Good to get into habit of cleaning up after ourselves

The Clean and Green Singapore Carnival was held recently and it is good to know that the Government continues to remind people to be more responsible for keeping their environment clean.

About two years ago, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Singaporeans to manage their own litter in the hope that we can progress from being “a cleaned city” to a “truly clean city”.

This year, students at all schools have to clean their classrooms daily, a target set by the Education Ministry at the end of last year, with the aim to help them cultivate good habits for life.

The Public Hygiene Council and the Singapore Kindness Movement have also stepped up to launch new initiatives with the National Environment Agency.

However, even when much has been done, the public still seems to rely heavily on cleaners to keep the environment clean and free of litter. This reflects the lack of ownership that some Singaporeans have for the community.

I believe that all of us can develop a greater sense of ownership to keep our public spaces clean. Parents can set a good example for their children to follow, such as by doing household chores or even getting their children to do the chores instead of leaving the work to domestic helpers.

We can encourage one another to be more responsible for the cleanliness of public spaces when we are out with friends or colleagues.

We can take small steps, such as by returning our own trays or cleaning up the toilet seats after use.

Companies and institutions can reward outstanding individuals who have displayed a great sense of ownership towards the cleanliness of their surroundings, or even do away with cleaners to encourage people to clean up after themselves. All parties have a part to play in this.

The sense of ownership and the habit of cleaning up after ourselves will definitely take some time to be developed, but with perseverance, we can progress to become a truly clean city.