YEP It's LEAP

23 August 2008 marks the LEAP. Not having little froggies hopping around, but rather L.E.A.P - Leading Expeditions: A Problem?

L.E.A.P. is the first networking and resource sharing platform that Youth Expedition Project (YEP) is organizing specially for student leaders who are keen to embark on the journey of leading teams abroad for Overseas Community Service Projects.


A huge crowd of 110 youth leaped on down to *Scape Youth Centre for the event!


They were treated to a feast of experiences and information from YEP alumni and staff. It started off with a simple ice breaker by Jared. Having spilt the participants into countries of their interest or involvement, the youth not only exchanged names but also information and experiences with each other. There was so much to discuss that they had to be stopped for the next segment.

First up was the all time experienced and familiar Mr. Goh Ann Tat (Below left). "Why take the LEAP? - Are you there to save the world?" was his focus. His informative and interesting presentation sure got everyone start thinking of their journey.



Next it was a sharing session by ex-leaders Jonathan and Boon Kian (Above right) on their project, " Project First Step" which was done last year. Plenty of photos flashed across the screen and captivated the participants for sure.


Most important part was up next - Tea Break!! Oops, should I say Networking Tea Break. The word 'Networking' should be more important, also considering the fact that it comes before the words' Tea Break' or not in parenthesis. Enough said, photo speaks louder than words.


Intermission over and it's sharing Part II. Khariyah shared her project (Amor) experience and things that you will come across and learn throughout the project. It was really nice to have someone speaking so passionately.


Next up was me for Project Sirius... and I must say it was not well done. Didn't have time to do any ppt, so I marked down on a piece of paper what I wanted to touch on and shared. Lesson learnt for me... but I was right in one thing - no one in the room was going to do projects on conservation and environment. After asking the participants and receiving a null response, I turned and looked at Dawn and Shu Hui and said, "See... I told you so!" and we bursted out laughing. Of course, the publicity for such projects started, with the indication of the article I wrote for the first YEP journal.


Up next was a YEP veteran, who has led 7 projects - Jared, along with Zheng Ping, another experienced leader. They talked about the Guerrilla Guide and Expedition.SG. They also shared on the various resources and yahoo groups that are available. No doubts they are the YEP professionals.


Last but not the least, YEP sharing on application process, training & resources and the new mentorship programme. Interestingly staged, Dawn, Shu Hui, Siti and Yasmin put up a skit to intrigue the audience. A breath of fresh air I must say!

All in all, the presenters put up a good show and I'm sure the participants enjoyed and benefited from it. So I can conclude that the goal of YEP - 'Return Richer', was met.

Turn OFF your LIGHTS!

TurnOFFyourLIGHTS!
Originally uploaded by sarabcanada

EARTH HOUR 2008

What is Earth Hour?
Originally started in Sydney in March 2007, Earth Hour is a movement to urge people to take action against climate change by turning off all electrical appliances, including lights, for an hour on 29th March in all schools and homes nationwide. Last year, 2.2 million Australians and 2,100 Sydney businesses turned off their electrical appliances that day, including major Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, resulting in wide media coverage over the significance of the event in a bid to slow down global warming.

As a result, many other major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, thus turning a symbolic event into a global movement. To reach out even more extensively to the general public—even that of different nationalities—a website, www.earthhour.org, has even been set up to offer more information about the event and how one can do his or her part.

Indeed, Earth Hour aims to rally people to take a stand against one of the greatest threat our planet is facing— drastic climate change as a dire consequence of global warming. As a global initiative, it emphasizes the point that taking a simple action can culminate into significant results, as Earth Hour mainly seeks to engage as many households, communities and businesses by simply appealing to turn off the lights and electrical devices for one hour on 29 March 2008 from 8pm to 9 pm. Locals in Singapore are slowly gaining awareness of this event. With the usually bright, cosmopolitan buzz of the city in darkness for that one hour, a very powerful message about the pressing need for action on global warming by reducing carbon emissions can be thus conveyed to the general public, hence raising awareness on the importance of environmental conservation as a whole.

Why Take Part in Earth Hour?
Environmental conservation, in our point of view, is paramount, simply because all living organisms – humans, plants and animals alike – will be adversely affected if we continue to exhaust Earth’s non-renewable resources. It starts at home – indeed, turning off all electrical appliances for an hour for just one day in an entire year may seem too simplistic and superficial to overcome the massive problem of global warming, but then again, how long more can one afford to stall if one doesn’t start now to do his or her part now?

