Recently there is a spat about how disgraceful public toilets are in Singapore. An article on this issue was also published in the Strait Times. Cleaners were complaining about how toilets are being ‘abused’ by the public. It is a common but unfortunate sight in public toilets to see porcelain bowls plastered with wet toilet paper. Floors and toilet seats were spattered with urine, and used sanitary towels sat atop the lidded bins provided precisely to keep them out of sight. Soiled floors around the urinals could be seen in the toilets for ‘gents’. Smoking in the toilets is banned, but it still happens. Aside from leaving behind the odour of smoke, culprits also stub out their cigarettes on toilet roll dispensers, leaving them pocked with scorch marks and ash-littered. People here clearly have lack of toilet etiquette. They feel that it's not their toilet, so they don't feel like the onus is on them to keep it clean.
The Restroom Association of Singapore has declared its target of making seven in 10 public toilets here clean by 2010 through public education. Its president Tan Puay Hoon said that though well-designed and decorated toilets have definitely become cleaner but toilet habits here need an attitude overhaul.
How can we keep our toilets clean and green? Discuss about whether charging a minimal fee for toilet usage will deter people from keeping it clean. Often people feel that they pay for the usage of the toilet, so it is not their responsibility to keep it clean. Or maybe public education is needed to emphasis on good toilet habits. A survey would be necessary to find out more about whether the people feel that it is their responsibility to keep the toilet clean. And also will they minimal fee deter them from keeping the toilet clean.
Arduous Journey of ES2007S
16 years ago
2 comments:
Interesting topic, Jason, and decent description. The only thing missing seems to any reference in this post to the research project. I'd directly address the research question, etc., if I were you.
Thanks!
Hey jason! I read the newspaper article as well. It would be an interesting topic to work on, and perhaps you can come up with some good suggestions to help improve the situation. I've once paid 20 cents for a toilet visit and it was poorly maintained with no toilet paper for me to use! Dare i say, the situation in the once clean and nice public toilets at some shopping malls are getting bad. I can't seem to understand why people would leave their used sanitary pads on top of the dispenser when they can throw it in simply by lifting the lit. I don't understand why people would "fling" off water from their hands after washing them instead of using the hand dryer or paper to wipe them off. As a result, the floor is always wet near the basins. In my opinion, what is hindering Singapore's aim to build a clean and green city is Singaporeans' selfish attitude. We simply lack the attitude of thinking for others. It is the same attitude when it comes to graciousness. When will the day come when singaporeans see places like the toilets as their own toilets back at home? Perhaps you can start small, just look at the toilets we have at NUS. I've once saw baby crocoaches when i was about to do my business in the cubicle! Haha. The NUS students would be a good target group to work on, since we are at the tertiary level, it would be a good reflection of how much education has moulded us in terms of social and moral values. Besides, the findings can be used to improve our current toilet conditions and perhaps make NUS the first school on the move to having clean toilets in singapore! I would love to hear more on this topic, if it is being selected as the topic by your group that is =) Cheers!
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