Singaporeans Urge Public To Keep Local Nature Reserves Clean
Singapore is a country that prides itself on its cleanliness and minimal pollution. So it is indeed disappointing to witness our local nature reserves becoming tainted by stray bits of rubbish.
Such was the case at Yishun Dam on Saturday (16 Apr). While visiting the scenic area for the first time, a hiker spotted an unsightly scene at the dam.
Source: Facebook
The picture of the rubbish strewn at Yishun Dam has gone viral on Facebook, with many expressing disappointment at the unsightly scene. Nature lovers are now urging Singapore residents to refrain from littering our public leisure spots.
Highly polluted Yishun Dam witnessed at sunset
On 16 Apr, Nick Lai visited Yishun Dam in the hope of capturing the beautiful scenery at the man-made reservoir.
Instead, the sight that greeted him upon arrival differed greatly from his expectations.
Speaking to MS News, Mr Lai said it was his first visit to Yishun Dam. Upon reaching the park, he was aghast by the massive amount of rubbish piling up by the river.
Mr Lai lamented,
Once I reached and saw what was in front of me, the mood of taking photos was already gone.
According to Mr Lai, detritus such as fast food, plastic wrappers and bottles made up most of the rubbish blocking the walkway by the river.
Image courtesy of Nick Lai
He reported even witnessing some mattresses discarded amongst the pile of rubbish.
Mr Lai proceeded to post a picture of the polluted dam on Facebook before continuing with his hike. It immediately garnered widespread attention from the public, with many commenting on the immense amount of litter accumulated at the reserve.
Some informed him that this is a fairly usual occurrence at Yishun Dam. However, Mr Lai feels that Singaporeans can do more to ensure that such a view becomes less commonplace.
He added that this would not happen if everyone were responsible.
Singaporeans urge others to keep Yishun Dam clean
Mr Lai’s opinion that we can do more to maintain the cleanliness of our natural environment is shared by some Singaporeans as well.
In the comments under his post, various Facebook users have expressed their disappointment at the sheer amount of litter in the dam.
Source: Facebook
Such scenic spots have regular staff maintaining the cleanliness of the surroundings. But some feel that those visiting the area should also do their part in keeping it clean.
However, such efforts will be futile if others persist in treating the environment like their personal waste disposal area.
Some netizens even blamed neighbouring countries for transferring the rubbish via oceanic currents to our natural surroundings.
However, Mr Lai disagreed with this viewpoint, and urged these individuals to abstain from similar opinions.
“Don’t blame other countries [for causing] this issue,” he stressed while speaking to MS News. “This is between human and nature.”
We should take care of our nature reserves
Singapore’s natural environment is home to many species of local wildlife. To ensure that we can continue to enjoy the beauty of nature, we have to do our part in maintaining the cleanliness of our surroundings.
We can start by discarding our waste in rubbish bins or picking up litter whenever possible. Doing so will ensure our environment remains clean for everyone to enjoy.
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Featured image courtesy of Nick Lai.Â
