Hong Kong exists in layers. Glass towers rise out of green mountains. Beaches sit beside highways. At night, the skyline glows neon against the water, but from HKUST you can still see the coastline stretching around Clear Water Bay. Before researching this placement, I mostly associated Hong Kong with density and speed. I did not expect so much of it to feel shaped by nature. That contrast is part of why I wanted to study there.
Studying abroad is often presented as endless movement and consumption disguised as “experience.” International travel inevitably creates environmental pressure, especially in a city already carrying the weight of tourism. My placement at HKUST is only a month long, but I want to approach it with awareness of the impact I will have.
One reason I was drawn to Hong Kong is its public transport system. Goal 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals focuses on sustainable cities, and Hong Kong excels here. I plan to use the HKeMobility app (www.hkemobility.gov.hk) to navigate via the MTR, ferries, and green minibuses instead of taxis. Movement there feels collective rather than individual. Thousands of people pass through the same stations with almost no wasted space. Compared to the car dependency I am used to, that feels strangely optimistic.
I have also been thinking about consumption. Hong Kong food culture often emphasizes convenience through takeaway plastics and disposable cutlery. In line with Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, I want to reduce my contribution to that cycle. I am putting together a zero-waste kit with reusable cutlery and containers to use at the LG7 canteen and local markets. I also plan to use the CHOMP app (www.chomp-food.com) to buy surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away. Sustainability is mostly made up of small habits repeated consistently.
What interests me most about HKUST is its location beside protected green spaces. Goal 15: Life on Land feels especially relevant there. I will use the Green HK Green app (www.greenhk.org) to follow eco-heritage routes responsibly and stick to Leave No Trace principles while hiking. I also want to use iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org) to document local wildlife and contribute to citizen-science projects. I have also looked into the HKUST Sustainable Smart Campus initiatives (ssc.hkust.edu.hk) to learn how the university manages its own resources.
I think travel becomes more meaningful when you stop treating places as temporary backdrops for your own experience, another country to check off a list. Hong Kong balances density and environmental strain alongside enormous natural beauty. The least I can do is pay attention to the place beyond the postcard.
References
1. UN Sustainable Development Goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
2. HKeMobility: https://www.hkemobility.gov.hk
3. CHOMP: https://www.chomp-food.com
4. Green HK Green: https://www.greenhk.org
5. iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org
6. HKUST Sustainable Smart Campus: https://ssc.hkust.edu.hk
