Green Cities~Singapore
This densely populated island city-state in Southeast Asia was early to the table on environmental policy and has since become an inspiration for other cities (and countries) trying to achieve the difficult goal of sustainable development.
Singapore’s Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources was established in 1972 aiming to achieve environmental sustainability for the long term. In effect since the ’70s, Singapore’s anti-congestion charges have served as a model for cities like London. Proposals for radical new policies include having cars fitted with satellite tracking meters and charging drivers a per-mile fee to slash congestion. Meanwhile, the mass-rail transit is extremely clean, affordable and efficient.
The Singapore Building and Construction Authority launched a Green Mark Scheme in 2005 similar to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Rating System in the United States, which rates a building’s environmental friendliness. The government employs the “Green Mark”, a sustainable development program, to ensure greener skyscraper construction.
Singapore, known now as the “Garden City” after four decades of greening, gets 50% of its water supply from rainwater. Recycling is retrieved from residents’ homes, and organic farmers deliver to their doors. During off-peak hours, energy prices for large consumers are lower, encouraging better usage of the energy grid.
Former Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew recognized that being green would bring “green” into the economy. He launched a Tree Planting Campaign in 1963, and Singapore’s green dreams have blossomed into what is now a tropical oasis with extensive parkland, natural wildlife habitat, shaded roadways and garden rooftops.
