12 Jun (Wed): Talk on "Singapore’s Underwater Meadows" by Dr. Len McKenzie
from teamseagrass
Southern Expedition dive photos and stories by Debby Ng
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore
Surveying the Deep
from Pulau Hantu and Cryptic Critters on Whips, Crinoids, and in the Dirt
Spotted Wood-owl nesting at Dairy Farm Crescent
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Book Review: Hornbills of the World – A Photographic Guide
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Straits Times Forum 8 Jun 13;
I refer to the article, Green Gems, by Lea Wee (SundayLife!, June 2).
In it, she made several statements concerning the forests of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, referring to them as "primary forests".
For example, she writes: "These undisturbed primary forests have been called the green lungs of Singapore…"
This gives the impression that the whole catchment reserve is now covered with undisturbed primary forest.
As one who has worked as a professional forest ecologist and who carried out a quantitative survey of the reserve in 1992, I have to say that it is not correct to state that the forests are all primary forests. The vegetation there consists mostly of secondary forest, with some small patches of primary forest scattered here and there.
Wong Yew Kwan
Former commissioner for Parks and Recreation
Straits Times Forum 8 Jun 13;
PUB, the national water agency, thanks Dr Wong Ming Keong for his letter ("Extracting groundwater could cause S'pore to sink"; Monday).
Even if groundwater was available, any extraction must be done in a safe and sustainable manner.
That is precisely why the PUB has commissioned a study of Singapore's hydro-geology.
We will also study both the negative and positive examples of other cities before making such a major decision.
For example, places that are using and managing groundwater in a sustainable manner include Orange County (California) and Perth (Western Australia).
The Orange County groundwater system currently provides approximately 70 per cent of northern and central Orange County's drinking water, while approximately half of Perth's drinking water will come from secured deep groundwater sources by 2022.
The PUB has appointed an international panel of hydro-geological experts to advise us on potential groundwater exploratory projects.
The experts have many years of experience in groundwater resource assessment and management in many countries, and will provide independent advice.
The public can send feedback through the PUB's 24-hour call centre on 1800-284-6600.
Young Joo Chye
Director, Planning and Policy
PUB
Theresia Sufa The Jakarta Post 7 Jun 13;
Environmental experts have predicted that Jakarta may suffer seawater intrusion in 10 years should the administration fail to take preemptive measures.
“Currently, seawater intrusion has reached Lapangan Banteng square in Central Jakarta and Blok M in South Jakarta. The administration should control the number of artesian wells and restore mangrove plants along the coast of Jakarta. Otherwise, in 10 to 15 years, Jakarta will face a groundwater scarcity,” Cecep Kusmana, head of the Environment and Natural Resources Management study program with the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), said on Wednesday.
He said the condition may also affect the structure of high rises because the metal used in the
construction of the building foundation would be corroded.
The uncontrolled use of groundwater for household and industrial purposes is blamed for the sinking of Jakarta. According to Cecep, the subsidence has reached 7 centimeters per year.
The IPB’s landscape management program head, Hadi Susilo Arifin, suggested the administration equip the city with more blue open spaces (RTB) such as lakes and dams.
“The administrations of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Bekasi and Cianjur should contain more rainwater in lakes and dams, and not only rely on green open space,” he said.
He added that almost all developers reclaimed or reduced the volume of blue open space due to houses and commercial premises.
“What people don’t realize is that the lakes or dams are actually represent added value for housing complexes because they give a beautiful view and better air,” Hadi said.
Kristy Inus New Straits Times 7 Jun 13;
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Fisheries Department today warned the public to refrain from eating shellfish due to the high toxin level caused by the red tide phenomenon.
Sabah Fisheries Department director Rayner Stuel Galid said the level collected from the samples here was around 700 Mouse Unit (MU), where the lowest limit considered as dangerous for humans is 400 MU.
The red tide phenomenon traced at Sabah's west coast waters since late last year, is expected to continue for another month.
"While it has reduced from over 1,000 MU previously, it is still poisonous level and the health warning issued before this stays.
"We remind the people not to disregard this due to the health risks that could lead to fatality ... So please refrain from collecting and eating shellfish," he said.
Rayner added that the unpredictable weather between hot and wet spells is one of the contributing factors that the phenomenon lasted so long, as the algea related to the toxic thrive in this condition.
"We expect it to end by July but that depends on the weather. The monitoring will be done all year long to detect the toxin level," he added.
