WaterWays Watch Society (WWS) is a volunteer society formed since 1997. As a Non-Government Organisation (NGO), our society has been working very closely with government agencies like PUB, NEA and most recently NParks in the engagement and education of people on the need to keep our waterways clean and litter-free (in particular the Singapore River). Our mission as a volunteer organisation is to focus on education and developing awareness on the need for a clean environment.

Our Activities

Our activities include presentations/talks to the general public, corporates, community groups, especially schools, with participation in events like Clean and Green Week, International Coastal Clean-Up, World Water Monitoring Day etc. Our volunteer members, now over 130 strong, perform regular weekend Boat and Bicycle Patrols covering the Marina Reservoir. The long-term plan is to also extend our patrols on weekdays and the evenings. We also conduct environmental camps under our Camp Enviro-Awareness programme which is mainly catered for primary school students.

Achievements by our group have earned us endorsement from PUB and NEA and today, we work with NParks under their Park Watchers programme. We have been mentioned in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally in November 2006 and presented with the President’s Environmental Award in the same year. In 2007, we were awarded the PUB’s Watermark Honorary Award for our work.

Contact Us

Address: Waterways Watch Society, 4876 Beach Road, Singapore 199587

Email: wwwsociety@pacific.net.sg

Website: http://wws.org.sg/

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In 1977, Dr Jane Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation to provide ongoing support for field research on wild chimpanzees. Today, the mission of the Jane Goodall Institute is to advance the power of individuals to take informed and compassionate action to improve the environment for all living things. The Institute is a leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats and is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa and the Roots & Shoots education program in nearly 100 countries.

The Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore), known as JGIS and an affiliate of the Jane Goodall Institute headquartered in the United States, was officially established in Singapore on 24 September 2007. JGIS has already had numerous successes including:

• Expansion from 2 to 13 Roots & Shoots groups in schools in Singapore
• A widely publicized visit to Singapore in October - November 2007 by Dr Jane that started with a key note address at the NVPC conference and culminated in the Wildlife Stampede in the Singapore Botanic Gardens that attracted 1,500 participants
• Greater awareness and promotion activities to protect the environment, protect animals and help people

The goals of JGIS mirror the global JGI goals that include support for issues related to our relationship with each other, the environment and other animals as well as primate and habitat conservation. To make it even simpler, JGIS uses a shorthand goal that we say is to “Save the Planet”. JGIS activities are designed to support the key objectives of JGIS.

Roots & Shoots

Development and expansion of Roots & Shoots is a core activity for JGIS in 2008. JGIS plans to develop common themes for Roots & Shoots groups in order to encourage more cooperation among groups. An example would be focusing on Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, with groups sharing ideas on how to reduce, where to recycle or other practices. Themes chosen by students are likely to be most effective in galvanizing action.

As the number of R&S groups grows in Singapore, new groups can learn from established groups and established groups can build their leadership expertise by sharing best practices with the new groups. Processes will be set up for sharing of best practices with new groups by established groups. While many groups are in schools, Roots & Shoots companies and non-profit organizations can also form Roots & Shoots groups.

Other opportunities for R&S in 2008 include:

• Outreach programs to schools, supported by MOE, to sign up more schools
• Other activities designed to share best practices
• Student-led networking sessions among all schools or school clusters
• Participation in student conferences and leadership activities abroad
• Joint activities with other groups and potential expansion into other non-profit groups

Contact

Address: 140 Robinson Road #05-02, Singapore 068907

Tel: 6323 5188

Email: hartung@starhub.net.sg

Web site: www.janegoodall.org (Singapore site coming soon)

Note: This article and image are provided by JGIS.

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Founded in 2003, ECO Singapore aims to challenge youth of age 17-35 to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and embrace environmental issues holistically. ECO Singapore actively drives and supports local and global environmental initiatives involving other environmental stakeholders. The organisation is run and managed mainly by volunteers in five departments: Forum Planning, International Affairs, Marketing and Communications, Publications and Research, and Volunteer Management and Development.

Our Vision

To be the leading environmental body advocating sustainable lifestyle for youth.

Our Mission

1. To challenge youth of age 17-35 to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and embrace environmental issues holistically.
2. To drive local and global environmental initiatives.
3. To support environmental activities/initiatives as a resource platform involving other environmental stakeholders.

Our Activities and Projects

• Enrich! - education programme
• Express! - quarterly publication
• EcoHouse - model of sustainable housing
• Eco Shop - sale of environmentally friendly products
• Eco Packaging Movement - team-up with food sellers to use environmentally friendly packaging
• National Youth Environment Forum - youth-led dialogue
• DunkIt! - National Day Parade clean-up
• UN Commission on Sustainable Development - participant
• Asia Youth Environmental Network - secretariat
• Asia-Europe Foundation - country representative

Contact Us

Address: 87 Beach Road, Chye Sing Building #06-01, Singapore 189695

Fax: 6336 0959

Email: marketing@eco-singapore.org

Website: www.eco-singapore.org

Note: This article and image are provided by ECO Singapore.

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The newly established Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) is seeking a general manager to run its programs and activities. Key responsibilities for the position include supporting Roots & Shoots groups in schools, developing the JGIS communications program, fund-raising, and running the office.

Candidates should have strong writing and presentation skills, the ability to work with a broad range of constituencies, PC skills, at least 3-5 years management or leadership experience and experience in conservation or environmental organizations.

More information about the Jane Goodall Institute is available at www.janegoodall.org. For more information or to apply for the position please contact Richard Hartung at hartung@starhub.net.sg or 9695 8210.

