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Lift off for Circular Asia's PLAYnetarium Xperience!
The circular economy is complicated (learn about it here!), but it is necessary to build resilience and become sustainable as we move forward into an increasingly volatile world. So why not pick it up in a fun and engaging manner! That's what our friends at Circular Asia provide as they launch the first gamified circular economy programme in Singapore!
Using a gamified learning model, the PLAYnetarium Xperience takes abstract circular economy concepts into relatable, real-world scenarios so that players can understand how and why the circular economy and sustainable development are key to our economic development – especially as pandemics and resource fluctuations test the resilience and sustainability of our systems.
Curious and want to know more about Circular Asia? Head over to https://www.circular.sg/our-approach for more!
 
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iBuildSG Club launches its Smart Cities workshop!
Beyond the digital learning journeys and growing social media presence, our friends at iBuildSG Club are also stepping into the classroom to bring smart technology to the forefront of the next generation via their Smart Cities workshop!
As part of BCA’s iBuildSG initiative, this workshop allows participants to experience the possibilities of building the environment they want to see through STEM-based learning. In this past month, students at Bukit View Secondary enjoyed exploring the possibilities using sensors and Microbits programming.
Want to know more about building smart cities of the future? Head over to iBuildSG Club’s Instagram page @ibuildsgclub or join our telegram channel to learn more!
 
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On the digital frontier with Terra's virtual upcycling workshops!
Over the course of August, we conducted several digital workshops with participants from communities, schools and corporations! Though we may be apart, these live upcycling workshop sessions allow us to continue being a part of the sustainability movement by enabling participants to learn about environmental sustainability in a fun and hands-on manner!
From aesthetic bottle lamps to functional mask holders, participants could see that resources and materials can be used in more than one way. The participants also found upcycling, easy, engaging and educational – proof that anyone can practice sustainability right at home!
Besides leaving with an upcycled product, the participants had a great and fun time transforming their "waste" into something new – experiencing what upcycling really means.
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In the climate emergency, will there be enough food?
Hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and now a global pandemic are some of the things we as a global community have been experiencing with much difficulty. As climate risk continues to increase, how does this affect the food we put on our table?
On 16 August, the Climate Emergency: YOUth Action Webinar was held to address this very question: Will There Be Enough Food? Organised by Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre and supported by Youth Voices for Climate Action, the panel included representatives ranging from UNDP to Singapore Food Agency among others and moderated by our
co-founder, Kelvin Wong!
The panel delved into food security, going in-depth on how the pandemic revealed vulnerabilities in our food system which we need to address, as COVID19 was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the climate emergency. To become more resilient in the face of this, the panel encouraged everyone to buy local produce, to buy only what you need, and to continue to push for sustainability.
Catch the sharing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6R6jy2p5ac
to gain insight into this particular question and connect with us at www.terra.sg to find out more about what you can do to stop this climate emergency!
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Online sustainability education with a dash of variety!
Besides our virtual upcycling workshops, our friends at the Sustainable Singapore Gallery (SSG) also offers e-School Programmes – and it's FREE for all schools and learning centres in Singapore!
In August, almost 300 students have participated in the e-School Programme which highlights key points from the rich information available in the gallery; such as climate change, energy efficiency, water conservation and waste minimisation. This encourages active and interactive learning about sustainability for all students via digital platforms; which can be experienced right inside the classroom!
No matter what level the students are at, learning is easily digestible as the content is tailored to different learning levels. With activities such as trivia quizzes and a variety of upcycling workshops to choose from, schools can bring this fun and educational digital experience directly to students!
Register for the e-SSGSP via this link: http://tinyurl.com/essgsp. Remember to act fast - sessions are limited!
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The COVID-19 Plastic Tsunami and other worrying wash-ups
So here's the situation:
Before COVID-19, plastic waste was gaining awareness as zero waste initiatives and the BYO (bring-your-own) movement was building momentum in the public conscience. However, this came to a screeching halt as COVID-19 intensified; where dine-ins became scarce and single-use items were favoured over reusables to reduce contact with others.
In June, a survey was conducted by NUS Alumni on plastic waste over the two-month circuit breaker period. The result? We generated an extra 1,334 tonnes of plastic waste from takeaway and delivery meals – that's equivalent to the weight of 92 double-decker buses.
In July, sustainability advocate Samantha Thian found shocking amounts of trash along the East Coast during her morning exercises, with used masks being a clear indicator that it wasn't just some monsoon season flotsam causing this. As a result, Sam brought together the East Coast Beach Plan, a telegram group to facilitate informal beach clean-ups along the East Coast.
From early July to end August, a staggering 34 tonnes of trash was collected from East Coast alone – most of which was single-use plastics.
