Singapore: 6 million plastic bags saved

AsiaOne 21 Apr 11;

SINGAPORE - SOME 6 million plastic bags were saved last year through NTUC FairPrice's Bring-Your-Own-Bag (BYOB) initiative.

This is a 16 per cent increase compared with the previous year of over 5.1 million plastic bags, said the local company in its recent press release.

As part of its efforts to promote environmental awareness to its customers, the FairPrice Cares! Campaign is back again for the second year, in support of Earth Day 2011. The campaign encourages customers to use reusable bags for shopping and recycle drink cans and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles.

To encourage community participation for this campaign, FairPrice Foundation will donate up to $30,000 to the Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund and Singapore Disability Sports Council based on the number of cans or PET bottles recycled by customers and the number of FairPrice’s “Love Nature” recycled bags sold.

From April 22 to May 8, FairPrice Foundation will donate $1 for every can or bottle that customers bring in to recycle at the reverse vending machines at its Ang Mo Kio Hub Xtra hypermarket, City Square Mall supermarket and Marine Parade FairPrice Finest stores.

To further encourage shoppers to recycle, FairPrice will be giving out FairPrice “Love Nature” reusable bags for every 10 cans or PET bottles brought in for recycling.

The sales proceeds of FairPrice’s “Love Nature” reusable bags sold at all FairPrice stores will also go toward charity. Under the Green Rewards Scheme launched in 2007 where customers enjoy a 10-cent rebate for bringing their own bag with a minimum spending of $10, 6 million plastic bags were saved.

Commenting on the campaign, Ms Angela Soo, Chairperson for NTUC FairPrice Green Committee and Assistant General Manager for FairPrice Foundation said: “We are very encouraged by the increasing support from our customers in bringing their own bags when they shop at FairPrice and we thank our customers for sharing our love for nature. "We hope that through this campaign, we can encourage even more customers to take action in loving nature and also caring for the less fortunate amongst us.”

Preschoolers to say no to plastic bags
Initiative at stores also aims to raise funds for low-income families
Leow Si Wan Straits Times 22 Apr 11;

PRESCHOOLERS aged three to six can bag this chance to help the Earth, and 4,000 low-income families in the South West District.

In conjunction with Earth Day today, four organisations have jointly introduced an initiative to get preschoolers to reduce their use of plastic bags and, at the same time, raise funds for the needy.

The scheme involves 109 preschools - half of all in the district - and up to 120,000 children.

For each transaction at Dairy Farm Singapore stores where a participating preschooler and his family members decline to use plastic bags or choose to use re-usable bags, a sticker will be given.

For every 25 stickers collected by a child, a bag of essential necessities worth $25 will be prepared by Dairy Farm Singapore for a needy family.

Launched yesterday at Giant hyper-market in VivoCity, the programme brings together retailer Dairy Farm Singapore, South West Community Development Council (CDC), the National Environment Agency (South West Regional Office) and the Singapore Environment Council.

The Dairy Farm group comprises 796 stores including Cold Storage, Shop N Save, 7-Eleven and Guardian.

South West District Mayor Amy Khor said at the programme's launch: 'Over a three-month period ending June, our target is to raise $100,000 worth of these essentials such as rice and cooking oil to help 4,000 low-income beneficiaries.'

The needy families are nominated by the grassroots organisations of each constituency.

She hopes the programme will help children pick up environmentally friendly habits and develop compassion for the less fortunate.

South West CDC and Dairy Farm Singapore will jointly sponsor each goodie bag.

Daily Farm South Asia regional director Alex Tay said: 'As the biggest retailer with an islandwide network of stores in Singapore, we are in a good position to contribute and make an impact.'

Mayor Khor said the programme will be extended to other preschools if successful.

Parents and beneficiaries welcome its launch.

Madam Wong Yeh-Ping, 32, a senior manager whose two sons in Grace House Kindergarten will be involved, said: 'It's a good opportunity for the kids to have fun yet learn about using fewer plastic bags.'

For Mr Zulkeflee Abdul Razak, 37, a technician, the goodie bag will be useful to his family.

The father of three daughters aged between five and 18 said: 'The things in the bag, like vegetables, detergent and cooking oil, are things we can use and can help to save some money.'