It's not always easy being green. But when French expatriates Catherine Touzard and Fabienne Malaval Dupre discovered that achieving a more eco-conscious lifestyle wasn't as difficult as many might think, they decided to spread the word by compiling their findings in a guidebook, Going Green in Hong Kong.
'It's an invitation,' says Malaval Dupre. 'We point out what the problems are and how people can act in their everyday lives. They can change very simple things to have a positive impact.'
Like similar guides, Going Green offers practical tips for the home, office and even holidays (conscientious golfers could avoid playing at courses where water is scarce, it suggests). The 70-page book is unusual, however, in that it is devoted to Hong Kong, with listings for a range of environmentally friendly products and services available locally including addresses and phone numbers. There's even a chapter on household tips for domestic helpers.
The women wanted to show that Hong Kong people needn't be gung-ho greenies to help the planet. Anyone can contribute if they want to, they say.
'We met a lot of very green people through researching the guidebook,' says Touzard, a journalist. 'They're great, but theirs is a real lifestyle choice. Not everybody wants to go that far, but they can still be good citizens.'
Touzard's interest in being green took root early last year while researching a magazine story on Hong Kong's environment for the French Chamber of Commerce.