LettersCity University students who oppose the ban on plastic straws are out of touch with the global zeitgeist

While a group of university students have complained about their campus operator not providing straws, children around the world are coming together to protest the lack of action against climate change

1-MIN READ1-MIN

Fast food chains, such as McDonald’s and Cafe de Coral, no longer supply plastic straws unless they are requested by the customer. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:11pm, 9 Mar 2019Updated: 4:10pm, 9 Mar 2019

Recently, some City University students complained about being greatly inconvenienced by the “no straw” policy of their canteen operator (“City University bans plastic straws on campus”, February 15). A few days later, there was a report of the protest by a large number of children in Europe against adults’ lack of action on climate change. The latter contrasted sharply with the attitude held by that small group of university students towards a sustainable environment and the society in which we live.

It is rather ironic that these university students, who have the potential to be our future leaders, should hold such a myopic view.

The movement against the use of plastic straws is widely supported in many countries and more recently in Hong Kong, by individuals and also by business operators. Big fast food chains, such as McDonald’s and Cafe de Coral, have a policy of not supplying plastic straws unless they are requested by the customer. The Hong Kong Sustainable Campus Consortium, which includes City University, recognises the need for local universities to contribute proactively to creating solutions and strategies for the development of a sustainable environment and to serve as models within the community towards this end.

Banning the use of plastic straws is one of the strategies adopted to reduce plastic pollution. Supporting the movement on the university campus is important, as the student and staff bodies consist of thousands of individuals, and each university constitutes a very sizeable community in itself.

If each member of the university community acts responsibly towards the environment and promotes responsible behaviour among relatives and friends, this can help craft a sustainable future for all of us.