Parting Shot:
Were you one of the 120 million people around the world who participated in Plastic Free July? If not, don’t worry – it’s never too late to get involved! Here are some ways to get your plastic-free Hong Kong life up and running.
8 tips for going plastic-free in HK
# 1 Question your purchases
One of the most effective ways we can all reduce our waste is by reducing our consumption. So, before you buy anything this month, ask yourself: “Do I really need this? Or can I repurpose something we already own?” If you must purchase, make sure you look for an option with the least amount of packaging.
# 2 BYO water
Make a commitment not to purchase any plastic water bottles this month. It’s hot, so be prepared and leave the house with your reusable bottle. Need a new bottle? We love the No Plastic Mm Goi bottles by The Lion Rock Press (thelionrockpress.com). Pick one up at Bookazine. Next, download the Tap app (findtap.com) to your phone. This will help you find the closest water refill station when you’re out and about.
# 3 Say no to single-use plastics
This means no straws, no cutlery, and no extra plastic bags around loose fruit at Park’n’shop or Wellcome. Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, the founder of Plastic Free July, explains why this is so important, “The growing movement of people refusing single-use plastic sends a signal to business and government that expectations are changing. Every person has the power to influence their environment, and Plastic Free July has been critical in empowering people to connect their purchase choices to the plastic pollution problem – in other words ‘turning off the tap’.”
# 4 Explore the markets
One great way to bypass all the plastic packaging in some of the city’s supermarkets is to shop at the wet market and bring your own bags. While you might not get everything you need, even if you reduce your weekly supermarket packaging a little, it will all add up.
# 5 Invest in a takeaway coffee cup
How many takeaway coffees do you drink a week? That’s a lot of plastic lids and disposable cups over the years – yikes! This month, make a commitment to only buy a coffee when you have your takeaway mug with you. Buy one from Starbucks, Pacific Coffee or Uncle Russ, or grab one of The Lion Rock Press mugs when you pick up your drink bottle.
# 6 Start recycling
Are you recycling in your house? What about your office? If not, now’s the time to set up a system. This is a great chore for kids to own at home. If you don’t have recycling in your building, your school likely does, and you could take your recycling to school. For the office and home, try contacting HK Recycles (hkrecycles.com) to see if their services are available at your location.
# 7 Try zero-waste shopping
Try shopping for pantry items in one of the city’s zero-waste stores. Live Zero in Sai Ying Pun (livezero.hk) was the first of this kind in Hong Kong, and now there are a few others around town including Seed at Sai Kung (facebook. com/weareseedhongkong).
# 8 Buy second hand
Hong Kong has a great secondhand scene – you just need to look online. There are loads of Facebook groups that sell fashion, furniture, baby products and more. There are also fab places like Green Dot Home (facebook. com/GreenDotHome) and 2nd Chance (2ndchance.com.hk) to explore; or try the AsiaXpat forum. We’re living in a transient community, so there are lots of people selling belongings and moving on.
See plasticfreejuly.org for more information.