When you travel to Japan or Taiwan, have you ever felt envious of how the locals seem to be self-sufficient when it comes to food and daily necessities? If you take a closer look, you’ll realize that Hong Kong also offers a variety of local brands and agricultural products. Despite not having the same resources as big corporate brands, they continue to work quietly to preserve Hong Kong’s agriculture and local products. To sustain these local brands, there needs to be a supportive community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the latest issue, BBOLD magazine interviewed a woman named Katie, born in the 90s. During the pandemic, she decided to leave her job as a designer and courageously ventured into the world of “ecopreneurship.” Starting with experience in eco-friendly retail, she took a further step in July 2023 by managing a neighborhood store called “Eco Corner Grocery,” which focuses on selling sustainable products and local niche brands. Some products are sold without packaging, allowing residents to bring their own containers for purchase, aiming to cultivate waste reduction and minimize packaging waste habits among Hong Kong people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After working in society for a few years, many people pay special attention to their friends’ career paths. Sometimes they find that some people’s careers progress smoothly, while others take a particularly “jumpy” path. After several years of work, many people ask themselves a question: “Is my current job suitable for me? Should I continue? Or would I be better off starting over in a new field?” Thinking about this, they realize that choosing to leave their old profession requires more courage than persevering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Katie’s career change was mainly inspired by her work as a designer. She noticed the constant turnover of promotional materials and felt it was a shame to see the design setups abandoned after each event, despite the fast-paced consumer and promotional culture in Hong Kong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she grew older, Katie realized that while people have more means to enjoy material wealth, true happiness doesn’t come from possessions but from one’s attitude towards life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Katie, transitioning from a designer to working in eco-friendly retail felt like a fresh start. She recognized that Hong Kong’s convenience sometimes leads people to find environmental protection bothersome. Even those who understand its principles may be reluctant to take action: “Hong Kong people aren’t pushed, so they won’t keep talking to their friends about environmental protection… how to be environmentally friendly… unless their friends are interested. Otherwise, very few will bring it up with their friends. I think it’s better to focus on myself first.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Katie aimed to instigate change from within, gradually adjusting her daily life and personal habits. Transitioning from an employee to a business owner, her store “Eco Corner Grocery” in Yuen Long held special significance for her, as she grew up in the area. She aspired to have more package-free stores in the neighborhood, offering quality and sustainable products for the local community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This new phase of life brought her many surprises, and she found joy in engaging with various customers. “Many residents express their thoughts directly, some mentioning that Hong Kong brands are indeed expensive, while others are very supportive of package-free purchasing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With more material possessions, it’s easy to overlook happiness beyond material enjoyment. Life can be simple, and so can happiness. Through her focus on environmental protection in this new phase of life, Katie learned that using fewer items leads to a better life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n