A tourist guide's map of cleanliness in Singapore
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Feb 24, 2012 - ST Forum
AS A freelance tourist guide, I frequently received compliments from tourists about how clean and green Singapore is, until lately.
Now, I am often obliged to clarify that while Singapore is indeed green, it is clean only in the town or tourist areas.
The state of cleanliness has been deteriorating. I have noticed plastic trash lying around in public residential areas such as void decks, lift lobbies, playgrounds, pavements and public rest areas.
Much of the trash is often left lying within sight, and metres away from a bin. I can think of two culprits for the littering: the large number of foreign workers who are not aware of the anti-littering rules, and young Singaporeans who seem apathetic towards maintaining public cleanliness and who do not take ownership of their living areas.
I frequently visit Jurong Point shopping centre and often see groups of foreign workers sitting on the steps and edges of flower-beds outside the mall, eating and chatting.
When the mall closes, the place is littered with food packets and plastic bottles, which are not only an eyesore but also unhygienic, attracting cockroaches and rats.
In my estate in Eunos Crescent, the void decks look like they have not been washed for months.
I often see piles of plastic food packets and empty drink cans left in public areas, waiting for the cleaners.
There is also leftover cat food in the void decks, cigarette butts at bus stops' flower-beds and bits of used plaster stuck on pavements.
I once saw a teenage girl dropping an empty drink carton onto a pavement, just metres from a bin, and another dropping her empty drink can onto a grass bed as she carried on walking as if it was the most normal thing to do.
Companies that recruit foreign workers must explain local laws to them, and schools must find ways to effectively educate and convince students that littering is uncool and antisocial behaviour.
Edwin Lim
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I am
responsible for the leftover cat food. -
littering jiani.
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singapore is over crowded - its not the same anymore.
so when you see rubbish - its gotta be 'their' culture
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HDB front view, okay, not bad. HDB back view, all sorts of food, insects and stuff become part of the concrete floor.
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Originally posted by troublemaker2005:
singapore is over crowded - its not the same anymore.
so when you see rubbish - its gotta be 'their' culture
have to be.
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Originally posted by troublemaker2005:
singapore is over crowded - its not the same anymore.
so when you see rubbish - its gotta be 'their' culture
Agree. "入乡�俗" ~ to adopt one's culture. Usually when i travel to "that" particular country, i just throw my skewers on the floor after eating my delicious"shanghai" delights.