Environmentalism in Singapore

Julie Chow: Environmentalism in Singapore | The first impression most people have when they think of Singapore is cleanliness. Hand-in-hand with the anti-gum-chewing rule, it is not an unfair assumption, given the island-city-state’s patriarchal government and tropical climate (palm trees and greenery cover the island in abundance.)

Here is something that might surprise you though: Singaporeans don’t recycle. Or if they do, it’s not as blatantly apparent as in the United States. Occasionally, you’ll see a receptacle on the street that is divvied up into plastics/metals, paper and waste, but for the most part, everything gets tossed into one big trash can. Trash shoots aren’t sorted into blue recyclables and black everything-else-goes here. I remember once during the summer, I was sorting trash while at work when my boss came up to me and asked what I was doing. Apparently it’s all just trash over there — nothing specific about it.

Lately, however, there has been a growing concern in the country, due to rapid industrialization and urbanization. Over recent months, the government has been giving the country a massive developmental face lift, introducing towering high-rise apartments and chicly designed shopping plazas to rival those of Paris, Tokyo and New York City. There are more plans to introduce casinos (”integrated resorts”) and a Formula One race track — all for the sake of drawing more tourists to Singapore and boosting the country’s economy.

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Financially, this may seem lucrative, but for a country that barely covers 270 square miles (think about half the size of Hawaii’s Oahu island) and is already a dot on the map, space is limited. Downtown metropolitan areas and subway cars have become bodies-packed-like-sardine-cans during rush hour, and real-estate sites have popped up left and right. All the recent developments have had environmentalists wondering just how much more land the government is going to sacrifice for the sake of a good business venture.

But does that mean Singaporeans don’t care about the environment? I don’t think so. This is a country that prides itself on being clean, green and beautiful, and almost everything — including water — is imported. There are other ways Singaporeans express their care for Mother Nature. Recently, larger branches of grocery and shopping outlets have started charging extra for plastic bags. Some designer shops have even gone out of the way to make eco-friendly bags that are hip and trendy — à la the popularity of Anya Hindmarch’s “I Am Not A Plastic Bag.” And of all the renovations that have been going underway, one was for the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a park filled with lush trees and gardens located just off the cusp of Orchard Road. And there are probably more eco-friendly movements underway, but on the surface, they’re not readily apparent.

Do I consider myself to be an environmentalist? I care about the environment, but I don’t think I make a conscious enough effort to be considered passionate — I don’t always recycle, or turn off the tap when I’m brushing my teeth. I think I often leave the house with a light bulb or two on. But on the other hand, I walk almost everywhere and make it a point to somewhat sort my trash. In all fairness, I think I walk a middle road.

Julie is an American who has lived in Singapore. She currently lives in California, the United States of America, where she is a university student.

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