What happened? People just decided to stock up on plastic bags on other days and/or avoid going to the supermarket that day.

I suspect they will find other ways around this even if it becomes a permanent thing. They are willing to pay a few cents more for the plastic bags.

One problem with this “use less plastic bags” push in Singapore is that we’re up against years of social engineering. Think “Stop at Two”. The gahmen used to encourage HDB-dwellers to bag their trash. Now, everyone has to unlearn that.

Oh, a couple of blog posts by my friend, November, that might be of interest:
Let’s move beyond plastic bags, and
Taking waste to a higher level

maybe singapore should take a leaf out of germany’s book and charge a pfund/deposit for each and every plastic/glass bottle purchased and then when bottles are recycled at recycling stations in supermarkets, refund is issued. maybe this would work cos the notion of money seems to drive singaporeans into action more than anything else.

that, and a paradigm shift in the way they consume.

I agree that it’s safe. I don’t understand how someone who spent a month here failed to notice that our army of cleaners keep the place clean.

It’s no wonder that we have trouble getting people to do away with using plastic bags. The culture of disposal here is…

Heh. I’d better stop myself before I launch into a tirade about Singaporeans’ fascination/obssession with the new and shiny. And how COE, consumerism and computers (guilty as charged)…

Ok. Stop.

Yeah, i tend to refuse small plastic bags if it is just one or two small items. Friends who visit from overseas always comment how clean Singapore is… then again i tell them they always are in the city area they haven’t been to the heartlands yet. Actually, even in the ‘touristie’ areas you just need to know where to look.

Patricea - My mom used to share with me that when we were living in London (about 23 years ago) that they charged 5 or 10p for every plastic bag that was requested. So it just boils down to Singaporeans getting warm up to the idea of recycling and the habit of bringing your own grocery bags.

Recycling is encouraged here: things have to be seperated in to trash, clothes, paper, plastic, glass, and leaves. Every 50 metres, there are large bins are all lined along the road because everyone has to take their own trash out.

breadtalk and old chang kee - they are repeat offenders in my book. so so wasteful! but i suspect somehow even if they have a paradigm shift in the way they package their products and reduce the need for waste, consumers don’t really care. (it’ll be great PR for me and like minded people but for the masses, not really.) till that happens (or not), what we can only do is try to resuse the plastic bags when grocery shopping. similarly i hate buying veggies and fruits from major supermarkets here in the UK. they are shrink wrapped and put in a foam bottom like how fresh meat is packaged. what’s the point in doing it?

anyhow,i just get the feeling that consumerism has been so deeply ingrained in singaporeans - people there live to consume and eventually waste, not caring about the consequences about such a lifestyle.

recycling, carbon neutrality and emissions, Fairtrade/ethical trading, and organic are huge buzzwords here. Marks and Spencers here recently introduced a fairtrade range to their clothing line and earned lots of kudos. and for all my bitching about work, i am proud(!!) to be in a bank that is striving to be carbon neutral by end 2007.

I know what you mean. I’m not the most conscientious recycler, but I always decline plastic bags when possible. That’s most of the time, since I usually carry a sling bag/backpack.

The biggest culprits: BreadTalk and Old Chang Kee. Item into a small bag (plastic for BreadTalk, paper for OCK), then into a bigger carry bag. Even if it’s just ONE item.

They work really fast too. Many times, before I can open my mouth, they’re done packing the goods into two bags. Have to pre-empt them.

I’ve taken to removing the item from the plastic bag if I didn’t get to tell them too.

anyhow, hopefully sometime in our generation, recycling will become mainstream in singapore. maybe even people and corporations could strive to become carbon neutral. maybe i’m hoping too much. i tried getting one of those resuable bags from NTUC Bishan and apparently it was ’sold out’. refused to get a plastic bag for 2 boxes of cereal and a tub of yoghurt - everyone looked at me like i was an alien. =(