Lack of (Contextual) Knowledge
Generally, most people are aware that plastic is a waste problem… Overseas. For instance, many people have probably seen photos of heaps of unmanaged trash in developing countries (see image above). In fact, the image of a turtle with a straw stuck in its nose floating on the internet is widely cited to have sparked the discussion on preventing plastics from getting into the ocean. It is easy to dismiss this problem because we don’t see obvious indications of plastic pollution here in Singapore. However, the plastic pollution is just one part of an even larger issue: overconsumption. Plastic use is so embedded into the Singapore livelihood that most people, if not all, rely on it for daily use (see image below). We also love our food here in Singapore but food waste has recently been identified as another rising problem with over 700 million kg of food waste in 2019. These two sources of waste (out of many others) stem from an issue of overconsumption.
Though we are cognisant of the marine pollution or perhaps overconsumption overseas, many are unaware of a growing problem right in our little red dot: the looming deadline of our only landfill. The waste management infrastructure in Singapore may be unable to cope if overconsumption continuing to grow in it’s current rate – what happens when we run out of space for our landfill? This lack of awareness of a local problem but awareness of an overseas problem creates a psychological distance to that issue (e.g. “their problem is none of my business”) leading to inaction.
| Perceived Control |