At the annual Clean and Green Singapore carnival, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam urged Singaporeans to take more ownership in their daily lives.
“Today, we are reliant on 50,000 cleaners… We also have our community initiatives, teams of volunteers who go around and help pick up the litter. But that isn’t going to solve the problem,” he said.
He also noted the advancements in technology that would help in more sustainable living, such as cheaper solar panels in the United States.
Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli told reporters about the rising number of natural disasters like hurricanes and floods, and how it has prompted accelerated concern about climate change. He added that efforts are under way to get Singaporeans to use cars less frequently, aim at zero-waste lives and recycle more.
Public Hygiene Council chairman Edward D’Silva said he believed that Singaporeans may have become lax about public hygiene in recent decades, as the authorities tried to steer away from strict penalties like fines, and people started to rely more on cleaners and domestic helpers. His council will be looking at edgier ways to push Singaporeans to use and waste less.
The Clean and Green festival was held from 4 to 5 November 2017. Visitors picked up tips on how to fight dengue, save energy and aim for zero-waste lives in their homes, at work and in public spaces.
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Source: The Straits Times, 5 November 2017