Hong Kong

This year, I spent spring break in Hong Kong- a city where visibility is currently less than 8 kilometers for 30 percent of the year. Air is the source for many respiratory infections and asthma in the area, which is why many people wear face masks while out on the street. They even have stores that sell only face masks.


Los Angeles air even seems clean to me since I returned from my trip, as I no longer sneeze due to the dust in the air. Perhaps people in LA could adopt face masks to protect themselves from bad air, such as when bush fires occur.

Air pollution in Hong Kong recently reached its highest levels since records began. This is partly due to the large number of factories over the border in mainland China. But there is hope for them, as people are starting to reduce comsumption levels, which will eventually lead to less waste and pollution.

I was surprised at the environmentally friendly habits that the people in Hong Kong had. For example, many of them bring reusable bags with them to the grocery store. Some stores even offer a slight discount if you bring your own bag. At nearly every store that I went to where I declined a paper or plastic bag for my purchase, the salesperson thanked me for doing good for the environment. It made me feel feel virtuous and earth friendly, which is one of the reasons why the most of us recycle. It also helps that the Chinese are naturally thrifty, and households tend to reuse many things. But there is always room for improvement, as the household recycling rate is only 10 to 14 percent, compared to over 30 percent in England.