Earlier this year, three people in Sepanggar and Inanam died from red tide poisoning after eating cockles collected from Sepanggar Bay waters.
Symptoms of shellfish poisoning due to red tide include tingling of the lips and tongue, depending on the severity of the poisoning.
The symptoms may progress to a sensation of ‘prickling of pins and needles’ and then loss of control of arms and legs, followed by breathing difficulty.
Yvonne Ang The Star 8 Jun 13;
When volunteers help to count birds, it helps scientists understand the health of the environment.
Mention conservation and everyone’s mind readily sprints to orangutans in lush rainforests or baby turtles clumsily making their way into the deep blue sea.
But how about sitting comfortably in one’s own garden for 30 minutes and counting birds? Next weekend, this is the very thing volunteers from all over Malaysia will be doing to help preserve our environment.
On June 15 and 16, MY Garden Birdwatch (MYGB) will be holding its annual survey of garden birds in Malaysia. Now in its fourth year, MYGB was initiated by the birdwatching chapter of the Malaysian Nature Society.
Modeled after Britain’s Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ Big Garden Birdwatch, this “citizen science” programme contributes to conservation through the observation of garden birds, utilizing the public as the muscle of the programme.
Citizen science is a term coined for conservation programmes that promote the involvement of everyday folk in observations of wildlife.
“I have been doing the MYGB count for three years and this will be my fourth,” quips Mark Ng, MNS’ Selangor Branch Bird Group coordinator.
“This is the little bit that I can contribute as a citizen ‘scientist’ to help gather data over the years. I will continue to count as long as the project is on.”
The wildlife of interest for MYGB are garden birds – especially (but not limited to) 28 birds from the 740 bird species found in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, and the environments being observed are the very places we all live in!
Many of the birds highlighted in the MYGB birdlist are frequently spotted in an urban setting, much like a garden in a typical Malaysian residential area.
Data submitted from the public goes through a verification process by a group of experts before it is accepted to ensure the quality of the data.
Half an hour might not seem like much, but every single MYGB observation is important because it contributes towards a better understanding of the surrounding environment and how bird populations react to environmental factors.
Birds have long been used as an indicator of the health of the environment as used by Birdlife International’s Important Bird Areas, where birds are used to identify key sites for conservation.
Anyone who is interested in being a citizen scientist on June 15 and 16 should visit www.mygardenbirdwatch.com and run through the “How To” section to understand the mechanics of the count (there really are only two steps!).
There are also some useful tips such as:
> Keep a low profile when you are counting for the survey. Standing in the middle of the garden in a bright red shirt might shoo the birds away.
> If you are counting in your own garden or backyard, station yourself at the window or porch so that your presence does not scare the birds away.
> If you are counting at a neighbourhood green patch, resist the temptation to walk to the other end of the park. Simply record the birds that can be seen from where you are.
Do you count the birds that fly overhead? Do you count the birds that keep chirping away but can never be seen? The answers are all in www.mygardenbirdwatch.com, a site from where you can also download a convenient count sheet and listen to the calls of birds.
After the survey, the number of birds observed can be submitted online at the MYGB website. Those who are taking part should remember that the 30-minute count time should be adhered to strictly as the consistency of the observation period is important when comparing the data throughout Malaysia.
Observations that exceed or are less than 30 minutes are disqualified from the count. Although it may seem harsh, it is a necessary step in ensuring the integrity of the data obtained.
The MYGB survey is suitable for people of all ages, and can be done with or without a pair of binoculars. Birdwatching can be a lot of fun when done in the company of friends and family or even as a way to relax on the weekends – after all, there’s nothing like the rejuvenating powers of the natural environment.
Tashia Peterson, co-coordinator of MYGB2013, believes that this will be a fun activity for the family and a good way to introduce birds to children. She and her family have themselves been involved in the bird survey for the last two years.
Participants are encouraged to spend a few minutes paying attention to their neighbourhood birds prior to the survey to make identification easier. A good time to observe birds is between 7am and 11am, and 4pm and 6pm, when the birds are most active.
What happens if birds decide not to grace your garden with their presence on the day of the survey? The submission of a survey result that says “no sightings of birds” is just as valid, if that is indeed what the participant saw!
Following concerted efforts to raise the profile of MYGB this year, many more volunteers have come forward to run their own activities across the country in conjunction with the MYGB survey.
“Since its inception some four years ago, MYGB has taken root nationwide,” says Mohd Rafi Kudus, MNS’ Bird Conservation Council chairman, under which MYGB is organised.
