On the Saturday of the Easter long weekend, MEAN WELL Hong Kong welcomed its annual environmental event—the Leave No Trace Mountain Clean-Up Action! This event brought together 37 volunteers, including MEAN WELL partners, volunteers from all walks of life, and Taiwanese compatriots living in Hong Kong.

The clean-up site was located at Shing Mun Reservoir, nestled between Tai Mo Shan and Kam Shan Country Parks. This mountain path is not only a popular hiking trail on holidays, but also a major habitat for wild rhesus macaques in Hong Kong. The clean-up aimed not only to clear litter left behind by hikers, but also to collect various waste fragments scattered across the hillsides by wild monkeys searching for food in trash bins. While this undoubtedly added to the difficulty of the clean-up, the MEAN WELL partners undauntedly put on gloves, picked up long tongs and trash bags, and set off toward Shing Mun Reservoir!

Lush green foliage lined the path, and sunlight dappled over the team members as they focused on picking up litter, creating a heartwarming scene. Along the way, everyone listened attentively to the guided tour led by the co-organizer, Greeners Action, learning how to observe mountain etiquette and practice Leave No Trace principles to protect the ecological environment so that future generations can also enjoy the pleasures of hiking. The MEAN WELL team gained a deeper understanding of five key Leave No Trace principles:

1. Do not carve out new hiking trails that destroy native vegetation; hikers should stick to official designated trails ;
2. Admire the beauty of nature with your eyes rather than your hands, minimizing snapping branches or touching plants;
3. All items and food brought on the hike must be packed out completely, leaving no trace behind;
4. As water refill stations are available at most scenic spots, bring your own water bottle to reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles
5. Respect wildlife and maintain a safe distance; do not feed animals to preserve their natural survival instincts.

Throughout the clean-up, team members encouraged each other, pairing up seamlessly—one holding the tongs and the other holding the trash bag—filling the trip with teamwork and laughter. Through the hard work of all participants, MEAN WELL successfully transformed environmental protection principles into practical action, collecting a total of 10.5 kilograms of mountain waste to successfully complete the clean-up. Contributing to the restoration of the mountain environment and breathing new life into nature made for a truly unforgettable experience.

MEAN WELL Hong Kong regularly hosts environmental welfare activities each year. We look forward to welcoming more partners to join this green movement, starting with ourselves to influence those around us, caring for the environment together, and creating a better living environment for the next generation.