The battle doesn’t end with the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department. It is just the beginning of the War on Waste. The next strategy is to go after the corporates. They are the source of everything. Think about it for a moment. Businesses choose the materials for the products they create and sell to you. They decide on the packaging and how they deliver it. Most of the time, that decision is based only on cost minimisation without regard to anything else. They make all the money and reap all the benefits by making things as cheap as possible while maximising their selling price to you. Yet, they pass all responsibility for waste onto you. Is that really fair? Why should you be constantly berated as the one who is wasteful? The old model of focusing only on maximising value for shareholders is dead and broken. It does not work in a post climate change environment where resources, although you might not feel it in your region yet, are becoming desperately scarce while at the same time filth and waste is exponentially growing. In Hong Kong, companies like Starbucks, McDonalds, etc. could be doing much more about waste management and especially consumer education. In fact, they should be the leaders because they have such a high consumer impact. But they don’t even recycle. Last time I asked a Starbucks barista for a recycle bin for the four paper receipts he had given me when I topped up my Starbucks card and bought a coffee, he told me there wasn’t one. Watching other customers, I noticed how the receipt went from the barista’s hands to the customer’s and then straight into the trash bin. Why can’t Starbucks ask each customer “do you need a receipt?" and save paper? Heck with everyone using the Starbucks app these days, all that purchase information can be recorded in it anyway. I wonder how many transactions are made every single day at all the Starbucks in the world combined? I wonder how much paper would be saved if they all asked customers if they needed a receipt. Retail shops like Starbucks see such high numbers of consumer traffic, yet there is no drive to educate about the importance of protecting our environment. Is it not possible to simply slap a large poster on the shop window that is easily visible to all customers reminding them of the importance of recycling? Then they could put those recycle bins clearly marked underneath the poster. Over time, simple actions like this are only going to assist with encouraging the change of habits that we all so desperately need to eradicate waste. Have you ever ordered a muffin in Starbucks and told them you don’t need a bag? I have done several times and they seem to think I am weird especially when I have to tell them three times just to put the darn muffin in my hand! That paper bag with other customers goes straight in the trash bin yielding more waste. Or how about a sandwich? Usually I find a plate with a plastic knife and fork gets put in front of me. Thank you but that is what my fingers are for. These just a few simple things that could be done with Starbucks as an example in Hong Kong. So this week I asked Coffee Concepts (Hong Kong) Limited about them. Coffee Concepts owns the Starbucks franchise here. I asked them could you please train your staff to ask customers first if things like receipts, paper bags, plastic cutlery, etc. are required instead of automatically providing to customers. Hey it would also save them money and that's important to the shareholders right! I also asked if they could please begin recycling and educating consumers. Coffee Concepts’ reply was "I'm sure your crucial comment can help our further improvement…”. I guess they are going to starting hearing a lot more from me ;-) -Chris