Attending the Orientation Info Day allows new students to become better acquainted with the people and resources that will help them get off to a great start at PolyU. Held on 30 August this year in Shaw Sports Complex, the event was filled with activities that aimed to assist first-year undergraduates in learning everything there was to know about the campus. It was also an opportunity for them to pick up useful tools and information about campus-wide sustainability initiatives as the Campus Sustainability Office welcomed them with a booth, highlighting helpful information and various green programmes that the newcomers can get involved.
The University offers different exciting activities for students, helping them to stay green, healthy, and make the most of their student life. Students can challenge themselves into becoming urban farmers and grow seasonal crops with their own hands by joining the Urban Farming workshops. They can take part in the one-week VeggieLicious event in September for impressive lessons on veggie diets and sustainable lifestyle. For those who care about our environment and the tragedies resulting from plastic pollution, they can enroll into the University's Plastic Free Friday and take a personal pledge to stay away from common plastic disposables in their daily habits.
Besides activities and events, PolyU also delivers vital and useful resources to assist new students to set the tone for their campus life in a sustainable and eco-conscious manner. Many digital tools and websites are available. The GreenMap@PolyU presents and allows searching into information and locations of the green features and facilities on campuses or student halls of residence. The TreeMap@PolyU and Fauna@PolyU offer rich information on the attractive and magnificent campus greenery and biodiversity. ResourcesSharing@PolyU promotes the 'share' concept in the form of a customized platform for students to exchange leftover project materials.
GreenCoin is, of course, the not-to-miss campaign to motivate everyone on campus to go green. Being the first of its kind among local tertiary institutions, GreenCoin excites and engages all students with the opportunities that they can enjoy self-benefitting incentives to reward their sustainable habits on campus. First-time registered users who downloaded the GreenCoin mobile app in the Orientation Info Day were fortunate to get bonus Coins!
The University is advancing its sustainable journey and is determined to drive sustainability education in full force. Running activities and offering resources for students genuinely tell its priority to make environmentally responsible practice and education go hand in hand. The seeds of change that are sown on the campus will grow and, ultimately, disperse far.
