Photo by Ong Chun Suan
Tzu Chi Singapore and the North West Community Development Council (NWCDC) will be collaborating on the development of a recycling scheme as part of the CDC's 10-year Eco Plan.
Mayor Teo Ho Pin, who is impressed with Tzu Chi's environmental concept, acknowledges the success of Tzu Chi’s recycling efforts and hopes to invite Tzu Chi Singapore to set up an educational recycling station in the North West district so as to promote recycling more effectively among its heartlanders.
This collaboration was made possible thanks to the introduction of Tzu Chi to Mayor Teo by NWCDC District Councillor, Dr Robin Yap. Dr Yap discovered Tzu Chi Singapore when it made its appearance at the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) Travel Fair last year exhibiting and promoting the eco-products of DA.AI Technology at the Singapore EXPO Convention and Exhibition Centre.
After some discussions and personal sharing by Vice Chairman of Women’s Integration Network Council, Adalene Loh, PBM who had toured the Tzu Chi recycling stations in Taiwan, Mayor Teo decided to forge the partnership between Tzu Chi Singapore and NWCDC in promoting recycling. In order to seek the support of his residents for the plan to set up an educational recycling station in the Bukit Panjang constituency, Mayor Teo invited Tzu Chi Singapore to the town hall meeting on 8 December to explain Tzu Chi's recycling philosophy and have a dialogue session with the residents.
The dialogue began at 8pm at the void deck of Block 232, Pending Road with over 100 residents attending. Tzu Chi volunteer, Brother Ong Wee Heng, played emcee and started the dialogue by warmly greeting the residents followed by a welcoming speech from Mayor Teo.
Brother Khor Chin Seng later gave a simple and concise introduction to Tzu Chi's environmental concept, addressing issues such as “Why should we recycle? What else can we do apart from cutting down on water and electricity consumption?" The introduction of an educational recycling station for residents to learn more and take part in recycling at the community level would no doubt enhance the effect of promoting the ideology.
In addition, Brother David Liu, CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore thanked the residents for attending the meeting and also for giving Tzu Chi Singapore the chance to propose the setting up of an educational recycling station in the community.
"Since Master Cheng Yen, founder of Tzu Chi Foundation, started encouraging recycling 20 years ago, Taiwan has developed to having approximately 4500 Tzu Chi recycling stations, which accounts for 60% of the recycling efforts in Taiwan. Also, Malaysia has over 300 Tzu Chi recycling points. As for Tzu Chi Singapore, who has been recycling on the community level for six years, a total of 19 recycling stations have since been established. Due to the increase in frequencies and extent of natural disasters worldwide, we can see that the Singapore government is paying more attention towards recycling," said Brother Liu.
He informed the residents that just a few days ago on 3 December, Ms Ellen Lee, PBM, who is the Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC (Woodlands), brought a delegation of 55 to visit Tzu Chi’s educational recycling station in Neihu, Taipei.
"This goes to show the increased attention that the government is giving to environmental efforts," he noted, while pointing out that the increase in worldwide natural disasters is actually due to our lack of environmental protection. There is no better time for action.
Apart from sorting out recyclables, the recycling activity at the pending educational recycling station will include separating items that are usable and reselling them at a 'thrift corner' of the station to extend the items' lifespan. The money raised would be used in the ‘Seeds of Hope’ bursaries that Tzu Chi Singapore implemented for needy students. This demonstrates the Tzu Chi’s recycling ideology of ‘Turning trash into gold and gold into love’.
Brother Liu feels that Tzu Chi's present rate of having recycling activities once a month is clearly not enough as this just translates to 12 times a year. The promotion of recycling needs to be accelerated and the setting up of more recycling venues would not only result in residents getting to participate in sorting out recyclables personally, but more importantly, they will take a more proactive approach in exercising recycling in their daily lives. Hence, he urged the residents to bring their recyclable items to the stations personally (as opposed to having volunteers collecting them) and encourage their friends and families to recycle.
The educational recycling station is expected to be at the spacious void deck of Block 232, Pending Road, exactly where the meeting was held. If NWCDC was to establish its first educational recycling station, not only will it educate the residents on recycling, the district can also be a role model for other districts in recycling. This is indeed a golden opportunity for promoting the green movement.
During the Q&A session, it was concluded that although most residents are aware of the need to recycle, the number of people taking actions is far from ideal.
“In Taiwan, supermarkets have banned the use of plastic bags, while in Japan, garbage has to be sorted out before disposal to facilitate recycling,” recounted Brother Liu. He went further by saying that environmental protection is not limited to item recycling, but can also be carried out spiritually and bodily. "We can carry out body recycling by being vegetarian or cutting down on meat intake. Not only will we prevent our bodies from being the 'graveyards of animals', we can also prevent deforestation and help cut down greenhouse gases emission," Brother Liu added.
Mayor Teo concluded the meeting by telling the residents that it would only be in their interest if they learn the importance of recycling but it is okay if they do not fully grasp the idea in just one session. He hoped that after understanding the importance of Tzu Chi’s recycling and with mutual cooperation, the purpose and meaning behind setting up the educational recycling station could be achieved. Mayor Teo also felt that the introduction of the recycling and educational venue serves as a platform for residents to interact.
During the interaction time, some of the residents expressed their interest in the eco-products manufactured by DA.AI Technology Co. Ltd. The volunteers enthusiastically explained the ideology of the profit-for-charity company and some of the recyclables used in making its upcycled products.
The meeting concluded at 9.30pm and everybody seemed to benefit much from the dialogue. Tzu Chi volunteers hoped that after the introduction of the educational recycling station, they can participate on a greater scale at the North West community and spread the seeds of Great Love wider.
More than 100 residents came forward to attend the town hall meeting. (Photo by Ong Chun Suan)
CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore, Brother David Liu, addressing the residents. (Photo by Ong Chun Suan)
Dr Teo Ho Pin engaging his residents during the dialogue session.(Photo by Ong Chun Suan)
Residents were drawn to check out Tzu Chi's booth and eco-friendly items after the town hall meeting. (Photo by Ong Chun Suan)
Share 
