Small is Beautiful for Tourism Compass 2020

The Singapore Tourism Board has just launched a new initiative called Tourism Compass 2020 for Singapore residents and visitors to share their ideas and views for Singapore’s tourism industry by 2020, and contribute to shaping the future of Singapore’s tourism scene.

If you have an idea for the tourism industry, whether it’s promoting our wild places, encouraging ecotourism or making the tourism industry greener, register at the Tourism Compass 2020 website and contribute your ideas before 31 Jan 2010.

Here’s our idea contribution:

SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL

Allow visitors to experience everything small in Singapore, understand how it permeates through everything we do, and learn how we turn it to our advantage.

Every shopping experience in big shopping malls around the world is becoming similar with the same global brands. Why compete with other countries on big shopping malls? Focus instead on small businesses in traditional shophouses. Emphasise the unique experience browsing in a quiet small shop with sustainable, simple, individualised, or one-of-a-kind stuff you cannot find in big malls. It is not about shopping but about exploration – searching for meaning and connection through stuff. Encourage businesses in the small shops to make stuff by hand, to reuse waste materials, to be green in their operations and make green stuff, to turn products into services, or to involve customers in the production of stuff. Nurture green consumers and prosumers.

Singapore cannot compete with other countries on spectacular natural landscape. But we can compete on the rich biodiversity of our flora and fauna. Forsake the building of large artificial gardens and landscapes that are devoid of indigenous species. Focus instead on the biodiversity in our natural habitats. Explore the diverse small species of plants, animals, insects and marine life that make up an ecosystem. Emphasise the easy accessibility and fragility of these small spaces. Protect and cherish them so that visitors can exclaim and wonder how such natural treasures can be found in highly urbanised Singapore.

Singapore does not have the luxury of land, which means we cannot build more bigger tourist attractions. Forget about big luxury tourist spots. Think small quirky mashups. An island attraction that serves as a landfill and as a nature conservation and recreation spot. A Buddhist temple attraction that serves as a cultural and religious experience, and as a showcase of green features such as solar panels, wind turbines and micro hydropower.

Image source: Tourism Compass 2020

Nature Society (Singapore)

The Nature Society (Singapore) or NSS, is a totally non-government, non-profit organization, registered as a Society (ROS0235.1954/CAS), as a Charity (Reg. No 2082) and as an Institution of Public Character (IPC 000639). It is dedicated to the appreciation, conservation, study and enjoyment of the natural heritage in Singapore, Malaysia and the surrounding region. Inaugurated in 1954 as the Singapore branch of the Malayan Nature Society, it then metamorphosed into the Nature Society (Singapore) in 1991.

Run by elected and volunteer members, the Society depends financially on subscriptions and donations from its members, sales from its publications as well as donations companies, institutions and individuals.

Regular activities include guided local nature walks, slide talks and overseas eco-trips. These can be of either general nature interest or specialist in relation to birds, other vertebrates, butterflies, plants, and intertidal or marine zones. The Singapore Bird Race is in its 26th year, and a programme of regular island-wide censuses of birds is now in its twentieth year. Most activities are for older teenagers and adults, but the Society also has monthly Fun with Nature programmes for youngsters aged 5 – 9 years, and a related sponsored programme for primary schools. Activities are announced in its Nature News newsletter every two months, whilst it also produces a quarterly magazine, Nature Watch. Read more

3 Responses to the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint

The Sustainable Singapore blueprint report, “A Lively and Liveable Singapore: Strategies for Sustainable Growth”, was published last week by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD). The strategies in the report were based on the rationale of “The Singapore Way”, which is described as follows:

For Singapore, sustainable development means achieving both a more dynamic economy and a better quality living environment, for Singaporeans now and in the future.

We need the economy to grow. This creates jobs, raises our standard of living, and yields the resources that we need to safeguard our environment. But we must grow in a sustainable way, or else a high GDP per capita will be achieved at the expense of our overall quality of life, and cannot be maintained over the longer term. Protecting our environment safeguards a high standard of public health for our people, and makes our city attractive to Singaporeans and foreigners alike.

We think there are probably three different responses to the Sustainable Singapore blueprint report.

Well Done and Pragmatic

One response from the group of people who accept and agree to “The Singapore Way” is that the IMCSD has done a commendable job in coming up with the recommendations and strategies for making Singapore a lively and liveable global city in 2030. Among many other strategies in the blueprint, Singapore would:

• Reduce our energy intensity (per dollar GDP) by 35% from 2005 levels by 2030
• Improve our recycling rate from 56% in 2008 to 70% in 2030
• Reduce total domestic water consumption from 156 litres per capita per day in 2008 to 140 litres per capita per day by 2030
• Target 80% of our existing building stock (by GFA) to achieve at least Green Mark Certified rating (minimum level of energy efficiency) by 2030
• Reduce energy consumption in the common areas of new estates and mature estates by 20% and 30% respectively
• Implement a large-scale solar test-bed for public housing spanning 30 precincts islandwide
• Achieve a modal share of 70% of journeys made during morning peak hours via public transport by 2020
• Provide 0.8ha of park land per 1,000 persons by 2030
• Implement a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to research, document and conserve biodiversity in Singapore
• Develop a City Biodiversity Index with international partners to promote biodiversity conservation efforts among cities globally

They applaud the comprehensive policies and bold targets to reduce energy and water consumption, reduce waste generation, increase green spaces and biodiversity, reduce business costs and increase R&D.

