Primer for Practical Green Living in Singapore

The buzzword is to Go Green nowadays. From Al Gore's plea to Congress to the silent, often neglected Green Recycle Bins in your estate. There is some hype about it in Singapore, but largely feeble it's-good-to-know facts rather than concerted efforts to encourage awareness and/or even some form of enforcement to drive the message home.

What to do when it is not exactly a national top priority agenda?

I'm guilty of wasting paper in the office. Well, I try to save paper by printing on both sides and working on older drawings, etc. But no matter how much I would love to do my part, there still is the constant obscene whirr of the photocopying machine churning out ream after ream of printed matter.

Okay, so assume we want to play a part in the Green Movement in Singapore. What is the best way of Going Green and being practical at the same time? Let us count thy ways:

1. Refuse any plastic bag if it's only for 1 - 3 items and/or if you can help it.
2. No need to wrap stuff in plastic if you can help it.
3. If you have bought stuff from different shops, you can do your part by 'piggy-backing' your items into just 1 bag. No need to carry so many 'branded' plastic/paper bags to show off, coz sometimes you'll look like a human trolley.
4. Fill up the basin with water, soaking your grimy dishes instead of using running water throughout the washing process.
5. If you come from a design firm, use superceded AO-sized drawings as gift wrapping paper.
6. If you've got a habit of eating at your desk - just like me - use unwanted A4 sized paper as placemats.
7. Take the bus. Don't give me nonsense that it's hot and stuffy. Buses have come a long way since the Hock Lee Bus Riots of the 60's.
8. Singapore is a Garden City, so bring in some Bonsai or grow some indoor plants

I'm sure there are many more practical ways that are uniquely Singaporean, but that's about it for now. Spread the Green word while we still can.