日韩精品久久一区二区三区_亚洲色图p_亚洲综合在线最大成人_国产中出在线观看_日韩免费_亚洲综合在线一区

Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
HongKong Comment(1)

We need to give old and used books a chance to find a new home

By Chitralekha Basu | HK Edition | Updated: 2017-09-25 07:49
Share
Share - WeChat

Earlier this month, Hong Kong's Office of the Ombudsman noted "hundreds of thousands" of books from public libraries have ended up in the refuse bin. One imagines these have either been subject to much wear and tear from frequent borrowing or never borrowed at all. In a city where space never seems adequate, or affordable, we keep discarding the stuff that looks old and out of fashion. While in most evolved cultures books tend to acquire greater value as they become older and rarer, evidently that's not how it always is in Hong Kong. I picked up near-intact copies of Will Durant's The Story of Philosophy, James Joyce's The Dubliners and Antony Wild's The East India Company from a heap dumped on Lockhart Road one night. The last of these costs $97.95 for a used copy on Amazon.

Hong Kong's lack of sensitivity toward old books should not come as a total surprise though. After all, this is a city that ranks among the highest producers of per capita waste (1.39 kilograms of solid waste per day). Last week, when the mainland recyclers struck work briefly, refusing to accept waste sent across from Hong Kong unless it was sorted into different categories, the trash - bound and ready for the recycling plants across the waters - began staggering upward, the dystopian bleakness of the scene was like a body-blow to a city that takes pride in its waterfront. Luckily the strike was called off earlier than expected. Although the looming disaster that could have created serious health issues has been averted for the time being, the incident proved Hong Kong isn't the biggest champion of recycling.

Still, books probably deserve to be treated with a little more respect than a Styrofoam lunch box, casually chucked into a garbage receptacle after use. There are sporadic attempts in pockets of Hong Kong to encourage people to pick up books once owned by others, like the annual weekend book exchange held in Youth Square, Chai Wan last month. Also some kind-hearted people have been bringing out part of their personal collection, putting up bookracks in public spaces. One such in Sai Ying Pun had to be removed because its placement interfered with government regulations. However, a few of these are still around, standing in Sai Ying Pun, Tin Shui Wai and Lamma Island, waiting for newer readers to find them.

To initiate a real attitudinal shift toward caring for old and used books we probably need a more organized effort and a dedicated space. The two successful models that come to mind are the weekend book mart in Georges Brassens Park in Paris, where recycled books are spread out under an open-roofed wooden structure that used to be an abattoir for horses and the Southbank Centre Book Market under the Waterloo Bridge, down by the River Thames in London. Although rather touristy in their appeal, both destinations usually serve up a fine selection of titles.

As the plan to redevelop Site 3 of the New Central Harbourfront on reclaimed land from Jardine House to Central Ferry Piers gathers momentum, I would like to see a space in it reserved for books that may no longer be new to the touch. If shopping for high-end luxury goods and fine dining could help subsidize the costs of running a recycled book mart and help find old books a new home, no one should be complaining.

Come for a fun weekend outdoors. Take back a piece of history.

(HK Edition 09/25/2017 page10)

Today's Top News

Editor's picks

Most Viewed

Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US
主站蜘蛛池模板: 日本不卡在线 | 99热久久精品免费精品 | 欧美高清3dfreexxxx性 | 欧美日韩中文国产一区发布 | 在线国产一区 | 一级黄色片武则天 | 一区二区三区成人 | 国产成人精品综合 | 欧美日韩亚洲综合另类ac | 成人精品网站在线观看 | 精品的一区二区三区 | 三级三级三级a三级三级 | 亚洲人成网站在线在线 | 成人午夜视频在线播放 | 日韩视频中文字幕 | 91久久久久久 | 四虎影视国产884a精品亚洲 | 三级特黄视频 | 99久久免费国产精品 | 久草在线视频资源站 | 亚洲国产精品二区久久 | 久久精品免费 | 午夜影院在线免费观看 | 欧美高清不卡午夜精品免费视频 | 香蕉成人国产精品免费看网站 | 日本99热| 91看片片 | 一区二区中文 | 欧美成年视频 | 日本不卡在线一区二区三区视频 | 日本字幕在线观看 | 精品视频在线免费播放 | av av在线 | 99久久精品免费看国产 | 亚洲免费在线播放 | 日韩欧美第一页 | 激情亚洲综合网 | 亚洲aⅴ天堂av在线电影软件 | 久久久久久国产精品免费免费狐狸 | 国产色a | 精品欧美一区二区在线观看欧美熟 |