THE mindset of Singaporeans is that the environment is the responsibility of someone else, be it the Government or the cleaners ("'5 million people, 70,000 cleaners... that's ridiculous!'"; Feb 14).
Such a mindset must change before we can see a noticeable change in behaviour.
Here are some suggestions which the Government can consider adopting to slowly cause a paradigm shift.
While we endeavour to attain the standards of the Taiwanese and Japanese, in terms of environmental consciousness, the existing system has to change to mould our mindset first.
Lee Yong Se
Such a mindset must change before we can see a noticeable change in behaviour.
Here are some suggestions which the Government can consider adopting to slowly cause a paradigm shift.
First, work with retailers to stop the free distribution of plastic bags. By forcing Singaporeans to take along their own shopping bags, we will cause the population to awaken to the reality that this little action will go a long way towards reducing our carbon footprint. When Penang introduced this policy, the residents were sceptical but, eventually, most understood.
Second, consider reducing or removing cleaners altogether from all government offices. Currently, most offices have the luxury of having cleaners to clear trash and, as a corollary, the habit of throwing things away without much thought is quite ingrained. Being more mindful of the trash produced and the need to clear one's trash at the end of the day will steer many towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
Finally, incentivise civic-minded behaviour at the initial stage before this becomes second nature. Instead of just spotting litterbugs, enforcement officers should spot those who pick up litter. This is similar to what the Traffic Police is doing to reward gracious motorists.
While we endeavour to attain the standards of the Taiwanese and Japanese, in terms of environmental consciousness, the existing system has to change to mould our mindset first.
Lee Yong Se
