Plastics Ms Kong encounters on seashore visits

Responses to the plastic bag charge?

Supermarket bag fees: Why resistance?

Increase fees, ban single-use plastics?

Will this kickstart a change in Singaporean habits towards embracing a greener and less wasteful society?

Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

Plastic bags. Let’s face it, most of us use them. They are a key feature of our consumer lifestyles, a symbol of convenience. But they are a huge source of waste, with the vast majority burned, sent to landfills or clogging rivers and the sea. 

On July 3, 2023, Singapore introduced a minimum 5 cents charge for disposable plastic bags provided at hundreds of supermarkets. 

The aim is to nudge shoppers to think about how many bags they use and to switch to reusable bags instead. It’s all part of changing behaviour to reduce the huge amount of plastic waste and curb environmental impacts. 

So what’s the reaction been to the bag charge? Is it changing behaviour? 

ST climate editor David Fogarty invites science content creator Ms Kong Man Jing to the studio. She is better known as BioGirl MJ in her YouTube and Instagram channels Just Keep Thinking. 

Highlights (click/tap above):

3:18 What sort of plastic Ms Kong sees during her regular group visits to the seashore

7:03 How are people responding to the plastic bag charge?

9:34 The idea of a fee per bag at supermarkets faced strong resistance. Why is that?

15:10 Should Singapore move towards a higher charge and a total ban on all single-use plastics?

Produced by: David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim & Paxton Pang

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and rate us:

Channel: https://str.sg/JWaf

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWaY

Spotify: https://str.sg/JWag

Google Podcasts: https://str.sg/J6EV

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

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Discover more ST podcast channels:

In Your Opinion: https://str.sg/w7Qt

Asian Insider: https://str.sg/JWa7

Health Check: https://str.sg/JWaN

Green Pulse: https://str.sg/JWaf

Your Money & Career: https://str.sg/wB2m

ST Sports Talk: https://str.sg/JWRE

#PopVultures: https://str.sg/JWad

Music Lab: https://str.sg/w9TX

Discover ST Podcasts: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Special edition series:

True Crimes Of Asia (new): https://str.sg/i44T

The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuZ2

Invisible Asia (9 eps): https://str.sg/wuZn

Stop Scams (10 eps): https://str.sg/wuZB

Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): https://str.sg/wuJa

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Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!

#greenpulse #asianinsider

Will this kickstart a change in Singaporean habits towards embracing a greener and less wasteful society?
Synopsis: Every first and third Monday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.
Plastic bags. Let’s face it, most of us use them. They are a key feature of our consumer lifestyles, a symbol of convenience. But they are a huge source of waste, with the vast majority burned, sent to landfills or clogging rivers and the sea. 
On July 3, 2023, Singapore introduced a minimum 5 cents charge for disposable plastic bags provided at hundreds of supermarkets. 
The aim is to nudge shoppers to think about how many bags they use and to switch to reusable bags instead. It’s all part of changing behaviour to reduce the huge amount of plastic waste and curb environmental impacts. 
So what’s the reaction been to the bag charge? Is it changing behaviour? 
ST climate editor David Fogarty invites science content creator Ms Kong Man Jing to the studio. She is better known as BioGirl MJ in her YouTube and Instagram channels Just Keep Thinking. 
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:18 What sort of plastic Ms Kong sees during her regular group visits to the seashore
7:03 How are people responding to the plastic bag charge?
9:34 The idea of a fee per bag at supermarkets faced strong resistance. Why is that?
15:10 Should Singapore move towards a higher charge and a total ban on all single-use plastics?
Produced by: David Fogarty (<a href="mailto:dfogarty@sph.com.sg">dfogarty@sph.com.sg</a>), Ernest Luis, Hadyu Rahim &amp; Paxton Pang
Edited by: Hadyu Rahim
Follow Green Pulse Podcast here and rate us:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaY">https://str.sg/JWaY</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/JWag">https://str.sg/JWag</a>
Google Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/J6EV">https://str.sg/J6EV</a> 
Website: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Discover more ST podcast channels:
In Your Opinion: <a href="https://str.sg/w7Qt">https://str.sg/w7Qt</a>
Asian Insider: <a href="https://str.sg/JWa7">https://str.sg/JWa7</a>
Health Check: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaN">https://str.sg/JWaN</a>
Green Pulse: <a href="https://str.sg/JWaf">https://str.sg/JWaf</a>
Your Money &amp; Career: <a href="https://str.sg/wB2m">https://str.sg/wB2m</a>
ST Sports Talk: <a href="https://str.sg/JWRE">https://str.sg/JWRE</a>
#PopVultures: <a href="https://str.sg/JWad">https://str.sg/JWad</a>
Music Lab: <a href="https://str.sg/w9TX">https://str.sg/w9TX</a>
Discover ST Podcasts: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Special edition series:
True Crimes Of Asia (new): <a href="https://str.sg/i44T">https://str.sg/i44T</a>
The Unsolved Mysteries of South-east Asia (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZ2">https://str.sg/wuZ2</a>
Invisible Asia (9 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZn">https://str.sg/wuZn</a>
Stop Scams (10 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuZB">https://str.sg/wuZB</a>
Singapore's War On Covid (5 eps): <a href="https://str.sg/wuJa">https://str.sg/wuJa</a>
---
Follow our shows then, if you like short, practical podcasts!
#greenpulse #asianinsider

Synopsis: Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

Podcaster: David Fogarty

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Synopsis: Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.
Podcaster: David Fogarty
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust.

Green Pulse

Synopsis: Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

Podcaster: David Fogarty

Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis & The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

Synopsis: Every first and third Sunday of the month, The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.
Podcaster: David Fogarty
Produced by podcast editor Ernest Luis &amp; The Straits Times, SPH Media Trust

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