LTA | A Green Day Out: All aboard the ride to a greener good time!

A Green Day Out: All aboard the ride to a greener good time!

Posted on | 30 Dec 2022

Hero Image of characters on brown interior train representing TEL3

The fact is, there is no planet B!

Sustainability is everyone’s business, and as the global conversation on climate change heats up alongside our planet, it’s heartening to see so many rallying to do our part by ramping up on recycling, opting for a greener mode of travel by taking the public transport, switching to electric vehicles, cutting back on single-use plastics and more.

But how does saving the earth fit in with the good times, like celebrating a birthday, or having a fun day out? Is it possible that we keep our environmental footprint low and our emotional impact high?

The answer is yes… if you know where to go:

Eat clean and dine green

Photo by Rachel Claire from Pexels.

Next time you’re looking for a nice restaurant for date night, a birthday or anniversary, keep an eye out for restaurants that are sustainability-minded. If you’re expecting plant-based food and vegan meals, you’re in for a surprise!

For example, true to the spirit of the zero-waste movement, Kausmo has turned food rejects like odd-shaped fruits and secondary cuts of meat into artfully crafted dishes on its fine dining menu. Alternatively, visit Open Farm Community, one of the pioneers of Singapore’s locavore movement, to enjoy an array of healthy farm-to-table food concept and a wide selection of natural wines. Notably, Open Farm Community is also one of the many restaurants that houses and receives supplies from edible gardens, run by the Edible Garden City, so you can even wrap up your experience by taking a stroll through the gardens!

Even at your favourite old haunts, you can do your part for the earth by choosing options that are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified. Knowing that your meal is limiting its impact on the environment just gives you one more thing to raise a glass to!

How to get there:

Open Farm Community is located at 103E Minden Road. Take buses 106, 123, 174 or 7, or ride the TEL to Napier station.
Kausmo is located at 1 Scotts Road. The nearest MRT stations are Newton station on the Downtown Line, Orchard station on the North-South line. You can also take buses 105, 143, 162M, 502 or 67.

Outings to evoke the inner eco-warriors

There’s no reason learning about sustainability can’t be fun!

Introduce sustainability concepts to nature lovers over a trip to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, so they can learn more about the flora and fauna in the region—and in turn what they’re trying to protect. Herons, kingfishers and sunbirds can be seen all year round, but go during September to March if you want to catch the flocks of migratory birds.

If indoor activities are more your cup of tea, there is the NEWater Visitor Centre (NVC) to learn about Singapore’s water sustainability, and the Singapore Sustainable Gallery, where touchscreen exhibitions and interactive games covering topics like climate change, how to calculate your carbon footprint, recycling and more.

These places are perfect to educate and encourage each of us to reflect on how we can do our part for the environment. And the best part? They are also kids-friendly with options for all ages, so everyone in the family can have fun and learn together.

How to get there:

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve can be accessed from Kranji station.
Singapore Sustainable Gallery is located at Marina Barrage. Take a ride to the end of the Thomson-East Coast Line and get off at Gardens by the Bay station. Alternatively, take bus 400 from Tanjong Pagar station, Marina Bay station or Downtown station.
NEWater Visitor Centre is located at 20 Koh Sek Lim Road. Take exit B from Tanah Merah station, or buses 12, 24, 31 and 38.

Feel good and do good with an eco-friendly staycay

Treat your loved ones (and the environment) with an eco-friendly staycation. With Singapore’s status as a City in a Garden, many more hotels are jumping on the green bandwagon, giving you plenty of options to find places that are as pleasing to your senses as they are to the earth.

Take JW Marriot Hotel South Beach for example: Its undulating architectural features, reminiscent of ocean waves, actually serve a secondary purpose of helping to lower overall temperatures and collect rainwater for the hotel's use. The greenery at Oasia Hotel Downtown also goes beyond soothing the senses and creating a sense of wellness to also facilitate a natural steady draft, so there is no need for air-conditioning in common areas!

And who could forget PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering? With 15,000 sqm of foliage in a land area of just 7,000 sqm, it is literally a hotel in a garden—and one that cleverly leverages the greenery to keep the entire building cool. There are many more like it across the island, so before you book your next weekend staycay, look out for the Green Mark stamp of approval!

How to get there:

JW Marriot Hotel South Beach is located at 30 South Beach Road. Access it via Esplanade station, City Hall station, or Bugis station. You can also take buses 10, 100 and 106.
Oasia Hotel Downtown is located at 100 Peck Seah Street. The nearest MRT station is Tanjong Pagar station. You can also take buses 10, 100, 145, 30, 80 and 97.
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Pickering is 3 Upper Pickering Street. Stop at Chinatown station, or take bus 143, 147, 166, 190, 197, 33 and 970

A wheel-ly good, green time!

Image of cycling paths with bicycle racks beside it

Photo by Hakeem James Hausley from Pexels.

No better way to get hearts racing than with a bike ride!

Beginners can enjoy cycling at the Bedok-Tampines, Punggol-Sengkang, or Marina Bay-Rochor areas, while those who enjoy terrain that is a little more rugged might prefer the mountain biker trail at Mandai Track 15.

And for those game for more? Work your stunts at Chestnut Nature Park. Besides being home to Singapore’s first pump track, this is where you’ll get your adrenaline pumping on a 8.2km trail with ten different routes to challenge your cycling skills! Besides the fact it’s a fuel-free activity, being able to appreciate the great outdoors is also a way to remind yourself of why each little action we take for the earth is worth it.

No bike, no fomo! Bicycle rentals are available along various cycling paths:

Bedok-Tampines: Tampines station, Simei station, Tanah Merah station, Bedok station
Punggol-Sengkang: Take the MRT to Punggol station, and stroll along Punggol Waterway Park for a variety of bike rental options.
Marina Bay-Rochor: Bayfront station, Nicoll Highway station, Lavender station

So what are you waiting for? Good times can be green times!

Next time you’re looking to have a little fun, tread lightly on our earth and look to options like these to do some good for both yourself and the planet.