Hong Kong: Eco-trendy or eco-serious?
Monday, July 27, 2009 23:21
Just came across this blog post at CNN where they ask whether or Hong Kong is eco-trendy or eco-serious?, where Miranda Leitsinger dives into several of the new regulations that have recently gone into effect:
Tuesday marked the beginning of the environmental levy on plastic bags. For every plastic bag a customer takes at certain retail outlets, they will be charged 50 Hong Kong cents (US$0.06). Green signs have sprouted up at these outlets to inform shoppers of the new fee.
The previous week, a full ban on indoor smoking in public places came into effect. Bars, nightclubs, massage businesses and mahjong-tin kau (Chinese dominoes) premises that had earlier received an extended deferment of the ban are now forced to implement it.
And in late June, more than 3,500 buildings and groups in the southern Chinese enclave turned out the lights on a skyline known around the world for its nighttime illumination.
Inviting readers to write their thoughts on the recent measures, my initial thoughts are that all of the above are excellent steps, and I hope HK follows through on all of them over the longer term.
However, I find it off that the biggest environmental white elephant has been left to stand in the room. That the fact you can hang meat in most HK buildings (malls in particular).HK’s average must be far lower than the 21 degrees we find in Shanghai, and that is in iteself a huge opportunity to curb energy!
Megan says:
July 28th, 2009 at 2:08 am
Anyone who works with Hong Kong’s highly respected think tank, Civic Exchange, will tell you that the government of Hong Kong is more on the eco-trendy side. They have been slow to take on problems of air quality and building design for fear of angering the powerful interests that benefit from the current system. Though these steps are in the right direction, they are relatively insignificant compared to the possibilities of what could be accomplished if they were eco-serious.
Rich says:
July 28th, 2009 at 2:18 am
Megan
Thanks for your comment, and intro to Civic Exchange (I was not aware of them). Will be in HK in a couple of weeks, so will be interesting to see the differences.
I think, that if followed through upon, changes will occur.
Just takes time.