“The dream will be realised when a large portion of Malaysians do the count naturally as a habit. The ultimate goal will be the protection of birds in our towns and villages!”
In Kuching, birdwatchers from MNS’ Kuching Branch have held basic birdwatching talks and mock counts in schools.
In Cameron Highlands, a local NGO, the Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH) organised a picnic seminar to promote the survey and birdwatching.
Meanwhile, in Selangor, the MNS Selangor Branch Bird Group has also profiled MYGB at national events like the Youth Environmental Expo 2012, besides holding an introductory session at Taylor’s University College in Subang Jaya. Representatives from various states have also been working hard to recruit more counters for the survey.
“It gives me great satisfaction to see parents and their children participating in this project,” says Andy Lee, the Outreach Leader for MYGB 2013. “This motivates me to continue counting for many, many more years.”
In many ways, the MYGB survey is all about the public’s participation in conservation. Indeed, it’s only through the involvement of ordinary people that this survey, and the environment we all live in, can thrive.
Download your own handy pocket guide to some Malaysian birds at www.mygardenbirdwatch.com. Many birds can be seen (and heard!) on YouTube. Just iSnap this page for an example.
Corals galore on reclaimed shores of Tanah Merah
from wonderful creation
A Macro Look at Macro Life
from Pulau Hantu
The last day of the Southern Expedition
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore
Random Gallery - Mottled Emigrant
from Butterflies of Singapore and Random Gallery - Dark Glassy Tiger
The Star 7 Jun 13;
KOTA KINABALU: Cross-border turtle poaching, such as between Malaysia and the Philippines, can be curbed through international cooperation, wildlife advocates here said.
In a joint statement here yesterday, wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC and WWF Malaysia said such action had to be carried out within the borders of the respective countries and along the illegal trade chain from sandy beach nesting sites to bustling urban markets.
“There is a need for concerted efforts to bring turtle egg poachers and traffickers to book.
“We hear little about offenders being arrested or prosecuted,” they said.
Despite various laws already being in place, they said the odds were stacked against the survival of the turtles and perpetrators must be caught to stem the problem.
Their statement came on the heels of the seizure of 6,500 turtle eggs in two raids by Sabah marine police last week.
Marine officers found 3,000 eggs during a raid on a pump boat on May 31 and another 3,500 eggs in plastic bags in some bushes the next day, both in the Sandakan district.
No arrests were made.
In their statement, TRAFFIC South-East Asia regional director Dr Chris Shepherd and WWF Malaysia executive director Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma said public information led to the seizures.
“While we celebrate a seizure because it deprives poachers of their ill-gotten gains, we also mourn because a seizure often means loss of wildlife.
“In this particular case, it is a loss of 6,500 marine turtle hatchlings,” they said.
They said between 2004 and last year, the authorities seized at least 20,255 marine turtle parts nationwide.
The country's conservation laws stipulate that collecting or possessing any marine turtle eggs without permission carries maximum penalty of RM50,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both.
Save MacRitchie Forest: 3. Mammals
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Last field trips on Day 17 of the Southern Expedition
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore
Molluscs, ascidians, stars and cucumbers: Mini-talks at the Southern Expedition from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore
Random Gallery - Palm Bob
from Butterflies of Singapore
Palm oil expansion endangering rare frogs in Malaysia
from Mongabay.com news by Rhett Butler
Straits Times Forum 6 Jun 13;
WE REFER to Mr Colin Loh's comments on the Population White Paper ("Hard to engage public if details are lacking"; Forum Online, last Thursday).
The basis for the population projections was provided in the White Paper and several occasional papers published over the past year.
The Paper considered the need to sustain our citizen population, given that our birth rates have been well below replacement level.
While we do our best to encourage marriage and parenthood, we are not likely to reach the replacement rate in the medium term, judging from our own experience and that of other developed countries, especially those in East Asia.
The Paper projected that there will be 900,000 Singaporeans over the age of 65 by 2030, three times the number today. This would mean just 2.1 Singaporeans of working age for each Singaporean above the age of 65 in 2030, compared with 5.9 today.
The Paper considered how to cater to the social and health-care manpower needs of our citizens, while creating enough good jobs and opportunities for Singaporeans in the future.
