Green Paramedics@HKSS

Our Young Greenies

2012-02-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

Our Green Club members tending to our vegetable garden.

Congratulation, Farminah

2012-01-30T05:25:00.001-08:00

Farminah received the Colours Award from the principal for her dedicated service to Green Club. Congratulation Farminah.

We got a GOLD Award!

2012-01-18T22:48:00.000-08:00

Our school has been awarded GOLD for our participation in the Green Schools @ Southwest Programme organised by Southwest CDC. This programme, which is held annually, aims to educate and instil the importance of environmental responsibility in students through student participation in green modules of activities.

CCA Open House 2012

2012-01-13T19:40:00.000-08:00

Donation of recyclables for orphanage in Batam

2011-11-24T00:31:00.000-08:00

more coming soon....

Green Schools @ South-West Energy Efficiency Poster Competition

2011-09-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Posters done by Green Club members.

Green Competition 2011

2011-09-07T06:16:00.000-07:00

Our pupils participated in Green Competition jointly organised by Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Building and Construction Authority on the Theme of Sustainable Architecture.

The objective:

• To raise awareness of green buildings among secondary school students

• To encourage secondary school students to creatively apply the principles of science and engineering in the design and construction of a building structure model

• To promote interest in the built environment among secondary school students

MICE Club 3R Outreach Programme at YESCOM 2011

2011-07-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

Members of our MICE Club participated in YESCOM (Young Entrepreneurs' Skills Competition) held on 3 July 2011 at HDB Hub's concourse from 9 am to 6 pm.
The organisers for this year's competition are KESUMA (the Malay Entrepreneurs Association) and ITE College East. KESUMA is the main organiser.

This year's theme was 'GREEN', and to gain extra points, participating schools should have at least 5 recycled items (in any quantity) to sell. Members of the public who wished to buy from any of the booths were required to purchase coupons before they could buy anything.

KESUMA takes 10% off the profit from each participating school and the balance 90% goes back as funds to MICE Club.

Our most expensive products were 2nd hand t-shirts and bags which were sold at $6 each and used photo frames at $5 each. Notebooks made from recycled items are sold at $3 each whilst bookmarks also made from recycled materials were sold at 2 for $1. Our main product, the grease remover, was sold at $3 each. Other smaller knick knacks were sold at $1 each.

CLEAN & Green Energy Summit @ HKSS

2011-07-14T19:30:00.001-07:00

CLEAN & Green Energy Summit IPW Project @ HKSS

Inquiry-based Learning approach for IPW project

Eco-city Model made of recycled materials.

The judges

Krishman and his supportive mum

Krishman at his Eco-city

Krishman presenting on stage.

Shurong and Rudi at the Eco-city they helped to build

Shu Rong making a pitch to one of his teachers.

Green Club members and their winning Eco-city model

Shu Rong and his teacher-mentor, Miss Jhumki

Krishman wins the Second Prize for his team.

Participation @ ASEAN Dengue Day

2011-06-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

Our Green Clubs spent their Sunday morning on 29 May as Dengue Busters to help curb the rise of dengue cases in the South West CDC area.

Dr Amy Khor and our students who have been trained as Dengue Busters to educate residents about dengue prevention.

http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC110530-0000035/Spike-in-dengue-cases-in-South-West-District

Mdm Usha and her pupils participated at ASEAN Dengue Day organised by Green Schools @SW CDC.

Environment Champions Industry Module Workshop

2011-06-03T23:09:00.000-07:00

Sec 2 Green Club members attended an Environment Champions Industry Module during the June school holiday where they had the opportunity to learn about the real-life environment applications at Panasonic 'eco-ideas' Factory at Panasonic Refrigeration Devices Singapore.

A Litter-Free Dream for a Big Clean South West

2011-05-16T01:05:00.000-07:00

Pupils took part in an Anti-Littering Activity organised by Green Schools @ South-West CDC on 19 May in the neighbourhood of Blocks 423-440 Jurong West St 42.

Pupils created an Anti-littering corner to promote good habits among their peers.

Pupils participated in a 'Litter Free Environment Programme' organised by South West CDC.

