Today I came across an extremely inspirational blog by local Hong Kong guy who has decided to boycott the oligopoly for one year. So what is he doing exactly? He isn’t riding buses at all - because they’re all owned by just one private company. He isn’t buying groceries from ParknShop and Wellcome - the two biggest supermarkets who are trying to push all other smaller, family-owned stores down under. He isn’t buying his medicine from Watson’s - which I thought was the ONLY pharmacy around in HK - because they’re EVERYWHERE. What an inspiration this guy is! He keeps all this cans and bottles and when he’s filled up a huge bag, he puts them outside his apartment for the grannies to collect - 500 bottles yields HK$50!
This is actually a very serious issue because once these private companies (I also found out that a handful of the richest men in HK own the real estate companies, the telecommunication companies, large food chainstores and many clothing stores too - WOAH!!) These rich men are close to monopolizing the whole consumer market of HK and THAT is a big deal.
So yes, I do want to join in and do more for a better society.
What will I do?
1. - RECYCLE. I’ll confess, I’ve been so lazy about recycling ever since I came to HK. For one, it was compulsory in Australia and the bins were also much bigger and I had more space to put my bottles and cans. My tiny matchbox apartment in HK leaves me no room to even put a normal trashbag. BUT that’s just an excuse. And an unacceptable one too. So from now on, I shall recycle.
2. - SHOP. I’m talking about groceries. Hehe. I’ve actually already been shopping for local-produced things such as honey because I watched a show about local honey-makers in HK who are being pushed out of the market. So I guess I’ll continue doing that and maybe a bit more and try to shop at the local markets instead. There’s actually one about a 10 minute walk away and I’ve only been there once. Shame. Yes, I’ll admit that. It was awesome though because the vegetables and fruits were so much fresher and bigger and CHEAPER!!
3. - DRINK. Yes I like beer and I probably won’t stop drinking beer (please don’t tell me it’s bad for the environment/society??) I meant water. I’ve always carried my own bottle of water around until all that fuss about the BPA or PBA or whatever bad chemical is in the plastic. But again, that’s just an excuse! Bottled water was expensive back in Australia (hello, Mt Franklin?!) and that was one reason why I carried my own. Here in HK, it’s relatively cheap. But very un-ecofriendly. So I’ll buy a bottle that’s free of bad chemicals and one that the lid actually does open - the reason I say that is because during winter I bought a thermos to put my own coffee in and I could NOT, absolutely NOT twist open the cap. So now it’s just used as a “cup” in my house. Anyways, I’ll buy a better quality one next time.
Okay, I think three goals seem quite achievable and reasonable. What do you think? Care to join? You may think that one person can’t do much but there’s what is called the circle of influence. If, in every handful of people, there was one who took a step, that would make a whole lotta difference.
On a lighter note….enjoy this cartoon: Two men being pro-Tibet. One shows support through wearing of a T-shirt and the other…..boycotts ‘Made in China’. Go figure.
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