Forum: Go beyond the 3Rs

As we start 2022, let our thoughts be on leaving a sustainable planet for future generations.

Every individual action counts in our collective effort towards a sustainable Singapore. It can start with small steps to consume and waste fewer resources.

It is time to go beyond the 3Rs of reduce, reuse and recycle, and focus on extending the use of existing items and reusing the same items for a longer time.

Some other Rs worth making part of our routine are:

  • Renew - repainting furniture and polishing shoes, for example.
  • Repair - repairing instead of discarding items.
  • Repurpose - thinking of other uses for what we have.
  • Replace - replacing parts that are defective and not the whole item.

However, practising the Rs may pose a challenge as most people are prepared to pay for convenience (home delivery, for example) but are unwilling to practise green habits that cause inconvenience.

A reset in attitude and behaviour is necessary.

It is important to ingrain in future generations a sense of responsibility, resourcefulness in finding green alternatives and resilience in overcoming unexpected obstacles.

Joachim Sim Khim Huang

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