Recipe for real 'green' nation
AFTER a years stay in Germany, I was impressed with the way Germans make recycling part of daily life.
When I first arrived, I could not get used to sorting my rubbish after each meal at the university cafeteria.
By the time I left, it had become so much a part of me that I was determined to do the same at home in Singapore.
Unfortunately, since I have been back, I have not been able to find a single recycling bin in my neighbourhood. Where have the recycling bins gone?
Maybe it is time to make recycling part of everyday life.
We should look into ways of making the habit of recycling easier.
In Germany, train stations, for example, have bins with five compartments for glass, metal, plastic, paper and unrecyclable material.
It is ironic that bins are everywhere in Singapore but recycling bins are almost nowhere to be found.
I have a few ideas which could be looked into:
Put recycling bins at every Housing Board block. Germans are used to sorting their rubbish and taking it to ground-floor recycling bins. The bins are colour coded, so that one knows where to put what.
Install different rubbish chutes on each floor of HDB blocks.
Have recycling bins within walking distance of each condominium in private estates.
Place recycling bins in all high-traffic areas: MRT stations, bus interchanges and shopping centres.
Teach good recycling habits in school.
Label bins in the four national languages, or with pictograms, to show what is to be thrown inside.
It is my dream that every Singaporean will be able to do something for the Earth, every day.
Singapore is quick to defend itself against reports conducted by international bodies that show the country is one of the least environmentally-friendly in the world.
While I am not sure how credible these studies are, the fact remains that we are not doing enough for the environment.
If we did a bit of soul-searching, we would know that we can never do enough. Nevertheless, it is never too late to start.
-By Kenneth Tan Kok Chye
Source : The Straits Times, Jun 16, 2001
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