Beach clean-ups

Beach clean-ups are a good example of a social norm being ingrained into Singaporeans. Besides schools who organise beach clean-ups as part of student’s Community Involvement Program development (now known as Values in Action), there are many organisations and volunteer groups organising beach clean-ups too. Organisations include the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore and the Public Hygiene Council, while volunteer interest groups such as Nature Society (Singapore) and Our Singapore Reefs. These groups organise frequent beach clean-ups independently on their own with the same goal in mind: to clear rubbish from the coasts, one rubbish at a time. As an individual alone, people may feel like their efforts are futile and they are not making a difference, however, collectively, the rubbish picked up amounts to so much more and there is the sense of achievement after looking at the amount of rubbish picked up. Beach clean-ups are a great excuse to go to beaches to get some vitamin sea, and bond with the community while at the same time doing some good to Mother Earth.