Alternative modes of transportation as opposed to driving a car

The Singaporean public need to be more aware that there are several other ways in which they can go from one place to another. The modes of transport that needs to be more encouraged are the Mass Paid Transportation (MRT) services, public bus services, and walking and cycling. In order to change Singaporeans’ mindset about owning a car, other modes of transport need to become more popular among the Singaporean public. To raise awareness on alternative modes of transportation as opposed to driving a car, the government can promote alternative modes of transportation through education, media, and policies.

To educate the young in taking fuel efficient ways to travel, parents should walk their children to school to encourage sustainable living as well as healthy living. In Singapore, most young children from ages 7-12, go to a primary school that is within a specific radius of their neighborhood. This makes walking to school a viable option. However, the ball is in the parent’s court. Parents should make the effort to teach children to walk more and live sustainably without relying heavily on motor vehicles to get around. In schools, Teacher’s should also educate the students to ride bicycles and walk to places instead of taking buses. This can be done in the allocated civic classes that are mandatory in all primary and secondary schools. This will be a good way in which the social norms about taking means of transportation that does not include driving a car more prevalent in Singaporean society.

The government can take steps to ensure that the public are educated on the various modes of transportation as well by promoting them through the media. The government can initiate change in the mindset of the public by employing influencers of social media to speak out on the issue of sustainable transportation. Famous people have influence over the public and thus by changing their own behavior, they can encourage their followers to change their behavior as well. Therefore, the government can employ influencers in their advertisements or hire them as a spokesperson for the cause of encouraging Singaporeans to use public transport or choose carbon emission-free modes of transport such as walking and cycling. One way to initiate change is by getting one of Singapore’s top influencers such as Naomi Neo to do a government ad picturing her riding a bicycle and speaking out about environmentally sustainable modes of transport. This will get her followers, who are teenagers and are the future of Singapore, to think about the issue as well. It is important for the public to know the costs of their decisions on the environment. Therefore, through the use of the media, the government can relay information about the benefits that not driving a car brings to the environment in terms of lesser car emissions, lesser connection, and a healthier lifestyle and sustainable city. This will generate an eco friendly mindset where people make the best decision with the environment in mind.