It’s a jarring sensory overload, going from Swansea to Hong Kong. I swapped the brisk, salty Welsh breeze for the humid, neon-choked air of Kowloon. Where I live in the UK, “green living” means horizontal-a sprawl of open coastline.
In this hyper-urban city of 7 million people, however, it became clear sustainable living needed to work very differently.
It’s an active daily grind. My first objective was sustainable transit, to support SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Most of us back home fall prey to our car habits easily, but I committed to a strict no private-transport policy from day one in Hong Kong. Instead, I let my octopus card guide me on the slick, electric MTR subway system.
Beyond the MTR, I was on my feet-scaling the ridiculously steep, vertical streets surrounding my campus at HKBU in the summer heat, a daily practice that was far more workout than environmental choice, but zero impact travel nonetheless.
The next daily battle for me was against street-level plastic waste, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Street food is an institution in Hong Kong, but one brimming with single-use containers. I had a mini “eco-survival kit” in my bag: a reusable water bottle, some bamboo chopsticks and a canvas shopping bag.
Whatever I was ordering near campus or buying street snacks from Mong Kok, I’d politely refuse plasticware. Back on campus, I’d plug my leftovers into HKBU’s extensive food waste recycling system to be processed into clean energy rather than heading for landfill. Even back at my dorm room I’d had to practice climate action, SDG 13 (Climate Action).
When faced with Hong Kong’s muggy heat, it was tempting to keep the AC on at all times, but I’d set myself the rule of switching it off as soon as I stepped out, and making do with natural ventilation wherever possible.
The lesson from my summer in Hong Kong is that it’s not about trying to be some saintly eco-warrior – it’s about consistent, conscious little decisions. I’ll be returning to Swansea with a reduced carbon footprint, an appreciation for vertical green urbanism, and with the knowledge that it’s possible to explore the world without trashing the planet.
