Learn to value water before it is too late
Water use will be the most immediate environmental challenge after climate change for Pearl River Delta cities, the top Dutch representative for international water issues has warned.
The report said each person in Hong Kong uses twice as much water as people in any other city worldwide. I think it is high time we paid more attention to saving this precious resource, especially as we are highly dependent on the mainland for our water supply.
We could start by reducing water use in daily life. We can stop letting the tap run while brushing our teeth, take shorter showers, and avoid running a bath. Also, we can recycle more, for example, by using the water from washing rice or fresh produce to water plants.
On its part, the government could mark up the price of water, as economic steps are often the most effective. There must also be more public education about the need for conservation. Students should be taught how people on the other side of the world suffer from the lack of water and have to trek for hours to get some, so they appreciate more what they have.
