| America should take pointers from China (2/05) | | Print | |
| Written by Nicole Hui | |
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The sun was scorching. I was sweating and couldn’t stand the heat so I ran into a 7-11 shop with my cousin and bought some candy and sodas. As we walked down Nathan Street in Hong Kong, I finished chewing on a tootsie roll and dropped the wrapper on the ground. My cousin shouted, “What are you doing? You better pick that up and throw it in a garbage can.” I refused. What was the big deal? It was only a candy wrapper that nobody would notice. Unable to overcome my stubbornness, my cousin picked up the wrapper and went to find a garbage can. Confused, I asked why it was such an issue. “Do you know how much the fine is right now?” he asked. “It is $1,000!” I looked around and noticed for the first time that Hong Kong had changed since my last visit. Pollution was almost non-existent and the streets and air quality had improved drastically. The ground was no longer littered with flyers. The freeways were impeccable— no soda cans, styrofoam boxes or tissues. Because of the hot and humid weather, the air in Hong Kong is very smoggy. Strolling on the streets is akin to walking through an oven. Discarded milk cartons and banana peels on the ground quickly rot, filling the air with an unbearable stench. On my last visit I had to hold my breath as I walked down the streets. However, since the SARS incident in 2003, the government of Hong Kong has enacted a strict litter policy. The government hopes that cleaner air will prevent diseases from spreading rapidly. Since the stringent litter policy has been enforced, the number of SARS cases in Hong Kong has declined. This strict policy has been extremely effective; no one dares to dump anything on the ground for fear of $1,000 fine. After this experience, I reflected upon my own habits and realized that I have contributed to litter problems in both Hong Kong and the United States. Knowing the harm I’ve caused to the environment, I have started to pick up my own trash, wherever I go. Although the United States has a policy of fining people up to $1,000 for littering on federal roads, the law is ineffective because hardly anyone reports littering. In Hong Kong, the number of littering cases reported has increased because police officers are stationed at the corners of every few blocks and more people have been fined. Following Hong Kong’s model, the United States should have stricter enforcement to keep our streets and highways clean. Highway cameras could record people who litter, as well as speeders — quite a radical approach, but a possible solution. However, there are cheaper and less invasive ways to reduce litter in our country; we could all start by keeping our schools clean. Although Lowell has a relatively clean campus, many times after lunch students leave paper and plastic bags on the tables in the courtyard. Picking up after ourselves is the first step to achieving a cleaner and healthier environment. For now, I will do my part to keep the environment clean and hope that others do so, as well. |
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