2018ECOFRIEND

AWARDS

P O R T F O L I O O F R E C I P I E N T S

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INTRODUCTION

NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS & GRASSROOTS

VOLUNTEERS CATEGORY

YOUTH & STUDENTS CATEGORY

0804PUBLIC SECTOR

CATEGORYPRIVATE SECTOR

CATEGORY

Ms Esther AnMs May Yap Mui Kee

Dr Toh Tai ChongMr Allen Ang

Aik Leng, BBM

Ms Chung Siew GekMr Huang I Lung

Mdm Mok Chuay FunMs Therese Shirley

Ong Lay Kuan

Ms Cheryl Lee Jue LeiMr Gan Rui Yi

Mr Alex Yeo Siak Teong

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

CATEGORY

SPECIAL THANKS

CONTENTS

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There is an increasing number of individuals - such as school teachers, students, youth and community volunteers, as well as those from the non-governmental, private, people and public sector organisations - who have contributed selflessly to our clean and green environment.

INTRODUCTION

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The EcoFriend Awards was developed by the National Environment Agency to recognise and acknowledge the efforts of these individuals.

There are five categories in the EcoFriend Awards – Private Sector, Public Sector, Non-Governmental Organisations and Grassroots Volunteers, Educational Institutions, and Youth and Students.

The EcoFriend Awards 2018 recognises 11 outstanding individuals for their environmental achievements.

For more information, please visit the EcoFriend website at www.nea.gov.sg/programmes-grants/grants-and-awards/ecofriend-awards.

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PRIVATE SECTOR CATEGORY

A pioneer sustainability practitioner in Singapore for over two decades, Ms An has been instrumental in establishing City Developments Limited’s (CDL)

sustainability and green building leadership. Ms An’s pursuit of value-driven Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure has earned CDL the distinction of being listed on 13 leading global sustainability benchmarks which are widely used by investors.

Driving Environmental Performance

Ms An is instrumental in driving improvements in environmental policies and practices across CDL’s Singapore operations. Under her leadership, CDL established its strong commitment and ambitious targets towards low carbon operations.

Engaging the Wider Community

Many of CDL’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) outreach programmes were the brainchild of Ms An, such as the CDL E-Generation Challenge, an annual nation-wide rally that aims to raise eco-consciousness among youths. She also started community initiatives such as the CDL-GCNS Young SDG Leaders Award, EcoBank, Fashion 3R and Beat Plastic Pollution campaigns that have further promoted the sustainability agenda. In 2013, two of CDL’s eco initiatives led by Ms An were launched: My Tree House, the world’s first green library for children in Central Public Library, and the zero-energy CDL Green Gallery@Singapore Botanic Gardens Heritage Museum.

An insightful thought leader and advocate, Ms An is frequently invited to share CDL’s sustainability-focused strategy at a wide range of green building and sustainability-related seminars, conferences and lectures at higher learning institutions. Being a forerunner in embracing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Ms An was recognised as one of the ten 2018 UN Global Compact SDG Pioneers.

Bringing People Together for CSR and Sustainability

Ms An believes in the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development. In 2017, she led the establishment of the zero-energy Singapore Sustainability Academy, a collaboration between CDL and the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore with support from six government agencies and 15 industry and non-governmental organisation partners. It is a dedicated training and networking facility that supports both national and global sustainability goals.

ACHIEVEMENTS

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Ms Esther AnChief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited

Founded on our ethos, ‘Conserving As We Construct’, we will continue to champion green buildings, sustainable practices and collaboration within the ecosystem we operate in.

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PRIVATE SECTOR CATEGORY

Ms Yap leads her company in protecting the earth’s timber resources and reducing industrial waste. She plays a significant role in ensuring that LHT optimises its

use of materials and implements sustainable initiatives in its daily operations.

Embedding Sustainability in the Organisation

For more than 20 years, Ms Yap has been managing LHT’s operations with the aim of reducing the amount of waste generated through recycling. The company established Singapore’s first wood waste recycling plant that produces re-engineered wood products from wood waste. The use of this technology lowers waste disposal cost by a few hundred thousand dollars, saves 4,500 trees and reduces electricity usage by 75,100 kWh annually. Steam generated during production is collected and re-used in a closed loop process so water is constantly recycled.

Two years ago, Ms Yap also introduced the use of e-invoices and e-signatures, cutting down on the amount of paper used by more than 50 per cent.

Refining Systems to Prevent Wastage

LHT has worked with the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology to develop new monitoring systems to increase productivity and shorten production time during the manufacturing process, which led to a 35 per cent reduction in carbon emissions.

