UNIfy: Skip the Straw (八大走飲管)
(12 March 2018)
HKSCC members are working together to tackle disposable
plastic waste through the "UNIfy: Skip the Straw" (八大走飲管)
campaign that launched on 12 March 2018.
This campaign aims to reduce
disposable plastic waste and raise awareness across the
higher education sector and beyond in Hong Kong. Disposable plastics are often
used momentarily and may take up to 1,000 years to degrade. They can also
leach chemicals into our environment and end up as harmful litter in our
oceans.
To make an impact on this issue, the
campaign is harnessing the individual work of each university to make a large
impact. Every university was previously working on disposable waste
independently, but this unprecedented effort is the first time all eight
publicly funded universities are working together on a joint environmental
campaign.
No Straw Week
To celebrate the launch of the campaign all eight
universities are holding a No Straw Week or a No Straw Day during the week of
March 12-16. Throughout this week, catering outlets will only give out
straws when requested.
Ongoing Efforts
Every university has made a commitment to a long-term
effort to reduce disposable plastic straws on their campus. This commitment
will continue on beyond the week of March 12-16 and is the lasting impact of
this joint campaign.
|
University
|
Long-term Commitment
| |
City University of Hong Kong
|
CityU currently has a No Straw Day every week and
will decide after collecting feedback from this campaign whether to expand
it.
| |
Hong Kong Baptist University
|
To sustain the campaign of No Straw University by
restricting access to free plastic straws every day.
| |
Lingnan University
|
LU has proposed to the University having "No
Straw Day" on every first Wednesday of each month starting April
2018 (subject to the approval of the Catering Committee of Lingnan) in
order to reduce the use of straws and also to promote green campus.
| |
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
|
CUHK is supporting Ocean Park Conservation
Foundation's 'No Straw' Movement that requires supporting caterers to not
give out straws one day per month. In the long run, they will continue to
promote the green message and engage student groups to support the initiative.
| |
The Education University of Hong Kong
|
Starting from 12 March 2018, all catering outlets
on EdUHK campus will not offer plastic straws to customers, unless requested,
on an everyday basis.
| |
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
|
PolyU will continue with its educational and
publicity activities highlighting the ‘No Straw’ principle, and extend to
further discourage the use of disposable items and single-use plastics on
campus and promote a waste-less lifestyle through a kaleidoscope of events.
| |
The Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology
|
During the No Straw Week activity, HKUST will
collect feedback from users and operators to design the long term campaign on
plastic straw disposables reduction.
| |
The University of Hong Kong
|
Starting from 3 September 2018, HKU will ban single
use plastic straws (except in medical or emergency circumstances). Leading up to this ban we will hold No Straw Mondays
every week, during which caterers will distribute single use plastic straws
only upon request.
|
Campaign Events
As part of the campaign, outreach events will be held across the
universities.
|
Date
|
Event
|
University
| |
March 12 - 13
|
Ditch Disposable Market
|
HKU
| |
March 14
|
Giveaway of free cold drinks with no straw;
Promotion of ‘no plastic disposables’ and ‘BYO’ by student groups
|
CUHK
| |
March 14 - 15
|
Green Products Fair
|
HKUST
| |
March 15
|
Film screening of Plastic China and post-screening discussion with Mr. Allan Wong
(Vice President of Hong Kong Scrap Plastic Association)
|
LU
| |
March 16
|
No Disposables Farmers’ Market
|
HKBU
| |
March 22
|
Film Screening of A Plastic Ocean and post-screening discussion with director
|
LU
| |
March 22
|
Bottled Water-free Campus Campaign celebration
event
|
HKUST
| |
April 11
|
Film Screening of Plastic China and post-screening discussion with the film’s
director Jiuliang Wang
|
HKU
| |
April 21
|
Film Screening of A Plastic Ocean and post-screening discussion with the film’s
producer Jo Ruxton
|
CUHK
|
|
|
