As Singapore eases its circuit breaker measures and life returns to some semblance of normality, green thinkers explain how the Covid-19 pandemic has, and will continue to, impact attitudes towards sustainability and recycling in the City-State – for both good and bad.
The pandemic has been wonderful for our planet, at least that’s what a litany of posts on social media would have us believe. As virus fears forced humans inside, images of crystal clear canals and animals frolicking in abandoned city plazas went viral, alongside statements of the largest ever annual fall in global CO2 emissions.
Key takeaways from Covid-19
«You ask any Singaporean what they love about their country, and they’ll say the food!» smiles Mallika Naguran, Managing Editor and founder of sustainable tourism publication, Gaia Discovery.
The start of the circuit breaker on April 7 meant the closure of dine-in facilities, and the rise of takeaways for Singaporeans to get their foodie fix, and for F&B outlets to stay in business.
Green governance?
But the government’s major issue, according to Olivia Choong, co-founder of Green Drinks, is that it «has a lot of wonderful initiatives, but they don’t communicate very well … People get the wrong impression that they don’t care».
A more sustainable «new normal»
«I’m still surprised,» muses Moyell Juul, «why Singapore wouldn’t want to be number one as they like to be in most things». Moving from her native Denmark six years ago, where she «grew up composting in own garden», Moyell Juul was initially shocked at the lack of transparency and efficiency over simple things like recycling in the city-state.
This article was written by Amanda Oon
To read the full article, please click on the following link: https://southeastasiaglobe.com/singapore-recycling-covid-19/
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