徹ur chief aim is survival." That is what Mr. Gordon Ng Ting Leung of the Friends of the Earth said, facing the problem of insufficient money and controversies over private sponsorship.
Competition for funds is not only a problem among green groups, it is also a headache for the government body, Environmental Campaign Committee.
The Environmental Campaign Committee was set up in 1990 to promote public awareness and help groups to find funds. However, most sponsorship goes to the committee's own activities instead.
Mrs. Ng Fong Siu-mei, director of the Friends of the Earth, said, "The Environmental Campaign Committee seemed to possess superpower. It has taken most of the money.
"I don't want to sound like sour grapes, but I hope money could also go to voluntary green groups. We are struggling for survival."
The committee, however, was a quasi-government organization with offices in the Environmental Protection Department. They gain support from government.
Its secretary, Mr. Edward Lam Wah King, described their job as to encourage private companies to sponsor green groups and their activities, not just the committee itself.
"There is actually ample money for environmental activities. We haven't exhausted all the sponsors," said Mr. Lam.
"Some groups refused to accept donations from firms which operate practices against the nature.
"In some cases, the poorly-organized activities turned away sponsors," said he.
Hence, Mr. Lam urged the green groups to "try harder."
According to Mrs. Ng Fong Siu Mei, director of Friends of the Earth, she spent almost half of working hours looking for sponsors.
Although she agreed that the groups should work harder, they cannot afford the supporting machinery and publicity means.
Said she: "There are some really good environmental programmes, but what the companies often look for are publicity opportunities associated with performances of famous celebrities.
"Of course they want corresponding rewards through sponsorship. But they should also consider the long term interest of society."
According to Mr. Gordon Ng Ting-leung, spokesman of the Conservancy Association, companies are reluctant to sponsor green groups directly which sometimes go against government policies. They avoid getting involved in conflicts.
Despite the insufficient money, accepting donations from environmental unfriendly businesses starts the conflict between financial existence and the groups' principles of environmental preservation.
Mrs. Ng said, "Foreign environmental groups can be run smoothly even without sponsorship from private firms. Membership fees are enough.
"In Hong Kong, the green groups have not yet been well developed. We have only about a thousand members.
"The membership fee is not enough for the internal administration, let alone the promotion of those activities.
"For survival, we have to accept some private companies' donations including those from the gasoline companies. They show real enthusiasm for the environment.
"However, we certainly decline sponsorship from tobacco companies, automobile producers and fur stores."
Yet, Mr. Ng still believed that they would not accept these donations if there was sufficient money from the government.
He added, "In fact, there are arguments in our association about accepting donations from polluting business.
"We see the donations as compensations from private firms for environmental exploitation."
Green Power, another green organization, however, holds a positive attitude towards private sponsors.
Its spokesperson, Miss Pang Yuen Ling, said, "Unlike the other green groups, we don't want to argue with anyone.
"We just want the public to take up the concept of environmental protection gradually.
"We have not received any government fund. Taking sponsorship from private companies is the only solution to the problem."
Environmental protection is not a kind of social service to the government, thus it is not receiving enough support from it, said Miss Pang.
Meanwhile, gasoline companies are working hard to build up an environmental friendly image through sponsorship to green groups.
Mr. Wong Chau Kan, manager of the Public Affairs Department of Hong Kong Shell Company Ltd., denied publicity as its only incentive.
He said, "Gasoline companies do have to survive as the green groups. It is difficult for us to avoid pollution. What we can do is to minimize our harm to the environment.
"We just want to cooperate with the green groups. We believe we are responsible to society and the environment."