Being clean and green has long been an important value that Singaporeans take pride in for our environment. With the launch of the ‘Bright Spots’ Challenge , the public is also invited to take up the Challenge by adopting a community space and turning it into a ‘Bright Spot’.

Individuals, communities, schools, and organisations can participate in the Challenge by selecting a location and taking ownership of its cleanliness. Stakeholders can carry out activities such as litter picking, using resources provided on the ‘Bright Spots’ Challenge website (keepsgclean.sg). They are also encouraged to inspire others by sharing their stories and experiences through the site. There are currently over 300 ‘Bright Spots’ located island-wide and the Challenge hopes to reach the target of 500 ‘Bright Spots’ by the end of 2015.

Mike Barclay, CEO of Sentosa Development Corporation, has dedicated the entire Sentosa Island as a ‘Bright Spot’. He said, “Working on Sentosa Island, it is hard not to notice that it takes a lot of effort and resources to keep the place clean. With a bit of effort from each individual, our actions may encourage others to take pride in their surroundings and play their part as well.”

Another supporter of the ‘Bright Spots’ programme is Tan Ken Jin, a passionate runner and the initiator of the voluntary litter-picking effort, Singapore Glove Project. “Through my runs, I’ve discovered many places that I love in Singapore, but the reality is that there is a lot of trash. I knew I wanted to do something about it,” he noted. “The bottom line is that we need to take ownership. The Singapore Glove Project is not a group, it is a community movement. We all have an important part to play in keeping this environment clean.”

Cheryl Ng, a student leader at Dunman High School, explains her motivations for cleaning up the environment and adopting her ‘Bright Spot’, “The project we’re doing is called Project Flush, and we adopted Jalan Batu Hawker Centre. Initially a class project, it has evolved into a voluntary initiative. It’s ultimately our responsibility to ensure that the areas that we eat in and play in are clean.”

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The ‘Bright Spots’ Challenge follows the ‘Keep the Places We Love Clean’ Photo Pledge, during which Singapore voted Orchard Road, Changi, and Sentosa as the top three places they love. Heartlands such as Bishan; Queenstown; Henderson Waves, Singapore’s highest pedestrian bridge and Haji Lane, an area popular with the youths also made it to the Top 10 List.

Understanding that people have happy memories of places they spend time at with their family and friends, the activity called for Singaporeans to pledge to keep the places they held dear clean. Members of the public submitted scenic and nostalgic photos of locations all over Singapore, and pledges received show that the public clearly has different reasons to love and pledge to keep a spot clean.

The ‘Keep the Places We Love Clean’ photo pledge activity that took place from July to September 2014 received 9,131 pledges from the public to maintain the cleanliness of areas all over Singapore.

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Members of the public, who wishes to participate in the ‘Bright Spots’ Challenge, can do so in 3 simple steps:

– Identify a location and rally stakeholders (such as grassroots organizations, schools, companies, interest groups) and help turn public spaces into ‘Bright Spots’ by taking ownership of its cleanliness.
– Carry out the activities (e.g. litter picking) with the resources from Public Hygiene Council’s website (www.keepsgclean.sg)
– Inspire others and share your story and experiences on Public Hygiene Council’s website

For more information, please visit www.keepsgclean.sg.

Information and videos as kindly provided by NEA.
Banner visual, as obtained from keepsgclean.sg website.

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For those interested to run a clean-up activities for your own neighborhood or school, do visit the website for resources and help provided. But if you’d prefer to do it at your own pace, why not start small, e.g. in your house or around your apartment block?

I do feel that ‘Clean & Green Singapore’ campaign has done a pretty good job, showing and reminding us that every bit counts when it comes to keeping our environment clean.

But of course, them / the campaign showing and reminding us is only one part of the equation…06

If you think about it…
There had been recent news articles and reports that should have scare some and make everyone aware how serious things are when food items are not dispose of correctly or when there’s an infestation. So if vermin were to reproduce (as they usually do, at alarming rates), can you imagine how much more time is needed, work required to get rid of them?  (Note: Pretty sure I don’t need to name where and the places but if you are unsure, please do a Google search).

Let’s all try to help keep our living environment clean and vermin / pest free 🙂