Qiuyi Tan Channel NewsAsia 3 Jun 11;
SINGAPORE : Three environment champions - Dr Tan Wee Kiat of NParks, transport provider SMRT, and Woodgrove Secondary School - have been recognised with Singapore's highest "green" honour - the President's Award for the Environment.
Dr Tan played a key role in the gazetting of two nature reserves - Sungei Buloh Wetlands and Labrador Park - and improved access to them with projects like the Park Connector Network, so that people can better appreciate Singapore's green spots.
Now retired, the National Parks Board's (NParks) first CEO said it was an uphill task getting Singaporeans to recognise and value nature as part of national heritage.
"This is a constant battle even till today, where not only from the private sector that sees the nature reserves occupying valuable land from which a monetary value can be abstracted. When you are stewards of nature, you are stewards of Singapore's natural heritage and that is something that requires a long view," said Dr Tan, advisor to the NParks Board.
Dr Tan also led the rejuvenation of the Botanic Gardens, now a premier institution of tropical botany.
He said: "We all contribute in our own little ways. And there is no, I suppose, missionary zeal, in that effort so much. All our efforts are based on self-interest; it just so happens that my self-interest encompasses a broader aspect of our environment."
Over at SMRT, its Green Committee drives the environmental cause throughout the organisation with programmes like the SMRT Eco Heroes, a competition to conserve water and energy, and boost recycling.
And it's not just recycling of paper.
Dawn Low, VP of Commercial Business at SMRT said: "During our mid-life train upgrade, we have a lot of seats which would otherwise go to waste and into the bin. However our staff were very creative, they converted the train seats into benches at the pantry area so that our colleagues can rest in between their shift duties.
"We also donated a couple of train seats to Skate Park so that the public can enjoy (them) and do street art on them."
As for Woodgrove Secondary, hands-on learning about environmental conservation is an integral part of its Geography and Science curricula.
Woodgrove also runs Green camps and workshops for students from other schools.
- CNA /ls
Ex-NParks chief honoured with top environment award
Jessica Cheam Straits Times 3 Jun 11;
A BEAUTIFUL orchid - a gift from his father to his mum - sowed the seeds of his love affair with nature.
Dr Tan Wee Kiat went on to pursue a career in it, leading efforts to develop green spaces in Singapore - an initiative he started in 1990 while helming the National Parks Board (NParks).
From developing the Botanic Gardens into a reputable botanical institution in Asia, to setting up a National Orchid Garden that has become one of the best in the world, projects completed under his watch made sure this little red dot remained green despite its relentless building pace.
For his contributions, Dr Tan, 68, was awarded the President's Award for the Environment by President S R Nathan at a ceremony at the Istana last night. The two other winners were SMRT and Woodgrove Secondary School - recognised for their efforts as environmental leaders.
Mr Cedric Foo, chairman of the award's evaluation committee and an MP, said there was more competition this year for the awards - with 27 nominations, up from 19 last year - and the decision was not easy. 'But all three winners this year stood out for their contributions that went beyond the call of duty,' he said.
Dr Tan, who was NParks' CEO from 1996 to 2006, explained his passion for nature and its preservation: 'There's a constant battle to preserve that bit of nature that we have at the heart of Singapore... and there's always a threat to it.'
He is now adviser to NParks and CEO of Gardens by the Bay.
SMRT, whose award was received by its chief executive Saw Phaik Hwa, was commended for its consistent efforts to reduce its impact on the environment.
The company has managed to reduce its carbon footprint for each passenger from 13.2g per passenger kilometre in the financial year 2010 to 12.8g this year.
Woodgrove Secondary School stood out for the judges for the strong environmental streak in its curriculum. The school has seen its students participating in activities such as weeding and planting in parts of the Mandai Nature Reserve.
Said its principal Sung Mee Har: 'What we hope is that, like how Dr Tan's seed was planted by the sight of a mere flower, we can also plant the seeds in our students to inculcate a consideration for the environment.'
Three 'green' champions win President's Award for Environment
Qiuyi Tan Today Online 3 Jun 11;
SINGAPORE - As the first chief executive officer of the National Parks Board, Dr Tan Wee Kiat had the uphill task of getting Singaporeans to recognise and value nature as part of the national heritage - a task that remains challenging today.
Dr Tan - one of the three environment champions to receive Singapore's highest "green" honour, the President's Award for the Environment - said that, even now, the private sector for one tends to view nature reserves as occupying valuable land, from which a monetary value could be extracted.
He maintained: "When you are stewards of nature, you are stewards of Singapore's natural heritage and that is something that requires a long view."
Now retired, Dr Tan played a key role in the gazetting of two parks as nature reserves - the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Labrador Park. He also improved access to them with projects like the Park Connector Network so that people could better appreciate Singapore's green spots.
Dr Tan also led the rejuvenation of the Botanic Gardens, now a premier institution of tropical botany. "We all contribute in our own little ways. All our efforts are based on self-interest. It just so happens that my self-interest encompasses a broader aspect of our environment," he said with a cheerful laugh.
The other two winners were SMRT and Woodgrove Secondary School, where hands-on learning about environment conservation is an integral part of the geography and science curricula. The school also runs green camps and workshops for students from other schools.
Over at SMRT, its Green Committee drives the environmental cause throughout the organisation, with programmes like the SMRT Eco Heroes, a competition to conserve water and energy and boost recycling.
And when the company upgraded its trains, many of the seats would have been thrown out if not for the resourceful staff, who converted the train seats into benches in the pantry area so that their colleagues could rest in between their shift duties, said SMRT vice-president for commercial business Dawn Low.
A couple of train seats were also donated to Skate Park for the public to rest on - and to also practise street art on them.
Ms Low said SMRT engineers were very creative, fashioning many things out of old train parts. "We've had planters, we've got flower pots, and it's all in the spirit of recycling and also waste minimisation," she said.
