Welcome to the new academic year, we hope you are all safe and well. While we take good care of our health, we also have to be mindful of the impact we cause to our environment. An environmental hazard is rising in the midst of the pandemic. More than 100 million pieces of disposable cutlery and plastic bags are estimated to be disposed of every week in Hong Kong! In 2017, the Ditch Disposable campaign was launched at HKU to help our community reduce plastic waste by targeting plastic disposables across campus. Since then, single-use plastic water bottles of 1 litre or less and single-use plastic straws are banned on campus. In September 2020, HKU is taking a big step towards a Disposable Plastic Free Campus.
Under the Disposable Plastic Free Campus Policy, effective on September 1st 2020, single-use plastic food service ware, single-use plastic bottles of 1 litre or less in volume, and single-use plastic banners are no longer permitted for sale or distribution at the campus or at events held by any university-affiliated units. Exceptions to this policy may be permitted in health-related or other emergency situations.
Full Policy: https://www.sustainability.hku.hk/about-us/commitment/disposable-plastic-free-campus-policy
More about the Ditch Disposable campaign, alternatives and solutions: www.ditchdisposable.hku.hk
To support the implementation of this policy, a student working group under the Green Ambassador programme is formed. The working group has prepared a survey to collect the community’s views on disposable plastic waste and alternatives. Please take about 5 minutes to complete this survey: https://forms.gle/oWhQL75LERydaQnQ7. Your valuable input will help us plan and advance sustainability at HKU.
We hope you will be part of this movement by switching to more environmentally responsible alternatives and help spread this message to your friends. We count on your support to make our campus more sustainable. If you have any enquiries, please email sustainability@hku.hk.
Sustainability Office
The University of Hong Kong
www.sustainability.hku.hk