Pupils' Reflection :

It was very exciting and fun. It was more enjoyable as it was an out of school activity. LOL! We really enjoyed picking up litter to help the environment. The most interesting part was when we found a pair of torn shoes. It was so unexpected and funny. We love to go out to the neighbourhood and help save the environment.

4R Project - ONE MAN'S TRASH IS ANOTHER MAN'S TREASURE to commemorate Earth Day

2011-04-21T07:32:00.001-07:00

Turning trash into a cute flower vase.

Anwer a question about Global Warming and Climate Change and win a prize.

Our Greenies and their collection of recyclables.

Earth Day promotion and publicity through quizzes.

Re-using the cute and beautiful 'trash'.

Turning old magazines into colourful boxes.

From trash to treasures.

Get ready to answer a question about climate change.

Giving them away for free? They are still reusable!

NEA 3R Award Quiz

2011-04-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Our Environment Champions participated in the NEA 3R Quiz at Nan Hua High School on 8 April.

Earth Hour 2011

2011-03-26T04:13:00.000-07:00

Our OSOs giving their support for Earth Hour. Posters were put up in classes and staffroom to remind everyone to show their support. Flyers were also given to non-teaching staff such as our security guards, school library and General Office staff and canteen vendors.

Green Schools @ SW Junior Environment Ambassadors Training Session

2011-03-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

12 Green Club members attended a Junior Environment Ambassador Training Session at the Singapore Science Centre on 16 March.

Pupils brainstormed on Eco-café dynamic “I am a JEA” topics: -Roles & responsibilities of JEA, - Expectation of JEA -Challenges of JEA - Overcome Challenges of JEA Presentation of I am a JEA by each group (Prize for top group) Tour climate change exhibit at Science Centre (Quiz on Climate Change exhibit) Pupils also brainstormed on Eco-café dynamic “Environmental Messages”: -Energy Efficiency -A Litter-Free Environment -Clean, Dry & Sparkling Public Toilets -4Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Refuse) Presentation of Environmental Messages by each group

NEA Environment Champion Workshop

2011-03-15T06:34:00.001-07:00

Green Club members earned their EC badges when they attended an Environment Champion Workshop at Compassvale Secondary School on 15 March.

They attended a 'Litter Free and Creative Workshop' where they learned the importance of anti-littering and keeping a clean and green among their peer through creative platforms.

Making soap using used cooking oil

2011-02-23T20:44:00.003-08:00

A Joint Project with ITE College West

coming soon....

We got a SILVER!

2011-01-26T05:23:00.000-08:00

GREEN SCHOOLS 2010 AWARD:

We got the Silver Award for completing the Green Schools @ South West Programme in 2010.

CCA Open House - GREEN CLUB@HKSS

2011-01-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

Green Club Members promoting the recyling of used cooking oil.

Pupils pledging support to save earth.

Green Club members getting support from parents on environmental conservation.

Teachers, pupils and parents pledging support to save mother earth.

Recycled plastic bottles for collection of used cooking oil for recycling.

Green Club Members promoting conservation issues with new members.

A joint recycling project with ITE College West.

Recycled plastic bottles distributed to parents to encourage them to recycle their used cooking oil.

Recycling Used Cooking Oil - A Joint Project with ITE College West

2011-01-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

ITE Students giving a quiz on recycling.

Pupils watched video shows and taking down notes for their recycling projects.

ITE students giving an assembly talk on bio-diesels.

Recycling Newspapers

2010-08-30T18:58:00.000-07:00

Pupils from Sec 3N1 collected newspapers for recycling.

Green Club 3R Poster Competition

2010-08-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

'Time-Out' Programme Fund-raising Bazaar

2010-08-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Pupils in the 'Time-out' Programme did their part to encourage recycling. Pupils and teachers donated their recycled items and these were sold at a bazaar manned by the pupils. Proceeds from the sale were donated to the school's Needy Students' Fund.

Learning Journey to Singapore Garden Festival

2010-07-22T19:30:00.001-07:00

Green Club and Home Economics Club members at Singapore Garden Festival on 22 July.

Hong Kah Pupils as Dengue Busters

2010-07-22T19:30:00.000-07:00

Our pupils did their part as Dengue Busters at neighbouring blocks near the school on 16 July.

