Here’s a little “pick-me-up”
Walk along the beaches of Pulau Ubin, park connector along the Kallang River or even the wetlands trails at Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve, take a look at the waterfront and you will notice trash strewn around. Plastic bottles, shoes, styrofoam boxes and masks (from the recent pandemic), can all be found in the long list of litter that appear near water bodies. This unsightly appearance can be off-putting for visitors who are looking to appreciate the scenery.
During my walk along the Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve trails, I could not help but notice plastic water bottles, wrappers and packet containers lying around. Never mind the crocodile basking nearby and enjoying the warmth of the Sun, the rubbish surrounding the dangerous reptile makes one think about the problems of littering and plastic pollution.
Where does the trash come from? Of course, the biggest culprit would be humans. Besides the obvious problem of littering by parkgoers or beachgoers, there are other reasons such as throwing of waste from ships or boats and the blowing winds during monsoon seasons, causing waste to be carried from one location to another.
The messy sight of our nature reserves or beaches is not the only issue of this littering problem. The marine wildlife living in or near water bodies are greatly affected due to the accidental consumption or entanglement with plastic debris. We have seen pictures of turtles with a plastic ring around its neck and heard the reports of whales found on shores with its stomach filled to the brim with plastic waste. Another impact we have to consider is the resulting effects on human health due to the accumulation of toxic materials from plastic waste in water bodies. The chemicals involved during the production of plastic materials can be harmful to us and the wildlife.
By now, you are probably wondering, what could I do to help then? What would be a possible solution to reduce the impacts of littering and pollution? As an individual, what role could I possibly play to help out and save the environment?
Litter picking.
While the idea of litter picking seems to be small in the grander scheme of saving the environment, the beach clean-ups or waterways clean-ups carried out by different groups in Singapore might change your mindset.
Last July, the “East Coast Beach Plan” Telegram group was created by Samantha Thian and the group has been organizing clean-ups to pick up trash at the beaches of East Coast Park. This group has been gaining traction with different groups of people joining with the common interest and goal of keeping our beaches clean. The community that is built from such groups not only allow to help keep the environment clean but to spread environmental awareness and help educate people on the serious issues behind the purpose of the clean-ups.
Waterways Watch Society (WWS), a volunteer group started in 1998, has been keeping Singapore’s waterways clean. I had the chance to join WWS as a volunteer recently and I found myself learning about Singapore’s waterways and the importance of keeping them clean. During the boat patrol from Kallang stadium to Marina Bay area, the trainer recounted stories of his previous patrol duties and told us what to expect during patrols whilst stopping occasionally to pick up plastic bags or plastic bottles found at the sides of the Singapore River. Having had the first-hand experience as a volunteer, I understood what it means to play a part as an individual in keeping our environment clean. Though picking up one plastic bottle from the river may seem like a small action, the alternative of having the bottle left floating around is not the better option.
Small actions may not have a huge impact right now but think about the impact it will have on the future generation to come.
Time to grab some tongs, trash bags and sign up for clean-ups!
For more information on East Coast Beach Plan: https://linktr.ee/eastcoastbeachplan
For more information on WWS: https://www.wws.org.sg/volunteer/