Tourists crowd into a SaSa Cosmetics store to stock up on name-brand makeup and lotions, only to find upon checkout that they must purchase a plastic bag for their armful of products. The cashier cheerfully explains to customers that today is ‘No Plastic Bag Day’ and each plastic bag can be bought for fifty cents. “This is how it is every Tuesday,” she adds.

As landfill space has been dwindling to its last plots, the government and activists have been strongly pushing for waste reduction – and residents as well as businesses have been reacting. Most major retailers, including supermarkets, drug stores and convenience stores have voluntarily implemented ‘No Plastic Bag Days’ that encourages the use of reusable cloth bags. The trend has changed the way people think about the environment – take a look around and you will see that Hong Kong locals have a habit of carrying large handbags or an extra tote bag on a daily basis.

Attitude Adjustment

‘Going green’ has caught on quite thoroughly in Europe, spreading throughout the world into our backyard. Mainland China enacted a law this past June that requires retailers to charge for plastic bags, following in the footsteps of many countries who have adopted the same policy, such as South Africa, Israel, Russia and Ireland. The same policy is being proposed in Hong Kong right now.

Only a few years ago, it was a challenge to find a recycle bin in Hong Kong for an empty soda can. It is now easy to spot the ubiquitous trio of grey bins with brightly-coloured lids for paper, plastic and aluminium in public areas. The bins are often filled to the brim with recyclables bursting out the tops, a testament to the acceptance and enthusiasm the public has toward recycling.

Recycling is easy and sensible, but some environmental matters are more difficult for residents to improve on an individual level, such as Hong Kong’s infamously poor air quality. Industrial smoke, including that which wafts over from mainland China, creates a less-than-clear view across the harbour on some days. The smog has been to blame for health problems and is a turnoff for tourists. The city’s wall-to-wall road traffic only exacerbates the situation.

While it helps that 95% of the public takes public transportation to reduce the number of vehicles on the road, possibly the most practical change has been engine modifications for taxis and minibuses from diesel to liquefied petroleum gas, which releases much cleaner emissions. At the end of last year, the government also launched an idling ban, which is a law against keeping a vehicle running when the driver has left the vehicle. It is also illegal for taxis to loiter with their engines running and for minibuses to take too long to pick up or drop off passengers.

Better for Business

As communities become more aware of the environmental impact of our actions, businesses are also delving into corporate responsibility. No Plastic Bag Days are completely voluntary in Hong Kong but are still put into practice by almost all major retailers, and some more fashionable stores now give away reusable cloth bags instead of plastic ones. But energy efficiency is a major issue for large buildings that consume so much of it, especially hotels that are designed to be opulent and comfortable. Finding ways to cut back on energy use not only saves the environment but also saves these companies money in the long run, but drastic measures might need to be taken to truly make a difference.

Hong Kong’s InterContinental Grand Stanford Hotel has received awards for its green initiatives, and as with most people who try to make changes, the hotel first took action with recycling. The hotel’s recycling program is not limited to paper, aluminium cans, plastic bags and bottles – their cooking oil is also sent out for cleaning and reprocessing for secondary uses. “Then we took it to another level. We really wanted to make a difference,” says Peter Pollmeier, the hotel’s general manager.

The hotel underwent massive construction and replaced its diesel boilers with a modern electric hybrid plant for hot water and steam. “We decided to be the first hotel in Hong Kong to [change our boilers], so it was a bit of a risk. And it was quite a big job. But looking at the oil price these days, it was the perfect time,” says Pollmeier. The boiler upgrade was equal to taking 70 cars off the road and reduced the temperature around the hotel by around 1 – 2°C.

Conservation

Although Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city, within its borders are nature preserves and precarious but present marine life. Various areas have been designated country parks or marine parks, which allow for better conservation of flora, fauna and habitat. For a taste of nature and a bit of education, visit Hong Kong Wetland Park, located in the New Territories. The park is a constructed wetland of recreated habitats specially designed for waterfowls and other wildlife. It also features exhibitions and walks for visitors to experience some of Hong Kong’s unique wildlife.

Among Hong Kong’s marine life, the most attention-grabbing is a small population of endangered Chinese white dolphins (also known as pink dolphins, due to their unusual hue). The dolphins have been in the limelight for about a decade, as concern has grown over human activity encroaching into their habitat and threatening their survival. They are now a protected species, and dolphin-watching tours aim to increase awareness about their desperate situation.

Reduction, recycling, conservation… this is just the start. There is a phrase now commonly spoken in stores, to be heard at the cashier when a customer foregoes a plastic bag: “thank you for supporting environmentalism.” Hong Kong, still a work in progress, supports the movement, and it hopefully will be an unstoppable force from here.