Q Will the lights-out campaign change people's behaviour?
I am disappointed in the corporate sector, the HK tourist association and, of course, Mr Tsang, for their lack of participation in Lights Out Hong Kong. The fact that the HSBC and Bank of China buildings, probably the most famous in our city's skyline, ignored the call to action is disheartening.
And our own tourist association is too ignorant to understand the direct link between air pollution and number of visitors - if our skies worsen, this will not be a holiday destination, let alone a place where people want to live. They decided to proceed with their nightly Festival of Lights, thereby creating a fully lit skyline when we had asked the city to be dark!
And, finally, Mr Tsang. He did not think it would project a good image of Hong Kong if we turned off our lights. He couldn't be more wrong. If everyone had participated in Lights Out Hong Kong, it would have shown the world that our citizens do care about the pollution and are united in wanting to do something about it. The message he has sent to the world is that business and government don't care about the pollution, nor do they care about the issues that matter to residents!
I have lots of friends in California. I have been asking all my friends to visit me in Hong Kong. They don't want to. They all saw the press following the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland and the biggest feedback in the US was how disgusting our air quality is. Every photo and news clip from the opening ceremony showed how low the visibility was.
I have been in Hong Kong for 10 years. Previously, all my friends and I said we would never leave. Now, all my friends and their families are moving to Singapore. Who cares about press freedom when our kids can't breathe and, on certain days, old people are told not to go outside! Is Singapore really Asia's World City? With Hong Kong's disregard for the environment it certainly isn't Hong Kong that lives up to World City standards!