To further prevent energy wastage, Ms Yap initiated the installation of sensors that measure air flow and noise levels of the factory compressors to monitor the compressors’ performance and ensure prompt maintenance when required. She also implemented the switch to LED lights, which has reduced the company’s electricity bill by approximately $10,000 annually.

Engaging Customers to Go Green

To encourage customers to recycle their wood waste, LHT works with them to collect wood waste generated from their operations at a lower cost. The wood waste is then turned into recycled wood products (LHT’s Technical Wood®) that are made into pallets that are offered at competitive prices. This contributes to waste reduction efforts in the long run.

ACHIEVEMENTS

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Ms May Yap Mui KeeManaging Director,

LHT Holdings Limited

In order to mitigate climate change, we should adopt green manufacturing practices such as recycling wood waste and choosing sustainable wood products.

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PUBLIC SECTOR CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Adedicated educator, Mr Yeo walks the talk by taking personal environmental actions and influencing the younger generation to tackle environmental

challenges through hands-on projects that also contribute to the community.

Rising Up to the eWaste Challenge

Mr Yeo worked with StarHub, DHL and TESS-AMM to start an eWaste collection programme at ITE College East in May 2015 and over 1,176 kg of eWaste has been collected since then. Bringing environmental efforts outside of the campus, he conducted an eWaste collection drive with Tampines Palmwalk Residents’ Committee and 70 students from the Eco@CE Environmental Club, which covered 20 HDB blocks and collected 915 kg of eWaste.

Making Recycling Meaningful

Mr Yeo brings students regularly into the community to carry out projects that benefit residents. In 2015, he led Project Twinkle, an eWaste and used beverage cartons recycling drive. IKEA, one of the partners of this project, matched the number of eWaste donations with an equal number of furniture sets comprising a computer table, chair and table lamp, to be given to lower income households. 130 staff and student volunteers from the School of Engineering, ITE College East, assembled and presented the furniture to 42 beneficiaries islandwide.

Empowering People to Save Energy

From 2014 to 2015, in collaboration with Global Lamp Recycler and the North East Community Development Council, Mr Yeo involved his students in Project Recycle Light Bulb, which provided energy-efficient light bulbs to needy families. This project encouraged residents to deposit their used light bulbs and lamps for proper, non-hazardous recycling and successfully reached out to 33 households in Hougang and Serangoon.

Mr Yeo is passionate about exploring the use of alternative energy to power daily home appliances. He conducted a home experiment that successfully used a 50 Watt solar panel to power a washing machine and proved that with a bit of ingenuity, one can save on both energy and expenses. He hopes such practical examples can inspire students to consider the possibilities of using renewable energy for a more sustainable future.

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Students should get out of the classroom more so that they may apply the theoretical concepts learnt in school to practical daily, eco-friendly solutions.

Mr Alex Yeo Siak TeongLecturer,

Electrical Engineering, ITE College East

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NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS & GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS

CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Dr Toh co-founded Our Singapore Reefs (OSR) in 2017 to help conserve marine biodiversity. The non-profit initiative organises quarterly clean-up of Singapore’s

waters and engages divers to join their environmental cause. Volunteers are trained how to reduce ocean waste and given the opportunity to take action by entering the waters and clearing trash as a team.

Preserving the Marine Ecosystem

As a marine biologist, Dr Toh has been diving in Singapore’s waters since 2010 and saw first-hand the worrying amount of marine debris and its impact on marine life. He took the lead to galvanise support from the diving community, corporations and the wider community to pool resources and raise awareness of the importance of marine conservation. Since OSR’s conception, the participation rate for underwater marine clean-up in Singapore has increased 40 times from an average of 5 per year (2014-2016) to 198 in 2017.

Grooming Young Leaders

Apart from marine clean-up, youth engagement is a key element of Dr Toh’s vision. In the past year, OSR’s public education has reached out to more than 2,200 people. This included a public exhibition to raise awareness of Singapore’s marine biodiversity. This event involved 23 partners and over 100 volunteers, and reached out to more than 1,000 people. Dr Toh believes

in mentoring students and youth to inspire environmental stewardship in the future generations. Since 2015, Dr Toh has also been volunteering as a guest lecturer and coordinator of the International Seakeepers Society’s youth programmes.

Building Partnerships to Further the Cause

To achieve success, Dr Toh has developed an innovative community-to-community framework to foster strategic partnerships with different businesses in order to overcome resource constraints and create a greater socio-environmental impact. The synergies created among the stakeholders not only helped to further their respective interests in conserving Singapore’s habitats but also instilled a sense of shared ownership in Singapore’s marine biodiversity. In addition, data gathered from clean-up sessions is compiled for local and international agencies and partners to facilitate future management plans and similar projects in the region.

