Great idea, will it work?

Following the example set by Germany, Singapore now has its own BYOBD (Bring Your Own Bag Day). Singapore's very own NEA (National Environment Agency) is trying to encourage people to bring their own bag when doing their shopping.

Great idea, but it will not work. The reason is simple; Singaporeans don't give a damm about the environment. Already the campaign was greeted with a lukewarm reception today, with many of the shoppers unaware that it was BYOBD. When told they had to pay 10 cents for a plastic bag, they were screaming bloody murder. Unreasonable was the most common reaction to BYOBD.

Singapore may consumes 2.5 billion plastic bags a year but Singaporeans do not care. Reducing the waste of plastic bags is a great idea but for it to work, NEA need to first increase awareness for the environment. Or else BYOBD will be just another campaign that Singaporeans will ignore.