Recycling Starts from the Grassroots

Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development & Ministry of Trade and Industry Dr Koh Poh Koon (second from left) was there to lend support to the recycling point’s opening, accompanied by RC chair Luo Mei Li and Tzu Chi volunteers. Photo by Guo Qing

Looking at the recycling manual in the Tzu Chi volunteer’s hand, the little girl turned to her father and exclaimed: “Even the yakult bottle that I drink (from) can be recycled!”

She proceeded to take out her calendar and circled the date of the upcoming Tzu Chi Recycling Day as a reminder to herself. Volunteers who had been knocking on every door to promote the launch of the new recycling point, then reminded her to wash the bottle clean before bringing it there.

Ten days before the opening of the recycling point, 66 Tzu Chi volunteers and 10 members of the RC started to promote awareness of its existence among the residents of the nearby blocks and to encourage the residents to support the initiative. Five days later, 36 more volunteers were deployed over two days and they visited six blocks of flats. 

The Block 624 Ang Mo Kio location was the 34th such community recycling point of Tzu Chi Singapore, and on 10 April 2016, 40 volunteers and 10 RC members arrived one after another to transform the originally empty plot, making it functionally ready for use.

Apart from an area for sorting recyclables and one top display recycling posters, there was also a display of eco-friendly DA.AI Technology Co. Ltd and Jing Si products. These would come in useful when volunteers invite residents to sort recyclables together as they can take the opportunity to explain Tzu Chi’s recycling philosophy to them.  

Teaching Others Through Opportunity 

“It doesn’t matter it wasn’t done right the first time, we can teach (others) with patience; with time it will become a habit and they will sort out the recyclables themselves when they are at the recycling point.....most importantly, (we) must share with them the concept of ‘purity at source,’” said recycling volunteer Lin De Ming earnestly.

Spread out across different sorting zones, RC members together with residents separated the recyclables into different groups, learning as they worked. From time to time, laughter could be heard. Suddenly, a cockroach ran out from among the piles of unsorted materials and caused a moment of panic. Seizing the opportunity to teach, a volunteer told everyone: “We should have already washed the recyclables clean in our homes, then there would not be the problem of attracting bugs and insects.”

Sorting the materials under the hot weather, everyone perspired profusely, yet were happy to contribute to the endeavour. Volunteers also thoughtfully handed out drinks and snacks while reminding everyone to replenish their fluid intake.

Recycling Philosophy Takes Root from the Heart

At the recycling point, volunteers saw elderly resident Wu Ya Rong lug along a heavy pile of clothing and enquired how she managed to collect so much old clothes.

“These old clothes have been discarded by others. Since they don’t want it, I’ll bring them here where they can be donated to the needy; or else it’ll be such a waste,” said Wu who lives in Block 626. Having received notification from the RC of the day’s activity, she took the trouble to come down. Volunteer Huang Xuan Yi subsequently brought Wu on a guided tour of the area so she could view the recycling posters and hear about calamities wrought by global warming. Huang also shared with her the philosophy of “purity at source” and Tzu Chi’s teaching of “consuming 80% and donating the rest.” 

“I never thought that PET bottles can be used to make clothing......normally I just throw them away (but) in future I will collect them.”

Upon hearing the explanations from Huang, Wu was astonished. After finding out that bottles and cans had to be washed clean before depositing them at the recycling point, Wu desired to share her knowledge with the group of friends that she usually exercised with, and invite them to participate in the next recycling day the following month.

Inculcating the Right Values

Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development & Ministry of Trade and Industry Dr Koh Poh Koon arrived to lend support to the recycling point’s opening. Speaking to his audience, he asked if they found the recent temperatures hot. Saying that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, he encouraged them to engage in recycling and set an example for others. In doing so, they were not only saving themselves but also ensuring a better environment for the next generation.

“Do you have anything else planned afterwards? Are you game to stay and ‘play’ on with us?” RC chair Luo Mei Li would ask, inviting residents who had arrived at the recycling point to engage in sorting recyclables. Luo felt that many of the residents did not understand the meaning of recycling, and was very impressed by the way Tzu Chi inspired others to do so. With the establishment of the neighbourhood recycling point, she hoped that residents would learn the proper methods of recycling and join the legions of those who worked to save the earth.

Since the beginning of 2015, Tzu Chi volunteers have been engaged in dialogue with the RC. Finally when a consensus was reached, a covered multi-purpose area that sees the presence of many passersby was allocated for the purpose of the recycling point.  

Luo has been practising recycling for many years and had visited the recycling station in Neihu, Taiwan, in 2014, where she was impressed by the careful sorting activities that were carried out. After her return, Luo kept hoping that the day would come whereby she could, together with Tzu Chi, promote recycling in the community.

“If we don’t recycle now, what will happen to our next generation? I’m happy to be in joint efforts with Tzu Chi; I’ve waited so long (for this),” she said.

Giving Space to Creativity

At the recycling point, operating within the space constraints was a unique piece of furniture—it could be used as a framework for sorting recyclables, or folded and stacked to become a table. Volunteer Hong De Qian cheerily shared how necessity is the mother of invention, resulting in his brainchild assembled with wooden planks. Within the short span of a week, he made a series of adjustments and the simple recycling holder was born; fitted with transparent plastic sheets, it allowed residents to see the type of recyclables inside and thus deposit their items accordingly. 

Eighty-two year old grandma Zhou Zhao Hua expressed her happiness at getting to know many people at the recycling point. She said that in the past she would throw away used envelopes but upon seeing piles of such envelopes at the location waiting to be recycled, she realized what a waste it had been and resolved to collect them in future. Curiosity brought her to the recycling point and it was the first time that she tried her hand at sorting a pile of recyclables. But after explanations and demonstrations by a volunteer, she could handle the task all by herself.

Zhou has glaucoma yet is adept with using a pair of scissors to cut out the coloured portions from white paper for sorting purposes. She performed the simple repetitive action with joy and a smile would often light up her face. She even taught her domestic helper by her side how to categorize the items and said that she for next month’s recycling day, she would bring down already-sorted materials.

Volunteers also presented a sign language song “A Clean Earth” to melodious music. The RC also gave out eco-friendly utensils to the eight residents who had turned up to sort recyclables, encouraging them to bring the utensils with them everywhere and avoid the use of disposable cutlery.

Luo remarked confidently that though they did not have a big turnout of residents that day, they would continue to give their best efforts in promoting awareness of recycling in the community, so that residents would be empowered to take the first step in sorting their recyclables.

  
Eighty-two year old grandma Zhou Zhao Hua (left) suffers from glaucoma but cheerily helps to sort recyclables together with her maid. Photo by Huang Si Ni

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