Tips On How To Go Green

Every year, Hong Kong Tatler launches its highly anticipated green issue. And in each edition, throughout the issue, the efforts and accomplishments of both local and international green pioneers are highlighted to our readers.

In the local lead story Green Lanterns, resident Hong Kong green pioneers were handpicked on the basis of their contribution to Hong Kong, and featured in the annual green heroes story.

The cluster of stars includes Paul Zimmerman who is in support of better urban planning in the city; Daryl Ng who’s promoting social responsibility among big corporations; the Hong Kong Shark Foundation which educates on the importance of sharks in the marine ecosystem; Chandran Nair who preaches the need for sustainable development and warns of the effects of globalisation; J. Robert Gibson, a writer/ blogger with the aim to educate on green issues; Crystal Kwok, a filmmaker hoping to make a change with environmental videography; Margaret Xu, who is actively changing the culinary scene; and Dr. Willie Smits, a protector of orangutans.

While we interviewed and shot each one of them, we also took the opportunity to have these green heroes share some cause for concerns they have seen in Hong Kong. And to encourage our readers to live a greener, more socially responsible lifestyle, we ask them for tips on how to go green.

Chandran Nair, Author of Consumptionomics and founder of the Global Institute For Tomorrow, an independent think tank committed to advancing our understanding of the effects of globalisation

On tips on how to go green:

Use public transport as much as possible; reduce the consumption of meat from industrial live stock production; use water sparingly and this is especially important in Hong Kong: reduce the use of air-conditioning whenever possible.

On common green misdemeanors:

People who embrace "green causes" as a trend and who take part as they think it is a cool thing to be involved in but do not take time to understand the science and politics involved, and are unaware of the impacts of their choices. Take for example, someone who complains about the air quality in Hong Kong but owns a SUV or a Ferrari.

J. Robert Gibson, author of the Climate Change Business Forum blog and former director of sustainable development at Swire

On tips on how to go green:

· Know your footprint so that you understand what changes in your lifestyle have a big impact and which do not make much of a difference.

· Eat less meat. Meat production is both carbon intensive and a major cause of deforestation.

· When the weather is hot, dress for it and use fans rather than air-conditioning

On common green misdemeanors:

· Dress codes: We need the fashion leaders to make shorts and short sleeve shirts for men the “gear to wear”. We need to get to a point where anyone wearing a suit in summer looks as silly as they are. Once we dress this way, we won’t need as much air- conditioning in our offices and save energy.

· Commercial air-conditioning: It irritates me when shops leave their doors open and let air-conditioning run from the shops onto the street. Whilst it is great for getting people to go into the shop, it is bad for Hong Kong’s carbon footprint.

· Temperatures in restaurants: Restaurants are often too cold. Every restaurant should have large thermometers on the wall so one can easily draw their attention when it is too cold – in the same way they point out no-smoking signs when someone is smoking.

Watch the behind-the-scenes of Malaysia Tatler's green heroes 2011 shoot here.

Dr. Willie Smits, head of the Masarang Foundation in Indonesia

On common green misdemeanors:

The assumption that one short single solution will provide all the answers to our environmental problems, is one of my biggest green peeves.

Read our 2009 green hero Doug Woodring's column on the environment here.

Daryl Ng, executive director of Sino Group





 

On how to go green:

For everyday greener life, taking a large reusable shopping bag when one goes grocery shopping would be a simple step. For home and office lighting, change to energy saving light bulbs.

And a habit from living in New York city, I love taking the subway – the MTR in HK. It is great as public transportation is energy efficient and the HK’s MTR system is one of the best in the world.

My wife has “green fingers” and grows her own organic vegetables and fruits, and she uses a compost machine that decomposes the food waste from our household to make organic fertiliser.
 

All photography by Edmon Leong