In partnership with the National Environment Agency, the Central Singapore CDC identified five focus areas in environmental public health to achieve our shared vision of a Clean & Healthy Central Singapore district. - Create a Litter-Free Central Singapore District
- Spread No Germs, Be Hygienic
- Clean Up, Be Free of Pests
- Do It Yourself, Do Away With Dengue
- Care For Our Environment, Own It
(a) Community Led Efforts Against Littering (CLEAN) - A new district litter-free initiative takes flight in 2007. Launched by our esteemed Minister Mentor on 5 November 2006, CLEAN places grassroots leaders and residents at the forefront of the litter-free movement.
- Since November 2006, the project has piloted in numerous neighbourhood precincts in Tanjong Pagar GRC, where Residents’ Committees initiated activities ranging from litter-free patrols to litter-free pledging exercise. These dynamic local champions of CLEAN actively promoted four key litter-free messages to their residents:
- Put junk mails into the bins
- Not throw litter out of my window
- Dispose litter into the bins at the void decks
- Bag refuse and throw it into the rubbish chute
- Grassroots representatives from all 23 constituencies forged the Central Singapore District Gameplan Against Littering in March this year, giving impetus to a district-wide rollout of CLEAN.
The anti-littering campaign was a key focus at the recent Central Singapore 3rd Environmental Regional Workshop. This anti-littering message was echoed by a group of residents in Whampoa constituency who decided to make their Bukit Timah Hill Nature Reserve last weekend not only an endurance hike but also a clean-up exercise. Armed with litterbags, these 35 residents picked up litter along the way during their walk. The rangers leading them also shared with them on the negative consequences of littering on the ecology and public health. (b) A CLEAN Movement - By the Community, For the Community
Keeping our environment and our communal spaces litter-free is only sustainable if we are prepared to take ownership, like the residents in the Central Singapore District who are leading the way forward, making their stand and commitment towards this goal. Take for example Mdm Alice Lee Soh Lui, who won the award for Most Committed Individual in Central Singapore District last year. She attracted bewildered and curious eyes in her neighbourhood when she stationed herself for more than a month at various locations with binoculars, trying to spot the litterbug ‘raining’ waste in the neighbourhood. Eventually, her efforts paid off when she caught the person and successfully stopped the high rise littering in her estate. Mr Paul Wee, Chairperson of Tanjong Pagar Cantonment Towers RC sets a good example too. He went out of his way to produce video clips titled “Dirty Pictures- rated RA (Really Angry)” and broadcasting these clips of the littering situation in his precinct at community events to raise awareness and encourage action. In addition, his fellow RC members have been going around the estates picking up rubbish and visiting residents face-to-face to spread the message. With the strong commitment from these grassroots leaders and residents, Central Singapore District is a step closer to achieving a Clean and Healthy living environment. It is thus timely, that both the Central Singapore CDC and NEA CRO are creating the “O.N.E. Central Singapore Awards” to recognise grassroots organisations that had reach Out, Nurture and Enable their residents in areas of environmental concerns. This would help recognize the hard work of such individuals.
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