Take a ride on a rickshaw today to mark World Environment Day. The rickshaw, along with other environmentally-friendly vehicles, will be on display at the Chinese International School (CIS).
The annual global event was initiated by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to raise environmental awareness and encourage political action to save the Earth. The global theme for this year is Green Cities.
For the 20 CIS students involved in the project, transport is an issue that affects them all.
The road to their North Point school, at 1 Hau Yuen Path, is congested with vehicles every afternoon.
'The traffic congestion is annoying, especially for people and students who are in a rush to get home. It also causes unnecessary heat and pollution which affects everyone's health,' said Mariko Abe, 16, a member of CIS Green Action.
Traffic pollution affects everyone in Hong Kong. According to the Environmental Protection Department, the city's road traffic density is among the highest in the world. There are about 530,000 vehicles in Hong Kong, but with a total road length of only 1,900 km, it means there are 275 vehicles per kilometre.
Worse still, about 25 per cent of these vehicles use diesel fuel which emits pollutants that become trapped between tall buildings, creating a greenhouse effect.
