GW Seminar @ Starlite Printers (20 Apr)

Ms Agnes Lim from Starlite Printers invited GW Study group to present on environmental topic during their Supplier Day event. This is the 4^th time (over 3 years) Starlite Printers invited us to speak during their company event.

For this event, Mr Low presented on issues such as Protection of the Ocean (reduce Over-fishing, shark-fin ban), Protection of Forest, Biodiversity losses, Human’s Ecological footprint, Animal Factory farming, and reducing meat consumption to preserve Earth’s eco-systems, and conserve the planet’s food & water resources.

40 Starlite suppliers and staffs attended the event.

Mr Low and Starlite HR Manager, Mdm Jeryln Low

Feedback from Starlite:

“Very inspiring and eye-opening. Provides a solution to save the world and human. Great Job, Well Done!”      

-  Mr Bob Ngoo, Logistics Manager, Starlite Printers      

“Well prepared and great presentation skills in your delivery of the message”  

-  Ms Agnes Lim, Starlite Printers

                

GW Seminar @ Hwa Chong Institute (20 Apr)

Mr Eugene Chua, Assistant Director (iSpark), Hwa Chong Institution, invited GW Study group to conduct a 45 mins seminar to 350 Sec 1 to Sec 4 iSpark students on 20 Apr. The parent of a Hwa Chong student attended a GW talk in 2011 and strongly recommended the talk to Mr Eugene Chua.

On 20 Apr, GW team members arrived at Hwa Chong Institute and distributed Climate change booklets, Climate change DVDs (which contains interviews with climate scientists) and GW web-resource handouts to 350 students attending the seminar.

During the GW seminar, Mr Low presented on the effects of Climate change on the world (including Arctic Ice melt, Sea level rise, Extreme Weather patterns, droughts/ floods etc). He showcased various solutions that scientists recommended to curb climate change. (i.e. Afforestation, Eat less meat, Organic farming, Green energy, 3Rs) Hwa Chong students listened attentively during the GW seminar.

Mr Eugene Chua wrote the following feedback after the seminar.

“The talk conducted by Mr Low highlights the seriousness of the situation for our planet. The message was put very clearly to our students. More importantly, it gives them a practical solution, which they can carry out to try and curb global warming effectively. ”

Assembly Talk & Booth @ Radin Mas Primary (18 Apr)

Ms Edith Tng Chee Lay from Radin Mas Primary invited GW Study Group to set up a booth in the school and conduct an assembly talk to P3 to P6 students on 18 Apr.
Team members reach Radin Mas Primary at 9am to set up a booth. We manned the booth from 9 till 12pm. 

Mr Low conducted the assembly talk from 1 to 1:30pm. Ms Edith Tng commented that the talk make good use of videos to engage the students.

Students’ Feedback:
I have learnt that because of Global Warming, Tsunami can occur, Droughts can happen and people may starve to death. I really like the talk as interesting clips are shown to attract the listeners.
– Shern Farhana, RMPS Student

I like the talk. It is very meaningful and tell us about global warming. I can help by reusing plastic bags. – Lim Ker Yu, RMPS Student

The talk was amazing. I now know that Global Warhming can harm the Earth. I can help to eat more vegetables instead of meat.     – Rohit, RMPS Student

The talk was interesting. I want to save Mother Earth! 

- Alister Wan Seuw Yin, RMPS Student

Assembly Talk & Booth @ Sembawang Primary (16 Apr)

As part of the Earth Day celebration event, Mrs Nurhidayah from Sembawang Primary School, invited GW Study group to set up a booth and conduct assembly talks to the school cohort on 16 Apr.

Team members reach Sembawang Primary at 9am to set up a booth. We manned the booth from 9 till 2pm.

Mr Low conducted 2 Assembly talks for the school. (An assembly talk for P3-P6 students and a simplified one for P1-P2 students)

Mrs Nurhidayah wrote the following comment on the 2 assembly talks:

“The assembly talks are very informative. (Especially on the relationship between water consumption and food production) It is visually engaging with good use of videos and pictures. Appropriate content is pitched to different levels for the 2 talks.”

Students’ Feedback:

I like the presentation. It is very interesting. I have learn a lot about Global Warming

              . – Syarwina Ridwan, Student

The talk gives me more information about Global Warming. I have learn how to protect the Earth.

