Wish my dream come true

Week6 in-class audio test

XIE Yuan’s interview

xie-yuans-interview.mp3

My project ideas

Soundslides project

Considering that visually interesting photos and sound are essential elements of a good soundslides project, I chose Green Power Hike 2008 as my project topic.

Organized by environmental protection organization Green Power, Green Power Hike is an annual large-scale charitable walkathon. Its raising funds are used to implement environmental education and conservation programmes in Hong Kong. In addition, Green Power wants to inspire people to better appreciate the natural environment and know the natural resource in Hong Kong through hiking.

It is estimated that Green Power Hike 2008 will mobilize 3,000 participants to walk for a green cause according to its official website. So it is easy to catch grand image during people’s gathering at staring line and take colorful pictures during people’s hiking along the route.

The activity contains three routes: The Peak to Big Wave Bay, Parkview to Big Wave Bay and Aberdeen Country Park to The Hong Kong Girl Guides Sandiland Centre. Besides, participants are divided into individual group or team group. Personally, I prefer to focus on team competition as team-work can produce more interesting stories.

Final “Hong Kong Stories” Report

Impressed by my photograph assignment for week 3, I will focus on organic farm produce and ecotourism in my final report.

During my visit at Organic Farmers’ Market at central, I met Mark Lau who had operated a farm in New Territories since 1992. Through our conversation, he told me the union of organic farming and ecotourism was a popular business model in Hong Kong.

In Hong Kong, the market of organic farm produce is still developing. For many farms, income on organic vegetables sales can not cover the daily expense. Ecotourism as a subsidiary service helps farm owners to better manage their business. For example, Mark Lau’s farm Tree Top Cottage provides organic farming education programme for visitors. Through farming, they want to inspire people to get close to nature and know more knowledge about healthy food.

In addition, Hong Kong Ecotourism and Travels Professional Training Centre begins to provide courses for Professional Certificate in Organic Farming Tourism from 2008. It has listed a series of relevant farms such as O-farm on its website.

I would like to follow a certain farm which practices this business model. The owner can talk about his experience in ecotourism and his opinion on the market of organic farm produce in Hong Kong. Participating in activities in his farm can make me take interesting photos to show their management.

My photos on environment issue (in-class test)

The Campaign Recycling of Laser Printer Cartridge is held in Mong Kok by environment protection organization The Greeners.

Staff of The Greeners Y.Y Kwok said Lunar New Year is the peak of discarding material. Through this promotion activity, they would like to call on citizens to recycle  their Laser printer Cartridge as many of them are still useful.

“If you collects five or above printer cartridges, you can call us and we will go to your home to take them,” the volunteer of The Greener said.

Another environment protection activity Organic Farmer’s Market is a major part of One Tonne Challenge Campaign. On every Sunday, the Market is held at the Star Ferry Pier. During the activity, fresh organic farm products are presented at booth.

“Now the middle-class is our major consumers. Through this market, we want to call on more citizens to buy products of low food mileage. Compared to imported food, local food can provide fresher taste but reduce distances from farming field to market and CO2 emissions,” said Cheng Mei-chun who is the Sustainable Living Officer of this project.

The organic produce market was first held in Kadooie Farm and Botanic Garden in 2005. Local organic farm produce market is the third regular organic maket in Hong Kong which is organized by Tai Po Environmental Association, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, Hong Kong Organic Farming Association and The Star Ferry Company Ltd.