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Established in 1995, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) is the umbrella organisation for green groups in Singapore. The Council champions activities and needs of all who are concerned about protecting the environment. SEC core activities includes publicising key green issues, co-ordinating national projects and leading island-wide response to major environmental challenges. Over the years, SEC has given strength and bearing to the environmental movement here. The Council is an independently managed, non-government, non-profit organisation, with the status of an institution of public character.

SEC’s mission statement is to educate, inspire and assist individuals, business organisations and environmental groups to care for and protect the environment.

Some of SEC’s more prominent projects include the Climate Change Awareness Programme, Project Eco-Office, Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards, Schools’ Green Audit Awards and Green Transport Week. The quarterly magazine, Elements, seeks to increase readers’ awareness of environmental issues. In addition, SEC also boosts of a strong volunteer arm – the Green Volunteers Network (GVN) – which translates awareness into action.

Email: info@sec.org.sg

Website: www.sec.org.sg

Address: 1 Cluny Road, House No. 3, Singapore 259569

Note: This article and images are provided by SEC.

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Now you can learn more about the environment and sustainability in Japan! We are pleased to announce that we will be publishing more environmental news and articles from Japan. This is thanks to Japan for Sustainability, who has given us permission to republish their articles in AsiaIsGreen. Japan has always taken the lead in environmental protection and sustainability, and we can learn much from the Japanese. Read more about Japan for Sustainability from their introduction below or check out their website.

About Japan for Sustainability (JFS)

Japan for Sustainability is a non-profit organization. We share information on developments and activities originating in Japan that lead toward sustainability, with the aim of building momentum toward a sustainable path for the world.

Japan for Sustainability (JFS) does the following activities:

• Provides a variety of information on the environment and sustainability, from Japan to the world, via our web site and e-mail magazines.
• Covers not only current developments but also traditional wisdom, craftsmanship and practices of day-to-day life, as well as local activities.
• Works to develop special partnerships with people in Asia, in order to cooperate to find paths toward sustainability in this region.
• Welcomes feedback and comments from overseas and shares them in Japan and with partners in Asia, so that we can improve efforts and activities in this region by learning from each other.
• Creates a vision for a sustainable Japan through discussion among various stakeholders.

JFS Projects

1) Kids’ “Create Your Future” Website

JFS has launched their Kids’ “Create Your Future” Website with an aim to encourage children worldwide to take interest in and gain an understanding of environmental issues, and to think and act independently in response. Through this site, we emphasize the concept of taking a creative approach toward the realization of a more ecological future on our planet unrestrained by conventional ideas, and we aim to introduce innovative ways of thinking to support concrete methods for sustainable living.

2) The JFS Indicator Project

JFS has chosen 20 headline indicators for sustainability based on an analysis of over 200 data sets in several sustainability-related categories. This is the first ever numerical evaluation / trial calculation of national sustainability for Japan, undertaken by citizen volunteers through open discussion and study sessions to achieve a more sustainable Japanese society. The results obtained compared across time periods between 1990 vis-a-vis and a hypothetical perfect score of 100 projected for 2050 which is based on the model-”Japan in 2050, moving closer towards a sustainable society”.

3) Daiwa - JFS Sustainability College

The 21st century is shaping up as the era of the environment. A concern about environmental issues has led to emergence of the idea of sustainability, which is expanding as the most important concept of today. Under the circumstances, JFS opened “Daiwa-JFS Sustainability College” in partnership with Daiwa Securities Group, aiming at boosting awareness and facilitating actions of the young people who will lead the next generation in Japan as well as enhancing sustainability in society as a whole.

Contact JFS

1-13-1-205, Mita, Tama-ku

JP-Kawasaki, Kanagawa, 214-0034/Japan

E-mail: info@japanfs.org

Internet: http://www.japanfs.org

Contact person: Noriko Sakamoto

Note

JFS Uses Green Power for Its Energy Requirements: The Green Power Certification System is a scheme in Japan that offers a new way for companies and organizations to voluntarily engage in energy conservation and environmental protection. Participants earmark their electricity consumption to be supplied from power produced from renewable energy, and do not have to invest directly in equipment and facilities. In return, they receive a Certificate of Green Power that certifies them for embracing the benefits of renewable energy, namely, energy conservation and the reduction of CO2 emissions.

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The vision of the Gansu “Green Camel Bell” Environment and Development Center is Green Mountains, Clear Water, Blue Sky, Man and Nature in Harmony, and its mission is to protect the environment in West China. Read the rest

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The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) was founded by a group of Singaporeans and registered as a society on 24th May 2001 (Registration No.: 176/2001). It was registered under the Charities Act on 11th January 2005 (Registration No.: 1849) and registered as an Institution of Public Character on 1st June 2007 (Registration no. IPC000559).

The mission of Acres is to create a caring and socially responsible society where animals are treated as sentient beings and where the environment is preserved for future generations. Read the rest

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Nature Trekker (Singapore) is a non-profit organisation specially dedicated to all nature lovers and adventure seekers to share and explore. Nature Trekker (Singapore) was established with a mission to cultivate outdoor adventure lovers to learn and appreciate nature, thereby giving our beautiful yet fragile environment the due respect it deserves. Read the rest

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Vegetarian Society (Singapore) is a non-religious, non-profit, registered charity founded in 1999. Our two main goals are to educate the public to eat less or no meat, and to support people who are already meat reducers or vegetarians. We believe that eating less or no meat helps human health, the health of the environment, the welfare of our fellow animals and, last but not least, the health of our 1 billion fellow humans who suffer from shortage of food and clean water. Read the rest

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