Bearing in mind our social and infrastructure constraints, the Paper projected that workforce growth would have to slow significantly, compared with the average of 3.3 per cent a year over the past 30 years. The Paper thus projected growth of 1 to 2 per cent a year up to 2020, and about 1 per cent a year from 2020 to 2030.
Together with productivity growth of 1 per cent to 2 per cent a year in the long term, which is comparable to the rate in developed countries, our economic growth is projected to slow, from the 6 per cent to 8 per cent a year experienced in the last three decades, to between 2 per cent and 3 per cent a year beyond 2020.
An ageing or shrinking population risks being unable to provide for our seniors, and an economy unable to create enough good jobs.
However, we understand the concerns of Singaporeans over the pace of change in society, the number of foreigners, and the need to provide adequate physical infrastructure to meet immediate as well as longer-term needs.
We will continue the population conversation to collectively arrive at the appropriate balance. Closer to 2020, we will review the population projections and our policies again, taking into account our changing circumstances and needs.
Should Mr Loh require further details, we invite him to contact us at nptd_contact@nptd.gov.sg
Soffy Hariyanti (Ms)
Director (Corporate Communications)
National Population and Talent Division
Prime Minister's Office
Hard to engage public if details are lacking
Straits Times Forum 30 May 13;
WHILE I applaud the civil service officers for the research work done in preparing the Population White Paper, it was short on details, making it difficult to "engage the public in deep discussions about the trade-offs" ("Population White Paper 'never meant to predict future'"; last Saturday).
It is not wrong to put up a population figure of 6.9 million for consideration, but Singaporeans need to know the methodology used and the premises and assumptions made to arrive at this figure.
It is futile to release a White Paper and expect Singaporeans to debate the issue if the actual details are not known.
Statistical projection, where human behaviour is involved, is never an exact science. I doubt the civil service would be faulted in the event of the projections not being realised, if the details were clearly shared and feedback taken.
I agree with civil service head Peter Ong that the White Paper should not be a deterministic exercise.
If Singaporeans do not agree with the 6.9 million figure, the public service may be required to look into other solutions, and share with them the consequences of not having this population size. The issue needs to be properly debated and scrutinised. Singaporeans and the Government will need to move as one to ensure a bright future for the country.
Colin Loh
K.c. Vijayan Straits Times 6 Jun 13;
AS A shelter for rescued wildlife, it was meant to be clean, safe and ecologically sound.
Instead, part of the site ended up as a stinking, contaminated wasteland after a contractor filled the soil with woodchips that rotted.
Now, animal welfare group Acres - which first took legal action in 2008 - has been awarded $26.5 million in damages.
"After five long years, there has been some closure finally," its director Louis Ng told The Straits Times yesterday. "Justice has been served, and we hope to get final closure by pursuing payments from the defendants."
Acres - known in full as the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society - hired ANA Contractors to level a site the size of two football fields back in 2006.
It then built the $650,000 shelter to house creatures such as turtles, snakes and monkeys that were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.
But 1.5ha of the Choa Chu Kang sanctuary had to be demolished after the contractor filled the earth with material believed to contain toxic hydrocarbon and other chemicals.
Foul-smelling brackish water leaked from the soil, and the National Environment Agency declared it a pollution threat to the nearby Kranji Reservoir.
Hiring a licensed toxic waste collector to clean it up will cost about $23 million, according to court documents.
And to stop the discharge from entering the reservoir, Acres had to install a special tank.
So far, this has set the group back by about $62,000.
In 2011, a court found ANA Contractors and site supervisor and director Tan Boon Kwee liable for the damage. Mr Tan was made a bankrupt last July, dragging out the court proceedings.
High Court assistant registrar James Lee has now set the sum of damages at $26.5 million.
It is believed to be the first case where a civic action group has successfully sued for environmental damage that is linked to the high degree of care needed to dispose of contaminated earth. Each tonne of soil that had to be removed cost between $400 and $600, court documents showed.
Other claims included the amount of wasted rent paid to the Singapore Land Authority for the use of the contaminated land.
Acres has sheltered about 2,700 animals at the site since September 2009, Mr Ng told The Straits Times yesterday.
After being rescued and kept in the sanctuary, the animals are released in Singapore or abroad.
Lawyers Muralli Rajaram and Suresh Nair, who are representing Acres, said that whatever legal costs they recover from the other party will be donated to the animal welfare group.
Acres 'could have saved 4 times as many wild creatures'
Lim Yan Liang Straits Times 6 Jun 13;
THE first signs of trouble were a black discharge seeping from the soil and a smell of rotten eggs.
