Be The Change: Plastic Free July!

Close to 2 million people have pledged to reduce their plastic footprint this month. If you’re planning to join them, Dana Winograd of Plastic Free Seas has some tips. Mervyn Black reports It’s something almost everyone is conscious of these days but something most of us still have trouble getting a complete handle on – significantly reducing our plastic footprint. In a busy place like Hong Kong, even the simplest of fixes – like packing a reusable water bottle – can go by the wayside as life gets in the way. There’s no doubting the intentions of many, but most still need constant reminders to avoid slipping into old habits. One such reminder comes this month in the form of Plastic Free July: the per fect time to fire up some old habits and create some new ones. Launched in 2011, Plastic Free July has grown from humble beginnings in Australia to become a global movement attracting millions of par ticipants: 174 million in 2024. The campaign provides resources and ideas to help reduce plastic waste, describing July as “the global month of action against plastic pollution”. When you sign up to take part, you pledge either to avoid single-use plastic packaging, target takeaway items (bags, bottles, straws and cups) or go completely ‘plastic free’. You pledge to do this for one day, one week, one month or from now on. While there are myriad suggestions on where to get started on the Plastic Free July website (www.plasticfreejuly.org), who better to consult than 27-year DB resident Dana Winograd, executive director and co-founder of Plastic Free Seas (PFS), a Hong Kong-based environmental charity focused on changing the way plastics are viewed and used, through education and action campaigns. “People get interested when they think they are part of a global movement like Plastic Free July,” opens Dana. “While some people don’t need that, for other people it’s really inspiring. That’s why we promote it.” Whether as an individual, as a family or as part of a larger group – with more people to hold you accountable – the concept of Plastic Free July is simple. “The goal is to choose a behaviour you’d like to change or an item you’d like to eliminate from your daily life and star t it in July and hopefully continue it on,” says Dana. “It’s great to do at work: if you know too many people buy bottled water in your office, push for a reduction of that. It could also be in your friendship group, at kids’ bir thday par ties or on trips to the beach.” Dana points to reducing one’s reliance on buying bottled water as the best star ting point for most people. And here she has a handy tip: “Check out Water For Free, an app for your phone that lists all the free water stations in Hong Kong. “New water fountains pop up in DB regularly,” she adds. “The one in Siena Park even measures the amount of single-use plastic bottles it has saved people from buying.” Over 17,000 at last count. “It’s just about making that little bit of effor t,” says Dana whose environmental crusade began in 2007 when DB Green, DB’s green community-led group, was conceived. She focused on getting recycling bins into every building in DB, while her co-founder at PFS, Tracey Read, started organising monthly beach clean-ups in DB which are still happening 18 years on. “Although everyone knows what they can do and it’s not rocket science, they don’t always do it. At PFS, we work hard to keep plastic pollution – and what individuals can do to combat it – at the forefront of everyone’s minds.” When it comes to cutting out single-use plastic packaging, Dana’s advice goes way beyond carrying reusable water bottles. “It’s about bringing your own bag to the grocery store, and not only your own shopping bag but your own produce bag. It’s about replacing zip-lock bags with reusable food containers and resealable silicon pouches – whether that’s for takeaways, or your kids’ school lunches, or storing food in the fridge. It’s about bringing your own coffee cups... “Even though it’s Plastic Free July and we’re focused on plastic, the bigger picture is reducing single-use waste. Whether it’s a paper bag, a paper straw, or a wooden fork, if you don’t need to take it, don’t. We want to be looking for the reusable option.” Dana also suggests using refillable personal care products and shampoo bars instead of bottled liquid if you want to take things that one step fur ther, as well as being selective about where you shop. “If you’re disappointed with the amount of packaging used on produce in the grocery stores in DB, Tung Chung market is just a bus ride away,” she advises. “If you do your grocery shopping in DB, look out for the ‘Share your bag’ spot at Fusion which encourages people to leave behind their used bags so others can reuse them – an initiative PFS helped implement some years ago.” In regards to other initiatives, Dana is full of praise for the way government support has enabled HKRCL make recycling a viable and convenient option for DB residents. “From every building you don’t have to go far to recycle not only paper, plastic and metal, but liquid cartons, glass and food waste. From that point of view, it’s really good,” she says. What’s key though is that we reduce the need for recycling in the first place. Dana points to the reusable food container and cup programmes offered in Taikoo Place and Airside as per fect for DB. The systems see customers ask for reusable containers or cups when ordering and then returning them to participating outlets once they are done. “DB is the perfect location for that because everything is so close together; ideally there would be some government incentives to entice restaurants to take part,” she says. But first, Plastic Free July – “the global month of action against plastic pollution”. It’s time to make an action plan of your own, and remember – every little bit helps. BEST WAYS TO RECYCLE IN DB Did you know you can only recycle plastic bottles #1 and #2 in your building’s communal plastic collection bin? The government-funded Green@Community collection point, open on Tuesdays from 10am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 5.30pm, at the Green Icon@DB near Parkridge is the place to dispose of most other plastic items like soft plastics (film), trays, containers and polyfoam, along with rechargeable batteries, fluorescent and energy-saving light bulbs, disposable coffee cups and fibre food containers. In addition to plastic bottles, paper, metal and food waste, you can also find liquid carton (Tetra Pak) collection bins at most buildings in DB. Disposing of recyclables at designated collection points like Green Icon@DB is easy, effective and, of course, free of charge. But it’s not the only option. You’ll also find a set of Smart recycling bins for plastic bottles, metal, and paper in Siena Two near the Graceful Mansions bus stop, and Smart textile collection bins are located around DB. Last but not least, in order to get your food waste sent to O PARK1 for recycling, remember to keep it separate and put it in one of the many purple food-waste bins you’ll find across DB. You can find the location of all types of collection bins across DB here. What’s key is that all recyclables are cleaned and properly sorted. In order to be recycled, all liquid cartons need to be cut open and washed with the plastic spout and lid removed, and they should be dried and flattened. Polyfoam items, including food trays, fruit nets and product packaging also need to be clean and dry, with no food residue, tape, stickers or any other contaminants. Beverage bottles must be empty of liquid, though you can leave the cap and label on.