Here’s to less disposables, more reusables

THE CHALLENGE:
Singapore keeps the city clean and green by getting rid of disposables via incineration plants: The wastes are burned and reduced to 10% of its original volume for landfill.

The problem is that – in 2018 alone, we generated 164,500 tonnes of disposables. At this current rate of waste disposal, our only landfill, the man-made Semakau Island, will be fully filled by 2035. And we’re not keen to turn more parks into incineration plants.

THE INSIGHT:
So far so good, but what about our children – our next generation?

It comes down to every Singaporean, every household, reducing every single-use disposable.

THE IDEA & EXECUTION:
What if the rubbish takes on epic proportions?

A television spot shows the snowball effect of single-use disposables accumulating in mass, across situations and then across time, to become a big problem for the country and ultimately, the next generation.

We tug on the emotional heartstrings of Singaporeans, by getting them – and their children – to see and contend with the problem.

The film ends on a cliffhanger, and a gentle warning – “Don’t let the next generation pay for our choices.”

The response was a positive movement:

On OOH, we showed ‘Utopia vs Dystopia’, in the kind of world we want to live in.

More importantly, we helped NEA gathered over 50 commercial partners to join the movement and journey to ‘Say YES to Waste Less’. It signposted a public-and-private join effort to reduce waste.

Partners such as McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Cold Storage and DBS were encouraged to make significant changes, such as reducing disposables and encouraging consumers to bring their own reusables.

NEA highlighted the partners through bus shelter ads, as well as the TVC.

The campaign launched on 8 Jun 2019 at IKEA Tampines, followed by ads on cinema, outdoor, point-of-sale, social media and digital platforms.

THE RESULTS:
‘Say YES to Waste Less’ was launched nation-wide, with companies, trade and individuals joining the movement.

It won high praises, across social media, news editorial and forums.

If any country can get rid of the negative, and make the move to the positive, surely it must be Singapore. Majulah, we can.