East Coast Kampung Spirit Is Well & Alive Through Beach Cleanup Efforts
When images of copious amounts of litter strewn over East Coast’s beaches first surfaced, netizens were concerned over the environmental effects the trash had on the area.
But with a little kampung spirit and sheer hardwork, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Heng Swee Keat shared that 34 tonnes of trash have been cleared so far, praising the efforts of volunteers on Saturday (22 Aug).
Here’s his post in full. We summarise the lessons we can garner from this incident below.
34 tonnes of trash cleared from East Coast
For context, during the monsoon season, rubbish tends to be swept up along the shoreline, causing the “unsightly mess” as pictured below.
But with the continued efforts of a group of hardworking East Coast residents, who have been clearing litter since early July, the shoreline is beginning to look a lot better.
But what happens to all the discarded material after they are picked up?
Found a 30kg tractor tyre
DPM Heng estimates that 34 tonnes of litter have been picked up from the coast since the operation began.
Volunteers had found the following, among other things:
- Plastic packaging
- Discarded face masks
- 30kg tractor tyre
That’s when citizens got pretty creative with things salvaged from the haul.
Upcycling toilet bowls & sewing machines as planters
DPM Heng was heartened that East Coast residents were passionate about the environment, finding new ways to upcycle old toilet bowls as planters.
All of these innovative ‘pots’ were placed on full display in Linear Green Community Garden, located in Kampung Chai Chee.
An old sewing machine has even found its rightful place in the garden, thanks to a father-son duo named Mr Ong & Jimmy who tend the area in their spare time.
East Coast kampung spirit is strong
Kudos to our East Coast residents for showing true kampung spirit in helping to clear our beaches of litter.
Environmental sustainability remains a key concern for many citizens – both young & old – in Singapore.
If we all chip in to do our part in conserving & reducing waste or single-use plastics, we’ll definitely be able to help Singapore be a cleaner, greener home for all.
Featured image adapted from DPM Heng Swee Keat on Facebook & Facebook.