Only later did Acres director Louis Ng realise what had happened.
The contractor hired by his animal welfare group to level the ground for a new wildlife shelter had filled the soil with woodchips - which slowly began to rot.
Yesterday - after the group was awarded $26.5 million in damages - Mr Ng told The Straits Times that four times as many wild creatures could have been saved over the past five years had it not been for the problems.
Instead, Acres - known in full as the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society - not only had to do without the majority of its enclosures, but also had to clean up the mess left behind.
The group hired ANA Contractors in 2006 to level its 2ha plot in Sungei Tengah and build the shelter for creatures such as turtles and snakes that were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade.
"We started seeing a blackish discharge on the ground towards the end of the year, when it rained almost every day," said Mr Ng. "This was accompanied by a rotten egg smell."
Soil and water quality tests showed that 1.5ha of the plot needed to be demolished, as the material used to fill the earth was toxic.
Worse still, none of the more than 60 animal enclosures on the plot could be used, as the ground was not stable.
"As the woodchips decomposed, they would leave a vacuum, and eventually the structures would have collapsed," said Mr Ng.
This meant the group had to forgo rescuing some animals - including certain types of monkeys and reptiles - due to a lack of space.
Acres decided to leave the contaminated 1.5ha portion of the Choa Chu Kang shelter vacant.
Yet it still had to pay the Singapore Land Authority rent for the whole site, which was the size of two football fields.
Although the authority waived rent for the unused area from January 2010 out of goodwill, the court judged that the wasted payments amounted to more than $217,000.
Mr Ng was pleased with the $26.5 million judgment.
But he said it remained to be seen how much the group could collect as ANA Contractors director Tan Boon Kwee is now bankrupt.
"The question now is of course if he (Mr Tan) pays up, (and) it's up to the official assignee to determine how much we can get from him," said Mr Ng.
Court documents show it will cost more than $26 million to clean up and rebuild the entire site.
"We don't have that kind of money in the bank to start with," said Mr Ng.
Getting contractor to pay up 'will be difficult for Acres'
But the defendant, though a bankrupt, still has assets that can be seized, says Ng
Walter Sim Straits Times 8 Jun 13;
AN ANIMAL welfare group that has been awarded $26.5 million in damages over soil pollution at a shelter for rescued wildlife is bracing itself for a potential struggle to recover the money.
Acres' director Louis Ng admitted that it will be "probably quite difficult" to get the full sum from a contractor that caused the damage by filling the earth with toxic woodchips that rotted.
Lawyers warned that it is "not uncommon" for claimants in civil cases to never fully recover the damages awarded to them.
Mr Jason Lim of DeSouza Lim & Goh LLP said there are enforcement measures available. "But after these measures have been exhausted, the matter should end."
Acres (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) successfully sued ANA Contractor and its then-director Tan Boon Kwee.
It hired the firm in 2006 to level a 2ha plot of land - roughly the size of two football fields - to build a $650,000 wildlife shelter. But the contractor filled the earth with material believed to contain toxic hydrocarbon and other chemicals.
Mr Tan, 50, was declared bankrupt last July.
Lawyer Suresh Nair of Straits Law Practice LLC, which represented Acres, said: "Going forward, we will consider the most effective ways to execute the judgment." He declined to comment on the specifics of the recovery process.
Mr Ng said he was happy that "justice has been served". He added that he is "still hopeful" that it will not be a "paper judgment" - a legal term for cases where next to nothing can be recovered by the claimant.
"We know ANA Contractor is not a $1 company, having had several big contracts," he told The Straits Times.
"Mr Tan cannot possibly be a poor guy - he used to own assets such as a resort on Pulau Ubin."
Lawyers told The Straits Times that claimants in such circumstances have several options to pursue.
Whether the claim is made against companies or individuals, these options include a "writ of seizure and sale".
Mr Lawrence Teh, a partner at Rodyk & Davidson LLP, said: "The party who won can apply to the court to seize and sell the property of the other party. Sale proceeds can then go towards satisfying the judgment amount."
He added: "The trick is to identify what property belongs to the party who lost, and what the best way of recovering payment might be."
Meanwhile, the claimant can also apply to have the debtor's bank accounts frozen and the money transferred directly to them.
Mr Tan was declared bankrupt last July after he was unable to repay the legal fees of Acres in the civil case.
