DB Green

Calling all Tree Planters!

This may be your last chance to help with tree planting this year and leave your mark on Discovery Bay for years to come.  We need to get the seedlings in the ground before the end of June.

John and Tiareti have scheduled 4 days this week – must be at least one where you can head up the hill and help out for a couple hours.  Better yet, send your kids who are suddenly out of school and wondering what to do!

When:

Tuesday and Wednesday, 16^th & 17^th  – in the morning

Saturday and Sunday, 20 & 21^st – all day

Wear sturdy shoes and long pants, bring water and a snack. John has all the tools and 300 trees to plant! 

See you there.

-Michele
DB Green

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Upcoming DB Green Events
Beach Clean-ups: Sunday, June 14th and Sunday, July 12th
–Meet: Nim Shue Wan beach from 9am- 1pm

Tree Planting: Saturday & Sunday May 30 & 31
–Meet: Golf Course road, path to pagoda, across the stream to the left of the path

Project Updates
Tree planting – Round 2 Complete!
After five Saturdays and Sundays spent digging holes, planting seedlings, watering trees and enjoying picnic lunches, John Horwood with his supportive wife and family, and a long list of volunteers, completed the 2nd round of tree planting in the area near the pagoda, off the golf course road. A total of 360 new trees were planted, with varieties including Hog Plum, Ivy Tree, Hance’s Syzygium, two Chinese Banyan and a few Pomelo. Take a walk to the site and admire the foundations of the DB Conservation Area. Plant some more trees on May 30!

Beach Clean-up – May 10th
On May 10th, Mother’s Day, about 30 adults and children turned up for the 2nd beach clean-up of 2009, focused on Nim Shue Wan and Cheung Sha Lan beaches. We concentrated mainly on Nim Shue Wan, with a few hardy souls (Peter Shaw and Tracey Read) venturing beyond to do some work at Cheung Sha Lan. Excellent progress was made on removing both big and small items from the beach, even some left-over from Typhoon Hagupit last year. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a few sausages (including vegetarian) and cold drinks to celebrate our hard work. If you missed this one, don’t worry, the next event is June 14th!

“No junk mail”
As part of our campaign to ‘reduce’ the quantity of paper sent and then discarded, DB Green has kicked off a “no junk mail” project. Residents of Siena 2B received a sticker in their mailbox along with a village newsletter. For those who want to reduce their junk mail (and reduce waste) they can put the sticker on their mailboxes. Magazine racks were also installed in the high-rises to hold a limited number of fliers, allowing people to take only the fliers that interest them and return those they have finished with. We hope other villages will follow this example with Siena 1, Chianti, the Greens and Siena 2A next in line. More DB Green members are needed on the Village Owner Committees (VOC) to help these initiatives make faster progress.

Recycling
The recycling program in DB is ticking along nicely. Dana and Kate have decided to go back to some basics by checking each and every rubbish room in DB to see if improvements can be made in communications or organization. They are starting with tower 2 of the Greens and have written a number of suggestions to Winson and the estate manager, correspondence here. They are implementing some small changes by the end of May to improve recycling rates, and then plan to move on to towers 1 and 3, followed by towers 4, 5, and 6. If you are a resident of the Greens and want to help with this initiative, please reply to this email and we’ll link you up with Dana or Kate.

If you notice your recycling is being mixed with the rubbish, please contact Winson immediately. A training class has been arranged to teach the cleaners what is recyclable. All the cleaners should have participated in it by now, but education is a process and may need reminders now and again. If you or your neighbours need a reminder about what is and isn’t recyclable in Hong Kong, look here

Be the change you want to see in the world!
***Reduce your plastic footprint!***
While plastic has been an amazing addition to our lives, it has also become an increasing environmental challenge – filling our oceans, waterways, beaches, and landfills. Unfortunately, it never biodegrades and only 5% of the millions of tons produced annually, is recycled.

What you can do:
• Say “no thank you” when offered a plastic bag for shopping
• Bring your own plastic drink bottles
• Say “no way” to polystyrene take-away containers
• Recycle everything you can
• More tips here

Links and Resources
• Ever wondered how to say “no plastic bag” in Cantonese? Check out this list of useful enviro-friendly Cantonese and Mandarin phrases.
• List of some organic shops in Hong Kong
• An article on how to reduce your environmental impact by eating more organic food
• DB environment discussion forum on Way-to-Go web site
• Project Kaisei focused on cleaning up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean
• LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) Square @ Star Ferry every Sunday- more info
• “All is One” video – we only have one world and everything on it is connected

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Hi DB Green,

On occasion it is pointed out to me that some of you would love to help looking after our trees but why are we always watering during the week? Well the answer is it’s all John’s fault! John is one of those pilot people who has no routine and works for Dragon Air so he works a lot! But this Sunday afternoon, 1:30 pm onwards, he’s FREEEEE and he thought it would be a perfect opportunity for the green community (that means you)- many who may have planted a tree last year- to come and see how the trees are coming along, see how we water them and do some watering if you like, have a look at the Indian water pump and how to use it, and generally gear up for the upcoming tree planting season. Not to mention it should be a lovely day for a Sunday afternoon stroll in the hills!

You might be interested to know that a recent study has come out that has been looking at the survival rate of tree plantings on degraded hillsides in Hong Kong. It was found to be often poor which is a different result to our tree planting. Of course the difference with our trees is our post plant care. We don’t just set and forget. John and his wife Tiareti have been passionately nurturing our trees. They are up there at least once a week checking on their progress and giving care when needed- when there was too much rain they made sure they weren’t washed away. When the rats got in they protected the roots with a wire mesh. And when the dry season started we started watering them. John sourced and installed the water pump (which we helped pay for) so it was easier to get water to the trees. Some of you have helped with watering when you can and can be quite pleased with yourselves that your help has made our trees quite decidedly the most successful tree planting venture in the land!

