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Introduction
The
Legal Aid Department is committed to ensuring its operation,
business and activities are conducted in an environmentally
responsible manner. The Department acts consciously in observing
environmental principles in minimizing waste, conserving energy,
promoting "reuse" and" recycle" of resources
and promoting staff awareness and participation in conserving
the environment. The Department regularly reviews and makes
continuous improvements in using our resources in an efficient
and green manner.
 Since
the Department operates under an office type environment,
the major environmental impacts are mainly confined to consumption
of utilities such as water and electricity and office stationery
such as paper. At present, the consumption level of office
stationery in the Department is closely monitored. Staff members
are also regularly reminded to economize use of resources
and reduce waste production.
On
the other hand, some staff need to perform outdoor duties
such as conducting interviews with legal aid clients in custody,
delivering and collecting documents, serving court documents
on opposite parties, and collecting case-related information,
etc. Since transportation service is required for the discharge
of such duties, the Department has encouraged the use of public
transports by staff to minimize air pollution caused by exhaust
emissions of vehicles.
Environmental Policy
For
the benefits of the community at large, the Department is
committed to implementing environmental protection initiatives
to improve its environmental performance by adopting the following
measures :
| a) |
complying
with relevant environmental protection ordinances; |
| b) |
maintaining
a clean office environment which is smoke free; |
| c) |
reminding
staff to be environmentally conscious for continuous improvement
in protecting the environment and preventing pollution
both at place of work and at home; |
| d) |
encouraging
staff to contribute suggestions on improving and promoting
environmental protection through the Staff Suggestion
Scheme; |
| e) |
continuously
communicating and making available Environmental Policy
and work progress of the Department's performance in environmental
protection both externally to the general public and all
interested parties and internally to our staff; |
| f) |
taking
into consideration environmental protection measures in
the procurement of stores and office stationery by actively
choosing green products where practicable or economically
viable; |
| g) |
ensuring
the best use of resources by recycling and economy in
electricity, paper and water consumption, e.g. using both
sides of paper, transmitting documents by electronic mail; |
| h) |
adopting
various measures to minimize air pollution caused by exhaust
emissions of vehicles and the following are some examples:
encouraging staff to utilize environmental friendly public
transport and reduce use of pool transport or departmental
vehicles while performing outdoor duties; |
| i) |
designating
the Departmental Secretary as the Green Manager of the
Department and appointing Environmental Officer in each
Section to implement and monitor environmental initiatives;
and |
| j) |
involving top management to regularly review existing
environmental targets and action plans and to initiate
new plans where appropriate, so as to keep in line with
the government's long-term strategy on the environment
and sustainable development. |
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