Shawn, an NEA officer, briefing the pupils on what they have to do.

Green Club members listening attentively at the briefing.

Block 416 Jurong West St 42, where pupils did their exercise.

Green Club members putting up flyers in residents' homes.

Our Dengue Busters with their teachers-in-charge.

Clean Energy Summit @ HKSS - Exhibition booths

2010-07-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

Clean Energy Summit @ HKSS

2010-07-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Participants and Guests at the Clean Energy Summit

Clean Energy Summit @ HKSS - Promoting Solar Energy

2010-07-09T05:55:00.000-07:00

Pupils promoting the use of solar energy as a viable renewable energy for Singapore.

'Just One Earth' Seminar - The Global Heartbeat connecting People with the Pulse of Life

2010-06-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Teachers attend a seminar to enhance their awareness on environmental issues:

Just One Earth Environmental Seminar 2010
Theme: "The Global Heartbeat - Connecting People with the Pulse of Life "
2 June 2010 (Wednesday)
Keynote Speech:
"Connecting People with the Pulse of Life"by Mr Doug Farr, Director of Kuaka New Zealand

Concurrent Session 1: "Pulse of the Seas" by Ms Abi Virjee, Manager for Coral Triangle Partnership Programme, WWF Singapore

Ms Abi Virjee, Manager for Coral Triangle Partnership Programme, WWF Singapore

Concurrent Session 2: "Pulse of Human Health" by AP C Kunalan, National Institute of Education.

Learning Journey to The Botanical Garden

2010-06-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

Teachers went on a Learning Journey to the Singapore Botanical Gardens to learn more about the Young Arborist Programme.

EEA Learning Journey at Young Arborists Programme (YAP) at the Botanical Gardens on 2 June.

Teachers, Mdm Rohana, Mdm Usha, Mrs Aditi and Ms Jhumki participated in the event.

National Youth EnviroOlympics Challenge 2010

2010-05-31T22:24:00.000-07:00

National Youth EnviroOlympics Challenge 2010’s En-mazing Race held on 5 June.

The following pupils of Sec 5N1 participated in the event and were given Certificates of Participation.

Jerrold Seet
Derrick Goh Shao Yu
Sivenes
Chan Jun Hua
Jason Lee

Networking Session at Raffles One Earth Club

2010-05-29T23:31:00.000-07:00

Attiqah, Dinah Qistina, Phyo Mae and Jennifer Koh at Raffles One Earth Club Networking Session on 29 May.

Dinah and her team mates during the break-out session.

Attiqah and her teams brainstorming for solutions to a given problem.

May presenting her team's action plan.

Jennifer in her interest-based group.

Environment Champions (EC) Networking Session

2010-05-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

Ms Jhumki and fellow pupils, Phyo May, Dinah Qistinah, Attiqah and Jennifer Koh.

Environmental Champions Networking Session organised by Raffles One Earth Club and the National Environment Agency on Saturday 29 May.

Phyo May sharing our Green Club activities and programmes.

Pupils break up into groups for ice-breaker games and interest-based group discussions.

Phyo May sharing our Green Club's best practices and ideas at EC Networking Session at Raffles Junior College.

Hiking at Bukit Timah Nature Reserves - My Thoughts and Feelings

2010-05-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

My Thoughts and Feelings - by Brenden Andrews Hendricks of Sec 1A.

I was really excited to go the hike as I really loved hiking. During the bus ride, I was so excited I had to sing a little song to calm myself. As I saw the place where we were going to hike, I was shocked to see factories near the hill. I was really annoyed by the fact that people are building such things around the nature park! I feel that the smoke they emit could be harmful to both us and the nature there.
We were excited as we ventured into the deep jungle. My friends were making so much noise! I told them to keep quiet if they wanted to see some animals but they ignored me. As we continued our journey, we had to climb a very steep path and go down another. I almost fell as we were going down. I had conquered my fear of heights as I looked down and I thought "Hey! It is really not that bad!"
As we went into the jungle, we saw some sort of a building and we went in and it was some sort of a learning centre. As we found out about the history of the nature reserve, I had curiously asked a teacher, where we were going next. He told me we were going to a really muddy place. And he was right! The next place we went were REALLY muddy! We were all screaming like girls, most of the boys were, and I had slipped and fallen into a small poind while trying to cross it and that had conquered me fears for being dirty and I hate being dirty and, surprisingly, I am proud of the mud on my shoes.
I had found this hike very enjoyable and we could learn something from here too. Like I learn that a bat that can only be found at the Nature reserve was becoming extinct. We should all play a part in saving nature and to conquere ourselves like I just did.

