The environment

The press these days have been focusing a lot on the environment. It is indeed comforting that more people are being more aware of the climate change crisis and global warming.

Just a few hours it was reported in the news that Police officers in Thailand have embarked on a new plan to recycle used cooking oil. By handing out tanks to hawkers, restuarants and households, used cooking oil will then be collected and recycled into fuel for powering Police cars. A simple project that saves up to SGD$10,000,000 (ok i think its the figure. I heard it in the Chinese news and I'm not very sure I caught the figure properly but i think its S$1o million. Anyway the thing is they saved a lot of money, and conserved a precious resource - fuel)

It was reported in time a few months ago that Sultana High School in San Bernardino, California, USA, managed to cut its annual energy bill by US$100,000 by promoting basic conservation techniques like shutting off lights and equipment when not in use. Imagine, how many flag days is needed to raise this figure? How many fund raising items need to be sold to raise this figure? How many busking days are needed to raise this figure?

WILL HUMANS BE ENLIGHTENED?

RJC is a large consumer of energy and electricity. Here we are, organising so many fund raising events, CIP activities, so many fund raising here and there, but do you realise that by closing the doors and windows when air con is on, setting it to more than 25 degree Celsius, turning off toilet lights, switching off classroom lights, you save possibly much much more than you can raise?

Imagine that we can save SGD$50,000 a year at RJC. It is not impossible you know.

Can you imagine how much more money the school can give your CCA or you? Can you imagine giving this money to financially deserving students?

Can you imagine that we can actually give this money to build your so called student's den or to fund your national day ceremony at school?

Raffles One Earth does not have many fund raising activities. But we urge people to conserve, and by conserving, we save!

Currently, Raffles One Earth has partnered the 27th Students' Council to bring forth the environmental message in school. Very soon, you will see posters appearing behind the door of every single toilet in school to remind you to switch off the lights after use. Toilet lights (and fans) can be switched off anytime, especially during after school hours. We made sure that the posters are of the highest aesthetic standards and quality.

We are working very hard, negotiating with the estate office and a private company to bring more recycling bins to school, especially in the canteen. A metal can recycled saves the energy required to light a lamp for 3.5 hours. Recycling trays meant specially for paper will be placed in every tutorial room, and they will be cleared frequently.

When the new principal comes into office, I will try to push environmental issues in school up her agenda. With the support of the school administration, i believe that RJ can and will become a greener institution.

We are also planning an IHC game next year. A special committee of dedicated members have been selected to plan and organise the IHC game. I cannot disclose much but I can say that it's gonna be quite BIG, definitely.

Thingsyoucando! will bring forth the environmental message to over 100,000 youths next year. The speakers have been set, the PR department is working very hard (right samuel?) together with ECO Singapore's PR side, the Slides and Scripts are planning the content of the talks, the Research and Design team are working very creatively on their posters, the trailer crew, thinking of ideas and putting them into film.

Earth Week next year will be something BIG as well. In fact, if the council admin and teacher do not disrupt our plans, you will see a major coordinated effort to tie in the IHC game together with Earth Week.

Also, a major conference will be held next year5 in RJC as well, brigning together the leadership of green clubs all over singapore. These youths leaders will come together to share ideas on how to make this isalnd even greener. I believe that if adults do not wish to take the lead, we youths have to step up and take the initiative to show that how things should be done. Conversation for Conservation will be held on April 22nd.

EC networking session will also be continued next year, in partnership with NEA. The J1s will be responsible for EC networking.

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Yes indeed environmentalist/environmental activists/campaigners face a hell lot of setbacks and challenges. In my school alone the pressure to deliver is mounting. Some teachers dun even know that an environmental club exists. If I call them ignorant, would I be rude or honest? Some CCALs have no respect for us. If I dish out some justice, would I be ungentlemenly or valiant? It's time to shout out loud!


And we face a hell of bureaucratic challenges. The authorities who disapprove something so simple, something so beneficial, something so clear, because of... politics? Dammit I'm sick sick sick of politics. Paperwork, totally redundant and time consuming.

Once I remembered li jian and I attended this FOSL workshop and there was a point in time during the workshop when the entire class was listening to me and the teacher mr k debating abt the environmental movement in RJC. Come on man, it's not as if I'm the principal la. Please la... please wake up. You think it's so easy why dun you be an environmentalist yourself? Take some initiative la...

I hate people who argue with me for the sake of arguing. Bloody hell.

It is indeed disappointing to see all these happening but if I were to give up now, or anytime soon, would I be proud to call myself son of my father, father of my sons?


The going is tough but we will not give up.


The nature with most environmentalists are that they are soft hearted, kind and gentle. People tend to exploit these characteristics. I am none of the above. If anyone dares exploit me, hohoho...

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Environmental concerns are for real. Global warming is for real. You think your oil can burn forever? You think the snows on the Swiss Alps will forever be there for you to ski? You think polar bears can swim forever? They need icebergs to rest on. And ice bergs are melting...

Act now. Start with the 7 Easy Green Habits:

1. Reject Plastic Bags. Tell the person behind the counter, "no thank you!"

2. Recycle Paper. Print both sides. Dun throw away paper, put in a tray and recycle the stack of waste paper. Use paper that has already been printed on to do your physics practice.

3. Reusable Stationery. I use only refills.

4. Open that window and use a fan instead of an aircon. If you turn the aircon on, set it at above 25 degree celsius

5. Do not leave the heater on for too long before you take a shower.

6. Turn off your TVs, PCs after use. Standby mode sucks energy from the mains, and money from your pockets. Make sure that little red LED light is not lighted on.

7. Public transport. You only need 45cents for a trip.

Also fill up a 500ml bottle with water and put it into the water tank behind your toilet bowl. It saves you 500ml of water everytime you flush.

It is this simple.

Poster design: Fransisco Chandra, another talented member of 08SO6Q and thingsyoucando!