Programme Highlights
Climate change has been an emerging challenge around the globe and there has been intensive discussions and ranges of climate friendly tips on how global citizens can adopt. Due to the pandemic lockdowns in many countries, travel restrictions have been enforced and thus, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions was observed. On the other hand, some other changes in lifestyle such as frequent ordering of takeaways instead of dining in and refusion of taking customers’ own reusable cups in coffee shops could have an negative impact on the environment.
This webinar will discuss the change of living styles due to COVID-19 with focus on plastic consumption and its threat on Goal 14 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) – Life below water. Types of marine lives which have the most direct impact from plastic pollution in the water will also be discussed. Suggestions will be given on how to practice a green lifestyle and protect marine lives while we continue to fight against the pandemic.
Join us together to learn about what we can do to protect the marine lives under the COVID-19 situation. The planet belongs to everyone and every single one of your contribution counts!
Medium
Cantonese
Speakers
Environmental advocates from Greenpeace Hong Kong
Registration & Enquiries
The number of participants is limited to 50 and prior registration is required. The webinar is free of charge and applications will be accepted on first-come first-serve basis with priority will be given to Registered Young Members. For registration, please complete the online application form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSciLZdxMatTvNJYiaGfE32WAAk1-LAlQcF8GjUUT-Z8PmECMw/viewform?usp=pp_url. Successful applicants will be notified by email. For enquiries, please contact Mr. Vincent POON via email: hkieymc.srg@gmail.com.
Report
Webinar on Practicing a Green
Lifestyle to Protect Marine LivesBy Mr. Liang Ki Kin, Jacky
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hong
Kong citizens have ordered more takeaways, generating an increased amount of disposable
wastes such as used containers and utensils. These wastes were supposed to be
disposed to the landfills but some were driven into the sea and observed in beaches.
With the above observations, the Young Members Committee hosted a webinar with
Greenpeace to discuss the ways to protect marine lives through changing daily
habits.
Apart from heavy metals and
chemicals, which are well known as the main contributors of marine pollution,
Greenpeace pointed out that plastics and microplastics were increasingly contributing
to marine pollution. Microplastics, which is defined as plastics with a size of
5mm or below, can easily enter the food chain and ultimately enter human
bodies. According to the report on Plastics in Seafood published by Greenpeace in
2016, microplastics were found in 170 different species of seafood including
lobsters, shells and oysters. The connection between human’s daily activities
and the immediate impacts to ourselves has become trivial.
To look into the sources of
plastics, it was identified that supermarkets and fast food restaurant chains were
the major contributors to the usage of plastics and its by-products. There were
only a few things such as avoidance of overpackaging and adoption of
biodegradable instead of non-biodegradable plastic that could be changed in the
merchandisers’ end. On the consumers’ end, Greenpreace suggested that a change
in shopping habit was needed. Greenpeace suggested five habits to our
participants namely, bring your own shopping bag, use of soap instead of wet towels,
bring your own container for takeaway orders, abandonment of one-time utensils,
and shop naked.
At the end of the webinar,
Greenpeace left a take home message for our participants - “The greatest hurdle
of an individual in practicing a green lifestyle is the many excuses that one
makes.” The message allowed the participants to reflect on and to reconsider
what they were willing to commit for the environment.
The Young Members Committee
presented a pennant to Greenpeace Hong Kong for the informative presentation