Lai See Reuse and Recycle Program

In Hong Kong, many people are still using new red packets during Chinese “New” Year. Only about 10% of them would use old ones. Let’s say every family is using 90 new red pockets, then 224,000 families will be using 18,000,000 red packets every year—that means we have to cut down 9,253 trees. Chinese New Year is around the corner, so different banks and shops are giving out excessive new red packets for free in order to promote themselves. As people can easily get new red packets easily, they would not treasure them. They would just directly dispose them after usage, and there is no organization to recycle and reuse them. Indeed, one red packet can be reused for many years.

After organizing the “New Year Packets Recycling Campaign” for the first time in 2009, Greeners Action co-organized with the Link REIT an activity called “Recycling and Reusing Red Packets” this year, encouraging people to recycle and reuse used red packets in a good condition. We will recycle the packets and give them to the needy next year in order to help creating a better environment.

Today (18th February), Greeners Action announced the details of this activity at Lung Cheung Mall. Starting from 23rd February (the tenth day of Lunar New Year) to 5th March (the twentieth day of the first lunar month), 50 malls which are managed by the Link REIT (refer to table 1) will put collection boxes for used red pockets so as to encourage people to recycle reusable old red pockets. The volunteer team from Greeners Action would sort the collected packets by their size, shape and color. Then, they would stick a slogan of “Please reuse me” at the back of the red packets. After that, the packets would be reused by non-profit-making organizations such as Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Tin Shui Wai), The Salvation Army, Hong Kong Women Workers’ Association etc. We hope to educate the public to reuse used red packets, since it suits the eco-friendly concept to reuse red packets for at least three years.

The Green Tradition in Chinese New Year – Reusing red pockets
Mr. Ho Hon-wai, the Executive Officer of Greeners Action, said: “Because of their traditional concepts, Chinese people have generated over 100 million of red packet waste every year. Giving out red packets to relatives and friends can bring luck to them; but at the same time, it is a disaster for the environment. Through our activity, we hope the public can foster a green tradition in Chinese New Year, which is accepting to reuse red packets. We expect to collect 30,000 red packets through this recycling activity, and we hope the public would break traditional concepts and reuse red packets for at least three years.” Moreover, Greeners Action urges the merchants not to give out excessive red packets for promotion. Also, the public should choose red packets which do no have self-adhesive seals, Chinese Zodiac names, years or surnames. In this way, the red packets can be used for a longer time.

Ms. Irene Mar y Fisher, the General Manager (Asset Management) of The Link, stated the following: “We are happy to use our extensive shopping network to put recycling boxes for red packets in 50 of our malls so as to promote environmental recycling campaigns. Our shopping malls are near the estates, so they are the ideal places to promote these campaigns. Moreover, our red packets have added some green concepts, which are printed with FSC paper and soy ink without self-adhesive seals, so they can be reused more easily.”

The list of the 50 shopping malls joining the activity of “Recycling and Reusing Red Pockets”
Lei Yue Mun Plaza
Heng On Commercial Centre
Hoi Fu Shopping Centre
King Lam Shopping Centre
Lung Cheung Mall
Tak Tin Plaza
Fu Shin Shopping Centre
Oi Man Plaza
Sau Mau Ping Shopping Centre
Chung Fu Plaza
Kai Yip Commercial Centre
Wan Tau Tong Shopping Centre
Homantin Plaza
Lok Wah Commercial Centre
Tin Shui Shopping Centre
Hing Tin Commerical Centre
Wo Che Plaza
Ming Tak Shopping Centre
Leung King Plaza
Siu Sai Wan Plaza
Sha Kok Commercial Centre
Tsz Ching Shopping Centre
Choi Wan Commercial Complex
Tin Chak Shopping Centre
Oi Tung Shopping Centre
Lek Yuen Plaza
Lok Fu Centre
Yat Tung Shopping Centre
Long Ping Commercial Centre
Wah Kwai Shopping Centre
Yu Chui Shopping Centre
TKO Gateway
Tai Wo Hau Commercial Centre
Siu Hei Commercial Centre
Lei Tung Commercial Centre
Cheung Wah Shopping Centre
Tsui Lam Shopping Centre
Cheung Wang Shopping Centre
Siu Lun Shopping Centre
Tin Wan Shopping Centre
Shun Tin Shopping Centre
Lung Hang Commercial Centre
Cheung Fat Plaza
Shan King Commercial Centre
Ka Fuk Shopping Centre
Fu Cheong Shopping Centre
Po Lam Shopping Centre
Cheung Hang Shopping Centre
Kin Sang Shopping Centre