This pandemic clearly exacerbated this plastic waste issue, so what can we do to tackle this then? Besides the government and businesses implementing upstream measures to tackle this problem at its root, here are some things you can do to reduce waste as an individual!
1. Say No to What You Don't Need
One of the biggest ways to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place! Bring your own set of reusable items like straws, cutlery, bottles, takeaway containers and bags wherever you go so that you're always prepared to say NO to single-use items!
2. Upcycle What You Have
Sometimes, our things need a bit of jazzing up DIY style to be used again. Whether a simple repair or a whole refurbishment is needed, this method prevents your items going to waste either way. Interested to learn what you can upcycle? Check out our website here for more!
3. Recycle What You Cannot Use
Unfortunately, some items break beyond repair after multiple uses. The next best thing you can do is to recycle it so that the materials in the item can be recovered! Just make sure you recycle right!
Let’s face it. The Plastic Tsunami is scary. But if we all do our part, we can ride the waves towards a livable future. Only question remains: will you join us?
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The 7 Deadly Plastics
We've talked about reducing plastic waste by refusing first, reusing what we have and recycling when it cannot be used anymore. But... what types of plastic can be thrown into our recycling bins?
Firstly, we need to identify the type of plastic the item is. Find the little logo either on the bottom or on the label of your plastic item to figure out what type of plastic you're using,
then follow check this mini-guide to see which of the 7 types of plastic you can recycle!
Recyclable in Singapore
1 PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate)
This plastic is strong and air-tight, hence it is commonly used for drink bottles, microwavable containers and polyester clothing.
2 HDPE (High Density Polyethylene)
This plastic is frequently used in food packaging like milk bottles and is used for detergent bottles and insulation for wires.
5 PP (Polypropylene)
This plastic is strong and can withstand high temperatures. It is used for prescription bottles, disposable syringes and plastic bottle caps.
Cannot be Recycled
3 PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
This plastic is used for pipes, tiles, toys and credit cards. It should not be in contact with food as it is harmful when ingested.
4 LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene)
This plastic is more soft and flexible compared to HDPE, and is used for plastic bags, food packaging films and lamination pouches.
6 PS (Polystyrene)
Better known as styrofoam, PS may not be recyclable but its volume reduces by 90% when incinerated – taking up less space in the landfill!
7 Others
This includes all other types of plastics, including some notable ones like BPA (bisphenol A), PC (polycarbonate) and PLA (polylactide).
When we all do our part to sort our trash, we can make a big difference together. So remember to always recycle right!
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Next stop for iBuildSG Club's Digital Learning Journey:
NTU North Hill!
Enjoyed the virtual trip and learning experience at Marina Barrage? Well, stay tuned to their Instagram page @ibuildsgclub to catch their next journey to discover somewhere a little further out: NTU!
What's so special about the buildings in NTU's campus? Join us to check out this little-known location and uncover the many innovations tucked away in a world-class university and see what it is beyond being a place of residence for NTU students!
Stay tuned for the fourth instalment of iBuildSG Club's Digital Learning Journey series to learn more about our built environment. Follow their Instagram @ibuildsgclub for more!
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What A Waste! An SPH exhibition
What A Waste! is the first of six instalments in a series called National Engagement with Sustainability by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH). This exhibition focuses on climate change and its far-reaching impact on Singapore and the world, through the stories and features by The Straits Times climate change team.
The exhibition was welcomed by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Ministry of Transport, who attended a tour of this exhibition. The stories, photos and art of this exhibition showcased the impact of global waste and the importance of proper waste management and recycling.
Located at the Sustainable Singapore Gallery at the Marina Barrage, this series will run until December, but this instalment will be replaced with the next one by 30th September so do head down to check it out soon!
For more information, do visit our friends at the Sustainable Singapore Gallery for updates and follow their social media for other exciting activities they have on – Facebook ssgallery.sg and Instagram @ssgallery.sg !
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Missed out on past EcoBytes series? Fret not, check out the
EcoBytes microsite!
Missed out on Sustainable Singapore Gallery's first two instalments of the EcoBytes series? Don't worry, we've launched our EcoBytes microsite here: https://www.terra.sg/ecobytes so that you can catch the recording of past programmes and find out more!
Featuring exciting workshops and discussions with leaders and members in the local sustainability community, EcoBytes is for everybody and it is free! With easy sustainable lifestyle tips that you can use at home to in-depth insights into the different areas of sustainability, there will be something for you every programme!
Do check it out as they will also be updating the site when more episodes air in the near future. Follow Sustainable Singapore Gallery for updates on this exciting series on their social media pages – Facebook ssgallery.sg and Instagram @ssgallery.sg !
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