Cleaner air for Hong Kong
Ships in Hong Kong Harbour are known to use cheap fuel oil that increases air pollution across particular districts of the territory. Some shipping companies voluntarily use more expensive, but less-polluting fuel oil in the inner harbour, while most still belch ghastly smoke into the air that citizens of Hong Kong later breathe. Rates of respiratory illness and the side-effects of breathing the polluted air are known to be high in some areas of Hong Kong, so the government must act to legislate the cleaning up of our air.
Cleaner air is good for tourism, and will help make the city a better place to live and work in for all. Children who suffer with this nasty air now may have lifelong health problems.The time to act is long over-due.
How many reasons do you need to sign?:
1. More than 3,000 people die in Hong Kong each year from pollution-related illness.
http://topics.scmp.com/news/hk-news-watch/article/Gasp-its-worse-than-we-thought
It's time that the HK Government implemented a real Fair Winds Charter for our waters and ports.https://www.facebook.com/l/TAQGhogPlAQFtXwoF8bV3WPCQ_gJUQ4eWs88aqm-Fz_WXDg/www.civic-exchange.org/wp/fair-winds-charter/
2. The air pollution generally emitted from ocean-going vessels is such that 16 large ships emit as much sulfur as do all cars in the world combined.
http://www.cleartheair.org.hk/marine-pollution.php
3. The worst of the air pollutants are invisible to the naked eye. Wearing a surgical mask does not provide protection.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/05/09/air.pollution/index.html
4.Research has now linked memory loss and increased chances of stroke with poor air quality.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/us-air-pollution-memory-loss-idUSTRE81C24N20120213
5.The W.H.O. has now made public announcements about the carcinogenic effects of inhaling diesel fumes.
http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page295023?oid=574312&sn=2009%20Detail
6. A recently released public opinion survey entitled “LESS TALK, MORE ACTION” shows that one in four people are considering emigration in response to the public health threats of Hong Kong’s air pollution, up from one in five in December 2008, when a similar survey was conducted.
http://www.civic-exchange.org/wp/less-talk-more-action/