-  Mohammad Hafizh / Bryan, Students

I like the talk. I learn not to cut down the trees and eat less hamburger.    – Hu Yu Kun, Student

GW Seminar @ NTU (12 Apr)

Professor Patrick Chan, NTU lecturer, invited Mr Low to NTU to conduct a GW seminar to 40 EEE (Electrical & Electronics Engineering) undergraduates on 12 Apr. Students listen attentively to the presentation and responded very well to the seminar.

The following are some feedbacks from the undergraduates:

* Good example of converting data into something we can imagine. I’m part of the committee in NTU’s environmental club “Earthlink’. Perhaps we can co-operate in some way to help the environment. e.g Activities in campus. Thanks

 – Chung Shi Huan, EEE undergraduate

*I think this seminar is very useful and serves as a very good reminder to fortunate people like us. I strongly suggest that such seminars should be strongly promoted to bring more awareness to the public. I believe that with such reminders, people will and can do their own part and help to reduce meat consumption. Thank you for this seminar
- Tan Sze Jia, EEE student

  

 *It is a very informative seminar and more information of this will greatly improve the environmental awareness of people. I don’t mind going veggie for one day a week to help the environment.                                             – Goh Ning Gang, EEE student

*Well structured, very informative and incredibly positive. Thoroughly enjoyable, leading to me certainly changing my life. Thank you. This alone makes my fees worthwhile.          

                                                         -   Dale Carter (UK), EEE undergraduate   

家庭讲座 (3月24日)

Mdm Glow, 一位热衷于环保的人士，邀请刘先生到家里举办一场华语讲座。25名家庭成员出席这场讲座。Mdm Glow 还特意订购素食晚餐，款待前来听讲座的家庭成员。

圣安德烈初级学院华文讲座 (3月20日)

圣安德烈初级学院 (St Andrew JC) 的黄映红老师邀请全球暖化研究小组在3月20日到圣安德烈初院举办华文讲座。

组员在下午1点到达圣安德烈初院摆设摊位，展示环保讯息和分发环保手册。华文讲座在下午3.45开始，到 4.30结束。400名修读华语的学生出席讲座。

在圣安德烈初级学院，组员们受到圣安德烈初院华文部老师的热情款待，让我们深受鼓舞。（毕竟还是有许多教师/学生关心环保课题的 :>）


以下是老师/ 学生们给于我们的一些反馈：

感谢您和团队到来分享。说真的，我打从心里佩服你们的精神，这个地球真的需要很多像你们这样的人，只可惜这是个功利主义的社会，人们不懂得自然环保，更不懂得心灵环保。请继续努力，地球能够感受您的关怀！加油！
- 黄映红老师，华文老师，圣安德烈初院。

讲座提供了学生一些有用的讯息。资料、数据充足。谢谢你们的努力！
-Jiang Li, 华文老师，圣安德烈初院。

学生们的反馈：
*最大的收获是更深入了解地球暖化的原因。
*我学到全球暖化有多严重，而且我们都应该支持环保
*我学到在自己的生活中做出小小的改变，能对地球有很大的影响。
*知道地球暖化会带来多少灾害，并且让我知道我能够怎样出一份力来延缓地球暖化。
*我学到地球温度上升对动物和人们有多大的影响。我也了解到吃很多肉对地球的影响。尤其是牛肉，因为生产牛肉最消耗资源。

Student’s feedback：
- The talk let us know why saving the planet is essential. It is interesting because Mr Low offered a lot of visual learning points. (videos)

- It has made me much more aware of the urgency of climate change and the importance for individual responsibility of being a global citizen to help solve the problem of depleting nature of the earth.

- I learnt even more ways to save the environment. In addition, I got to understand how vulnerable the world is due to inconsiderate acts by human.

- The earth really needs our attention because of so much harm we as humans have done to it.

- I learnt to cherish our environment and how important it is for us to take care and be responsible for it!

Assembly Talk & Booth @ Northland Primary (19 Mar)

Mrs Prema Suresh, Environment co-ordinator in Northland Primary School, invited GW Study group to conduct an Assembly talk and set up a booth in NL Primary on 19 Mar. This is the second time NL Primary has invited Mr Low to conduct an Assembly talk.

