Plastic is not fantastic

We are going around the city to demonstrate the potential of renewable energy, and give you a taste of solar! (© WWF-Hong Kong)

Given our geographical position and our location in the subtropics, Hong Kong is exposed to a lot of solar radiation. WWF’s “Solarising Communities” project launched in 2016 installed on-grid solar PV systems on the rooftops of three stilt houses in Tai O, demonstrating the city’s potential to develop solar energy. The project is now being extended with a 100 per cent solar-powered mobile café that is visiting different districts around the city, offering the public a taste of solar energy.

Click here for Solar Mobile Café tour schedule

Change the way we eat

How many pieces of single-use plastics do you use for eating and drinking each day? The plastic cutlery, containers and straws do not only exist in our daily meals, they also end up in our marine environment. According to the Coastal Watch survey, these items are among the top 10 of Hong Kong marine litter, causing long-term impacts to marine life. Even if properly disposed, they take up precious space in landfills for a long time. In Hong Kong, only about 14 per cent of plastic is recycled1. Dinnerware make up eight per cent of disposed plastic waste2, and are difficult to recycle due to food contamination.

To help save our marine environment, you can first, commit to not using single-use plastic tableware. You can also take the extra step of urging the food and beverage industry to stop providing plastic tableware to customers, and call on the government to regulate the use of single-use plastics in the F&B industry by 2022!

Reference:

  1. Environmental Protection Department (2017). Monitoring of Solid Waste in Hong Kong – Waste Statistics for 2016, p.3
    https://www.wastereduction.gov.hk/sites/default/files/msw2016t.pdf
  2. Research Office, Legislative Council Secretariat (2017). Statistical Highlights – Environmental Affairs.ISSH01/17-18
    https://www.legco.gov.hk/research-publications/english/1718issh01-plastic-waste-20171031-e.pdf

Increase local renewable electricity share to 10 per cent

Currently, Hong Kong’s electricity fuel mix contains about 70 per cent of energy generated by fossil fuels, while only 0.1 per cent is generated by renewable energy. The government should set a long-term target to increase investment in renewable energy to a 10 per cent in the electricity fuel mix by 2030 to facilitate a comprehensive energy turnaround.

© WWF-Hong Kong

© WWF-Hong Kong

Floating solar PV systems on Shek Pik Reservoir demonstrates Hong Kong’s huge potential to increase local renewable energy share to 10 per cent. (© WWF-Hong Kong)

Floating solar PV systems on Shek Pik Reservoir demonstrates Hong Kong’s huge potential to increase local renewable energy share to 10 per cent. (© WWF-Hong Kong)

Our asks

WWF is committed to promote the development of renewable energy and we urge the government to:

  • set the introductory feed-in-tariff rate at HKD$4/kWh to rebate all electricity generated by small-scale domestic solar systems
  • increase the use of the local renewable electricity share to 10 per cent by 2030.

Find out why these asks are achievable.