Efforts to save the earth

Last Wednesday (18 April) was the first day of the "Bring Your Own Bag" campaign, aimed at getting Singaporeans to use fewer plastic bags. Hopefully, with this campaign, it would urge Singaporeans to use and throw fewer plastic bags. Somehow, I do feel like plastic bags are being used quite frivolously, especially in stalls and supermarkets. Take my workplace for instance....

Every morning, I would see people packing coffee/tea and breakfast from our office canteen. Typically, a styrofoam cup, container, plastic bag and pair of chopsticks would be used by one person. Imagine the amount of plastics we throw away everyday! I think that this is really quite wasteful and harmful (be it to our mother earth or our health). I do not attest to be an extremely "green" person, but I do try to contribute my bit in saving the earth. Nowdays, if time permits, I would have my daily coffee dose at the canteen, instead of packing it to my office. In that way, I would throw 5 styrofoam cups less in one week!! In the past, I would bring my own cup to "tapau" coffee from the coffee lady. If I were to pack lunch from the canteen, I would request the auntie/uncle not to give me the plastic utensils, 'cos I always have a pair of metal fork and spoon at my desk. Why not? It isnt very troublesome to wash the utensils, right? I try to do my little bit to help in one way or another.

Come to think about it, why don't everyone make the effort to carry one container when he/she is packing food? It is really so convenient to keep one set in the office, and bring it down to the canteen to pack lunch. Is it a matter of changing mindsets and habits? Or trying to overcome the "paiseh-ness" (embarrassment) when you carry a container/cup down to the canteen (I do feel that people look at me in a weird way when I bring my cup along to the canteen)?