Green Schools @ SW Assembly Talk

2010-05-26T00:34:00.001-07:00

An Assembly Talk by Eco-Society Singapore on 26 May.

Mr Chris Jenssen giving a talk on Environmental Protection.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3805587/environment_-_secondary.pdf

'A Community in Bloom' at Jurong Primary School

2010-05-26T00:25:00.000-07:00

An Outreach Project at Jurong Primary School on 20 May.

Colourful windmills from recycled bottles and bottle caps - a collaborative recycling effort by Hong Kah Secondary School and Jurong Primary School.

An Outreach Project at Jurong Primary School - a collaborative effort between Green Club and Homec Club on 20 May.

Clean hearts + Clean minds + Clean hands = Clean school. Pupils using bottle caps as decorations.

Harani and Ellysa hammering holes into bottle caps to make windmills.

Haikal with his instructor, Uncle Ishak and showing off his masterpiece made of recycled materials.

Bradley and Khairin with their windmills.

Members from Homec Club staining the recycled bottles red. Working together - our pupils and their juniors at Jurong Primary School.

Working as a team - members from Green Club and Homec Club, staining recycled bottles yellow.

Hiking to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

2010-05-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

Green Club members on a CIP cum hiking trip to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Flora and Fauna at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

It was a good experience for me . It reflects the time when there was nature everywhere and not many concrete jungle. Walking through the trail was like traveling back in time .

I thought it would be another boring trip . Somehow , after the whole hike , I had a new and better appreciation of the forests and their beauty .
-It was tiring but I also bonded with my classmates as we encourage one another.
-My favorite was walking through the muddy path . I learned to conquer myself, with perserverance and determination to walk through the slippery, muddy and steep slopes.

Comments from the pupils:

- Kept a look out for my friends, telling them to be careful not to trip and fall into the muddy areas

- Walked in an orderly manner when walking on precipitous area
- Behaved ourselves by not talking loudly with my friends, so that we would not disturb the animals there.
- Learnt many interesting and useful information about the reserve

Sec 1A's experience at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

National Environment 3R Award Quiz 2010

2010-04-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

Green Club members' participation at NEA 3R Award Quiz at Nan Hua High School on Friday 23 April.

Mdm Usha with the quiz participants, Krishma Fung, Sheela and Farah Nur.

Happy Earth Day at HKSS

2010-04-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

We celebrate Earth Day through quizzes, sale of potted plants and giving away our recyclables to those who need them.

Earth Day Celebration @ HKSS 22 April 2010

2010-04-21T23:15:00.000-07:00

Mdm Usha and Mdm Anita with her Greenies promoting Environmental Awareness through Earth Day activities - quizzes, sale of potted plants.

Ms Jhumki getting pupils to take part in Earth Day quizzes.

Sale of potted plants - herbs and spices.

Eager participants at Earth Day quizzes.

Recycling old clothes on Earth Day

Our Herb and Spice Garden

2010-04-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

Pandan leaves, basil, mint, laksa leaves, ruta leaves,

Earth Day Thursday 22 April

2010-04-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

Earth Day celebration on Thursday 22 April.
Watch this video as a reminder of how urgent it is for all of us to do what we can as to not waste our natural resources and create less wastage in order to save Mother Earth for our future generation.

THE AGE OF STUPID
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLq4oPZal_k

Watch Channel News Asia on more of the documentary.

How does our Garden grow?

2010-04-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

How does your Garden grow?
With herbs and spices all in a row.

Mdm Anita teaching our pupils how to grow herbs in our spice garden.

