Singaporeans use about 2.5 billion plastic bags a year for bagging their purchases - or an average of 2,500 bags per family, per year. These 2.5 billion plastic bags translate collectively to 19,000 tonnes or 0.8 per cent of the total waste disposed of in Singapore annually.
The National Recycling Programme (NRP) was launched in 2001. The Nathional Environment Agency (NEA) wants to see more active involvement by all so as to achieve the targeted recycling rate of 60 per cent by 2012.
New York
Thanks to its density and public transit, New York has a per capita carbon footprint 71% smaller than the U.S. as a whole.
Unveiled on Earth Day 2007, PlaNYC includes more than 120 green initiatives that range from planting a million trees to cleaning up every square mile of contaminated land in the city.
New York would reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 30% by 2030. A $2.3 billion plan was launched in July 2008 to reduced carbon emissions from city-owned properties 30% by 2017 by retrofitting buildings with more-efficient lights and better insulation.
On the streets, 15% of the city’s 13,000 taxis are hybrids, with more on the way.
Sustainability will be the key to urban success in the 21st century.
