Charities to get help on ways to save energy

Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 6 Jun 09;

CRAWLING through mangroves. Making music from trash and saving power were just a few of the ways Singapore celebrated World Environment Day (WED) yesterday.

Established by the United Nations in 1972, WED's theme this year was Your Planet Needs You - UNite to Combat Climate Change.

Bringing efforts closer to home, the National Environment Agency (NEA) gave charities a boost, announcing it will train its staff volunteers to advise them on energy-saving measures to cut electricity bills.

The move is part of the 10% Energy Challenge campaign launched last year to get consumers to cut unnecessary energy consumption.

Five charities are currently in talks with the NEA about the energy audits which will start later this year.

Standard Chartered Bank will also back the campaign by encouraging its staff in Singapore and overseas to also reduce their energy bills by 10 per cent.

NEA chief executive officer Andrew Tan wants more businesses to follow suit.

'Last year household energy consumption dropped by 2 per cent and we are continuing with the campaign over the next few years to meet our target of 10 per cent,' said an NEA spokesman.

Stamping their mark for WED, HSBC took its employees' children to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve for nature walks and an adventure race through the mangroves.

Panasonic also launched its eco ideas roadshow, which will be on display at Suntec City's tropical atrium until tomorrow.

The show uses interactive displays to demonstrate the efficiency of the company's latest electrical products.

The Singapore Environment Council (SEC) encouraged organisations to go green for Eco Action Day, its annual event to mark WED.

To take part, companies pledge to carry out conservation activities such as switching off all the lights in the office during lunch time.

The SEC also screened a one-off presentation of the charity movie premiere Home.

The film is a follow-up from Yann Arthus-Bertrand's international photo exhibition Earth From Above, which SEC co-organised back in 2003.

Home, narrated by Glenn Close, was released in more than 50 countries simultaneously - a first for the film industry.

A Green Generation Concert was also held yesterday at the Botanic Gardens to raise awareness of the need for conservation.

Aimed at Singapore's youth, it featured a Stomp performance using recycled materials as well as opportunities to meet famed primate expert Dr Jane Goodall.

vvaughan@sph.com.sg