3 ways to be sustainable with lai sees

Chinese New Year is a time of celebration, family gatherings, and the exchange of red packets, also known as "lai-see." These envelopes are filled with money and symbolise luck and goodwill. However, the tradition of giving and receiving red packets has inadvertently contributed to a significant waste issue, with many of these envelopes ending up in landfills.

The Environmental Impact of Red Packets
In Hong Kong alone, citizens consume a staggering 320 million red packets each Lunar New Year, equivalent to around 16,300 trees, according to Greeners Action, a local environmental group. Additionally, according to a report by HKUST, we need roughly around 60 trees to make one million packets - raising the actual figure to 19,200 trees based on Hong Kong's lai see consumption in 2015.

Moreover, to address this wasteful tradition, the organisation initiated the Lai See Reuse and Recycle Programme in 2010. To date, they have successfully collected and recycled over 60 million red packets.

Adopting Better Sustainability Initiatives
To promote a more environmentally friendly festive tradition, several initiatives have been introduced to reduce waste and conserve resources during Chinese New Year:

1. Red Packet Recycling Programmes:
   Greeners Action's efforts to collect and recycle used red packets have been highly successful. They aim to collect eight million red packets by placing over 250 collection bins in shopping malls and stores. Citizens are encouraged to participate by donating their used red envelopes.

2. Collaborations with Institutions:
   Greeners Action has partnered with 97 institutions, including convenience stores and shopping malls, to expand the collection of used red packets. This collaborative approach ensures a wider reach and increased participation in recycling efforts.

3. Acceptance Criteria and Sorting:
   To maximise the effectiveness of the recycling programme, Greeners Action only accepts red envelopes without specific markings such as the year, Chinese zodiac signs, surnames, or tape. This helps ensure that the collected envelopes can be reused effectively. The organisation spends considerable time sorting and screening the donated red packets to eliminate those that cannot be reused.

4. Reusing Red Packets:
   Greeners Action emphasises that red packets can be reused multiple times. By collecting and keeping the red packets throughout the year, they extend their lifespan, preventing them from being prematurely discarded in landfills.

So how can we, as part of the CHOMPions community help with being more sustainable in our lai see tradition?

Here are 3 easy tips we suggest you can follow:

1. Buying new ones? The simpler and smaller, the better!

If you want new ones, opt for ones that don't have the year, or any Chinese zodiac signs, surnames, tapes, and are not glossy. Prioritise on simple designs and red envelopes that are made out of recycled paper or sustainably sourced (look for FSC certification). You can also choose to purchase smaller lai see packets.

Here are some examples of where you can source more sustainable ones online:
- Simple designs
- Eco-friendly ones with seeds
- Cloth Red Packets

2. Recycle or reuse your lai sees

This is as straightforward as it sounds. Thanks to the Lai See Reuse and Recycle programme by Greeners Action, there are over 250 collection points that you can find. We have made it easy for you! If you wish to find the locations through a company's name, follow this link. If you wish to view by district, follow this link.

3. E-lai sees

Have you heard of the electronic lai sees? The popularity of e-lai sees was born out of Covid-19 (ah yes, remember those times?). With the pandemic being behind us, the novelty of giving out electronic red packets has actually offered a practical AND sustainable solution. Banks like Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of China provide animated electronic lai sees to turn the tradition of red packets exchange more efficient and responsible.