Green Issues in Hong Kong

I was missing for a week in Hong Kong and I was on the lookout for green things.  Here are a few things that struck me:

a) Plastic bag levy - I was at ParkNShop (a supermarket chain in HK) and the cashiers don't give you a plastic bag unless you say you want one and you're willing to pay 50 HK cents for EACH plastic bag. 50 HK cents is roughly 6 US cents or 8 SGD cents. Doesn't sound like a lot does it? But my mum use to bring home roughly 10 plastic bags from the supermarket every week so that adds up to HKD5 savings every week.

b) Used clothes collection points were available.  According to the organiser, Friends of the Earth, "The collected clothes will be sorted, and exported to neighbouring countries as second hand goods while those worn out ones will be turned into wipers for industrial use."

c) Initiatives to recycle glass. In the area I was staying at the building management had decided to try out glass collection for recycling. That's very proactive!

3D Christmas Angel

Christmas is just round the corner - I can't believe it. It seems like only yesterday when I did my coat hanger Christmas tree. I've decided to add a 3D Christmas Angel to my Christmas decoration collection, and it's made out of 2 coat hangers (same size), wire, an old T-shirt (thanks to hubby) and old beads (thanks to hosy!).  I wanted an angel with wings that would  move - I think I was a bit too ambitious!  OK, the how to is below!!

Rash is back!

Remember the rash that my hubby had back in May this year? It's back!!!  Well, it's actually my fault because I forgot to stock up on the SLS-free laundry detergent from EarthChoice, and they ran out at the NTUC supermarket. I saw another similar product under the EarthChoice line and decided to buy that instead - I forgot to read the label!!!

Wool & Delicates from Earth Choice
- bought this instead of the Pure Clean range

There it is ! Sodium Laureth Sulfate!!!

The label on the Pure Clean Range - no SLS!

Well, it does say plant based formula on the
one I normally use.

It doesn't say the same on the Wool & Delicates
- it pays to read the label!!!

Walk out at Harvard University

The only time I touched an economics book was as a post grad. It was one of those non-core topics, and I found it very dry. All those GRAPHS and equations. It just drove me nuts!  :-) Some 70 students walked out of their economics class at Harvard University.  Apparently, they believe that Professor Greg Mankiw's teachings have "driven the inequalities in today’s society".  With the on-going Occupy Wall Street, I'm sure a lot of people are fired about the state of the world economy.  Have any of you watched "Inside Job"? It's a brilliant docu-movie about the economic meltdown in 2008.  Look out for the interviews with the academics, who somehow seem to have some dealings with it too. I loved it when they interviewed Professor Mishkin of Columbia University - he just looked bad.  Anyways, I would like to say that maybe the students could try and get the professors to include some green economics, where governments actually account and price natural resources & pollution, into their classes. I wonder whether it is in the syllabus.....

GM Mozzies

Photo: Rhythm (www.sxc.hu)

We've heard of genetically modified crops, but what about mosquitoes? Scientists are modifying the genes of mozzies so that their progeny do not live, or they are sterile. Many are hoping that the research will be successful enough to control insect-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. Some tests have been done as already reported in the NY Times. I do hope that those who decide to use this technique will remember that once you've released the GM mozzies, there's no turning back plus they don't have boundaries - remember the cane toads that were used to eradicate sugar cane pests in Australia? What may seem like a natural solution could wreak havoc on your ecosystem!