Remember all the clapping we did over a year ago?

It’s time to rally once again. This time, it’s for our planet. Earth Hour is coming soon!

How time flies. It’s been about a year since we stood at our windows to applaud and show our appreciation for our healthcare and frontline workers who were battling COVID-19.

It was small but meaningful activity to rally the community, giving everyone the simple opportunity to contribute to a larger and meaningful cause.

It’s time for a throwback. But this time, it is without the horrors of a circuit breaker style “lockdown” and with a lot less anxiety and tension.

Come 27th March 2021, join CapitaLand and be part of the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Earth Hour movement and join in the simple act of switching off your non-essential lights for an hour to show your support for the planet.

CapitaLand has participated in the Earth Hour movement every year since its inception in Singapore in 2008 and we’re once again putting our support behind this initiative.

CapitaLand’s properties in over 30 countries will go beyond the hour and switch off their façade and non-essential lights throughout the entire night!

You too can also be part of the action! Switching off your non-essential lights is just a start.

There’s a lot more that you can do to support the planet and do your part to embrace sustainability in your daily life.

Unconvinced? Here are some facts for you: 

1. Did you know that by 2040, more than 29 million tonnes of plastic waste will flow into the ocean each year?

According to the non-government organisation (NGO), International Solid Waste Association, the amount of plastic waste entering our ocean and killing marine life could triple in the next 20 years if we don’t do anything.

A handful of CapitaLand volunteers witnessed first-hand the amount of plastic that were littering our beach when we organised our beach cleanup activity.

During the clean up, the volunteers even picked up items such as a motorcycle helmet, a football, 1.5-metre plastic drum barrels and even a lid from a washing machine. Don’t even get us started on the microplastics.

To do your part, make the switch to use more reusable bags, lunchboxes, cups, utensils and more. Say Yes To Less Waste! 

2. Did you know that every year, around 20-50 million tonnes of e-waste is generated?

That’s equivalent to over 800 laptops per second! Our demand for the latest iterations of smartphones and devices launched each year is generating a lot of e-waste that we cannot simply ignore.

This problem is compounded as e-waste requires more careful handling and disposal as e-waste may contain small amounts of heavy metals and toxic substances like lead and mercury which may leach into the environment.   

So be sure to use and maintain your electronics properly to prolong its lifespan. You can also recycle your old electronics at designated e-waste bins at our properties.  In 2019, CapitaLand collected over 22,800 kg of e-waste (approximately the weight of over 139,000 smartphones) across 15 participating properties in Singapore!

Perhaps, probably one of the most difficult things to do, is to resist the urge to upgrade your electronic items when they are working perfectly fine.

Do you really need a fancy new smart phone with a kazillion megapixels that can shoot in no light conditions if you’re only taking photos of your food. Harsh but true. And also – #notetoself. Let's do better for the planet! 😊

Read our 4 step process inspired by Marie Kondo to guide you through!

3. Did you know that almost half the world's population will face severe water scarcity by 2030?

In Singapore, water is readily available whenever we turn on our taps, but there is a lot more going behind the scenes. Over the years, Singapore has built a robust, diversified and sustainable water supply from four water sources known as the Four National Taps – Water from Local Catchment, Imported Water, high-grade reclaimed water known as NEWater and Desalinated Water.

Today, water remains one of our most precious commodities and we need to continue to conserve it.

In Singapore, CapitaLand also partnered PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency to celebrate and appreciate water, as well as raise awareness on water conservation.

From 20-22 March 2021, four CapitaLand properties, Clarke Quay, ION Orchard, Plaza Singapura and 5 Science Park Drive will be lit up in blue at night, to show their support for Singapore World Water Day.

Take steps to reduce your water usage. Wash clothes on full load, use half-flush where possible and cut down your shower time.

Instead of a tiktok challenge, take the 5-minute shower challenge instead! Read and be inspired by how others have fared and take up the challenge for yourself. Cutting your shower time by 1 minute, can save 9 litres of water! Let's go!