Media

HKU engages the community and students in light pollution awareness via light pollution workshops and competitions

29 May 2014

 

Light pollution is a severe and growing environmental problem in a crowded metropolis such as Hong Kong. Apart from conducting light pollution research, HKU Department of Physics also actively engages in raising the public awareness of light pollution.   Supported by the HKU Knowledge Exchange Fund, scientists in HKU spread the impacts of light pollution on the natural and built environment to students and teachers through multiple workshops held at secondary schools. Participants were also encouraged to go outside the classroom to measure and analyze the light pollution conditions in their local communities.  This year, HKU organized the “Light Pollution Awareness Community Engagement Project” jointly with the Ho Koon Nature Education Cum Astronomical Centre and the Hong Kong Space Museum to further spread the message of light pollution alleviation to the general public.  Activities of the project include the “Light Pollution Awareness Workshop 2014”, Light Pollution Project Competition 2014”, and the “Light Pollution Photography Competition 2014.”  The Workshop was held in mid-February, while both competitions had just concluded.

The “Light Pollution Project Competition 2014” aims at inviting secondary school students to investigate the problem of light pollution by carrying out a research project.  Applications from 42 teams were received, involving 138 secondary school students from 17 schools.  Findings of their projects are presented in the form of a poster to effectively illustrate the various extents or effects of light pollution.   The best nine teams were selected for an oral presentation session at HKU held in mid-May for the champion, first runner up, second runner up, and honorary mention places.  The award presentation ceremony was held on the same day.  Judges were Mr Edwin Lau Che Feng, Head of Advocacy and Education of the Friends of the Earth (HK); Mr Eric Lee Ching Pong, Principal of the Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre; Mr Robert Leung Wai Ming, Curator of the Hong Kong Space Museum; Mr Yiu Vor, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Entomological Society; and Dr Jason Pun Chun Shing, HKU Department of  Physics.

One of the judges, Principal Lee of the Ho Koon Nature Education cum Astronomical Centre was deeply impressed by the overall creativities and efforts from the students and said: “Their studies were creative, well organized, and generally of  high quality.  I am particularly pleased to see that students not only considered light pollution as an important environmental issue, but also effectively investigated this problem in a scientific manner.”  Students from the Champion team of the Shun Tak Fraternal Association Yung Yau College visited 57 distinct locations in 14 Districts to measure the degree of light pollution, and conducted experiments to investigate the effect of excess lighting on living organisms.  Another judge, Curator Mr Robert Leung of the Hong Kong Space Museum commented: “Through conducting many measurements and collecting a large amount of data, these students did a comprehensive and in-depth study on the light pollution conditions in Hong Kong.  Their dedicated efforts and strong passion on the project should be heftily praised.”

On the other hand, the “Light Pollution Photography Competition 2014” provided an opportunity for the general public to use a single photograph to capture and highlight the critical light pollution conditions in Hong Kong.  The champion photo from Mr Kwok Man Tai, a Secondary 5 student of the CCC Chuen Yuen College, was selected among 154 entries submitted.  One of the judges, Mr Edwin Lau, Head of Advocacy and Education of the Friends of the Earth (HK) commented: “His picture gives us a strong sense that people living next to these excessive signboards can hardly have a decent sleep at night, and effectively conveys the urgent need for immediate legislation on mandatory control for light pollution and nuisance.”

Dr Jason Pun of the HKU Department of Physics, the project leader of “Light Pollution Awareness Community Engagement Project” remarked as this project came to an end: “HKU would continue to engage the community in light pollution awareness by educating people the adverse effects of light pollution to the natural environment and our daily lives.”  The outstanding research projects and the winning photographs from the two competitions will be on display at the Hong Kong Space Museum foyer in a free special exhibition later this summer from 9 July to 11 August to further spread the message of night sky preservation in Hong Kong.

Students’ sharing:

Members of the “Light Pollution Project Competition 2014” champion team:

Ling Cheuk Hin (Form 3): “Lighting originally seems to be indispensable in Hong Kong to me, but now I know that the city is too bright and that people and animal cannot sleep.  I hope that our research can help to reduce the extent of light pollution so that people can sleep better, nocturnal animals can have a better environment, and people can enjoy the starry night.”