Soon the rain will begin and there will be no need to water for a while. Once the rain begins it will be time to start planting again. We will once more look to raise funds for buying the trees by donations and general fund raising activities. Kadoorie Farms has already offered us a discount (I like to think it’s because they know we are doing a good job) and depending on the volunteer rate we will look to plant somewhere between 500 and 1000 trees this year. We will let you know how you can donate a little closer to the time. I might even organise a donation bucket up the hill this Sunday.

So this Sunday (1:30 onwards) bring the family, drinks and afternoon tea if you like. if you have a big bucket or watering can bring that. Wear long trousers and shirts if you are going to help with the watering and if you have a big bucket or watering can bring that. John and Tiareti would love to meet you and your families and share their love of this project. John will be on hand to answer any questions you might have and I’ve asked that at 3pm he give a general round up to whomever’s around on the current status of our Feng Shui Woodland and share his vision of the years ahead.

Kind regards,
Kate

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If you happen to be walking up the hill this morning join John, Tiariti and I for a little nature nurture.
Make your exercise count for more than burning calories- put that energy to good use! Look for the signs on the way to the Lookout.
Cheers,
Kate

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If you happen to be walking up the hill this morning join John, Tiariti and I for a little nature nurture.
Make your exercise count for more than burning calories- put that energy to good use and help water them trees! Look for the signs on the way to the Lookout.
Cheers,
Kate

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Hi DB Green,

Feeling like some Monday morning exercise? John is back for some watering tomorrow morning- if you’re available head up the hill towards the Lookout and look for the signs. Wear long trousers, shirt and bring drinking water and a big bucket or watering can if you have one- if not don’t worry- there is some up there.

Next meeting Tuesday 10th February, Pacific Coffee, 7:30pm.
I have been advertising on website a meeting the next day at 10 but will now be working so cancel that if you’ve put in your diary already.

Hope your weekend is going well!

Cheers,
Kate

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John’s flight delayed so no tree watering this afternoon (Tuesday the 6th Jan).
Will let you know the next available date.
Cheers,
Kate

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Solving our environmental challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming. So many areas need help that it is hard to know where to start.  But imagine if we all took one or two small actions in our daily lives.  Imagine that once you took those in 2009, you added a few more in 2010, and a few more in 2011. Then imagine if your family and neighbors added their own actions to the total.  Imagine the difference we could make!

So, here we are, the beginning of a new year: a time for resolutions, a time for action.  Check out the list attached 2009-green-new-year-resolutions1. Are there things you would be willing to start doing?  Things you’ll encourage your family and friends to do?   Print it out, tick the items you’ll continue doing and tick a few new items you’ll commit to doing in 2009.  Then print out a version (double-sided, of course) for your spouse, your kids, even your friends.  Let’s see the change we can make happen in 2009!

Happy New Year from DB Green!

-Michele

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Hi there- all this dreary drizzling is FABULOUS for our trees so John feels we probably don’t need to water tomorrow. He will go and check the trees out tomorrow and see if we need to water and if so, we will have a go on Wednesday. I will send out an email late tomorrow night if the decision is to water then and let you know. In the meantime there is a Facebook group called DB Green which you can join by searching for DB Green on Facebook and then somewhere is the option to join the group. If there are any events please let us know on there and Michael (computer whizz) can put under events category as they come up which you can get invited to. (I hope that is OK Michael?!! )
While I’m thinking about it it’s time to get revved up for the NEW YEAR with a meeting and a look at the goals we hope to achieve for the year. I do need more people to take an active role if we are going to achieve some of them. Shortly we’ll send out the major ambitions for the year- if there is something that interests you please let me know so you can start up (or join) that team. There is so much we can do here in DB with just a bit of work- the more helping hands the less each of us have to do. I am taking a little pressure off myself this year (one of my MANY resolutions) by not trying to do everything- if I just can’t get round to it because I have a full-time job and three small children then it may unfortunately just not get done- so I will try to delegate more and if it doesn’t get done then so be it. We’re all busy and we can only do what we can do…..she says very philosophically………. but still upbeat and looking forward to a year of action!!
So anyhow- MEETING- how about Thursday the 8th- as it’s the first of the year lets say 10am as the main meeting with a recap at 7:30pm for those who are at work during the day. If you can make the morning please go for that one in preference. We will try to set out what we want to achieve for the year and see if we have any takers to lead or join teams.
Michelle is going to send out the commitment list any moment now so look out for that one and in case you don’t hear from me beforehand
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Let’s make it our greenest one yet!

Cheers,
Kate

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That’s right- just when you thought it was safe to mention tree planting without being roped into doing anymore, the fabulous people at Kadoorie farms have offered us a deal in recognition of the benefits of the project and it is an opportunity too fantastic not to take up! You may remember we wanted to plant some Banyan trees but at $400 a pop there would be only a limited number but they have very generously offered us 55 trees including some Banyans at only $5 each!!!
June is a busy month for John and myself and the only day we could both be present was the 7th June- the weekend of the dragon boat racing. As it is not too many trees we hope that we can still manage to get about 10-20 volunteers to pop up towards the Lookout in the morning about 10am till 12 noon to plant them out. Please make your way there for your absolutely last opportunity (I’m almost 100% sure) to plant trees this year.
With even just 11 people at 5 trees each it shouldn’t take us more than a couple of hours. But getting 11 people can sometimes be more difficult than you might think!
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE (if you’re not rowing your team to stardom!)

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