【明報專訊】A HONG KONG CITIZEN produces on average 1.39 kilogrammes of solid waste a day. Solid waste itself irretrievably damages the environment, as does its disposal. Hongkongers have in recent years become more aware of the need to protect the environment. Some days ago some people brought their own tumblers to a McDonald outlet to challenge the fast-food chain. Such behaviour may go some way towards compelling businesses to take on their environmental-protection (EP) duty. However, it is not possible to rely just on government policies and businesses' commitment for the promotion of EP awareness. What ought to be done is to foster students' EP concept when they are young so that they will become mainstays of the EP vanguard when they have grown up.