Rainer a member (from left), Chin Kai and Vid Club officer.
An article written for fullStoP magazine in SP. It got chopped into bits and pieces tho...
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) Environment Club recently helped SP attain the President’s Award for the Environment 2010 in conjunction of mutual student-school support for greening the campus and raising awareness for our environment. But what does it mean to be in Environment Club (SP Env Club)? Is it just donning boots and treading in mud and sand? fullStoP talks to Ruskin Ong, President of Env Club.
Aiming to “advocate the environment messages and to raise awareness of the environmental issues to the SP population and public”, their focus is on environmental sustainability. Ruskin chuckles to have to explain it so formally. But it is not just a politically correct statement put forth, as it can be backed up by not only the Director of Architecture and Built Environment, but also SP’s principal. With many student-initiated green events under their belt (Earth Hour, Green Bazaar, etc), it is also no wonder they are highly commended.
Bernard Lim (left) and Ruskin Ong, the Prez of Environment Club.
For two years, Env Club has been involved in Hemisphere Foundation’s awareness campaigns for the environment. Volunteering for informative talks and presentations on climate change to secondary school students, Club members are trained by professionals from Hemisphere. Members have opportunities to participate in environment-related camps and “Actions for Earth” competitions; more than 600 teams took part in this year’s competition with SP Env Club first in outreach website presentations and second for the “perfect” green room model category.
Edward Giauw, who won the green room competition, said: “It definitely feels good to win the competition but nothing comes without hard work. In retrospect, our little escapade had a lot of ups and downs, but it’s all for the environment.” Needless to say, the many opportunities to make “green” happen are endless, but notwithstanding the degree of difficulty in achievements.
Heritage Tree trail in SP
Hosting down-to-earth events like Mangrove Salvation, Env Club allows students to work really close to nature and reforest swamps. Really closely. And besides the herb garden plots situated behind Moberly building, you can look forward to other green works: a tree house along the Eco-trail, bird houses to complement The Sanctuary at T7 and other efforts like butterfly and firefly conservations in the future. It seems there is nothing this candid group of students can’t think of.
Env Club members are as passionate about being environmentalists and saving Gaia. “Members who join events don’t just participate, but they also get involved. Even alumni are willing to return because of the support they get from school; SP is a good platform,” Ruskin said.
Collaborating events with other student clubs are also a means “to incorporate eco-friendly values into other clubs and so they don’t always stick to their club lifestyle”. Ruskin then goes on a barrage of ways that clubs can reduce their carbon footprint, like keeping the air-conditioner at 25°C or putting computers to hibernate after use…
QuickMark software in smartphones to scan barcodes for info of each tree.
When asked what superpower he would personally covet, Ruskin was honest though blatant: “Brainwashing powers to make the leaders of the world go green for real. Seriously! They can then work together to sustain nature socially and economically. I want to be a change agent; I am willing to push for change no matter how hard the work. All one would need is the passion and really wanting it to work.”
And so if you think you have got what it takes to weather the mud and rain to make your cause heard, look no further. Change is in your hands.
For more information, check out SP Env’s website at spenv.cca.sg.
FaceBook is http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/SPENV
