Q What can be done to reverse junk food culture among teenagers? The first step to inspire the young to eat wholesome food is to popularise nutritious food in school canteens. However, to lure students, the operators need to make the food tasty. Schools could promote wholesome food and give youngsters the message that it is delicious. And middle schools could inform students about the bad effects of junk food. Parents should set a good example. If they habitually take their children to McDonald's or KFC, teens will become addicted to the custom and food. Karen Chan, Shek Kip Mei Parents should set a good example for their children. They should also give them guidelines for a healthy diet and avoid buying too many snacks to keep at home. School tuck shops should be banned from selling unhealthy food. Teachers must also educate their students about the serious consequences of eating too much junk food. It is time for us to consider our health. Kerry Lau Ching-sze, To Kwa Wan A lot of teenagers eat doughnuts for breakfast, McDonald's for lunch, and greasy mall takeaway food for dinner. They are busy on their schoolwork and have no time to eat a proper meal. Junk food is fast, cheap, and convenient. But junk food lacks nutrition. People are willing to sacrifice their health to save a couple of dollars or a few minutes of their time, but junk food leads to serious health problems. How can we fit in a little junk food without overdoing it? We can make our own delicious food to replace it, such as ice cream from low-fat yoghurt and milk. Parents should also devote more time to their children's meals to help them maintain good eating habits. Sylvia Lai Q What can be done to reduce consumption of shark's fin? Shelley Clarke should be congratulated for her research into the harvesting of shark's fin using DNA analysis. The trade in shark's fin is barbaric and should be stopped. I believe it reflects badly on Asian culture that such a practice is allowed to continue unchecked. Congratulations to the South China Morning Post for making the story the front-page lead - I am sure you will have pricked many a conscience in doing so, and perhaps even have persuaded readers to think twice before ordering shark's fin soup. Edwin Allingham, Norfolk, England The consumption of shark's fin is rising and it is time to do something to reduce it, such as educating the public. The government should ask schools to educate students against eating shark's fin by telling them about the harm to the shark population. It should also end the trade in Hong Kong by banning the import and export of shark's fin. It should remove shark's fin from menus and ban officials from ordering shark's fin soup. A heavy penalty could be imposed if people consumed shark's fin. The government could organise a surveillance team to inspect whether it was being served in restaurants. Restaurants that still sold it could be fined and temporarily closed. So Wai-yan Q Should smoking areas be allowed in parts of large parks? If the government is determined to help smokers quit, it should carry out a 'Blue Sky Campaign' and create a smoke-free environment. It should implement a complete and thorough smoking ban. Such a ban has proven successful in places such as Singapore and San Francisco. Parks are places for people of all ages to relax, enjoy their leisure, and take a deep breath to enjoy the fresh air, so they should be smoke-free. Smokers claim it is their right to smoke, but their selfish 'freedom' is harming non-smokers' health. The rights of non-smokers, who are the majority of the population, deserve more attention and respect. People with bad habits deserve no sympathy. Every time a smoker lights up, I have to cover my mouth and run away. If smoking areas were set up, there might not be enough staff to enforce the law. What could other park users do if smokers lit up outside the designated area and there weren't any staff around? If staff tried to warn the smokers, would they listen? As well as passing the anti-smoking bill, the government should impose heavy taxes on cigarettes to discourage people from smoking. Joanne Leung Suet-kwan, Ma On Shan Q Are the pressure-free shopping tours a good idea? There have been repeated complaints from mainland tourists forced to shop by local guides. I feel ashamed of travel agencies promoting 'zero-charge' tour packages that result in tourists being pressured to buy. Many tourists come to Hong Kong and enjoy shopping here, but if they do not want to buy things, the guides should not force them. However, the only way for the tour guides to make money on the zero-charge or cheap packages is by taking a commission from the shops. Therefore, the travel agencies should ensure the guides have a stable income. Travel agencies and tour guides should remember that they are serving tourists and promoting Hong Kong; they should not be allowed to tarnish the city's image. Michelle Desana Lam