Although there is no mention of carbon reduction targets, it is understandable to them as according to “The Singapore Way”, the government will not increase business or household costs, and jeopardise our economic competitiveness. Singapore will be pragmatic.

It’s the Environment, Stupid

The second response is from a group of people who do not really agree with “The Singapore Way” because it seems that economic growth is taken as the central goal with the environment playing a supporting role. This is what they believe:

We see [today] a society and a Government whose primary objective is still the achievement of economic growth as conventionally understood and measured, with as much social justice and environmental protection as can be reconciled with that central goal. We envisage a society whose primary goal should be the wellbeing of society itself and of the planetary resources and environment that sustains us all, with economic objectives shaped to support that central goal rather than the other way around. – Blueprint for a Green Economy, Quality of Life Policy Group

They want to see policies that benefit the environment and society in the long run, even if some costs are incurred in the short-term. They hope to see a focus in the qualitative and not quantitative improvement of lives. They are not saying that we should return to caves and stop the economy, they are just trying to bring a greater focus back to the environment, which is actually sustaining the economy rather than the other way round.

No Comments

The third response is a non-response from the group of people who are not interested in a sustainable Singapore, or the group that are more concerned about other issues like Aware, swine flu and the rojak food poisoning, or the group of people who don’t care what the government has to say on anything.

What’s your response to the Sustainable Singapore blueprint that will guide us till 2030?

Image credit: Wordle.

Gallup Polls on Public Awareness of Global Warming

Gallup conducted polls in 127 countries in 2007 and 2008 to understand the level of public awareness on global warming. The results show that about 38% of the world’s population have never heard about global warming or did not have an opinion. There are 2 key findings:

Public awareness of global warming tends to be higher in highly developed countries and lower in less developed countries.

Their responses reveal that public knowledge of the concept of global warming is not the same thing as the public belief that global warming is a result of human activities.

Here’s a selection of the countries in Asia and their responses: Read more

Gallup Videos on Water Quality, Air Quality and Public Transportation in Singapore

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Video source: Gallup

Video of Singapore’s Marina Barrage

This short video of Singapore’s Marina Barrage was created by the Animoto web application (testing it).

Green Travel Guide to Singapore

The first green travel guide to Singapore is published at Jamble Magazine, a leading green travel site for backpackers. The Green City Guide: Singapore shows eco-friendly attractions, organic food and green accomodation that can be found in Singapore. Some green mentions include:

• Garden tours at the National Library
• Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
• Singapore Botanic Gardens
• Bollywood Veggies
• Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
• Pulau Ubin
• Hostel One 66
• Green roof at NTU’s School of Art, Media and Design

Check out the guide for an excellent introduction to green travel in Singapore. We also recommend interested visitors to check out nature areas and marine biodiversity at the wildsingapore website.

Publications From Other Sources

Learn more about the environment in Asian countries from the following resources:

Global

• The Little Green Data Book (The World Bank)
• Country Profile and/or State of Environment (UNEP Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific)
• Country Environmental Factsheets (The World Bank)
• Key World Energy Statistics 2007 (International Energy Agency)
• Global Environment Outlook: environment for development (UNEP)

Singapore

• Singapore Nature Map (Website)
• National Energy Policy Report (Ministry of Trade and Industry)
• Energy Efficient Singapore (National Environment Agency)
• ABC Waters Programme (Public Utilities Board)
• Green Mark Scheme (Building and Construction Authority)
• Key Environmental Statistics 2007 (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• NEA Annual Report 2006/2007 (National Environment Agency)
• NParks Annual Report 2006/2007 (National Parks Board)
• National Climate Change Strategy (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• Singapore Green Plan 2012 (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• State of the Environment 2005 Report (Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources)
• PUB Annual Report 2005 (Public Utilities Board)
• Guidebook on Waste Minimisation for Industries (National Environment Agency)

Hong Kong

• Environment Hong Kong 2007 (Environmental Protection Department)
• EPD Environmental Performance Report 2007 (Environmental Protection Department)

Japan

• Annual Report on the Environment and the Sound Material-Cycle Society in Japan 2007 (Ministry of the Environment)
• Annual Report on the Environment in Japan 2006 (Ministry of the Environment)
• Outline of the Basic Environment Plan (Ministry of the Environment)

South Korea

• Green Korea 2006 (Ministry of Environment)

Beta Launch of Zero Waste Singapore

Green Future Solutions is launching our third website, Zero Waste Singapore today. Zero Waste Singapore is an online community dedicated to help Singapore eliminate the concept of waste and move towards the goal of zero waste.

Our aim is to educate individuals, communities and businesses on Zero Waste and the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), and to help them take action through useful information, news, tips and resources.

Visit the beta Zero Waste Singapore at http://www.ZeroWasteSG.com. You can start by reading our Zero Waste Singapore Manifesto.

Thoughts on the D’Kranji Farm Resort

The D’Kranji Farm Resort held its grand opening last Saturday. The farm resort is touted as Singapore’s first Agri-tainment Centre, located at the Kranji Countryside with a land size of 5 hectares. Visitors can stay in the villas, have food at the seafood restaurant and beer garden, visit the agri-retail kiosks, spa centre and herb garden, and explore the corn and rice plantation.

After visiting the D’Kranji Farm Resort, we think they blew the opportunity to be a green destination for Singaporeans and visitors. Being situated in the Kranji countryside and near to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, there could be great scope to position itself as a green haven for Singaporeans and ecotourists. Instead, one would find the usual Singapore-style entertainment – artificial, meaningless and devoid of natural diversity. Read more

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