Restrict, reuse and recycle, our slogan from Singapore

With most countries doing away with Covid-19 restrictions, this summer we decided to visit a foreign country. The direct flight from Amritsar to Singapore helped in zeroing in on the destination. This was our first visit to the island nation and the excitement level was sky high.

On landing at Changi International Airport at 6am, we found our guidecum-driver, Ayub, waiting with a placard in his hands and a broad smile on his face. Once out of the terminal, we were welcomed by unending rows of majestic trees on both sides of the road. The lush canopy of foliage complemented by the bright resplendence of bountiful flowers on the sidewalks, provided the much-needed relief to our screen-fatigued eyes.

I could not help but ask Ayub, “How do you manage to maintain such a beautiful environment?” “Compassion, sir! We are extremely compassionate towards nature. We consider plants and trees as members of our family. We nurture them when they are young and treasure them when they are strong enough to sustain themselves,” he answered with a hint of pride in his voice. “With 34.8% of our area under greenery, we are the second greenest country in Asia and we aspire to touch the 50% mark by planting vertical gardens in the coming years,” he added.

We completed the rest of our journey to the hotel in silence, admiring the serene and scenic surroundings.

Everywhere we went for sightseeing during our stay in Singapore, we were greeted by three golden words: Restrict, reuse and recycle. Obviously, the catchy slogan has been framed to discourage the use of plastic and nonbiodegradable material by tourists and citizens. Our guide often dissuaded us from buying bottled water and instead encouraged us to refill them from umpteen drinking water points installed by the administration.

All taps at public places are press to use type to minimise wastage. Once pressed, a tap runs for 10 seconds only. One has to press it again to draw more water. All leaves shed by the trees are put back into the roadside flower beds after shredding, which acts as a natural manure for flowering plants.

Besides Universal Studios, Flower Dome and Cloud Forest are a must see for every visitor to Singapore. These are shining examples of science and technology coming to the aid of mankind in preserving the environment. Flower Dome is the largest greenhouse in the world with a spectacular display of flowers and plants from the Mediterranean and semi-arid regions, whereas an amazing journey and experience await the visitors in Cloud Forest, where one gets to know how technology and nature can coexist to make earth a better place to live.

Another thing that amazed me no end on the tiny island were the traffic regulations. Pedestrians are treated with utmost respect in this part of the world. Every intersection has a path dedicated to pedestrians. Push buttons are installed at all poles of the intersection. One just has to press it and the speeding traffic comes to a halt to make a way for walkers who wish to cross over. During our stay, I also came across an appeal in the local newspaper, by the administration, urging cyclists to respect and give priority to pedestrians because cycling paths have been carved out of the passage which was originally meant for people on foot.

A brief sojourn in the city ended in the blink of an eye but with rejuvenated spirits and pondering minds, we bade farewell to an eco-friendly country that has let the wheel of progress roll without ravaging Mother Nature.

I COULD NOT HELP BUT ASK AYUB, “HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO MAINTAIN SUCH A BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENT?” “COMPASSION, SIR! WE CONSIDER PLANTS AND TREES AS MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY.”