Citizens should change their wasteful ways
Environmentalists have been calling for Hong Kong residents to face up to the city’s waste crisis and change their ways.
Government figures for 2014 show that residents generate more waste per capita than any other city in Asia.
Therefore, green groups are calling on citizens to reduce their volumes of household waste. They point to landfills nearing capacity and beaches strewn with huge quantities of rubbish.
Most of us still have bad habits with the extravagant use of resources and energy. The government should learn lessons from Japan, Taiwan and Korea, where governments have vigorously pursued recycling policies, with the ultimate aim being zero waste.
Luckily, there are people here who care about our environmental problems and who are setting good examples and setting up recycling enterprises.
I admire their enthusiasm, but what is required is the concerted effort of all citizens. There has to be more education on the part of the government, and it should target young people with talks in schools.