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Pollution always this bad?

  1. #17
    Blee is offline Registered User
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    Thank you AndreaY. Totally agree with you!!


  2. #18
    Neha is offline Banned
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    Thank u AndreaY my point exactly


  3. #19
    woodk6 is offline Registered User
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    I've been following this thread and I have to chime in here. First, pollution is a huge problem when it comes to expat workers. For example, my husband needs American bar licensed attornies to come to Hong Kong and help work on deals. Hong Kong companies that list on the exchange here all have US private placement components that REQUIRE US attornies. Not HK registered, UK registered, etc. And these people need to reside in Hong Kong because there is so much work out here to be done and this still is very much a face to face business culture. Most HK and Chinese companies are getting the bulk of their money from the US. He has been trying for over two years to get people to come out here and the truth of the matter is that no matter what the sum of money is....and believe me it's huge, people with families (and some without) do not want to live in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's pollution makes news in the US!!!! Believe me, I get forwarded the articles, etc. from my mother all the time.

    Pollution is a huge problem and we will leave because of it and trust me we're not the only ones. We have a new baby and there isn't really any amount of money that would get me to stay.

    So instead of us arguing about it, everyone here needs to do their part to conserve energy and get involved in reducing the level of pollutants. It may not make a huge impact, but at least it sends a message that we're concerned and the government needs to do something about it. I love living in Hong Kong and it saddens me that there are days I don't go outside because I don't want my daughter breathing the air.


  4. #20
    woodk6 is offline Registered User
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    To Neha's point about people moving here to try to get a piece of China, while that may be true now, it isn't going to be that way for long. What is happening already is that the focus is slowly shifting from Hong Kong north to Shanghai. Why use HK as a gateway to China when firms can actually now be located in China? Very large US law firms, banks, etc are not opening offices in Hong Kong but they are going straight to Shanghai and Beijing. If we stayed in HK, we'd have to relocate to Shanghai in a few years for this very reason.

    Also to whoever was saying regardless of pollution, expats will come for lower taxes, etc....it obviously depends on individual circumstances and our overly complicated tax system, but in general US citizens pay virtually the same amount of tax as they would in the states because we are taxed on our worldwide income. And to be honest, I've heard from friends here recently that some US firms aren't offering the same kind of lucrative expat packages. They are still good, but nothing like they used to be.

    Slightly off the pollution topic, but even more incentive to clean up the air I think.

    Enjoy this lovely day. I can see blue sky!

    Last edited by woodk6; 09-29-2007 at 11:50 AM.

  5. #21
    Blee is offline Registered User
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    Today is good. Nice blue sky and relatively clean air. We had a great time swimming and making sand castles in Big Wave Bay. Unfortunatley when we went out to Central later in the afternoon, the air was still terrible.

    Yes, there is nothing Hong Kong can boast about when it comes to the air quality. I can understand the frustrations of those expats who are stuck breathing the air here. (but why still haven't/couldn't just pack up and leave instead of screaming here?) It is true that a lot of companies are moving straight to Shanghai and Beijing instead of using Hong Kong as a gateway. I used to work in Beijing before coming to Hong Kong. The climate there is harsh. It is so hot in the summer and so cold and dirty in the winter. The air pollution and traffic, complete disaster. There are also sandstorms. Shanghai is not much better than Beijing. Tons of traffic and bad air coming from nearby industrial cities. So if you plan to have a piece of China living in China, good luck to you!! When you move there, you may just miss Hong Kong a little bit and do fly back for a weekend getaway!


  6. #22
    lantau35 is offline Registered User
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    So your point Blee is that if ex-pats want to complain about the pollution in HK ("screaming" about it as you say) they should simply leave? Is there no room for people living here to say that they love many things about HK but find this aspect of life here a growing and worrying problem? Many ex-pats have lived here for years and remember when the pollution level was far better than it is now.

    Whether you like it or not, people from outside HK have long had an important role in the development of HK - let's not forget that it was actually run by the British for 90 of the last 100 years.

    The fact is that the pollution is awful and is a growing serious problem. It is of particular concern to those with children or those planning a family here. Until some progress is made, anyone who wants to see HK have the bright future it deserves can and should continue to "scream" about it.


  7. #23
    Matty is offline Registered User
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    I'm always confused why locals defend the pollution here, and simply say to expats if you don't like it then leave.

    Yes as expats, we have the option of coming to HK for a few years, making some money, whinging about the pollution, but then at the end of the day we get to go home to our home countries and enjoy the clean air and lifestyle.

    If you are stuck here for the long term, maybe never having the option to leave, how can you stand not screaming about it until something is done?


  8. #24
    spockey is offline Registered User
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    I'm behind ya Matty.
    Without the screaming voices, and many a times they are expats as the general local population tend to be apathetic about a lot of issues as they are too busy with their daily work grind and it's really not part of the local culture, I'm certain the air pollution could possibly be worse amidst other problems. Let's be open about it and allow our fellow mums and dad a voice.
    Perhaps it was an overgeneralisation to say that the HK economy will collapse without the expats but there are a lot of negative repercussions for a city that sits idly by the problems it encounters.
    So here's to screaming voices :yeah2


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