The environment is fragile and susceptible to change, and increasing consumption in Earth’s resources has become an extremely pressing problem. In the case of electricity, non-renewable fuels such as coal and oil are burnt to generate the latter. However, their high carbon content causes a large amount of carbon dioxide to be emitted into the atmosphere. The rate at which such fuels are being burnt is thus resulting in a rise in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, thus a main factor resulting in the greenhouse effect, and subsequently global warming and the adverse effects that comes with the latter, such as drastic climatic change.

One’s simple, albeit extremely meaningful act of completely turning off all her household electrical appliances for a mere hour, especially when done proactively as a communal effort, can go a long way against climate change. At the same time, Earth Hour reinforces the fact that we have to contribute collectively to protect the Earth as our home, instilling a sense of responsibility and duty in everyone that a little bit would go a long way. The most ideal message that we can put across to every Singaporean through this movement could perhaps be, “Have an Earth Hour Everyday! (HEHE)”

Electrical appliance - Watts used per hour
Stereo - 22
TV - 100
DVD player - 12
Computer Monitor - 70
Laptop - 29
Handphone phone charger - 5

The appliances listed above do not seem to use up too significant an amount of watts per hour when in use. However, when total household electrical usage of all households in Singapore is added together for just one hour, the number of watts used can amount to a significant sum. With that in mind, imagine what switching off all electrical appliances for just one hour can do to the environment if this is done on a national scale!

What Can We Do?
All staff and students can play their part by taking action today.
· Endorse Earth Hour by pledging to take part in Earth Hour.
· Switch off lights & other electrical appliances at home for one hour on 29 Mar from 8 – 9pm.
· Switch off all electrical appliances on 28 Mar before leaving the school. Leaving them on sleep mode would mean they still are continually consuming electricity.
· Invite your friends and relative to take part
· Convince your parents, friends and relatives to promote this event at their own homes, workplaces and schools

*Done by students in the Roots & Shoots LYFE group at Raffles Girls School .

News Flash - Northern Exposure, 30-ha site in Mandai to be nature retreat

TODAY (Pg. 2), Wednesday, 21 November 2007.
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/223211.asp

Nature retreat. Nice idea, but on the already space-limited island? Mandai? Is it going to be near the Central Catchment Reserve? If so, will another case like in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) happen again?

I did another research project along side my final year project and it was pertaining to BTNR's history and present condition. As Singapore was plagued by social trend of having developments near green spots, invasions have been taking place around the reserve.

As of the latest statistics, a total of 14 condominiums, all within 2 kilometers of BTNR, are developed or in the process of completion and they have a total projected residency of about 15,000 people (Chatterjea et al., 2007). Imagine the kind of impact this has on the reserve. There is always a limit to the carrying capacity of a reserve. Due to Singapore's location near the Equatorial Convergence Zone, BTNR used to have the richest biodiversity in the world. Partial credits to such urban and industrial development, gone along with some of the forests was the rich diversity of fauna and flora (Ooi, 1998).

Perhaps, before we are going to be more 'developed', we should consider the plight of our very own Nature. You can't 'develop' Nature as you wish.

References:
Chatterjea, K. et al, 2007. Development and environment: The constant battle. In Ooi, G.L., Chatterjea, K., Chang, C.H. and Lim, K.Y.T., Geographies of a changing world: Global issues in the early 21st century. (pp 145-178). Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Ooi, G.L., 1998. Environment and the city. Sharing Singapore’s experience and future challenges. Singapore: Federal Publications (S) Pte Ltd, pp. 1-12, 185-199.

News Flash - Sentosa, Schools To Jointly Restore Primary Forest

Decided to put up another label called News Flash, describing any relevant issues. And here's the first.

TODAY (Pg. 8), Tuesday, 20 November 2007.

"The Sentosa Leisure Group is embarking on a project to restore a primary forest on the resort island for the first time. It will invest an initial $200,000 to kick off its efforts and has roped in 150 pupils to help write this green chapter in the history books.

With guidance from Sentosa and nature experts, nine schools have adopted plots across 12 to 15 hectares to grow native plant species from around the region.

Sentosa's nature reserve now comprise essentially secondary coastal forests, some of which are rather sparse and low in quality, resulting from historical clearing of the forest in the early 19th Century."

Hmmm... restoring primary forest? Is it possible to restore a primary forest other than just letting nature take its course? Once you touch it, doesn't it just become another secondary patch...? Just wondering...

Description of primary forest from Greenfacts:
Primary forests are forests of native tree species, where there are no clearly visible indications of human activities and the ecological processes are not significantly disturbed.