Environmental Education

-Schools can introduce sand mining and land reclamation as part of the geography curriculum in secondary school

-Establish working relationship with the Housing Development Board, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Building and Construction Authority on understanding issues that surrounds development. To better understand how nature is impacted, schools should also partner with National Park Boards and Nature Society of Singapore.

-Organize field trips to these organization and co-create student-driven community project with the advice from these organization.

 

Nature tours and visits to sites affected by sand mining

-Local community groups in both exporting and importing countries can organize tours to visit the sites affected by mining together with a trip to wild nature for self-introspection and identity search. If such small eco-tourism awareness and nature facilitation tours can be implemented, it will offer another kind of livelihood for the locals. With more income, these locals are less likely to be “recruited” by the illegal miners. However, one must bear in mind that the amount of eco-tourists should be controlled

-The participants who embark on the trip will be able to experience the situation on the ground and be the word-of-mouth influencer when they return home.

-Combining the trip with wild nature expedition, will allow the participant to think about there urban lifestyle, come out with creative ideas inspired from nature and gain spiritual spiritual strength and enhanced social identity before they return to work on environmental advocacy or environmental related social enterprises.

 

Mekong River Commission (MRC) and ASEAN

– Propose to the regional bodies to establish work groups on sand issues

– Organize Model UN/ASEAN/MRC Youth Forum on sand issues

By frequently talking about these issue, it will increase cognition saliency and increase our knowledge availability to sand issues . If the government does not censor the news, it may also become more socially accepted if more people start talking about it as it has become a social norm to be familiar and aware of this issue. This increase the antecedent of behavioural intention.

 

Incentives and Punishment

– Promote and increased awareness of the government incentives for green building development

– Implement quota system on sand purchase per project. Companies which requires more sand will need to audition and bid for the extra quantity of sand. The excess funds collected will be channelled to research and development of sand alternatives and environmental protection and alleviation in sand exporting countries.

Encourage the mobilisation of “community patrols” with relevant armed authorities

– Give grassroots’ community in sand exporting countries the sense of autonomy by sending out armed auxiliary river police to patrol the different sections of the river to nab illegal sand miners

– In areas affected the negative impact of sand dredging, small groups of people can be led by  community leaders to:

  • Spread awareness about how sand mining affects their homeland.
  • Identify vulnerable or individuals at-risk who may be going to work for the illegal sand miners, e.g. Fishermen with low incomes
  • Look for alternative employment instead of working for illegal sand miners
  • Render protection to individuals who “run away” from illegal mining companies
Provide relevant job opportunities such as tour guides for additional incomes