Thinking about the Singapore River today (maybe before the COVID-19 pandemic hit), we immediately imagine a bustling nightscape with crowded bars, and also the iconic river cruise decked out with tourists. However, long before I was born, the river has not been quite so glamorous… to say the least. Post Independence, the Singapore River became […]
Twinkle, Twinkle, Where are The Stars?
Sometimes when I walk home after the sun has long set, I glance up and all I spot is the moon. Occasionally, I do spot stars — well, moving stars who eventually turn out to be planes… That led me to wonder, where are the stars in Singapore? Actually, the stars have never left. We […]
No Smoke Without Fire
In Singapore, smoking is defined as “inhaling and expelling the smoke of tobacco or any other substance, and includes the holding of any cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other form of tobacco product which is lit or emitting smoke” (NEA, 2021). Today, smoking is not a alien phenomenon whatsoever, and it is rather common to […]
Not Just Noisy Neighbors!
Noise pollution is an underrated environmental problem often overlooked (quite literally!) as it is highly invisible. However, just because it cannot be seen, does not mean that it cannot be felt. Sounds that are higher than 85 decibels can hurt a person’s ears, although such sounds are found in everyday things like lawn mowers and […]
Fazed by Haze?
Outdoor air pollution is one of the biggest death-causing risk factor in Singapore. In 2019, outdoor air pollution accounted for 1,378 deaths in Singapore, only behind high blood pressure, smoking, high blood sugar, and obesity (Our World in Data, 2021). Outdoor air pollution is commonly generated by vehicular exhaust and industrial processes. Another source of […]
Not Enough Land? Make More!
A Brief History of Singapore’s Land Reclamation Projects Back in 1822, Sir Stamford Raffles made a decision to relocate Singapore’s commercial centre to the south bank of the Singapore River. Despite being vacant at the time, the south bank came with an unfavorable swampy landscaping which was also prone to flooding. As a result, a […]
Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew!
Singapore — a multicultural society famous for our diverse variety of international cuisines. In fact, food plays a very important role in Singapore. Duffy & Ng (2019) argue that food has a dual function in Singapore: Firstly, it is used in tourism to brand the country as a “country for consumption by tourists”. At the […]