Community Engagement

In order to foster a community that cares for the environment, it is important to turn people into environmental stakeholders and this can be done by engaging them in environmental activities and decision-making.

Collective behavior is more effective than individual efforts in creating a positive impact on the environment. More importantly, group identity and social support empower an individual to commit in behavioral change. One example of community involvement projects is the Community in Bloom (CIB) Programme

Community in Bloom (CIB) Programme

This is a national community gardening movement launched in 2005 to green up the neighbourhoods and at the same time to foster kampung spirit through caring for a garden together. Today, there are more than 850 community gardens that involve over 20,000 residents.

Credit: TODAY

Credit: TODAY

Impacts of Gardening
Gardening provides many positive benefits to our well-being. First, it is beneficial to our health as gardening involves physical activity. In a research study by Morris et al. (2000), they also showed that gardening experience encourage children to eat the vegetables they grow. Second, gardening facilitates relaxation and cognitive restoration. Lastly, community gardening foster more social interaction and a sense of belongingness among the residents. Even if one is not involve in gardening itself, the presence of a garden can increase one’s satisfaction with his/her community as reported in a research paper by Kaplan (2001). However, most people view their community garden as an extension of their home but not part of the natural environment. Hence, gardening does not necessarily increase people’s awareness or concern for the larger ecosystem. That being said, gardening may remind people the value of nature.

Singapore government has also engaged the public actively in creating a liveable and sustainable city through public hearing and participatory planning. By giving them a say in planning for Singapore’s future, citizens are more likely to perceive the decisions made as fair.

Call for Ideas Fund

The Call for Ideas Fund helps to finance projects that resolve environmental challenges or promote environmental ownership.

Clean and Green Hackathons

This is a competition co-organized by NEA and EMA to involve the community in creating applications that help Singaporeans make environmentally conscious choices in everyday life.

Credit: NEA

Credit: NEA

 

 

 

 

 

 

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