greeting cards. Nevertheless, members of the community have different customs and expectations regarding how greeting messages should be disseminated at festive seasons, and traditional paper greeting cards are also an appropriate option for conveying such messages.
(b) In the past two years, some 30 bureaux and departments issued paper greeting cards. However, we do not normally conduct regular surveys on the number of paper greeting cards issued.
Ends/Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 12:43
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