It has been suggested that Hongkongers' concern for the environment could become a core value in the promotion of the 'Hong Kong brand'. While this is welcome as it reflects the community's change in attitudes, it seems like an early April Fools' joke, however, because the government is essentially spending money to brand itself to be something that it has very little to be proud of. When will it actually take meaningful action to show us that it cares?

This is the government that granted bus franchise licences for another 10 years, without one new regulation for the introduction of improved engines, vehicles or fuels. It is the same government that did nothing about spitting and trash, until Sars came to the city. It is the same government that allows shop doors to remain open, pumping air conditioning out into the streets. And it is the same one that allows plastic bags to be indiscriminately used to hold packets of tissues. It is also the same government that has no peak-power pricing initiatives to encourage energy conservation. Instead, it went against the logic of all other countries in the world which understand climate change and offered electricity subsidies for all households, effectively telling us all to waste as much as we want.

The list of simple improvements that could be made is long and could quickly make a big difference at little or no cost to anyone, if the government cared. It seems that it does not.