But spending most of our pocket money on luxury products and brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vivienne Westwood when we are in secondary school is unnecessary and not sensible.

Students should know that it is not easy to earn money. They should think about how hard their parents work to support the family.

Buying expensive goods means their parents have to work even harder.

I hope everyone tries to save money and just buy essential things.

A Student

Carmel Holy Word Secondary School

More education for a cleaner city

I am writing in response to the article 'Incentives to monitor poor hygiene' (South China Morning Post, November 21)

I agree that the cleaning programme was not effective in improving Hong Kong's litter and disease control.

I still see a lot of rubbish on the streets. This is not street cleaners' fault. Keeping the streets clean is the responsibility of all citizens. Hong Kong people do not have a culture of cleanliness, and our laws are too lax to scare people into not littering like the strict laws in Singapore do.

The only solution to this problem is to target people

who ignore hygiene recommendations and educate them on the risks of disease and environmental degradation.

We have to find a way of making Hong Kong cleaner.

Mandy Yeung Yuk-man

Ju Ching Chu Secondary School (Kwai Chung)

Make farming fair

There is a wide gap between rich and poor farmers in developing countries.

If governments and non-governmental organisations want to tackle the problem, they need to look at four things: labour, capital, technology and institutional factors.

The quantity and quality of labour vary with each farm; farming systems in less developed regions use labour-intensive methods.

Capital includes money, machines and other materials that a farmer uses. Farmers in developing countries have less capital so they rely on basic tools.

Technology can help improve farming in many ways. Less developed countries, however, lack the capital and knowledge to use advanced technology.

Institutional factors include land ownership and government policies on farming.

Ownership affects the way farmers use the land. Farmers who rent land are less likely to invest on measures to improve farming or make other long-term investments.

If farmers in developing countries are given their own land, educated about technology and offered support from the government, farming will be made more fair.

Lam Yat-long Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yui Memorial College

Shanghai versus HK

Shanghai's economy is booming. Some people think that the city will supersede Hong Kong and become Asia's most important financial hub within a few years.

I disagree with this. Shanghai's economy is indeed growing fast, but it is a bubble economy that can easily crash.

There is also a wide gap between the rich and the poor in mainland cities. This can be a serious problem.

Moreover, a city isn't just about money - its residents are important too.

Hong Kong people are more polite and concerned about hygiene. Our level of morality is also higher. This gives Hong Kong a good image.

Before Shanghai can become a world-class city, its people must be educated in manners, hygiene and ethics. This takes time.

I am not denying that Shanghai has positive aspects. It is a glamorous city with many skyscrapers, but it needs improvement.

I think that Hong Kong will further improve in the next few years. Let's stop being cynical and believe in the rosy picture the government has painted for us of Hong Kong's future.

Lily Chan

Take care of your mental health

People in Hong Kong work very hard. Study and work pressure can build up and affect people's mental health.

Mental health is very important. If people have psychological problems, they may hurt themselves or their friends and family.

Being mentally disturbed does not mean you are crazy. It is an illness that can usually be treated.

If you discover that you have a mental problem, you should treat it as soon as possible.

If you are always tired or stressed, take some time to relax and do things you enjoy.

Prevention is always better than cure.

Becky Wong Kok-cun

Leung Shek Chee College