The 8th Green Pathfinders Forum, organized by GPEPA (Green Pioneer Environmental Protection Association of GDUFS) was held on GDUFS’s south campus on October 16th.  The Forum was jointly sponsored by the Friends of the Earth (HK) and Guangzhou Green Point Environmental Protection Information Centre. Ms. Mei Ng, former director of Friends of the Earth (HK) and the UN Global 500 Laureate, together with Lizette Smook, Founder and Managing Director InnovAsians Ltd. Hong Kong was invited as guest speakers.

Themed, "Green Choice, Green Business," the forum consisted of four sections respectively; Cool English, Talk Show, a Q & A and the Mock Interview.

In Cool English section, an English drama –“The King Selecting His Son-in-Law," performed by members of GPEPA - delighted the audience and received high praise from Ms. Mei Ng for its excellent combination of environmental protection education and drama performance.

Talk Show was presented by the emcee Ms. Mei Ng and the interviewer Ms. Lizette. Ms. Lizette talked about her experiences as well as the green products.  Early in her career, she worked for a highly polluting textile factory.  This inspired her to set up her own company InnovAsions to source and manufacture green textile products, as well as to create an awareness of clean technology, as well as organic chic and eco-friendliness in the textile industry. At the end of the interview Ms. Lizette showed the audience some of her companies green textile and non-textile products.

Accomplished as she is, Ms. Lizette experienced ups and downs in her business career, but her passion, persistence and optimism eventually led her to success.

Most students were inspired by Ms. Lizette, so in Q & A, there were many questions and Lizette took the time to answer in detail. In her answers, she mentioned that green products were prospective in China and encouraged the students to start small to protect the environment.

The last section was designed as a Mock Interview, in which members of the audience volunteered to be interviewed by Ms. Lizette. In this section, students learned not only job interview skills but also some environmental protection knowledge.

Near the end of the evening, Ms. Mei Ng was asked, “What is the hardest obstruction in pursuit of environmental protection?"  She answered, “I am fighting a long battle and some people just don't understand what I'm doing.  But I believe firmly in three things. The first is to convince people, even just one more person. Second, do the right thing at the right time with the right person. Third, learn from the ant -- take just a small step at a time."  Ms. Lizette left the students with a final thought, she suggested the students think and act differently from others and never give up their dreams.