Singapore, a Clean, Green Urban Oasis

Loose yourself in the Gardens by the Bay, home to the iconic Supertrees (25 to 50 meter tall man-made trees entwined with plants, that emit a dazzling, solar powered light show every evening); the Flower Dome (the world’s largest glass greenhouse) and the Cloud Forest conservatory, where you’ll find the world’s tallest indoor waterfall and an artificial mountain adorned with rare plants. All this at the heart of a Singapore’s central business district!
 
Rewind 60 years and Singapore was a very different place, a developing country with raw sewerage being pumped into its main artery. The transformation is owed to the vision of Lee Kuan Yew (the 1st Prime Minister of Singapore) who is often referred to as ‘Chief Gardener’. Lee initiated Singapore’s tree-planting campaign in 1963, providing shade and greenery, he said that “a concrete jungle destroys the human spirit”. The prosperity of the nation is intrinsically linked to Lee’s vision; creating a city where people wanted to live and people were happy to invest, securing Singapore’s position as a global green powerhouse.
 
The city continues to lead the way with it ‘Green Plan 2030’ with commitments to plant 1 million more trees, quadruple solar energy deployment by 2025 and reduce the waste sent to landfill by 30% by 2030.
 
By 2050 it’s estimated that 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Let’s hope that Singapore forms the blueprint for the future of our cities; creating clean, green spaces in which we all can live.