The History of Angpaos and How to Recycle in Singapore
Uncle Semakau on February 26, 2025
Wall of Used Plastics in Singapore (📷: Nick Fewings, Unsplash)
Giving red packets or "angpao" during Chinese New Year is a recurring tradition in Singapore. However, do you know where it comes from, and how to sustainably dispose it?
History of the Angpao
Legend has it that the tradition of giving red packets started from a monster called "Sui", which used to harm people on New Year's Eve.
Parents would give their children coins wrapped in red cloth to fend off "Sui" and other evil spirits. This tradition evolved to people giving each other red packets to wish each other well for the coming year.
Implications of Giving Angpaos
When we visit our married relatives and friends, they would often give you red packets with crisp new notes inside. However, this takes a toll on the environment...
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) estimates that 330 tonnes of carbon emissions are produced yearly from making new notes (equivalent to charging 5.7 million smartphones)!
How to Improve the Situation
To minimize emissions from over-usage of red packets, we can practice these actions:
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Give e-Angpaos Instead: The practice of giving electronic red packets made with reduced materials has increased in frequency in recent years.
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Reuse Your Angpaos: Instead of disposing them, reuse them for the next Chinese New Year gathering, or even repurpose it into decorations!
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Recycle Your Angpao: There are many blue recycling bins in Singapore; we can help you find the nearest recycling facility to recycle your angpao in just seconds!
Conclusion
Although it is important to upkeep our cultural heritage, it is equally important to keep sustainability in mind.
Curious about where to recycle your item? Find out where to recycle any item in Singapore with recycle.gov.sg's facility locator!
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