To promote environmental education, it is indeed crucial for the audience to learn about the ecology. However, environmental protection is also an important topic that should not be overlooked. During this interflow journey, we visited the Penang Green Council, to learn about its environmental policies. We reflected on the current waste reduction situation in Hong Kong, and such interflow experience had inspired us to incorporate environmental elements into our educational activities, so as to promote sustainable development.
Sharing by Carrie Cheung (Senior Education Officer)
We visited the office of the Penang Green Council (PGC), and interacted with their representatives. PGC has promoted various environmental policies actively, including the “No Plastic Bag” Campaign and “Waste Segregation at Source Policy”. The recycling rate in Penang had drastically soared from 31% in 2013 to 51% in 2022. We were awed by its policy effectiveness. In contrast, Hong Kong's municipal solid waste recycling rate declined from 39% in 2012 to 32% in 2022 [1]. It was challenging for the recycling industry to flourish, and the waste charging scheme was also halted. Currently, Hong Kong's three landfills are projected to reach capacity by 2030 [2]. Hongkongers may soon face challenges in waste disposal.
environmental policies and education experience
the consequences of microplastics entering the food chain through a model
You may be wondering - OWLHK's educational activities mainly focus on ecology, so how waste reduction relates to OWLHK’s works? Well, the ultimate goal of our different educational activities is to motivate more people to love the nature, cherishing the Earth's resources in their daily lives. Taking just a small step, you can become a guardian of the nature too!
References
[1] Statistical Highlights. (2024). Challenges of Waste Recovery in Hong Kong. https://bit.ly/3NoHzmJ
[2] Greenpeace. (2022). How many landfills and incinerators are there in the history of Hong Kong? Past and Present of the City Besieged by Waste. https://bit.ly/4dNCa3w