Under the new crown epidemic, Hong Kong people cannot travel abroad, and the number of people visiting the countryside continues to increase.
According to a survey on rural waste conducted by the environmental group Green Force, nearly 70% of the respondents will discover new outing locations on their own, and another 15% of the respondents will open new trails on their own.
The group believes that it not only poses a safety risk, but also affects the countryside environment. Visitors arbitrarily trampling or cutting down will destroy vegetation growth.
The survey also pointed out that more than 60% of the respondents would make plastic waste every time they went out, an average of 2.5 pieces per time.
In addition, more than 40% of the respondents may use disposable tableware during outings or camping, and more than 80% of them are disposable plastic tableware.
The group urged citizens to pay more attention to their own suburban demonstrations, including taking away rubbish, reducing waste at the source, and carrying out picnic activities at regular locations or paths to avoid causing nuisance or damage.
The Green Force today (26th) released the latest "Hong Kong Country Garbage Survey" results and found that since the outbreak of the epidemic in early 2020, the number of people visiting the countryside has continued to increase.
The survey showed that the number of people visiting the countryside increased from an average of 3.2 times per month in 2019 or before to 3.5 times this year; nearly 30% of the respondents were due to "the epidemic has eased since last year" and "the epidemic has established new habits." And increase visits to the countryside.
In terms of outing activities, more than 40% of the respondents increased the number of "hike/hiking", but there was no increase in "water activities", "picnic/barbecue" and "camping".
Green Power believes that public barbecue sites and camping sites, as well as some water sports facilities, have been closed due to epidemic prevention. More citizens have replaced them with hiking, which has continued to increase the number of hiking and hiking.
+3
15% of the interviewees opened new mountain trails on their own or reduced vegetation and caused soil erosion
In addition, the survey showed that nearly 70% of the respondents would discover new outing locations on their own, and another 15% would open up new trails on their own.
Lu Deheng, senior conservation manager of Green Power, pointed out that most of the areas outside of the existing outings or viewing facilities are covered by vegetation, and tourists trampling or cutting down will destroy the growth of vegetation.
Decreased vegetation will also cause soil erosion, and then it will be more difficult for plants to grow, causing a vicious circle and forming a bad land.
He believes that many citizens may not know the impact of such behaviors on the environment, and the Environmental Group and the government should strengthen relevant education.
As for outing garbage, respondents said that the most common type of garbage produced during outings was paper towels (68%), followed by food packaging (61%), and plastic bags and disinfected wet wipes ranked third (48%).
The interviewees also pointed out that during each outing, an average of 1 to 2 pieces of each type of garbage are generated.
As for the handling of garbage from outings, the survey shows that the number of respondents taking garbage away from the countryside has increased year-on-year, and more than half of the respondents have cultivated the habit of taking garbage away.
▼At the beginning of this year, the "Hong Kong version of Karuizawa" Fanling's running water rushed people ▼
+27
KMB Holiday Route 96R takes free on Sundays via Diamond Hill Station to Wong Shek Pier to facilitate public outings to discover countryside streams and micro-plastics. Tai Po Wutong Village has become the hardest hit area. Sai Kung outing | Huashan Proposed Observation Deck Glamping Facility Site Selection Sai Kung West Country Park Easter 2021|Tai O bus platoons long to hit Kexing citizens peace of mind outing: no masks falling into the water KMB bid for 9 outing lines only 2 lines approved news: the flow of water ringing, Sai Kung Dongba new line is on the edge of reef