Event: Environmental NGO Green Sense invites Hongkongers to take part in No Air Con Night 2022

Environmental NGO Green Sense is once again urging Hongkongers to switch off their air conditioners through its annual No Air Con Night.

Residents, schools and organisations are invited to participate in this year’s No Air Con Night by going without climate control on October 7, as well as pledging to turn off the air conditioning when the temperature outside is lower than 27 degrees Celsius.

The poster for No Air Con Night 2022. Photo: Supplied.

The citywide energy saving campaign, of which HKFP is a media sponsor, has been running since 2010 and aims to promote what the green group calls “wise use” of air conditioning.

“By turning off the air conditioning for one night, we hope… citizens [will] rethink how their habits rapidly affect our natural environment, and take action to slow down global warming,” Green Sense said.

Prominent advocate of reducing air-con usage and former director of the Hong Kong Observatory Lam Chiu-ying is among the high-profile figures backing No Air Con Night, along with the current head of the Observatory, Cheng Cho-ming, actress Cecilia Choi, and band per se.

Hot weather heatwave sun — Photo: Lea Mok/HKFP

Hong Kong this year has seen record high temperatures, with July marking the hottest month ever and two September days breaking previous heat records. However, rising temperatures spark a vicious cycle, as demand for electricity leads to an increase in greenhouse emissions, which in turn contributes to global warming.

Green Sense called this “a vicious positive feedback in heating up the planet,” and pointed out that reducing our use of air conditioning not only saves energy but could also help cool the climate.

This year Green Sense is hoping to get 120,000 households involved in No Air Con Night, which the NGO said could reduce carbon emissions by 440 tonnes.

Visit the Green Sense event page for more information.