Looking for some eco-friendly activities to do in Singapore? Here are a few lesser-known things you can do here that can help you discover your greener side

SINGAPORE

A new year is upon us, and if one of your resolutions is to be friendlier to the Earth, then you might want to consider leading a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

Going green however need not necessarily mean making drastic changes to your life. For instance, you can start simply by making yourself aware and appreciating what you have around you. You can also make a small effort to reduce waste and usage, and reusing and recycling whenever you can.

Another way you can choose to go green without sacrificing modern conveniences is to drive a low-emissions vehicle, such as the Kia Niro Hybrid or Kia Niro EV. And by choosing to do so, you not only get to save the environment, you’ll get to save money too.

The Kia Niro Hybrid, for example, will qualify for a $15,000 rebate under the enhanced Vehicular Emissions Scheme (VES) that comes into force on 1st January 2021. The Kia Niro EV meanwhile gets a $25,000 enhanced VES rebate, as well as an additional $20,000 rebate under the Electric Vehicle Early Adoption Initiative (EEAI), resulting in a total rebate of $45,000.

Cost-savings aside, the Kia Niro Hybrid crossover and Niro EV electric car are also smart and practical choices that don’t compromise on everyday usability, as we’ll demonstrate in this special feature that explores the lesser-known eco-friendly activities you can do in Singapore.

Find out how recycling actually works

Located in Woodlands, the Tzu Chi Eco-Awareness Centre houses a recycling collection point that is open six days a week. Here, volunteers bring bags of recycled materials from all over the island to be sorted, and the materials are subsequently recycled and remade into new, usable items.

The Centre is also home to an exhibition zone that is open to members of the public on Saturdays, where visitors can learn more about recycling, through multimedia displays and guided explanations. They can also choose to learn and experience what it feels like to sort recyclables at the various zones for different categories, such as papers and metals, offering a chance to get involved in the recycling process.

Tzu Chi Eco-Awareness Centre

Level 1, 1 Woodlands Sector 1, Nylect Industrial Building
Singapore 738309
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm (Saturdays)

Discover how NEWater is produced

Water is a scarce resource, and water conservation is a vital part of being environmentally friendly. Using highly-advanced membrane technology, Singapore processes reclaimed water to be reused, under the name NEWater.

If you’re interested in finding out how NEWater is produced, you can visit the NEWater Visitor Centre in Bedok, where you can discover through interactive activities what the water recycling process is like, and the technologies behind the creation of NEWater.

Along the way, you can make use of technology in the Kia Niro Hybrid and Niro EV to help you be a safer driver. The Kia Niro Hybrid’s Lane Keeping Assist function will ensure that you’ll stay in your lane, while the Blind Spot Detection function warns you if there are any other vehicles in your blind spot before you pull out to overtake.

NEWater Visitor Centre

20 Koh Sek Lim Road
Singapore 486593
Opening Hours: 9am – 5:30pm (Tuesdays to Sundays, including public holidays), closed on Mondays

Visit Singapore’s last kampong

Nestled off Yio Chu Kang Road and surrounded by new HDB flats, Kampong Lorong Buangkok offers a throwback to the days of pre-urbanisation Singapore, where villages such as these were commonplace around the island.

Lorong Buangkok is the last such kampong in Singapore, and its rustic charm will prove to be a nostalgic walk down memory lane for the older generation. For the younger folks who have never experienced kampong living, Lorong Buangkok will be an eye opener as to what life was like back in the day.

While the kampong is likely to be lacking in modern amenities, you need not worry about your smartphone running out of charge, as the Kia Niro Hybrid and Niro EV both come with wireless smartphone chargers to ensure that you’ll never run out of power.

Kampong Lorong Buangkok

7 Lorong Buangkok, Singapore 547557
(Note: Kampong Lorong Buangkok is a residential area and the houses are private property)

Go on a guided farm tour

Singapore may be a modern urban metropolis, but there is also a thriving farming industry that’s hidden away far from the city. Head to the north western Neo Tiew and Lim Chu Kang area and you’ll discover farms like Bollywood Veggies, Hay Dairies Goat Farm and Jurong Frog Farm, just to name a few, where you can get up close and personal with nature in its element.

For Singaporeans who rarely get to encounter farm animals, or home-grown vegetables, these farms offer guided tours that provide a fascinating insight into Singapore’s agricultural industry. At the same time, you get to gain greater knowledge about food sources, as well as sustainable cultivation of livestock and vegetation.

The farms are located quite a distance from urbanised Singapore, but with the Kia Niro EV’s long range batteries allowing for up to 455km or driving range, you’ll need not worry about running out of range. The Kia Niro Hybrid meanwhile boasts an impressive fuel consumption figure of 25km/L, ensuring that you’ll be able to cover the distance without using too much fuel.

Bollywood Veggies

100 Neo Tiew Road
Singapore 719026
Opening Hours: 8am – 5.30pm (Wednesday to Friday), 8am – 6.30pm (Saturday, Sunday and public holidays), closed on Monday and Tuesday unless public holiday

Hay Dairies Goat Farm

No. 3 Lim Chu Kang, Agrotech Park Lane 4
Singapore 718859
Opening Hours: 9am – 4pm (daily except Tuesday)

Jurong Frog Farm

56 Lim Chu Kang Lane 6
Singapore 719164
Opening Hours: 9am – 5.30pm (weekends and public holidays)

For more information on the latest Kia promotion and book a digital consultation, register your interest at kia.sg/NiroVES now!