After 8 months, Jockey Club CarbonCare Open Innovation Lab (JC COIL) has called out for green innovative enthusiasts again at the CarbonCare Innovation Boot Camp in HKFYG Jockey Club Sai Kung Outdoor Training Camp to recruit new blood for the incubation programme. Facilitated by IAF-Hong Hong Chapter, this two-day-one-night camp aimed to help over 30 participants to get to know one another’s green initiation and form teams to prepare for the programme.
Before formal activities began, participants were asked to note down on the asset mapping wall the environmental issues that they knew best and cared most, along with their own personal skills. This would allow them to find like-minded teammates more easily in these two days. Two sessions were held in the morning to boost creativity and interaction. In the “Jam a Creative Scenario” session, participants divided themselves into groups and utilizing their strengths, brainstormed for new green project ideas. These ideas included “Green Gym”, “After Tea Massage Balls” and “Green Crowd-funding”. The second session, called “My Green Initiation”, was aimed at experience sharing. Ms Debby Cheng, Project Director of CarbonCare InnoLab, talked about biodiversity threats under climate change. A journalist in her earlier career, Debby read an article about how armadillo, an animal living in South America, has migrated north to escape global warming. Scientists have even predicted that half of the world’s species would extinct by the end of this century because of climate change. Other participants followed suit by sharing their personal stories of green initiation and enjoyed a more in-depth exchange with one another.
An “Open Dialogue” was held after lunch. It offered a platform for participants to freely take charge. Without a host, idea owners could occupy a zone to promote their project concepts, while others could travel from one zone to another to learn more about different project concepts. More than 10 topics have been initiated by participants, including “Eco-enzyme vending machine”, “Cigarette filter recycling” and “Reusable tableware”. Through discussion and based on their interest, the participants developed their initial grouping preference.
The “Team Forming” session was held at evening time. Those with clear project ideas stood on stage to recruit for teammates. Those interested to join went for group discussions. Those who were still undecided acted as green strategists, helping to come up with a bigger development blueprint for reference of the others.
Activities on the second day focused on the strengthening of project ideas and helped individuals understand their grouping preference. In the “Shaking Your Mind” session, participants were asked to role play a fireman, a celebrity or a pastor. Assuming another identity and seeing things from a different angle, the participants tried to break through limitations and blind spots to develop new project strategies. In addition, the host introduced the Adizes Life Cycle and pointed out that the participants were currently in the stage between embryo and infancy. To carry through their project, they would need huge passion and time input along with a strong will. In the later stages, they might need to face conflicts and would need to strike a balance operationally.
The “DISC personality test” session that followed helped participants understand their own personality as well as others, equipping them with mediation methods to resolve conflict. The host said as there is strength and weakness in everyone, a good team should be made up of many characters willing to cooperate and interact with one another. In times of conflict, the easy-going members can act as buffers.
Seven teams were formed by the end of the boot camp, each with its own charter. These teams are: “Greensup”, a crowdfund platform for green projects; “WeFill”, a packaging project to reduce packaging waste; “Sharing farms”; “Green corporate eco circle”, a no disposable tableware project, a green board game project and an eco-enzyme project.
The finale of the camp was marked by a presentation from Education For Good, to explain the concept of “Lean Startup” and announce the upcoming training and support programme. Mr Chong Chan Yau, co-founder of CarbonCare InnoLab, reminded all of us not to forget our green initiation and to change our lifestyle for a more sustainable future on earth.