In situations like this, a claim should be made to the trustee in a bankruptcy who is in charge of the distribution of all available property to the creditors, said Mr Teh.
Among the damages sought by Acres was about $23 million, which was spent to clean up the toxic waste, and $62,000 for the installation of a special tank to stop foul-smelling brackish water that had leaked from the soil from entering the nearby Kranji Reservoir.
A spokesman for the Singapore Land Authority, which leases the site to Acres, told The Straits Times: "There have been no other cases on tenanted State land where woodchips were used to fill the ground."
She added that earthworks are not allowed unless prior permission is obtained.
In 2010, the National Environment Agency pressed criminal charges against ANA Contractor and Mr Tan for polluting the reservoir.
The company - which was awarded the Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Award for an eco-sustainable project in 2007, was fined $330,000. Mr Tan was jailed for two weeks and fined $65,000.
At the 2ha Sungei Tengah site, 0.5ha has been used for an office and a wildlife recovery and rehabilitation centre, which has saved 2,700 wild animals since 2009. But Mr Ng said four times as many creatures could have been rescued if not for the teething problems.
The remaining 1.5ha, which is contaminated, remains vacant.
"We don't have $26.5 million to rectify the problem and rebuild everything," said Mr Ng. He appealed to construction companies to help the non-profit entity. "It has always been our dream to open a rescue centre, but to watch the whole thing collapse..."
Acres' lawyers, Mr Nair and Mr Muralli Rajaram, have said that whatever legal costs they recover will be donated to the animal welfare group.
Kimberly Spykerman Channel NewsAsia 5 Jun 13;
SINGAPORE: Singaporeans just can't seem to do away with plastic bags, despite calls to do so to save Mother Earth.
Each year in Singapore, some 2.5 billion plastic bags are used which means vast quantities of non-renewable resources such as crude oil and natural gas are consumed to produce them.
The Singapore Environment Council wants to find out why and it has commissioned a research paper to understand attitudes toward plastic bag usage.
Some 200 people will be surveyed and the findings will be shared in September.
Based on the findings, the council will propose creative solutions to the government in tackling the problem.
Executive Director of Singapore Environment Council, Jose Raymond noted that while the use of plastic bags cannot be eradicated as many people see them as a necessary commodity, it is important to look at how to reduce the amount of plastic bag use in Singapore as it is a problem that is not being dealt with quickly enough.
Mr Raymond added: "There are a few countries around the world which have regulated the use of plastic bags. Whether it is going to take place in Singapore, we don't know. What we hope to do is to create this awareness that we have a problem and when we have a problem, we do have to find solutions for it. We think that is the reason why this research paper will hopefully nudge the government and the people into looking at some of the solutions which we come up with, and maybe try to use them in their approach towards this plastic bag problem.
"If you know the amount that goes into the production of one kg of plastic bags, you realise that we are really utilising and using too much. I think our role is far greater than just outreach. We need to be able to influence people, and influencing people refers not just to the community, but even government, statutory boards, organisations."
Mr Raymond also noted that more people are also walking the talk when it comes to environmental consciousness. He noted, for example, that more companies are taking up the Singapore Green Label which he said translates to more people recognising that they have a part to play in environmental protection. He also noted expanded numbers in the council's Eco-Office Programme.
Ground-up efforts have also taken root in some supermarkets which offer incentives to those who say no to plastic bags.
NTUC FairPrice offers a 10-cent rebate to shoppers who spend above S$10 and bring their own bags.
Koh Kok Sin, chairperson of NTUC FairPrice's Green Committee, explained: "We know that 10-cents may seem small, but it is actually our small effort to give a reminder. And we do know of customers and even staff who have accumulated more than hundred transactions over a six-month period, and you think about it, a hundred over transactions is S$10 worth of rebates they earn."
At FairPrice Finest in Zhongshan Park, shoppers also get their own checkout counter which means getting to beat long queues.
The supermarket is one of only three outlets that is a testing ground for these green checkout counters. FairPrice said it will observe customer reactions as well as any operational difficulties that arise before deciding whether to expand these counters to other outlets.
Some shoppers have taken to the idea.
"It is more environmentally friendly so every little bit helps to keep it green," said shopper Marilyn Pollet.
Others like Ms Ivy Lai may need more persuasion.
"Usually we don't come to the supermarket directly. We go somewhere else and at the same time come here to buy something, so it is rather inconvenient," she said.
FairPrice is hopeful that with time, more shoppers will cotton on.
- CNA/fa
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