Wong Tin Shing (Form 3): “After this study, there is a big change on my understanding of light pollution in Hong Kong. Previously I thought that light pollution in Hong Kong was not serious, now I know this problem really demands immediate attention.”

Chan Ngok Wai (Form 3): “During the light pollution research, I learn that nocturnal creatures in some places are affected by light pollution that no one knows and cares beforehand.  I would like to help them through this competition.  I also learn the importance of saving energy used for lighting.  I believe that the Hong Kong natural environment can be benefited if everyone saves on the lighting energy used.”

Wong Kit Ming (Form 3): “Visiting different places in Hong Kong to conduct the night sky brightness measurements left a big impression on me.  I live in Tin Shui Wai and originally my understanding of the light pollution issue was limited to my district.  By going outside at night, I had a memorable experience when I compared light pollution conditions across Hong Kong.”

 Words from the champion of the “Light Pollution Photography Competition 2014”:

Kwok Man Tai (Form 5): “I took this photo by lying on my back in the middle of a street in Mong Kok around 10pm.  By using a fish-eye lens and pointing the camera up, a huge number of signboards was captured from the ultra-low angle.  I seldom notice the light pollution problem in Hong Kong until when I searched for shooting targets for this competition.  Walking around, I found the number of signboards  indeed enormous and they really affect the people living nearby.  Can these people even sleep?”

Results of “Light Pollution Project Competition 2014”:

Champion - Shun Tak Fraternal Association Yung Yau College (topic: 初探香港光污染)

First runner up - St. Margaret's Co-educational English Secondary and Primary School (topic:白夜行)

Second runner up - SKH Tang Shiu Kin Secondary School (topic: "Dark Side" of Light)

Honorary mention (in no particular order):

- SKH Bishop Baker Secondary School (topic: Light of Mephistopheles)

- The Chinese Foundation Secondary School (topic: Lighting up Siu Sai Wan)

- Precious Blood Secondary School (topic: Light pollution and Weather)

- SKH Bishop Baker Secondary School (topic: GOOD' L'IGHT)

- Po Leung Kuk Yao Ling Sun College (topic:「咁光。點瞓？」)

- Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College (topic: 光污染與能源)

Results of “Light Pollution Photography Competition 2014”:

Champion - Kwok Man Tai (entry: 光染民居)

First runner up - Leung Hoi Kit (entry:  青山下的香港)

Second runner up - Ma Yau Ka (entry: Light Encroachment)

Honorary mention (in no particular order):

- Chui Tsan Wai, Cheong Ka Yi  (entry:無眠夜)

- Wong Wai Lin, Chui Tin Lam Skye  (entry:星空是否只能在我的畫冊裏？)

- Chung Kwong Hei Alfred  (entry: Victoria Harbour in Purple Pink)

- Lau Kam Chuen  (entry: 無法入睡)

HKU Department of Physics Light Pollution Research

HKU Department of Physics has started light pollution research since 2003.  Leading by Dr Jason Pun, his team analyzed the sky brightness data from the Hong Kong Night Sky Brightness Monitoring Network and found the Hong Kong urban night sky to be 100 to 1,000 times brighter than the international dark sky standard between 8:30 ‒ 11:00pm, making it one of the most light-polluted cities in the world.  Light pollution not only rids us of the starry night sky, it also indicates a waste of electric energy and damages the natural and our living environment.  Detail of “Light Pollution Awareness Community Engagement Project&rdquo

More photos of the competitions and winners can be downloaded from: http://www.scifac.hku.hk/news/media?page=1.

For press enquiry, please contact Ms Cindy Chan, Senior Communication Manager of Faculty of Science, at 2241 5286 / 6703 0212 or by email at cindycst@hku.hk, or Dr Jason Pun, the project leader of “Light Pollution Awareness Community Engagement Project,” by email at jcspun@hku.hk.

"Light Pollution Project Competition 2014"