Mr Low spoke of protecting the ocean (reduce overfishing), protecting the forest (plant trees, reduce cattle farms in Amazon rainforest) & reducing the environment impact of animal factory farms. He also introduced various environmental heroes such as Sea shepherd (Ocean protector) & Dr Jane Goodall (Forest protector) to the students. At the end of the presentation Mr Low requested the students to support Earth Hour by switching off lights for 1 hr (8.30 to 9.30pm) on 31 Mar.                                                   
The talk was very well received by Northland Primary School.

Some feedbacks from teachers and students on the Assembly talk are as follows:

Principal/ Teacher’s feedback 
It is good to raise students’ awareness of how their lifestyle impacts global warming by bringing the message to schools.
- Mr Teoh Tiong Sau, Principal of Northland Primary

The talk was very informative and pupils were captivated. It was a good talk.
- Mr Ganesan Arumugan, Teacher, NLPS

Students’ Feedback: 
The talk during assembly made me very regretful because human is destroying Mother Earth. I love this talk a lot also because I learnt more things that I can do to save Mother Earth. I will do my part by sharing all the things that is happening on Mother Earth to my friends and parents and also try not to eat meat every day. – Janelle Tan, NLPS student

I enjoyed the Global warming seminar because it spread awareness about global warming. I have learnt that overfishing causes extinction of many species of fishes. I will eat less meat and plant more trees.
 – Raymond Lim Wei, NLPS student

I like the Global Warming Seminar. I have learnt that we must help Mother Earth and not harm her. I will not eat big fishes like Tuna and Sharks fin. – Claire Ng, NLPS student

I love the talk, I learnt that we must conserve energy and eat less beef, tuna, shark fin and mutton. I would help by switching off the light when not in use. – Shinji, NLPS student

The video clips were interesting. I also learnt how to save planet earth. It was fun!
– Neha Basak, NLPS student

Pro-Teach Bukit Batok GW talks (15 Mar 2012)

Mr Low with Ms Fiona Pea

Ms Peggy Ong, CEO of Pro-teach Education Group, invited Mr Low to conduct 2 Global Warming talks at Pro-teach student care center (Bukit Batok branch) on 15 Mar. Mr Low presented a GW talk to the P4 to P6 students. A simplified version was presented to the P1-P3 students.

Ms Fiona Pea, Business & Operations Director of Pro-teach (Bukit Batok Branch), wrote the following feedback on the sessions:

Thank you, Mr Low for the informative session on environment. I felt the first video, which show the children how wonderful our Earth is (before what happens to Earth now), is very appropriate. The content was light hearted and suitable for the lower primary too. Relevant questions were asked before proceeding to the topic to make the students understand the situation better. (e.g. would we use the food we have to feed humans or the animals etc.)

华社自助理事会(CDAC) 乐龄午餐活动 (3月10日)

华社自助理事会(CDAC)义工联系与发展执行员王明利女士邀请全球暖化研究小组参加华社3月份在菜市联络所举办的乐龄午餐活动。为了支持环保，华社为今年的乐龄午餐活动订购了素食午餐。

在3月10日，有200位乐龄人士、250位小学生和70位义工出席这个乐龄午餐。活动当天，全球暖化研究小组成员在联络所摆设摊位，展示环保讯息。刘先生也和组员婷婷、伟滔到台上呈现10分钟的环保短剧。短剧简略地展示全球暖化对世界的影响，并提倡人们通过减低肉类饮食来减低碳排放，并保护世界的粮食和食水资源。



这次的乐龄午餐的由‘爱家’素食餐馆 (Loving Hut) 包办，提供的佳肴包括素春卷、梅菜和素沙爹等。参加这次活动的人，都对美味的素食佳肴留下深刻的印象。

Assembly Talk @ Fernvale Gardens School on 09 Mar

Mrs Gina Ng invited Mr Low to conduct an environment assembly talk to 200 students in Fernvale Gardens School. The talk is geared towards P1 & P2 level for the students in the school.

Teachers’ feedback:
Your assembly talk to our students have created an impact and help them understand better the everyday choices and implications these choices impacts and causes global warming, hurting the environment and subsequently life on the planet. The use of visuals and animation is helpful and attention grabbing. It helps to capture our pupils attention and help them understand the abstract concept of global warming. The half hour sessions was just nice for our students especially for those with short attention span.

Thank you for your sharing. I hope that with these information, the students will bring back home the necessary information in order that the families will be able to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Eco-Singapore Movie Screening “Food Inc” @ One Marina Boulevard on 22 Feb

Eco-Singapore & Young NTUC organized a movie screening “Food Inc” on 22 Feb 2012 to increase the public’s awareness of how our food get from the farms to the consumer.