National Youth Environment Water Conference

2010-03-28T06:53:00.001-07:00

Our pupils attended a National Youth Water Conference on Saturday 27 March at Singapore Polytechnic.
They listened to keynote speakers, Prof Jeff Obbard (NUS) and Mr Dorjee Sun (CEO, Carbon Conservation and TIME Magazine Environmental Hero 2009) on the topic of 'Building and Fostering a Sustainable Community'

The highlight of the day was a dialogue session with Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

The pupils also had the opportunity to participate in small group discussions on a sustainable community through project such as Energy Efficiency, Water Conservation, Recycling and Littering.

Joni Tan participated at a workshop on recycling.

Learning Journey to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserves

2010-03-27T21:42:00.000-07:00

Green Club members went on a Learning Journey to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve on Friday 27 March where they learn about flora and fauna and the importance of mangrove ecosystem.

Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Green Club

An uprooted tree

Commonwealth Seconcary School Environment Champions acting as our guide.

A resident monitor of the mangrove

Earth Hour Saturday 27 March

2010-03-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour - pledge your support by switching off all non-essential lights and electrical appliances for only one hour from 8.30 - 9.30 pm to conserve energy.

Zane making an announcement to remind his fellow schoolmates about Earth Hour.

World Water Day - Monday 22 March

2010-03-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

Krishma making an announcement to his fellow schoolmates about World Water Day and the need to conserve water.

Monday 22 March is World Water Day.
Do what we can to conserve water - life's basic requirement.
Pledge your support to save water from today.

Green Green Grass of Home @ HKSS

2010-03-17T06:44:00.000-07:00

Our young Greenies

2010-03-09T23:50:00.000-08:00

Making recycling boxes for our classrooms

Krishman, our dedicated member making sure lights and fan are switched off when there is no one in the classroom.

Our new Green club members

On-line Game

2010-03-09T23:41:00.000-08:00

Play the on-line game and learn more about environment conservation.

http://www.clicktoaid.sg/

En-mazing Race - Coming soon

2010-02-25T18:32:00.000-08:00

Our seniors will be taking part in En-mazing Race

Secondary One CCA Open House - Green Club@HKSS

2010-01-22T18:49:00.001-08:00

CCA Open House on Saturday 23 January 2010.

Our Secondary One pupils signing up as members of the Green Club.

Learning Journey to Schools' Clean & Green Carnival 09

2009-11-11T18:17:00.000-08:00

Green Club members and Mdm Usha attended Clean and Green Carnival at Anchor Green Primary School on 10 November 2009. They learned many tips in 3Rs and were inspired by the many projects done by their peers in other schools.

A Learning Journey was conducted to this year's Clean & Green Carnival at Anchor Green Primary School. Our Green Club members learned many creative ideas on how to practise the 3R and ways to conserve Earth's resources.

Used Textbooks Recycling Project

2009-10-27T23:56:00.001-07:00

Our pupils donated their textbooks and storybooks after the End-of-year exam from in November. These books were donated to our needy pupils.

Books not collected were donated to NTUC Fairprice Used Textbooks Project.

CCA Leadership Workshop

2009-10-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

Our Green Club Chairman, Koh Yong Hao attended a CCA Leadership Workshop on 22 October at Bukit Timah CCA Branch. He and other participants learned how to manage and provide leadership skills in their respective CCAs. They also learned how to ensure that members of their CCA attend their activities regularly through role-play.

We won a Bronze Award

2009-10-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

Our school has been awarded Bronze under the Secondary Category for the 3R Awards 2009.

Our school won the 3R Bronze Award, an annual competition organised by the National Environment Agency (NEA), Nan Hua High School, and Singapore Environment Council (SEC). It is an affirmation of our school’s effort in promoting conservation and recycling habits among pupils and staff in the school.

Congratulations 'Greenies' for your hard work.

Let's continue with our green efforts to sustain our school recycling programme and our participation in next year's 3R Awards.

Project Carbon Zero

2009-05-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

Green Club Commitee teaching their peers how to read their utility bills and ways to save energy.

Conveying the message of Climate Change and Energy Conservation with our peers.

Life Seashore Programme at East Coast Park Beach

2009-05-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Doing our part to clean our beach of litter and picking items for recycling.

