Get Rewarded For Helping The Disabled And Protecting The Environment With Rubbish

Singapore, 5 November 2000 – Two Tanjong Pagar – West Coast Town Residents’ Committees were commended for encouraging their residents to give recyclable waste to charity. About 1,250 households from the Spottiswoode Park RC precinct and Pasir Panjang Dover Crescent RC precinct were rewarded with with a limited edition Transitlink card and small tokens from kind sponsors. All these for giving recyclable waste to charity under the SPD Green Earth Programme.

SPD Green Earth Programme is a 5-year recycling programme organised by The Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD). Its objective is to provide a regular source of income for the society from the sales proceeds of the recyclable waste. At the same time, the society can also do its part to protect the environment of the community that has been contributing to its cause. Thus, this programme receives tremendous support from Tanjong Pagar – West Coast Town Council, Tanjong Pagar Community Development Council and Residents’ Committees in Tanjong Pagar – West Coast Town.

Each household in Tanjong Pagar – West Coast Town is given a green bag every fortnight to fill it up with recyclable waste such as, metal, old clothes and paper. Printed on these green bags is the date of collection of the bag. Residents simply leave the bags filled with recyclable waste before 8.30am on the date of collection at their doorsteps. That is all it takes. When in doubt, residents can call the hotline 1800-863-2288 for more information.

To add fun and enjoyment to the programme and to reward the supportive residents, a competition was introduced. SPD Greenest Precinct Competition, officially launched by Dr Ow Chin Hock, Mayor of Tanjong Pagar Tanjong Pagar Community Development Council District, on 4 June aimed to create a friendly competition among the participating precincts.

52 HDB estates (ie, 52 RC zones) and one private estate (Kent Vale) participated in the competition that began on 8 May and ended on 14 October 2000.

Spottiswoode Park estate championed as the Top contributor with an average contribution of 3.7654kg from each household. Pasir Panjang Dover Crescent precinct emerged as the best improved precinct as its contribution increased by 10 times during the period of competition.

The winning RCs chairman, Mr Henry Chang and Mr Peter Cheong, received the two awards of Top Contributor and Best Improved Contribution, respectively, on behalf of their residents from Dr Ow Chin Hock. Mayor Ow presented these awards at the ceremony to mark the completion of the main upgrading programme of Everton Park. All households in the two precincts also received a limited edition SPD Green Earth Programme Transitlink card valued at $3. In addition, the households received tokens of appreciation from kind sponsors including a $50 Poh Kong Chye voucher, a bottle of Sin Sin Chilli or tomato sauce and discount voucher to Jurong Bird Park.

“Winning the competition, does not matter much to me. Of course, the competition has made the recycling programme more exciting as its regular progress reports allow me and my neighbours to know how much our precinct and other precincts have contributed. But the main reason why I participate is because it is for charity. I was already participating actively even before the announcement that there would be a competition”, said Mr Tan Eng Loke, a resident of Spottiswoode Park.

“We are grateful to all the residents and RCs in Tanjong Pagar – West Coast Town, who have participated in the SPD Green Earth Programme. The $200,000 raised to date, clearly shows how a little effort from every household, when added together, could be so impressive”, said Mr Loke Ho Yong, Executive Director of The Society for the Physically Disabled.

SPD plans to use the fund to finance some of its programmes and services, such as training and rehabilitation, casework and counselling, financial aids and befriending/home-help services for people with disabilities.