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Dr Toh Tai ChongCo-Founder,

Our Singapore Reefs

The future of Singapore’s environment lies in our hands. Together as a community, we can achieve wondrous feats to create a clean and sustainable Singapore.

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NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS & GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS

CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTSLeading the Community towards a Green Future

Mr Ang has provided valuable inputs to create awareness, increase community participation in green programmes and initiatives, and rally residents to take action by adopting a green lifestyle. One such programme which Mr Ang has been pro-actively driving is Recycle @ North West, which has collected over 319,000 kg of recyclable items since its inception in 2012.

Powering Energy-Efficient Households

In his appointment as Co-Chairman of the Green Living Standing Committee, Mr Ang helped to drive the community programme, Reduce @ North West, which encourages residents to do their part in fighting climate change by reducing energy and water consumption and food wastage. Residents are invited to participate in a six-month energy and water audit. This programme has reached out to more than 268,000 households and saved more than 212,000 kWh of energy since its inception in 2011.

Promoting a Culture of Green Living

Mr Ang played a key role in driving the transformation of Bukit Panjang Community Club (CC) into a green experiential learning centre to inspire residents to embrace green living. He provided valuable insights and suggestions to implement green infrastructural hardware changes and outreach software under the Eco CC @ North West initiative. Bukit Panjang CC is the first existing CC to obtain the BCA Green Mark GoldPLUS certification under the Existing Non-Residential Buildings category. Additionally, the CC’s focus on energy efficiency helped achieve a total of 50 per cent in energy savings through improvement works such as installation of solar panels and replacement of air conditioning units with energy-efficient ones.

Mr Ang’s passion for social and green causes has motivated him to serve in the Community Development Council for 16 years, leading the North West

District in achieving a variety of national and international accolades, such as the Clean and Green Singapore Best Community Achievement Award 2017, ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City Award 2017 and SEC-Lee Foundation Environmental Achievement Award (Public Sector).

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Mr Allen Ang Aik Leng, BBMDistrict Councillor,

North West Community Development Council

Going green takes conviction, and I’m inspired by the passionate, like-minded volunteers who selflessly give their time to make a difference to the environment and community.

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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Ms Chung is constantly thinking of ways to raise environmental awareness and cultivate green habits amongst her students. Her green efforts have led her

pre-school to achieve the Daisy Award in 2016 and the Daisy Sustained Award in 2017 under the Singapore Environment Council’s School Green Awards programme.

Empowering Parents through Partnership

Every year, Ms Chung trains around 250 pre-school children to be green ambassadors. She encourages parents to actively support their children’s learning journey and invites them to join litter picking activities at the beach, tend to the community garden and participate in the school’s environmental projects and activities. She developed a Caring for the Earth Project booklet, which was used by over 240 parents and children to reflect on and apply proper ways to conserve both energy and water. Through this activity, they were able to evaluate their own consumption as they worked towards being eco-smart users.

Joining Hands with the Community

Ms Chung organises various talks and interactive sessions for her students such as nature walks, upcycling workshops and composting projects, for them to pick up environmental knowledge. She also

facilitated collaboration with the Punggol East Residents’ Committee and the National Parks Board to provide hands-on experience in gardening for her students. At the 2016 Singapore Garden Festival Gardeners’ Cup event, the school achieved the Best Eco-Friendly Award for their moss garden, which was decorated with crafts the children made.

Incorporating 3R Practices in School

Ms Chung has been implementing energy-saving practices in the school since 2012. Classroom temperatures have been set to 25 degrees Celsius and above, while air-conditioner maintenance has been conducted regularly to ensure optimal performance and efficient electricity consumption. The school has also been collecting rainwater for cleaning purposes and upcycling plastic containers to grow plants. Instead of throwing fruit peels away, Ms Chung has been working with the teachers to convert them into fertiliser so that the children could learn about recycling food waste.

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Ms Chung Siew Gek Lead Centre Principal,

PCF Sparkletots Preschool @ Punggol East Blk 103

We hope the children will become role models to their families and contribute to environmental sustainability through daily activities in school and at home.

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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Throughout his 18-year teaching career at Teck Whye Secondary School, Mr Huang has worked with subject departments to integrate environmental education into

the academic curriculum. Committed to promoting green awareness and cultivating environmental responsibility among students, he has initiated several school-wide programmes.

Putting Values into Environmental Action

Mr Huang has been instrumental in regularly reviewing and enhancing the school’s environmental programmes and frameworks. He works with different departments to include environmental topics into the school’s curriculum.

