Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau held a series of activities titled “Behind the Cardboard: Macao’s Recycling Industry and Poverty” on 14^th and 21^st January 2026, including a talk on “Macao’s Recycling Industry and Poverty” and an experiential learning activity, the “Cardboard Recycling Experience.” The aim of the event was to guide participants, through both knowledge sharing and experiential learning, to understand local environmental and poverty-related issues, and to reflect on the roles and responsibilities of global citizens in promoting equality and sustainable development.

The event specially invited instructors from Oxfam Macau to deliver the talk and lead the activities. They offered in-depth and concrete sharing on the recycling industry in Macao and other regions, sustainable development policies, and the work and life stories of waste pickers. Through the talk and the experience, participants gained a clearer understanding of the often-overlooked connections between resource waste, environmental problems, and poverty. During the “Cardboard Recycling Experience,” the instructor guided participants into the daily reality of waste pickers: pushing heavy cardboard carts, visiting shops one by one to ask for recyclable paper, learning how to sort and organize cardboard, and personally experiencing the stares and challenges that waste pickers often face in their work. These real-life experiences allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of the hardships and contributions of waste pickers.

In the subsequent reflection and discussion session, participants shared their feelings and reflected on how society views different occupations, as well as the indispensable role that each profession plays in the functioning of a city. The activity also inspired participants to consider how to practice sustainable development in daily life and to promote positive environmental and social change through individual actions. Below are some of the participants’ reflections:

“This talk and experience deeply moved me. Behind the unremarkable cardboard lies the daily struggle of many people trying to make a living. After pushing the cart and asking from door to door, I realized that environmental protection is not just a slogan—it is closely tied to social fairness and dignity.” — Zhao Siyi

“I deeply realized the importance of environmental protection and social responsibility. The stories of waste pickers made me reflect on resource wastage and the shortcomings of the recycling system. It also motivates me to participate more actively in environmental actions, hoping to encourage more people to value recycling and work together to build a sustainable city.” — Basil Chang

“The talk helped me understand the importance of recycling, and that the harm caused by waste is far beyond what we imagine. During the experiential activity, I truly felt the hardship of waste pickers. When they are busiest, they may need to push more than ten loads of cardboard to recycling stations a day, leaving them exhausted. The life of a waste picker is really not easy!” — Ginny Zhuo