1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?
The school computers were our greatest friends, helping us surf the internet, followed by books at the local public library. Friends with whom we discussed too were a source of information along with the local news paper.
2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.
We first contacted the Ministry of Environment through email and Ms Yang Hong who is the Senior Environmental Health Executive from the Resource Conservative Department of the National Environment Agency. Ms Yang was very quick to respond and contact our teacher about our project. She provided us the link to questions we raised about waste statistics and recycling rate. We also contacted a hospital about our recycling project and threw in a suggestion on how to avoid wastage of plastic bags for wet umbrellas through a recycling bin. Our suggestion was indeed taken seriously by the National Environment Agency. We also visited the East Coast beach with both our teachers where we organized a clean up operation of the beach through clearing plastic bags and bottles. Flyers were also issued to stallholders in our school, hawker centre and shopping mall at Ang Mo Kio about being environment friendly through discouraging the use of plastic bags and instead using paper bags or better still bringing your own bags.
3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?
Students did the beach clean up with a greater sense of dedication.
We received word of praise through email from Ms Yang Hong who is the Senior Environmental Health Executive from the Resource Conservative Department of the National Environment Agency of our zeal for a better environment.
Students from other classes also praised us in our effort.
Friends from other classes were keen to join in the discussion too and help in the project. Some of the lower secondary students were also keen to participate in our project and hope they can carry the pursuit of a friendly environment next year through the beach cleanup.
The community was also supportive and receptive to our desire for a cleaner and litter free society.
4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?
Miss Far made this project possible through her valuable assistance in helping create our website. We created the artworks, research materials, did our PowerPoint presentations engaged in Community Involvement Projects while Miss Far provided the technical support we needed. We also had support from our school and our CIP Co-ordinator Miss Grace Goh who readily agreed to us chartering a bus despite the cost it involved in ferrying us to the beach. Our co-form teacher Mr. Simon Foo was more then willing to accompany us in our zeal to clean up the beach. The National Environment Agency was most supportive and gave us their full pledged support in our endeavour to raise public awareness of the harmful damage of plastic bags and the need to be consciously engaged to safeguard our precious environment. The numerous emails we exchanged were useful in helping us gather our research materials. The Singapore Tourist Promotion’s Board beautiful images of Singapore enhanced our desire to create a webpage promoting Singapore’s Garden City image. Most of all, our school promotes global learning and an environment friendly world which is why our school song has the words “Health of body and health of mind, Care and love for all mankind”.
5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)
We never realized we were causing so much damage to the environment through our man made objects like plastic bags, styrofoam, exhaust from our cars, aeroplanes until we embarked on this project.
We were also shocked to learn that marine life mistook plastic bags for jellyfish and died of indigestion. We also learnt more about beaching whales and dolphins and how man could also be a culprit to their death although no proven evidence has been shown. We learnt that it is up to us to ensure our survival. We also learnt about the damage of global warming and saw the need to cut down on fuel burning, lessen electricity consumption, prevent deforestation and promote a litter free and green society for all living things.
We also learnt that Singapore takes conservation measures seriously and is part of the Kyoto Protocol as such considers the importance of protecting our environment. The doing away of paper parking coupons is a perfect example to show our country’s proactive desire to lessen deforestation and reduce paper exploitation.
Therefore all these made realize that we need to do our bit to save our planet. Some of us hope that one day we could be inventors and create inventions that would be hundred percent environment friendly and promote a healthier lifestyle for all living things.
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