After HSA finally comes to senses with their silly charges for registering "medical devices", another body is set to push cost of living higher - which just crossed the 5% barrier. The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is determined to nudge supermarkets, and some say even hawker centers, into charging for plastic bags.
Environment consultant Eugene Tay was spot on when he said these cost adders will not go down well with the low- and middle- income group. He probably had in mind the below $1,500 per month category which Prof Lim wanted desperately to help, not the above $15,000 per month types who send their maids out for the grocery run. The type of people who don't realize plastic is essential for wet items like fish and fresh vegetables. And even they appreciate air flown oysters taste better than canned versions. In our hot and humid climate, brown paper bags - which supermarts in Singapore do not provide - just won't survive the journey home, even in the boot of an airconditioned car. Don't even dream about buying ice cream by the tub.
Of course there are alternatives like bags and baskets made from organic (as in carbon) materials, hemp, jute, hessian, cotton and linen. But that means going to the supermart will be like gearing up for a back-packing trip through the woods. Try putting the tray of eggs in a haversack. And should mom call you at the office to pick up a pint of milk and a loaf of bread on your way home, let's see how you stuff that into your patent leather attache case, or Kate Spade designer bag.
If there's a solution to do away with the plastic bags, don't count on the SEC to come up with one - except to make you pay and pay for them. Do you think they really care if plastic bags kill at least 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles every year? The SEC is a NGO (non-government organisation), but is supported by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, headed by that nut case who thinks food is only from a hawker centre, food court or restaurant. Home cooking with ingredients from the supermart must seem so alien to those lodged in ivory towers.
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As the country goes further down the tube, their ideas get sillier by the minute.
ReplyDeleteBirds, whales, seals and turtles if they are not killed by other human means will probably thank them mockingly but equally many who are inconvenienced by such silly antics to supposedly preserve the environment,which defeats its purpose because it can be circumvented with money, will curse them.
Bunch of nitwits with nothing better to do.
Suggestion: How about putting their bird brains together to resuscitate the "world class" MRT which seems more endangered, instead of worrying about birds, whales, seals and turtles which are taking care of themselves very well, thank you.
Don't expect them to solve the transport breakdowns
ReplyDelete- except to make you pay and pay for them;
Don't expect them to solve the housing shortage
- except to make you pay and pay for them;
Don't expect them to solve the productivity decline
- except to make you pay and pay for them;
Don't expect them to solve the bad governance
- except to make you pay and pay for them.
Problem is that they have got used to using costs as a way to solve all problems. It is effective and easy. For years, that has been the model for ministers and civil servants. Now they can not think of other ways to solve the problems.
DeleteSo are they really smart or just follow loh. Got good results from school, now no need to think hard.
DeleteGo back to good old days when market vendors wrap everything in newspapers & we carry marketing baskets. If you buy a lot bring a trolley.
ReplyDeleteDidn't the dear leader say in some rally that he hopes for the govt to do less and sinkees to do more?
ReplyDeleteYup, less interference in our lives, except when it comes to media, the arts, sex and having children, army exercises, foreigner intake, income levels...
At least the "nut case" gave out FREE condoms
ReplyDeleteGoing green is as fashionable as setting up councils like National Integration Council, Immigrant Integration Council, Singapore Environment Council and whatnot. I can't tell if Singapore will become greener by charging for plastic bags, but the population of fat cats is sure growing fast on this island.
ReplyDeleteInflation is on the highest level now and they want to push it up further! What are they trying to do? Salary remains low and yet prices keep going up. Soon we will be worse of than people in the 3rd world countries. Ready for more crimes, protitutions and beggars on the streets. Who is responsible for all these???
DeleteBeing green is good, but it is costly! I'm afraid Singapore who still has a lot of poor people, may still not be ready for this.
ReplyDeleteTake care of the poor ones 1st!
Agreed. It is good to have thing but one needs to look at the impact on other issues. By charging plastic bags, the people who suffered most are the poorer Singaporeans. There is abosolutely no impact on the rich. Just look at the COE. The rich will continue to buy their cars and the poor (including middle income group) are left in the cold. In fact higher COE favours the rich as they will not face any competition. Looks like Singapore is only for the Rich. Even NGO want to make sure this is so.
ReplyDeleteone of those things - trying to look the first world part for the sake of looking the first world.
ReplyDeleteNotice that the PAP has never mend its way. As usual, they simply bulldoze their ways to make more money to recurp their loss in investment and GST. They will just produce one-side news of what other countries are doing without regard to the situation in the home ground mindless as long as it make revenue for them. They will selectively quote what other countries are doing but choose to ignore what other countries do politically to achieve democracy. Did they do away with GRC, ISA because other countries don't have them ? they will just implement policies as they like with wayang debate, and worst, without debate and questioning to just implement the policies as in this medical device extra cost.
ReplyDeleteThis government is a sham.
Dear Tatler
ReplyDeleteThere are only two types of NGOs in Singapore;
GONGO (e.g. SEC)
government organized NGO
and
BONGO
business organized NGO
The Pro Alien Party:
ReplyDeleteUnnatural men.
Machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts.
Men who despise you,
enslave you,
who regiment your lives,
tell you what to do,
what to think and what to feel;
who drill you,
diet you,
treat you like cattle,
use you as cannon fodder.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IvPIWzQcUY
the business owners have already incorporated the cost of the plastic carrier, so we do not wish to hear anymore bull about artificially disguised cost increase for whatever reasons.
ReplyDeletethe current price would hold but for those conscious ones, they would be rewarded for their abstenance in the form of discounts/vouchers/free gifts whatever to encourage the rest to follow suit.
stop all these nonsense and have some good old common sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eScDfYzMEEw
Very true. If they are so environment conscious, they should offer a rebate for returning the plastic bags, just like they used to give rebates for returned bottles.
DeleteThe aim to reduce the usage of such plastic bag is good for the enviroment, but unfortunately, the execution of it is primitive. I'm sure instead of negative penalties, which Singapore Gahment loves to use, they could use positive encouragement like offering 10 cents or 20 cents discount off the items purchased to entice people to go green.
ReplyDeletePeople would see it like to boon to themselves( no matter how insignificant it might be) and doing their part for the enviroment
Waiting for them to give you a rebate in terms of hard cash? Tang Ku Ku. Here they only take and not give. Wake up man!
ReplyDeleteActually NTUC Fairprice is already practicing this "Bring Your Own Bag" campaign. They're giving you 10 cents off once you hit $10 in your purchase.
ReplyDeleteI disagree somewhat with this blog post.
ReplyDeleteI support the use less plastic bag campaign but they should not charge extra for plastic bags.
Currently, NTUC is doing well with the 10cents discount if you bring your own bag and if monetary amount reaches $10 and above. I will definitely bring my own bag if I know I will spend over $10.
I guess I haven’t read such unique material anywhere else online.
ReplyDeletemolding machines