Air Pollution

[faguo]

What does the goverment is doing ?

Any one read the SCMP today (26october2007):
- LawMaker are discussing how to keep electricity price Stable & good service to consummer.

My Comment: Keep price stable & service quality for electricity is good for consummer,
is it really top priority ?
What about reduce the general Electricity consommation in HK that have increased auround 30% in 5 years ?
Reduce the comsomption will reduce the need of electricity production & reduce the air pollution link with the archaic electrical plants burning coal.

- Turn Off the Car Engine when waiting/Stopping:
A Pottential law was discuss back in 2000... still bla blating about it.
Finaly Public going to be consult soon. Time to get active and push the law to go though: Engine of Car waiting or stopping shall be switch off with or with out any one inside.
(I am for the canadian solution: need to be switch off 1 minutes max after stop/waiting)

Let go GREEN... and reduce AIR POLLUTION

[Sleuth]

Whilst this government might feel compelled to consult the public, I really don't think it cares what the consultation reveals.
Air pollution will always play second fiddle to social harmony or perhaps third to development.

[geolove33]

I want to go Hong Kong for the a job so i want to
know that what step are taking by the hong Kong
Govt.

[siumai]

HK govt cannot control it, it's the shit flying cross the border that makes things horrible here. Sure there are polluting buses, trucks etc. but you gotta understand that few people drive their own cars to work here - I'd say that no-one would notice pollution in HK if China was sleeping and/or there were no northern winds.

[Sleuth]

The ground level pollution in HK is just as bad as the upper air pollution level in HK. Can't blame the ground level stuff on the PRC.
And the roads on the island are always clogged, so plenty of people are driving cars; but perhaps not as many personal vehicles as cabs/buses.
But you're right, nobody would notice pollution if the air wind would stay off the ocean, but it would be because you could see the blue skies and horizon not because the ground level air is any good.
And the HK gov't could do what faguo suggests. I would also suggest mandating that shops in HK install double doors so that their AC (which is way too cold anyway) stays indoors. Too many of these shops are burning a lot of electricity in what appears to be an attempt to cool SE Asia. They could also get rid of some of the forever buring signs you see everywhere, direct street lights to the ground and not all over, etc.... Every little bit would help.
However, I said the government "could", not "would". Doubt you'll ever see it.

[texasaxel]

This topic was discussed last month in this thread: http://www.geoexpat.com/forum/does-p...hk-t22595.html

In today's 'The Standard', Liam Salter, head of the World Wide Fund for Nature's Hong Kong climate program is quoted as critizing the lack of response from the Hong Kong government to energy conservation measures, which he said are even lagging behind those on the mainland.

It's easy to blame the mainland for everything and undoubtedly a lot of HK pollution originates on the mainland (partially by factories owned by the HK business community. However, this does not absolve the local government from doing their part and honestly, I don't see what they are actually doing. Apparently, they are not even enforcing their own law on idling engines ... Vacating Vehicle without stopping engine (Law Cap:374G Reg:44 )

This link was quoted in the above mentioned thread:
https://epic.epd.gov.hk/ca/uid/smoky_public

[Sleuth]

This topic was discussed last month in this thread: http://www.geoexpat.com/forum/does-p...hk-t22595.html

In today's 'The Standard', Liam Salter, head of the World Wide Fund for Nature's Hong Kong climate program is quoted as critizing the lack of response from the Hong Kong government to energy conservation measures, which he said are even lagging behind those on the mainland.

It's easy to blame the mainland for everything and undoubtedly a lot of HK pollution originates on the mainland (partially by factories owned by the HK business community. However, this does not absolve the local government from doing their part and honestly, I don't see what they are actually doing. Apparently, they are not even enforcing their own law on idling engines ... Vacating Vehicle without stopping engine (Law Cap:374G Reg:44 )

This link was quoted in the above mentioned thread:
https://epic.epd.gov.hk/ca/uid/smoky_public

This horse isn't dead yet, so we're going to keep on beating it. (Please note: this is an American English saying, not a description of an actual event.)
But you are exactly right. And a place like HK--with its money, state of development and lifestyle--should be in a position to turn some attention to the mundane issues like pollution. It isn't like the government has to worry about week to week survival of the population.

[texasaxel]

But you are exactly right. And a place like HK--with its money, state of development and lifestyle--should be in a position to turn some attention to the mundane issues like pollution.

The money is there but the will is lacking. In the most recent policy address the government decided to throw billions of HKD into infrastructure project like the nature-destroying bridge to Macao and Zhuhai. What's wrong with taking the ferry ? Why is it so important to be able to drive to the casinos? Couldn't that money be used to protect the environment instead of destroy it?

I am not sure if the government's lack of response is because it thinks the people of HK don't care about pollution or because the government doesn't care about the public's opinion and focuses on satisfying big business with lots of pork (Sleuth, just like your horse figure of speech, this is American-English for politicians approving economically-questionable projects, which benefit their political donors (or lobbyist).

In HK it is the construction industry that apparently needs government support to survive but no one asks the question how many jobs could be created through environmentally-friendly measures. Perhaps less construction would actually be a good thing for HK. Instead the government appears to believe that what's good for the environment is bad for jobs and thus, not politically acceptable.

[Sleuth]

I am not sure if the government's lack of response is because it thinks the people of HK don't care about pollution or because the government doesn't care about the public's opinion and focuses on satisfying big business with lots of pork (Sleuth, just like your horse figure of speech, this is American-English for politicians approving economically-questionable projects, which benefit their political donors (or lobbyist).

Perhaps in HK they are supplying big business with lots of actual pork. That would help explain the price run-up.

And if you build a bridge to the casinos, people will drive their cars. Macau will eventually be gridlocked and their ground level pollution will soar (perhaps "sore"). The obvious solution to this is to build yet more roads to clear the gridlock. Works like a charm back in the USA. Just ask the people of LA, DC and Atlanta, where the roads are wide and the traffic stopped.

[texasaxel]

The obvious solution to this is to build yet more roads to clear the gridlock. Works like a charm back in the USA. Just ask the people of LA, DC and Atlanta, where the roads are wide and the traffic stopped.

Works in HK too - just think of that WanChai bypass that we apparently need so badly that Star Ferry and Queen's pier had to go.