A black-tie event to help Hong Kong's air situation
Thanks to everyone around the world who participated in CRYSTAL: Black Tie in Hong Kong, Hub Culture's fundraiser for air quality to benefit the Civic-Exchange, a leading public policy think tank in Hong Kong. Hub Culture and the global committee raised over HK$120,000 in cash and HK$700,000 in media and in-kind support for the project, and guests attended from as far away as Athens, Bangkok, Beijing, London, New York, Paris, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.
A special thanks goes to the supporters who helped make it happen, including GaveKal, Swarovski, Christie's, the Financial Times, MySpace, Watermark, Berry Bros. & Rudd, and others who lent support and auction items, such as HK Magazine, Ku Concept, Jia Shanghai, IMG, the Intercontinental, and Alex Hofford.
Special efforts from committee members such as Anna Hart, Marc Hubert, Teena Goulet, Jarrad Clark, Georgie Pomper Li, Anne Marie Munk and Marcus Harvey, Levina Li Cadman, Marisa Zeman, Alex Ng, and others also made a huge difference.
MySpace worked with Hub and the Civic Exchange to create a new homebase for Hong Kong air quality at myspace.com/hkairquality, and organizations such as Clear the Air are a good place to start for involvement on the issue at the more grassroots level.
The project helped to raise awareness and funds for cleaner air in Hong Kong by focusing on key messages that the Hong Kong government needs to address and key actions we all can do to help improve the situation:
WHAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO DO
1. Admit its a Crisis, Make it a Priority
Air pollution is causing 1,600 premature deaths a year. SARS killed 298 in 2003.
2. Adopt WHO Air Quality Guidelines
HK air quality measures don't match the rest of the world. Make the measures match.
3. Take Polluting Vehicles off the Road, Clean the Port
Introduce electronic road pricing, phase out old diesel vehicles by 2012 and implement a green port policy
4. Develop a Comprehensive Energy Plan
Make Hong Kong an energy-efficient city. Reward power plants for saving electricity, not selling more. Make new buildings conform to green building standards.
5. Tackle Cross-Border Pollution
Work with Guangdong authorities and manufacturers to tighten emissions standards, use cleaner fuels, and adopt an emissions trading program.
Crystal was hosted at the Waterfront in HK
1. A Little Less Cool
Turn your air conditioner to 25.5 degrees.
2. Off When Idle
Don't idle your engine: if not moving switch off, or better still, use public transport
3. Recycle
Recycling saves a lot of energy needed to make new products
4. Write Your Government
The HK Government often says people don't care about air pollution in HK - show them you do by writing in
5. Switch Those Bulbs
Replacing incandescent bulbs with low emission lighting can go a long way to save energy and lower the amount of coal burned to make electricity
