Dear friend,
I’ve just dropped my dad off at the airport, and honestly, I’m calm. It’s weird. I thought I would be so nervous and scared, living in an entirely new country by myself, but instead, there is a quiet confidence within me. Maybe this is what independence is supposed to feel like!
I walked out of the airport and immediately was hit by Singapore’s intense humidity; good thing I’d refilled my water bottle. Now you’re probably thinking, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Deloraa with a refillable water bottle.” And you’re right. You haven’t. I was always a plastic water bottle girl (terrible, I know), which is why I’ve decided to change my habits. If I change the country I live in, why not change my habits in a better way?
This change of heart, friend, came from my extensive research of Singapore and you know, being law students, research is second nature to us. Do you remember reading about the Green Plan Singapore planned to implement by 2030? It’s their nationwide strategy to try and implement as many UN Sustainable Development Goals as they can and, well, I became quite inspired by that. (https://www.greenplan.gov.sg)
For example, did you know Singapore is water scarce, but they still managed to provide clean water to 100% of their population? It’s amazing when you think about it and even better that it aligns perfectly with SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) and they’ve done this through an incredible process called ‘Four National Taps’ which involves rainwater collection, recycling wastewater, importing water, and desalination. (https://www.pub.gov.sg/Public/WaterLoop/OurWaterStory)
Do you also remember us constantly complaining about how infrequent the public transport in the UK was? Total opposite here. Singapore’s MRT system is honestly one of the most efficient I have ever seen, and its network covers the whole island. With consideration of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), taking the MRT reduces the carbon footprint by 90% compared to other transport methods and by 2030, 8 in 10 households will live within a 10-minute walk of a train station. (https://www.smrt.com.sg/sustainability/environment/encouraging-green-commutes/#:~:text=The%20Greener%20Way%20to%20Travel&text=According%20to%20Land%20Transport%20Authority,Combustion%20Engine%20(ICE)%20car.)
So I hopped on the MRT to explore the parks. Honestly, I was surrounded by green spaces, which makes sense considering 40% of Singapore is bursting with flora and fauna. This is all part of their new ‘City in Nature’ plan, with their goal being to plant one million more trees by 2030 – coordinating with SDG 15 (Life on Land). Isn’t that impressive? (https://www.greenplan.gov.sg)
Strolling through the parks made me reminisce about that talk we had two days before I left and how excited we were to see how our outlook on life would change within a year’s time. After just a week, I’m already rethinking my habits. Believe it or not, I’m already thinking of taking a course in sustainability law which one year ago, you definitely would’ve scoffed at!
Anyway, I will definitely write again soon, and I promise to send pictures – I know I keep forgetting.
Much love,
Deloraa.
