Letters | New levy won’t stop Hongkongers from reaching for plastic again
- Readers discuss how to support sustainable behavioural change, and what doughnut economics can mean for Hong Kong
So, is there a right level for a plastic bag levy? And are there any lessons we can take from having lived with such a levy for 13 years?
Although the number of disposed plastic bags fell in 2009, the year in which the levy was launched, it has crept back up. Increasing the levy is a blunt tool – how long will the effect of such a reminder last? A review mechanism to adjust the levy regularly would be useful in keeping to the intended policy target and reminding people to continue their sustainable practices.
Financial disincentives are just one facet, however. Nudging people into better practices by simply appealing to their material self-interest is not enough on its own. The government also has to get across the message of why taking sustainable action is a social good.
Unfortunately, environmental education is still poor in Hong Kong. Environmental protection and sustainable development are only taught in a limited scope within citizenship and social development in schools. There is also limited social marketing outside schools to encourage sustainable behaviour.