''It is our responsibility to prevent the world we pass on to our children from being degraded and destroyed through our own neglect and ignorance.'' Although Hongkong is usually known for growth of the economic sort, Mrs Patten said people today should take a closer look at their style of living and not just the standard of living.

''An equally important part of environmental education is to remind and teach the community the effect each one of us has on the environment and our duty not to damage it.'' The annual fund-raising carnival, organised by Green Power and Commercial Radio, offered both fun and green education to the public.

Dr Simon Chau Siu-cheong, Green Power chairman, said it was not only the Government and politicians who should help work for a greener society but also non-governmental organisations, especially the commercial sector.

To show their support, various commercial sponsors had put up games stalls, displays and special stalls selling plants, food, books and cosmetics at the carnival.

All proceeds from the stalls went to Green Power for further environmental education activities.

Eleven KMB, KCRC and CMB double-deckers lined up on the carnival grounds for celebrities to sign their names and children to paint pictures of their green visions.

The buses, bearing slogans like ''We build a green Hongkong'', will carry around the children's art and ideas to every corner of Hongkong in the next 12 months to remind the community of the importance of living green.

The climax of the carnival was a green concert broadcast live on Commercial Radio I.

Stars including Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok, Sandy Lam, Sally Yeh and Alex To, named by the organisers as ''green ambassadors'', were invited to sing and share tips on environmental protection.

Green Power, founded in 1988, aims to promote a lifestyle compatible with the requirements of nature. General education and mobilisation of the local population, and lobbying government and industry, have been its major areas of activity.