Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia 5 Dec 09;
SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency and the Central Singapore District have started a new initiative to get the community to go green.
The programme, known as Partnership to Activate the Community to Treasure (PACT) the environment, will see them work with establishments like shopping malls to adopt eco-friendly measures.
Another aim is to share ideas on how to be energy efficient, and to reduce, reuse and recycle.
The programme was launched on Saturday afternoon by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng at City Square Mall, touted as Singapore's first eco-friendly mall.- CNA/so
A Pact to go green at City Square
Straits Times 6 Dec 09;
The people behind City Square mall do not want people just to think about shopping.
They also want shoppers - and tenants in the mall too - to think clean and green.
City Square, owned by property giant City Developments, is the first shopping centre here to join a scheme called Partnership to Activate the Community to Treasure the Environment (Pact).
This initiative by the National Environment Agency and the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) was launched at the mall in Kitchener Road yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng.
Pact aims to encourage establishments to adopt eco-friendly measures and promote environmental awareness.
As part of its one-year commitment, City Square's Fountain Square and City Green, an outdoor park, will be dedicated to environment-related activities and exhibitions.
The mall will also encourage shoppers and tenants to adopt
habits like using energy-efficient appliances and reducing the use of plastic bags.
Pact has three main components: public hygiene, energy efficiency and the 3Rs - recycle, reuse and reduce.
The activities will be tailored to suit each partner of the programme.
Talks are ongoing with other malls to join Pact, with plans to include other set-ups such as restaurants and coffee shops.
The initiative supports the Central Singapore Environmental Sustainability Plan, a 10-year commitment launched in July by the NEA Central Regional Office and Central Singapore CDC to educate and mobilise efforts by the community.
Under the plan, the council aims to involve 15,000 households to take part in environmental
activities and collect 10,000 tonnes of recyclable waste annually, among other projects.
Frankie Chee
