Time for Action to be Done

With reference to Sunday’s Straits Times article “Littering: What’s the fuss”.

This is not the first time this topic has been brought to public attention. Today, whenever we walk into public places, it is not surprising if eyebrows were not raised over “flying” tissue papers, spit, or even water on the mirrors.

Recently, NEA reports have even shown that at least one in three Singaporeans says he would bin rubbish only when it is convenient to do so.

This truly and sadly, is testament to our increasingly dirty garden city, despite the numerous efforts and propaganda by the government about our improving situation or rather image of our country.

And this phenomenon, I feel, cannot be explained by one reason. There are many matches that fuel this haystack, and with that, much smoke produced. I think the first match is the increasingly selfish nature of all of us as Singaporeans.

With the accelerating pace of our modern society, the need to earn materialistic possessions, especially money and time, is invariably heightened. The attempt to survive in this ever-changing society indubitably forces many of us to care about ourselves before others - from self-convenience before cleaners’ hard work, to time saved before the country’s cleanliness.

Another fuel that spurs on the fire is how our country’s general cleanliness has never been very clean in the first place, so why not throw another tissue paper? After all, one tissue paper would not influence much? However, if we are in a hotel room, we would not feel like throwing rubbish around because it will severely damage the whole feel of the hotel room.

I dare to say, this mentality is prevalent in all of us. And, no doubts, this will result in a vicious cycle, so I strongly feel it is important for us to start immediately on a massive clean up and beautifying project for our country.

Another problem is the lack of rubbish bins around. It is really troublesome to go all the way from one place to the nearest shopping centre just to throw a tissue paper, so this results in littering. This is also supplemented by the lack of time and patience in many youngsters nowadays. Therefore, it would be good if the government can set up more rubbish bins in all places, not just in the city or shopping centers.

Something has to done; the government cannot just keep doing reports.