In 2013, Mr Huang organised a Values in Action programme with the Environmental Club for Secondary One classes to promote R.I.S.E (resilience, integrity, synergy in diversity and excellence) values, boost environmental awareness and increase ownership of the green spaces around them. He led the planning and execution of the student induction programme, which exposed students to energy conservation and the 3Rs, and helped them understand how to contribute to a sustainable school environment.

Recycling for a Good Cause

To help raise funds for needy pupils, Mr Huang initiated weekly newspaper recycling drives. The scheme developed good recycling habits in students and also prompted them to take charge of packing and selling the newspapers collected. More than $3,000 was raised through the programme between 2015 to 2017.

Touching Base with the Community

Mr Huang also partnered with the community to organise activities that promote environmental awareness and action. He has worked with the National Library Board’s branch at Choa Chu Kang for five years, supporting activities such as terrarium making and pressed leaf and flower bookmark workshops. In 2018, he led dengue prevention outreach to over 100 households around the neighbourhood.

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Mr Huang I LungTeacher,

Teck Whye Secondary School

We don’t own the earth; we actually inherit it, so we should protect, treasure and cherish it to make it a better environment for all.

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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

As a teacher for 37 years, Mdm Mok has influenced many students and colleagues to care for the environment. She heads the environment committee

in Hong Wen School and has spearheaded multiple successful green projects that have benefitted the school’s environment and led to the school achieving several environmental awards.

Inspiring Learning and Action

Mdm Mok constantly initiates new ways to spread environmental messages to her students and colleagues. She created a green corner at the school called the Eco-Cove to encourage pupils to be self-directed learners in environmental topics. Mdm Mok also influenced her colleagues to adopt many eco-friendly habits such as double-sided printing, regular recycling and use of non-disposable cups and containers. She further reinforced the environmental practices by developing the school’s very own Ecofriend framework.

Spearheading Waste Minimisation

To promote the value of thrift and start the good habit of reusing, Mdm Mok started the Our Great Exchange initiative in 2009. A total of 4,379 used items, such as storybooks, toys and decorative items have been exchanged since then. In 2017, she led the No Waste Days Challenge, which brought 358 students and 23 teachers together to make pledge cards using discarded cardboard. This year, 119 students pledged not to waste any resources for a total of 4,049 days.

Going Green for Charity

Combining charity with environmental protection, Mdm Mok has been partnering the Lions Club Singapore since 2014 to rally students to collect an average of 80 kg of aluminium pull rings each year for recycling, which are melted down and formed into the joints of prosthetic limbs. To highlight World Plastic Bag Free Day, Mdm Mok collaborated with the school’s Innovation Committee to teach students how to upcycle plastic bags into flowers, which were then presented to the elderly at Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital under Project CARE (Children Actively Relating well with the Elderly) on Children’s Day.

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Mdm Mok Chuay FunSenior Teacher,

Hong Wen School

Climate change is a pressing issue that requires all of us to step in, either in big or small ways, to ensure that the earth is sustainable.

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EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Ms Ong’s passion for creating a positive impact through environmental education (EE) has earned the school the most prestigious environmental accolade, the

President’s Award for the Environment. She strives to familiarise her students with current environmental issues by integrating EE into the curriculum and organising learning trips and workshops.

Setting New Standards through Competitions

Ms Ong led her school to win first place in the 2013 Eco Day Out Programme organised by Dairy Farm, where they created their own garden using recycled materials based on the theme of ‘Wizard of Oz’. During that same event, the school, together with other participating schools, amassed a man-made garden measuring 153.6 square metres through their collective effort. It set a new Singapore record for The Largest Garden Landscaped with Recycled Materials. Besides local competitions, Ms Ong also led the school to obtain the ASEAN Eco-Schools Award in 2012.

Starting from the Classroom

To raise awareness of waste minimisation among students and encourage the generation of innovative ideas, Ms Ong has been coordinating the Green Class Competition and the Inter-House Newspaper Recycling yearly since 2015. Ms Ong also developed a framework that designated different groups of students

as EE Enthusiasts, EE Champions and EE Ambassadors, to focus their efforts and better instill in them ownership of the environment. The EE champions have conducted educational workshops for the public at events such as the Hundred Languages of Children and Primary One Orientation.

Putting Emphasis on Environmental Education (EE)

To date, Ms Ong has incorporated EE into the curriculum in her capacity as EE Subject Head. She plans the EE curriculum for the entire school, allocating different topics for every level and modifying the programmes so as to keep the content current. In line with the Year of Climate Action in 2018, Ms Ong has also aligned the school’s EE programmes to some of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030. In 2018, she led the school in setting up a wormery and a vegetable garden so as to share the importance of food waste reduction and recycling with the students.

