Clean, green Singapore
April 1st 2008 04:02
Although it is modern and industrialized, with its meager land area densely populated and built–up, Singapore is officially the greenest city in Asia. Unofficially, it is probably the cleanest in the world.
Singaporeans are proud of their city’s clean, green reputation. “Singapore is very nice” says Elwin, a waiter in the Hotel Intercontinental’s Olive Tree Restaurant. “The air is clean, there’s no pollution, not too much traffic, no litter and lots of green”.
Elwin is right. The air is clean; it is warm and soft on the skin; it smells of rain, imminent or just past and, sometimes, of exotic Asian food. There isn’t too much traffic; it flows in smooth lines, quietly enough for a conversation. There is no litter; no discarded papers or packets on the footpaths, no soggy cigarette butts clogging the gutters, no chewing gum to embed in the soles of unwary pedestrian shoes, no dog-shit, vomit or pee to side-step and none of the accompanying stench - in fact, there don’t appear to be any dogs, drunks or derelicts. Beds of lush plants border the pavements and boxes of bright flowers spill from walkways. There are vast, dense lawns of an almost blinding green, like the Padang, the sports ground down in front of the City Hall and the Supreme Court, with the Singapore Recreation Club at one end and the Singapore Cricket club at the other. Oases of palm trees dot the streets and shopping malls. There are stands of shady old-man trees with dark canopies, their scarred trunks twisted with growths like thick rope. The clear surface of the Singapore River reflects the sky; bum boats full of tourists chug up and down and cafes crowd at its edges from Boat to Clark Quay. Elwin is right. Singapore is nice.
Clean and green is a reputation which is thoroughly deserved. Singapore has worked hard at it. A committed effort has seen the once foully polluted river run clean again; dilapidated parts of the old city have been demolished and rebuilt or restored and re-vamped; tough consequences have cleared the streets of litter; new, efficient, accessible public transport systems have been set up and careful urban planning has safeguarded precious green zones.
Singapore continues to work hard to maintain its clean, green image. In 1991, the Singapore Environmental Council was set up to address green issues like growth limits, land use, water supply, pollution control, refuse disposal, transport and quality of life. The Green Labeling reward system, which applies to most products except food and pharmaceuticals is one of its initiatives. Green Transport, which encourages the use of Public Transport and offers incentives to buy new, efficient cars to lessen the impact on the environment, is another. Under Green Transport, Singapore saw its first car-free day in 2001 and Green Transport week in 2006. As the shiny, new, modern Singapore shoots ever skywards and business booms, a clean, green future is paramount to the survival of the tiny island. Singaporeans are committed to ensuring it.
Singapore has been hailed as a role model to other nations of a modern industrial city state with fresh air, pure water and a quality lifestyle in a safe, healthy and really nice environment. Yet, there are some who claim that Singapore is "too clean", "sanatised" even and that its character has been strangled by too many rules and too much tidying up. But perhaps this simply the price of "nice"?
The banks of the Singapore River
Singaporeans are proud of their city’s clean, green reputation. “Singapore is very nice” says Elwin, a waiter in the Hotel Intercontinental’s Olive Tree Restaurant. “The air is clean, there’s no pollution, not too much traffic, no litter and lots of green”.
Flowers in Chinatown
Elwin is right. The air is clean; it is warm and soft on the skin; it smells of rain, imminent or just past and, sometimes, of exotic Asian food. There isn’t too much traffic; it flows in smooth lines, quietly enough for a conversation. There is no litter; no discarded papers or packets on the footpaths, no soggy cigarette butts clogging the gutters, no chewing gum to embed in the soles of unwary pedestrian shoes, no dog-shit, vomit or pee to side-step and none of the accompanying stench - in fact, there don’t appear to be any dogs, drunks or derelicts. Beds of lush plants border the pavements and boxes of bright flowers spill from walkways. There are vast, dense lawns of an almost blinding green, like the Padang, the sports ground down in front of the City Hall and the Supreme Court, with the Singapore Recreation Club at one end and the Singapore Cricket club at the other. Oases of palm trees dot the streets and shopping malls. There are stands of shady old-man trees with dark canopies, their scarred trunks twisted with growths like thick rope. The clear surface of the Singapore River reflects the sky; bum boats full of tourists chug up and down and cafes crowd at its edges from Boat to Clark Quay. Elwin is right. Singapore is nice.
Looking up at the Fullerton Hotel
Clean and green is a reputation which is thoroughly deserved. Singapore has worked hard at it. A committed effort has seen the once foully polluted river run clean again; dilapidated parts of the old city have been demolished and rebuilt or restored and re-vamped; tough consequences have cleared the streets of litter; new, efficient, accessible public transport systems have been set up and careful urban planning has safeguarded precious green zones.
An oasis of trees near Clark Quay
Singapore continues to work hard to maintain its clean, green image. In 1991, the Singapore Environmental Council was set up to address green issues like growth limits, land use, water supply, pollution control, refuse disposal, transport and quality of life. The Green Labeling reward system, which applies to most products except food and pharmaceuticals is one of its initiatives. Green Transport, which encourages the use of Public Transport and offers incentives to buy new, efficient cars to lessen the impact on the environment, is another. Under Green Transport, Singapore saw its first car-free day in 2001 and Green Transport week in 2006. As the shiny, new, modern Singapore shoots ever skywards and business booms, a clean, green future is paramount to the survival of the tiny island. Singaporeans are committed to ensuring it.
Old-man trees in Esplanade Park
Singapore has been hailed as a role model to other nations of a modern industrial city state with fresh air, pure water and a quality lifestyle in a safe, healthy and really nice environment. Yet, there are some who claim that Singapore is "too clean", "sanatised" even and that its character has been strangled by too many rules and too much tidying up. But perhaps this simply the price of "nice"?
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