ASHLEY ANG, NUR HIDAYAH (HAZEL) and TEO SHAO NING (CELEST) explore how the pandemic has caused many youths to increase their usage of single-use plastics.
Youths in Singapore are using significantly more single-use plastics during the pandemic despite a majority expressing concern for the environment.
According to a survey by The Takeaway involving 51 youths, 78 per cent of respondents consider rising global plastic consumption as a very important issue, yet over half reported using more plastic than they did before the pandemic. 29.4 per cent revealed a notable rise in their plastic consumption.
These results bring to light how a significant number of youths have let the pandemic affect their plastic consumption despite knowing the harms of rising plastic consumption on the environment.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore has caused the formation of multiple restrictions, which have contributed to the rise in youth plastic consumption, such as the establishment of Work From Home and Home-Based Learning arrangements. Most notably, the Circuit Breaker period from Apr 7 to Jun 1 in 2020 saw the closures of physical stores and a ban on dining in. According to a study by NUS alumni, households in Singapore produced an additional “1,334 tonnes of plastic waste” from food takeaway and delivery services alone.
Mr Ivan Shiu, 18, is one youth whose plastic consumption has increased significantly due to the pandemic. He orders food from food delivery services “a lot more” and requests disposable cutlery despite having utensils at home.
Mr Shiu admits that convenience is the main reason for his negligence towards plastic consumption, saying: “It’s just a lot less mafan (troublesome) to wash up the dishes.”
On the other hand, Mr Gregory Koh, 18, doesn’t understand why youths would be using more plastic during the pandemic and finds The Takeaway’s survey results “quite shocking”.
The student goes out less due to COVID-19, and as a result, buys bottled drinks less frequently. Additionally, he has completely halted his use of plastic straws and brings take-out home in his own Tupperware containers. The pandemic hasn’t changed this at all.
Mr Koh finds that he has “no problem so far” finding food outlets that allow personal containers, especially when ordering from hawker centres. “The main thing I think [hawkers are] worried about is portioning. But so far, they've all been quite accepting of the idea.” He and his family have seven boxes of Tupperware containers at home.
Sadly, he isn’t optimistic that youths will take the initiative to go green. He says only “something very impactful” can change their habits, such as being encouraged by “someone they know very closely”.
“I found it quite difficult, even for myself, to change certain things.”
Youth climate activist Dorcas Tang Wen Yu, 21, runs an Instagram account under the handle @earthtodorcas, where she actively advocates for climate and environmental issues using her artworks.
Ms Tang understands why plastic consumption among youths has risen during the pandemic. “When we order in food, there usually isn't an option for us to pick a non-disposable packaging option.”
However, she feels that even though youths should not be blamed too heavily for the rise in plastic consumption, they still have responsibility for it. She says youths have to understand that refusing plastic “sends a signal to businesses and corporations” that plastic is something undesired by the public, and “demand will eventually lead [to] systemic action”.
“We just need to try our best, and when we can’t avoid using [plastic], practice grace and forgiveness on others as well.”
For youths to start reducing their plastic consumption, Ms Tang recommends for them to start using reusable items, or to write to local eateries to ask them to reduce their use of disposables. They can even sign petitions and start a BYO (Bring Your Own) campaign, encouraging peers to use their own reusable items. “[Systemic] change, together with individual change, is the most effective.”
Like Mr Koh, Ms Tang believes that controlling plastic consumption takes time and effort. She urges youths to not be hard on themselves for making unsustainable decisions, especially because “no one is perfect and we live in a system that isn’t perfect”.
She says: “Being mindful of our plastic consumption is internal work, it's a shift in mindset, and that can in turn inspire much much more.”
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