Based on a research done by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the excessive use of plastic has created a 400-year problem. In Singapore alone, about 700 million kilogrammes of plastic waste are discarded every year. And out of this massive amount, only less than 10% of plastics are being recycled. These shocking numbers have adversely affected our ocean health and biodiversity. By 2050, there could be more plastic wastes in our ocean than fishes by weight.
At Extra Space Asia, we are committed to caring for the environment and create a sustainable world for our future generations. Our continuous effort to become a more sustainable and energy-efficient organisation has led to the implementation and use of more eco-friendly materials to reduce the overall waste generated and carbon footprint. In 2016, as part of Extra Space Asia’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) environmental initiative, we distributed free eco-friendly and reusable tote bags to all of our new Customers as a welcome pack before their move-in process.
Our eco-friendly tote bags are specially designed in-house and made from 100% cotton. Besides being a functional and reusable replacement for plastic bags, this is also one of our few ways to give back to Mother Nature. Here’s a fun fact: our in-house tote bag designs have become something of a collectable and – over the years – have gone through over 5 different designs!
Through this green initiative, we hope to be a part in creating a positive, sustainable future for Singapore and advance our vision towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation.
An ExtraSpaceCares initiative
Based on WWF – living planet report 2020, the population sizes of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have seen an alarming average drop of 68% since 1970. The report also reminded us that as humanity’s footprint expands into the once-wild areas, unfortunately, we humans are also to be blamed for the impact on the wildlife populations. Therefore, it is time to restore our broken relationship with nature to benefit species and people alike. At Extra Space Asia, we believe that beyond caring for our society, it is also important to care and learn more about our environment, conservation and living in harmony with the nature around us. In October 2021, we partnered with the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) and spent some meaningful time working together at the ACRES facility. During our time at the ACRES facility, we had the privilege of seeing the safe sanctuary for the various rescued reptiles, birds and amphibians. It was an eye-opening experience as we were able to catch a glimpse of ACRES rescue animals, such as the Indian Star Tortoise. Through the house tour and interaction with the ACRES team, we learned more about their various community involvement in tackling animal welfare issues and partnerships with related bodies to improve animal welfare. The volunteers at Extra Space Asia were involved in various activities such as cleaning and painting the Animal Quarantine Sheds and also setting up a new enclosure for the birds and squirrels. This includes setting up the necessary items inside the enclosure, as well as helping to level the ground. ACRES started with a mission to help animals, both individuals and on a broader scale. As a team, they have a common goal of making the world a better place for non-human animals by raising awareness on important animal protection issues, speaking up for animals and giving them a voice. The ACRES Wildlife Rescue Centre (AWRC) is also Singapore’s first facility dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of animals rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and injured native wild animals. The AWRC plays a vital role in ending the illegal wildlife trade in Singapore and the region both through its rescue efforts and serving as a centre for education on this important issue. Through this CSR initiative, we hope to give back to our environment and do our small part to support the conservation of the wildlife in Singapore. Learn more about ACRES here.
Passion Project: Mr Kenneth unveiling the logo of this CSR initiative.
Image: House tour around the ACRES facility where finally we got a chance to see the rescued Indian Star Tortoises and other animals.
Image: Mr Kenneth, CEO of Extra Space Asia, with Diggle The Rooster at ACRES
Image: Team Extra Space Asia painting the animal quarantine sheds
Image: The team assisting in setting up the new wildlife enclosure
The impact of the changing climates and increasing greenhouse gases have definitely caught the attention of most people. With the rise in global warming, it has become a need for people, government and businesses to find ways to protect our Earth and safeguard it for our future generations.
Based on a National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) survey done in 2019, half of those polled including Singaporeans and permanent residents knew what they could do to address the climate changes and are trying their best to make small little changes. These personal steps include incorporating eco-friendly habits at home and in the office like saving water, reducing food wastage, practising the 3Rs and switching off electrical appliances when not in use.
Extra Space Asia has embarked on green initiatives since 2015, by fully outfitting our Kallang Way and Boon Keng storage facilities with solar panels. With these solar panels, we have successfully lowered our overall gas emissions and fossil fuels usage. We are also proud to be the first self-storage company in Singapore to use solar energy as a means to manage our electricity consumption.
The installation of these solar panels at our storage facilities can cover at least 15% of our total electricity consumption, lowering the overall electrical consumption powered by fossil fuels. This green movement has also helped significantly in reducing the amount of heat transferred from the roof to our self-storage units.
In our efforts to further implement more ‘green’ strategies and move towards a business model that prioritises sustainability, Extra Space Asia will be extending these green initiatives to more storage facilities. We hope our effort can be part of Singapore’s push for a more sustainable future.