To increase the participant’s understanding of food issues, Eco-Singapore invited 2 guest speakers to speak on the occasion:
1. Mr Low (from GW study Group) spoke on the environmental impacts of factory farms.
2. Mr Woon Tien Wei (from Post-Museum) spoke on the Soup Kitchen Project – A Project which helps to provide food (once a week) for the needy at Little India.

On 22 Feb, 25 participants attended the event.
After watching the movie, many participants realized that the animal factory farming industry is profit-driven. The industry produces the most food at the shortest time possible but it neglects the welfare of the animals and jeopardized the consumer’s health.

During the discussion session after the movie, participants raised many questions regarding factory farms, organic farming and GMO food. Mr Low urged everyone to go back to nature, eat natural food, and follow the natural diet for humans (which consist of mostly vegetables, grains and fruits). He quoted Gandhi’s famous words “Nature has enough resources to provide for humans’ needs, BUT not for humans’ Greed.” Many participants agreed with that.

Youth Climate Change Forum @ NUS on 16 Feb 2012

Mr Tan Hang Chong from Nature Society send a Facebook invitation to Mr Low to attend a Youth Climate Change Forum held in NUS on 16 Feb 2012.
The forum is organized by NUS Students Against Violation of the Earth (SAVE) and Political Association (PA), with support from National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS).

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, is the speaker of the event. He share the Government's positions, constraints and trade-offs regarding climate change and its impact on Singapore. Dr Vivan Balakrishnan mentioned that the major producers of Green house gases are China, US and India. In comparison, Singapore produces less than 1% of the world’s green house gas. However, we would continue to do our part to reduce green house gas emissions.
Dr Vivan encourages students to reduce energy usage, save electricity, design energy-efficient buildings etc to curb climate change.

During the forum, Mr Low point out that meat production causes about 20% of the world’s green house gases emission. Meat production also uses 5 to 80 times more water and 3 to 8 times more food compared to vegetable production. He suggests that the government can promote meatless days to the people as a way to reduce carbon footprint and conserve the food and water resource of the world.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan acknowledged that meat production uses up much more resources than vegetable production and the most eco-friendly diet is a plant-based diet. He mentioned that NGOs can conduct more forums to educate the public on the environmental impacts of various diets and health benefits of a more plant-based diet.

Mr Bill Clinton on reducing Methane to curb climate change

In Apr 2011, former US president Mr Bill Clinton speaks about the effects of Climate change on water and food resources. He also speaks about the advantage of reducing short-term green house gas such as Methane & Black carbon (as compared to reducing Carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere.

He cited a UN Feb 2011 report ('Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone') which informs that making an aggressive effort to reduce Methane & Black Carbon in the atmosphere would buy the world another 20 years to deal with the CO2 issue.

Animal agriculture causes 36% of Global Methane emissions.
Burning forest caused 40% of black carbon emissions.

Thus, to reduce Methane and Black Carbon, we need to reduce animal industry and reduce the burning of forest
......

For more info, pls read the following News Article : "Global warming rate could be halved by controlling 2 pollutants, UN study says"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/global-warming-can-be-halved-study-finds/2011/02/23/ABw6CkI_story.html"

Cleaning the air would limit short-term climate warming"
http://climate.nasa.gov/news/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=482&Print=Yes

Meet-Up @ Vegan Burg (09 Dec)

Global Warming Study group organized a meet-up @ Vegan Burg on 09 Dec.
14 people attended the Meet-up.

Attendees included:
Lynda Young, who pioneers a cycling movement in Singapore.
Cai Li, who runs a business selling clothes made from recycled plastic bottles.
Khloie Tan, a primary school teacher.
Lee Kang Hua, who leads a community garden in IMH.

Elaine Sam, an enthusiastic student leader in Singapore Poly’s Environment Club.
Joyce & Ong Chin Leng. NTU undergraduates who provides tuition service for students. Website: http://www.sofachievers.com/
(Joyce is also a youth leader who promotes environmental awareness among youths.)

We discussed many environmental topics (from factory farms to community gardening/ from Global warming to Veg Diet to reduce green house gas.) We also discussed on how to spread the green message to the public. :> It was a fruitful session and we are delighted to meet so many like-minded youths who are concern of the environment.