A recent survey shows that Hongkongers produce the most waste and are the most reluctant to change their wasteful beviours. Write a letter to the Editor in response to the survey results. In your letter, discuss the seriousness of the problem, give ideas on how the Environmental Protection Department can handle the excessive amount of waste and suggest what can be done to make people more environmentally friendly.
Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to the survey results showing the wasteful behaviours of Hongkongers nowadays. As an international city, it is shameful that Hong Kong people produce the most waste and are the most reluctant to change such an attitude. In order to prevent Hong Kong from becoming a “city of rubbish” and to rebuild her image, the government should join hands with the public to handle the serious waste problem in our community.
The waste problem in Hong Kong has become a debatable hot issue in recent months. The government’s proposal to extend the landfill area in Tseung Kwan O not only reveals the seriousness of the waste problem and the wasteful behaviours of Hong Kong citizens, but also the inability and poor management of the Environmental Protection Department in dealing with the waste problem in Hong Kong. Moreover, many researches and statistics reveal the misbehaviour of our Hong Kong citizens. There were 13503 tons of waste per day in 2009 while 45% of this amount was domestic and household waste. The disposal of waste per capita per day is 1.28 kg, which is very high in Asia.
The production of the excessive amount of waste is largely due to the rapid economic development and the high living standard of Hongkongers. In order to enhance the competitiveness, many companies in Hong Kong are eager to put more effort into packaging to attract customers. The overuse of exaggerated package boxes and wrapping paper leads to wastage.
Hong Kong people are keen on having a luxurious living standard so they keep on buying different electronic equipment accessories which are unnecessary to them. The misbehaviour of over-spending also leads to excessive amount of waste.
This also reveals the poor manner of our Hong Kong citizens. They are so self-centred that they are not concerned about the environmental problems in Hong Kong. They do not share the responsibility to conserve the environment due to the low awareness. Since the reduction of waste depends on the contribution of every single citizen, it is fruitless for the government to carry out plenty of policies if the public does not join and cooperate.
Therefore, it is everybody’s business to reduce the excessive amount of waste in our community. I think the government, especially the Environmental Protection Department should take the lead. Firstly, I suggest the department improve the ‘Source Separation of Domestic Waste Programme’ more extensively. This programme aims to facilitate residents to separate recyclable household waste by category. Recycling bins for waste paper, plastics and metals are placed in different apartments and public estates in Hong Kong. However, the result is not satisfactory as only 44% of domestic waste was recycled last year. The Environmental Protection Department should encourage more housing estates to join the campaign through the using of subsidies and loans for buying these recycling bins and for promotion within the estates, in order to turn waste into reusable materials.
Secondly, the department should consider the idea of “barter” so as to give financial inducements to the public. In many countries in Europe, people can use the so-called “waste” like glass and empty bottles in exchange for some daily necessities like toiler paper and noodles and sometimes money-off coupons of supermarkets. This idea is not widely practiced in Hong Kong while it gives great motivation to the people to recycle the waste they have. The government should help set up this kind of “barter companies” so as to discourage Hongkongers from throwing away their waste directly to the rubbish bins. This helps alleviate the stress on the dumping ground.
Furthermore, the department should consider the idea of building incinerators modeled on the Japanese system. Unlike the old models, the new incinerators will not emit harmful and toxic gas and are more environmentally friendly. With the advanced technological breakthrough in recent years, the new incinerator can be a solution to remedy the situation.
Other than that, the department should develop the Eco Park. The Eco Park located in Yuen Long aims at encouraging local enterprises to set up recycling plants. However, the park is not fully bid by companies. The government needs to give more incentives like loans to encourage the recycling business in Hong Kong.
In order to make people more environmentally-friendly, education is the only way-out. The government should promote the ‘4Rs’ principles, including ‘reuse’, ‘reduce’ , ‘recycle’ , and more importantly, ‘responsibility’. There is no doubt that more and more people in Hong Kong do understand the importance and reasons behind the idea of ‘reducing waste’. Nevertheless, we need to turn this kind of ‘knowledge’ into a kind of ‘sentiment’.
Therefore, I suggest the government put more effort into building up civic awareness and civic responsibility so that Hong Kong citizens can understand their obligations and will develop a sense of belonging and social identity.
This is the only way to turn ‘knowledge’ into ‘sentiment’, and then to ‘action’. Hong Kong citizens will only devote themselves to society when they really love here. So, instead of educating them about different types of knowledge, it will be better for the government to promote the sense of belonging among the Hongkongers so that the ‘sense of responsibility’ can grow in their hearts.
In conclusion, I think the above suggestions are more suitable than the extension of landfills to remedy the waste problem in Hong Kong. I hope the government can kindly consider these sustainable ways in order to give a blissful environment to our younger generations in the future.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong
f people, mostly, politicians and businessmen who get profits at the expense of others by risking others’ lives. The mainland greedy businessmen and government officials built shoddy bean-curd school buildings so hundreds of children became the martyrs for their interests. Politicians declare wars so as to gain land and resources. The dark side in people is always reflected if we pay attention to various disasters, including both natural and man-made ones.
All in all, sorrowful disasters and tragedies bring out the best in mankind that perhaps is the only fuel supporting victims to surmount the fear and difficulties. But on the other hand, we have to admit that these catastrophes bring out our evil side too. We can do nothing to stop the tragedies from happening, but we can definitely choose to be the angels who bless this world or the devils who turn this world into hell. Let’s make a wise choice.