From bamboo straws to water-resistant bag, this year's NDP funpack is green at heart

SINGAPORE - This year's National Day Parade (NDP) funpacks may be decked out in Singapore's red and white, but they are green at heart.

Designed with sustainability in mind, they include reusable items such as bamboo straws that double up as clappers and a 750ml water bottle.

The bag features a water-resistant lining and adjustable straps, allowing it to be carried as a backpack, sling bag or a tote bag.

Organisers hope Singaporeans will use the funpack as an "Emergency Ready bag", where they can stash essential items for use in the event of an emergency.

Designed in partnership with Temasek Foundation, it has a list of recommended essentials pasted on its inner flap.

It also contains QR codes to lead bag owners to the Singapore Civil Defence Force website and the Singapore Red Cross Society's page for details about a free cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) course.

Chairman of the NDP 2019 logistics and finance committee, Military Expert (ME) 6 Ignatius Tham, said the inclusion of reusable items and the versatile design of the bag is in line with the campaign towards a zero-waste Singapore.

"We want to make sure we bring this (the items) to the national platform to encourage reusability, and we hope that by giving a quality product... they can continue to reuse the funpacks," said ME6 Tham.

Other items included in this year's funpack include snacks and mineral water, a souvenir magazine, a discount booklet, tissues, a sun visor or fan, mosquito patches and a luggage tag.

The usual NDP staples such as face tattoos and a miniature flag will also be included.

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As part of the parade's sustainability efforts, unused ponchos will be collected at the end of each rehearsal or preview, to be given out at the next one.

"This year's NDP theme is Our Singapore, and we want to do something for the future, we want to be the pioneers for our future generation," said ME6 Tham.

"We hope these initiatives, these little steps that we take... can help us to be the pioneers of the next generation."

The funpacks will be distributed to parade-goers at distribution points around the Padang, the location of this year's NDP on Aug 9.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

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