People living in one-to three-room Housing Board flats can now get help buying appliances that are more energy-or water-efficient.
Eligible applicants for a programme launched yesterday will receive three e-vouchers totalling $225. One $150 e-voucher can be used for an energy-efficient, climate-friendly refrigerator, a $50 one can offset the cost of changing shower fittings to more water-efficient three-tick models and a $25 e-voucher can go to LED lights.
Details of the Climate-Friendly Households Programme, as it is called, were announced by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat at the launch of the annual Clean and Green Singapore movement at ITE College East yesterday.
Mr Heng, who is also Finance Minister, said: "Eligible households will be able to apply online for their e-vouchers. I hope this $25 million package will encourage households to take action to reduce their energy and water consumption. By doing so, they will also be saving money."
Households that switch from a one-tick to a three-tick refrigerator model, for instance, could reap annual savings of about $50 over the 10-year lifespan of the appliance.
The National Environment Agency estimates that if all the 300,000 or so eligible households make the switch, the collective reduction in carbon emissions will be equivalent to taking 31,000 cars off the road while the water savings would amount to 400 million gallons of water annually.
The vouchers will expire on Dec 31, 2023. More information can be found at the website.
Mr Heng also noted that environmental sustainability had been a focus for Singapore since its early years but the pandemic has highlighted its importance. "Keeping Singapore clean has taken on greater significance as personal hygiene and public cleanliness are key lines of defence against the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
Singapore is also "redoubling" its efforts to build a greener, more sustainable future, Mr Heng added, citing plans to green buildings, extract value from waste and transform Singapore into a City in Nature - where there is more green infused into the grey cityscape.
"Our efforts to create a greener and more sustainable future will not only improve our living environment, they will help to grow our economy, generate more business and create good green jobs," Mr Heng said.
For instance, the shift towards more recycling, reusing, repairing and re-manufacturing of products will create new economic possibilities, he added.
Raising environmental sanitation and waste management standards, as well as upskilling workers, will allow people to access higher value-added jobs.
Singapore has done well in its environmental sustainability journey, noted Mr Heng, but there are still pressing challenges ahead, such as climate change and public health threats. "By working in close partnership, we can achieve even more. This is the spirit of Singapore Together. Let us work towards building a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for ourselves and our children in the years to come," he said.
