More student organisations collaborating to create clean and green environment

Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 24 Mar 14;

SINGAPORE: More student organisations are collaborating in ground-up initiatives to create a cleaner and greener environment.

This comes on the back of government efforts to empower youths to create a sustainable community.

One example is the South West Youth ECo Challenge Fund -- which was launched in January -- where youths can get funding to develop environmental campaigns.

Some 500 students and staff of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are taking part in Greenfest Envisage.

It aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and get more people to take up environmentally-friendly measures.

Participants will better understand green activities such as recycling and nature guiding.

The event, which takes place from March 24-26, is organised by environmental club EarthlinkNTU in collaboration with student organisations, companies and research institutions.

Dr Amy Khor, Mayor of South West District and Senior Minister of State for Health, graced the opening ceremony on Monday.

Ryan Jin Zhanhe, president of EarthlinkNTU, said: "This year, NTU has initiated a collaboration with the other universities' environmental club. The project, Ditch Da Disposable, will push for the student activities to reduce the use of disposables in their events, such as cutlery, containers and cups.

“We would like to use this campaign to encourage student activities to reduce the use of disposables and eventually push this round to all other student activities as well, with the key idea -- to green ourselves before we can green others."

- CNA/ms