RIP Lee Kuan Yew

I didn't grow up in Singapore so I didn't witness the transformation of this nation from a slum city into a gleaming metropolis. But my relatives and friends tell me of the days when night soil was common, the Singapore River was putrid, and, believe it or not, cholera was widespread. Street hawkers operated next to canals, taking advantage of them as "free" rubbish dumps, while illegal dumping was rampant. 

Singapore's environment is so green today because of the foresight that it's first Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, had to make environmental protection a priority. He was determined that it should happen.

There were several milestones that led to the successful greening of Singapore.

#1 1963 Launch of the annual Tree Planting Campaign 
#2 1970 Set up the Anti-Pollution Control Unit under the Prime Minister's Office
#3  1972 Set up of Ministry of the Environment - Singapore was one of the first countries to form a ministry dedicated to protecting the environment
#4  1972 Building of hawker centers and relocation of street hawkers.
#5  1975 Parliament passed the Water Pollution Control and Drainage Bill requiring all waste water to be discharged into sewers. Works on extensive sewerage system.
#6  1980s Clean up of the Singapore River
#7  1987  Last night soil collected!

RIP, Mr. Lee.