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Ms Therese Shirley Ong Lay Kuan

Teacher, Fuhua Primary School

You can always play a part in saving the environment, no matter how young you are. Every little action counts, so start today!

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YOUTH & STUDENTS CATEGORY CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Ms Lee is a passionate advocate for environmental action and has led various environmental youth forums, workshops and projects. She uses various

platforms to reach out to youth and partners the community through research and outreach activities.

Encouraging Climate Action

Ms Lee champions climate action at #Up2degrees and commits her time to encourage people to reduce energy consumption and to pledge their commitment to turn up their air conditioners by two degrees Celsius.

She has been actively organising climate action awareness activities to encourage youth to take environmental action through simple lifestyle choices. This includes coordinating environmental outreach activities at the Singapore Eco Film Festival since 2016 and arranging the screening of the climate change documentary, ‘The Cold Truth’, at events such as Earthfest and the Global Warming Escape Party BYOB by Kampong. She has given 60 talks on climate action to community partners and schools since 2016 as part of her work with the youth interest group, Singapore Youth for Climate Action.

Making Sustainability Fashionable

Most recently, Ms Lee played the role of filmmaker, working with local and international designers to produce a series of 15 environmental short films. These films were showcased as part of the Fabric of the World’s Sustainable Fashion Influencer Movement. Through the films, she aimed to persuade the public to rethink their fashion choices while highlighting critical environmental issues.

Promoting a Sharing Economy

Ms Lee co-founded CThyWorld to reach out to youth with environmental messages through videos. As part of CThyWorld’s outreach, she recently started the Common Library Series – Blind Date with a Book, which is a series of curated book swap events to promote the sharing of books and reuse of resources.

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Ms Cheryl Lee Jue Lei

Community Manager, #Up2degrees

It’s not just about inspiring people. It’s more about empowering them with the skills and tools to take action in their daily lives.

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YOUTH & STUDENTS CATEGORY CATEGORY

ACHIEVEMENTS

Mr Gan contributed significantly to promoting environmental awareness in Dunman High School and engaging students in environmental conservation

conversations. Although his leadership role in school keeps him busy, Mr Gan still sets aside time to volunteer as a conservation ambassador with the Singapore Zoo and Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

Spreading the Green Word

Under Mr Gan’s leadership, the Environment Club issued the school’s first environmental e-magazine, D’Green, early this year to share environmental information and tips, and to inspire fellow students to join the school’s green movement. Since the launch, there has been an increase of 200 per cent in club membership between 2016 to 2017. The club also partnered with the school’s photography society to hold a nature-themed contest to raise greater awareness of the need to care for the environment.

Reaching Out to the Young

As part of his community outreach efforts, Mr Gan executed the Eco Buddies Programme with Kong Hwa School in 2017. Over six sessions, together with the Environment Club members, he taught 30 selected students or ‘eco captains’ from Primary Three to Five on the five themes of the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint through interactive activities. These sessions were specifically created to empower upcoming young green ambassadors who will lead environmental protection by example in their own schools or at home.

Recycling it Right

During the school’s Environmental Week in 2017 and 2018, Mr Gan organised activities such as a terrarium making workshop, an orange peel detergent making workshop and an Instagram competition. These activities helped to instill an interest in the environment in the students and encouraged them to practise upcycling and food waste reduction to reduce their carbon footprint. The students also picked up information on the types of items that could be recycled. Such publicity efforts contributed to a 30 per cent increase in the school’s recycling rate.

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Mr Gan Rui Yi President,

Environment Club, Dunman High School

To save the earth, ‘Respect, Responsibility and Reality’ are the new 3Rs we should adhere to. Respect the environment, take up the Responsibility and face the Reality.

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SPECIAL THANKS

Professor Leo Tan, BBM PA(E), PBM (Chair)

Director (Special Projects), Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore

Mr Puvan AriaratnamDirector, Character & Citizenship Education Branch, Ministry of Education Chairperson, Schools Sub-committee, Public Hygiene Council

Mdm Ho Hoy FongFormer Chairperson, Kim Tian West Residents’ Committee

Mr Kwong Kok ChanDeputy General Manager (Maintenance), PacificLight Power Pte Ltd

Mr James Soh, PBM, MBEExecutive Director, National Youth Achievement Award Council

Ms Elaine TanChief Executive Officer, WWF-Singapore

Special thanks to the following partners for their invaluable support of the EcoFriend Awards 2018:

For enquiries, please email NEA_EcoFriend@nea.gov.sg.

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