Sunday January 23, 2011
The Lees will use old banknotes for ang pows to save trees
By ISABELLE LAI
[email protected]
PETALING JAYA: Don’t count on the Lee family to rush to the bank for crisp new banknotes when Chinese New Year rolls in each year. Eloise Lee, 44, said her family had made it a practice to use both old and new banknotes in ang pow packets for the past few years.
“We realised that production of new banknotes requires the cutting down of more trees. Now, we just use notes that look new instead,” she said, adding that none of her ang pow recipients had any complaints about the mix of old and new notes.
Green fingers: The Lees in festive mood while filling red packets with old and new ringgit bills at their home in Petaling Jaya yesterday.
“They always receive the red packets happily. Anyway, I think they’re more concerned about how much money is inside, rather than whether the notes are new or not!” she quipped. Her mother-in-law, Wong Kip Hing, 73, said that the family had also been reusing ang pow decorations for about 10 years.
“We store them carefully, away from moisture and dust. Every year, our decorations look just as beautiful as when they were new,” she said, showing off an origami fish made from an ang pow packet six years ago. Homemaker Jackie Ho, 61, agreed that new banknotes were not necessary for ang pows.
“Don’t go and give battered ones, of course! Save the new ones you get throughout the year instead of rushing to obtain brand new ones just for this occasion,” she said. She also advised families who often bought cartons of soft drinks to dispose of them properly after guests have consumed them.
“Aluminium cans can be recycled into many things, so people should really try to remember not to dump them into the trash bin as it is a waste of resources,” she said. Sam Kon, 23, said he would make an effort to set aside items for recycling or charity while spring cleaning the house.
“Many items can be used again, it’s a waste to dump them. We only have one world, let’s do our part to save it,” he said.
