Letters to the Editor, June 9, 2013

Hong Kong citizens are becoming increasingly involved in environmental issues. This is a welcome, healthy trend since if "Hong Kong is our home", as the authorities like to depict it, we have to take better care of it.

Unfortunately, our political scene is dominated by business interests and "functional constituencies" whose main interest is money. Like their admired partners on the mainland, they prefer passive citizens who ignore their steady assault on our air, night sky, and environmental health.

History teaches us that people in power eventually become callous and indifferent to people's needs; they cannot adapt to changing realities, nor can they read the handwriting on the wall. Sooner or later, they are replaced by concerned citizens with more progressive ideas.

Both men and women are needed in this struggle to maintain our environment, but women are especially needed because of their rising economic power. However, Hong Kong and mainland women should be alert to a very crafty tactic used by the male-dominated corporate world. It is intended to get women so preoccupied with buying things that they fail to see the increasing damage caused by such a culture of consumerism.

Since women do most of the household, clothing, cosmetic and furniture buying, corporate advertising is aimed at women with money to spend.

Advertisers encourage women to engage in status-symbol competition with other women.