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  Today Online 9 Dec 06
Ditching the 'clean' message
Sheralyn Tay

Today Online 9 Dec 06
'We're just brats, I guess ... '
Fast-food patrons don't clear their trays after eating — it's the cleaners' job, they say Sheralyn Tay sheralyn@mediacorp.com.sg

THE bins were just a few metres away, but they were apparently too great a distance to walk for some 30 fast-food patrons.

Over three hours on Friday, Today sat in two fast-food restaurants to keep count of patrons who clear their trays after their meals. This followed a reader's suggestion, in a letter published on Thursday, that Singapore's littering problem needs to be stemmed by first inculcating personal responsibility in Singaporeans to clear up after ourselves.

But this seemingly simple act had its challenges, and Today's exercise was made far too easy. There was not much of a count or breakdown to do because none of the 30 fast-food patrons observed actually cleared their trays after they were done eating.

The exception was a pair of British students. For the others — Singaporean students, young adults, families — the "job" of clearing up after themselves was left to the cleaning staff.

While one couple did take a laden tray to the bin, it was only because they needed to use the table. They later left behind their own mess after eating. Some students did not just leave their trays; they stood around chatting while cleaners had to manoeuvre around them to clean up.

All of them were quick to defend their actions. An executive who only wanted to be known as Mr Manzis explained: "I clear my tray sometimes, but most of the time, the cleaners take it from me, so I don't clear my tray anymore." He then added: "There's a positive side to it. If we all cleared our trays, then the cleaners wouldn't have a job."

This was a sentiment echoed by most other patrons, most of whom declined to give their full names. "We're just brats, I guess," said 25-year-old multimedia designers Ms Sim and Ms Lya half-jokingly.

In contrast, the two British students took clearing their trays matter-of-factly. One of them, a 14-year-old who did not want to be identified, noted that in the one year he has lived here, he has noticed that Singaporeans don't clean up after themselves.

"It's just something I've always done," he said. "We have cleaners in England, too, but we still clear our trays there. It's not fair to the cleaners. They have other tasks to do."

Concurring that it was rare to see customers clear their own trays, a cleaner at one of the fast- food outlets said he would appreciate it if customers could help out during busy periods, even though clearing trays was part of his job.

For 16-year-old Kenneth Koh, clearing his tray was not part of his behaviour until he worked at a fast-food chain last year. As a part-time cashier, he had to clear trays from time to time. "No one cleared their trays at all, in fact some people would mess up their trays on purpose," he said.

After that experience, Kenneth said he would "sometimes" clear his trays. On the day we spotted him at a fast-food restaurant, he did not. His explanation: "When I do, my friends make fun of me. They laugh at me and ask why I 'act so good'. People at the next table also look at me in a funny way or tell me that the cleaner will clear the tray."

His friend Chan Yan Hua, 16, immediately chimed in: "It's their job, they are paid to do it."

When it was pointed out that cleaners had other duties, like wiping tables, clearing bins and mopping the floor, he shrugged and added: "After they mop the floor, they can clear the trays, what ."

Today Online 9 Dec 06
Ditching the 'clean' message
Sheralyn Tay sheralyn@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN in the absence of national cleanliness campaigns, most First World countries take responsibility for their litter, used trays and other public areas.

I have friends in Australia who pocket their empty chocolate wrappers until they pass by a bin — and bins there are not so conveniently located as they are here in Singapore.

While I was researching for the report on tray clearing at fast-food restaurants, my partner, who lived overseas until he was 15, told me that Singaporeans are just "socialised" into not clearing our trays.

He used to clear trays when he was living overseas. He no longer does "because nobody does it and people look at me in a funny way when I do".

This "socialisation" does not augur well for our development. What does it say about a culture that thinks it is bizarre to throw away one's own burger wrappers?

Sixteen-year-old Kenneth, who told me rather sheepishly that he stopped clearing his trays because his friends made fun of him, was surprised to hear that tray clearing in Australia and England was not dependent on cleaners.

"I guess it's not our culture to do it," he said.

Come on. In Singapore? With all the "incentives" from fines and anti-littering campaigns?

True, tray clearing is part of the cleaner's job, but it is not that hard to take your tray to the counter. If cleaners are running from one table to another picking up trays, how can they wipe down the tables — or would you rather do that yourself?

One would expect that keeping our environment clean — and yes, that means restrooms, void decks and eating places, too — would be second nature to us after years of anti-littering campaigns.

But it appears that having someone else pick up after us is good enough reason to leave the "Clean and Green" message in the dirt, along with the rest of our trash.
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