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  Straits Times 21 May 07
BYOB Day: Much done to explain the 'why'
Letter from Ong Seng Eng Director, Resource Conservation
Department National Environment Agency

Straits Times Forum 11 May 07
Plastic bags: How to win over more people? Explain the 'why'
Letter from Lin Peiyi (Ms)

IT HAS been three weeks since Singapore implemented its most recent Bring Your Own Bag Day, with no free plastic bags on every first Wednesday of the month.

I remember the disappointed look on my mother's face when she told me the news, lambasting the inconvenience it would impose on her.

However, from my perspective, I understand and applaud the National Environment Agency (NEA) for doing its best to conserve the environment.

But how many others see it that way? To some housewives with children, and grandmothers, Bring Your Own Bag Day is now the day when they avoid going to the grocery store because it's too much of a hassle.

These groups are the people we need to target, to ensure that the campaign achieves its goals in the long term - to build the habit of bringing our own bags and so saving plastic ones.

Moreover, the campaign was launched 'quietly', with a few press releases and even fewer promotional tools. Put it this way: We were informed, but we were not educated.

Before the launch on April 18, the NEA did little to create interest and catch the attention of consumers. The only promotional tool I came across was the posters we see in the grocery stores.

Sure, it may have served five of Rudyard Kipling's six serving men, with the What, When, How, Where and Who listed, but it missed the most important of all, Why.

It lacked that persuasive message to convince Singapore why we have to save plastic bags and save the world. It lacked that special something that will trigger action.

We have relied on plastic bags for a long time. In my case, I have collected plastic bags for the past 19 years.

Such habits are hard to change, which is why this Bring Your Own Bag campaign has to work harder than just one poster. If this campaign is set to carry on for a long time and perhaps be implemented daily rather than once a month, there is room for improvement.

I suggest a strong marketing campaign to educate the target audience, with a series of advertisements that contain a strong and heartfelt message.

Apart from advertising, public relations can come into play. Events like a roadshow or a booth in the grocery store to inform the target groups on a personal level can help do the job.

Straits Times 21 May 07
BYOB Day: Much done to explain the 'why'
Letter from Ong Seng Eng Director, Resource Conservation
Department National Environment Agency

I REFER to the letter, 'How to win over more people? Explain the 'why'' (ST, May 11), by Ms Lin Peiyi on the Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB) campaign.

The BYOB Day is an extension of the 'Why waste plastic bags? Choose reusable bags!' campaign launched last year to raise awareness and educate the public on conserving resources by not wasting plastic bags.

We explained that this could be achieved by declining plastic bags when they are not needed, using reusable bags or taking only enough plastic bags that can be reused for bagging refuse.

Since the launch of the campaign, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has continued with public education and community outreach programmes to convey the message to the public via various platforms, such as advertisements in major newspapers, publicity posters, media interviews, contests and various community activities.

Notwithstanding this, we thank Ms Lin for her feedback on the need to explain more clearly the 'why' of the campaign and will strive to improve the communication of our message.


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