Still lots of paper, disposable cutlery wasted
Letter from Phillip Keng Hong, Today Online 25 Feb 08;
Singaporeans' support on climate change issues may just be academic. From my experience, the number of changes many companies have implemented is negligible.
No business can claim it is environmentally-friendly when it has yet to take the first step of conducting a business review to factor in its cost to the environment. The "environmental-friendly" label has largely been a public relations stunt.
Financial institutions have not done enough to reduce paper wastage. For example, both DBS and United Overseas Bank insist that their customers must receive mailed statements, citing that it is a Monetary Authority of Singapore requirement.
The archaic rules of the Singapore Exchange still require shareholders of listed companies to receive mailed copies of annual reports, when such information is already available on the Internet and is easier to archive.
At Changi Airport's staff canteen (a food court also open to the public), disposable cutlery is used, unlike at other food centres. Fast food restaurants have a similar practice and seem resistant to change. Shouldn't disposable cutlery be totally prohibited for dining-in patrons?
There also seems to be a lack of recycling bins at most shopping centres. Ikea gets the kudos for being one of the most environmentally-friendly companies but its restaurant has yet to cease the use of disposable cutlery totally.
While teaching students about the environment, schools do not take into consideration the amount of resources used in projects. The Ministry of Education should have a list of guidelines for schools, for instance on the practice of double-sided printing. Lessons on reducing carbon footprints would be more meaningful when students can see their lessons in action.
Ditto for our country's biggest employer, the Singapore Civil Service. I would be interested to know if it has a list of environmentally-friendly practices and measures to ensure their implementation.
The inter-ministerial committee on sustainable development, recently formed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, shows the Government's resolve to address climate change issues head on. If it embarks on an educational approach, it should be directed at those whose policies/actions will have trickle-down effects.
