A second-hand shop in Sham Shui Po is showing how recycling can benefit both the community and the environment.
The Community Recycling Co-op, run by the Industrial Relations Institute, has been in operation since 2002 and has proved a success.
Its aim is to break people's habit of simply throwing away what they don't need when there are others who still lack basic necessities.
'Basically, we collect discarded items such as clothes, books, toys, electrical appliances, kitchen utensils, and furniture. Then, we will sell them to people in the neighbourhood at a low price,' said Lai Yuen-mei, one of the co-op's founders.
'People who donate items receive coupons as a form of community currency. The coupons can be used to buy food and snacks in the shop.'
Lo Kin-lam, 17, said: 'It's very environmental friendly. It's like a redistribution of resources. 'For example, someone buys a new sofa and doesn't know what to do with the old one. They can call the co-op to pick it up, and eventually it will end up in the hands of another family at a reasonable price.'
But Lai said the institute had serious reservations about setting up the co-op.