Earth Day Outreach Event at Yuhua Primary School

2009-04-30T08:32:00.001-07:00

Our Sec 5 Greenies took the opportunity to relay the message of Conservation and Saving Mother Earth through Quizzes and Games.

Green Club Earth Day Outreach Event at Yuhua Primary School

2009-04-30T08:20:00.001-07:00

Sharing the Green message of Recycling and Reusing with our young ones through a Jumble Sale.

Earth Day Outreach Event at Yuhua Primary School

2009-04-30T08:04:00.001-07:00

Our pupils took a step further in relaying the message of conservation and recycling in an Outreach Event at a neighbouring primary school. Activities included Paper Craft Demonstrations using recycled papers, Jumble Sale of recyclables and Environmental Quiz.

Celebrating Earth Day the Jumble Sale way

2009-04-29T03:56:00.001-07:00

Green Club members shared the message of Reducing wastage and Reusing old but still good items among pupils through a Jumble Sale. Pupils were encouraged to donate their recyclables such as soft toys, knick-knacks, bags etc to be sold at the Jumble Sale. Donations were overwhelming and support from everyone in buying the second-hand items were just encouraging. Money made from the sale was donated to the school's Needy Students' Fund. There were also Quizzes to reiterate the 3R message.

NEA 3R Quiz

2009-04-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

Three pupils participated in NEA 3R Quiz on Saturday 18 April at Nan Hua High School. They got to take part in a quiz to test their knowledge on Conservation issues and games organised by the host school.

Earth Hour Saturday 28 March 8.30 - 9.30 pm

2009-03-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

This Saturday 28 March is Earth Hour when we are strongly encouraged to turn off all the lights or more non-essential electrical devices from 8.30 - 9.30 pm. You may want to put a phone alert to remind yourself of this good deed. Every little effort counts. Let's all do our part to conserve energy.
Pass this message to your loved ones. For more information you may want to go to:
http://www.earthhoursingapore.blogspot.com/

School Environment Champions Workshop

2009-03-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

Four pupils attended a School Environment Champions Workshop organised by NEA at Regent Secondary School in March. The pupils learned oral presentation skills so that they are able to convey the message of environmental awareness to their peers.

Our Juniors did their part at Annual Track & Field Meet

2009-03-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

Collecting empty plastic bottles at the end of the Meet and recycling them.

Celebrating Valentine's Day -from trash to trinkets

2009-02-13T21:44:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Valentine's Day - The Green Way

2009-02-13T21:34:00.000-08:00

RED ROSES FADE AND DIE.
GIVE YOUR LOVED ONES
A BREATH OF FRESH AIR THAT LASTS FOREVER.
BUY A PLANT AND NURTURE IT WITH LOVE.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY

LOVE FROM:GREEN CLUB

We recycle our textbooks

2008-12-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

Students did their part in minimising wastage by donating their old textbooks for recycling. Books not taken were donated to NTUC Fairprice Used Textbooks Project.

Adib won too!

2008-12-02T06:59:00.000-08:00

Adib made us feel so lucky when he won a cute "Nokia mobile phone" at the lucky draw during NP Green Celebration @ Marina Barrage on 28 Nov.

We are the Champions!

2008-12-02T06:22:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to our Green Club for receiving our first NP Environmental Champion Award at NP@45 Green Celebrations @ Marina Barrage. They are: Irmahyunita, Nasrulhaq, Nhwafal, Pradeep Singh, Sandeep Singh and Siti Zulaiha. They are inspirations for our Green Club members to be more committed towards green issues that could help save Mother Earth.

Singapore Schools' Clean and Green Carnival

2008-11-23T22:28:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at the carnivall on 5 November where we picked up ideas for our Green Club project for next year. It also made us think of the many possibilities that we could try out to increase the environmental consciousness of our friends in school.

This plant has a blog

2008-10-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

This plant has a blog:

TOKYO, JAPAN - It has long been accepted that talking to plants can help them flourish, but have you ever wondered what they'd say in response? Well a plant in Japan has its own blog that may help you understand.

"Midori-san," a 40 cm (16 inches) potted plant on a cafe counter in Kamakura, near Tokyo, blogs every day with the help of a sensor that measures electric signals and a computer algorithm that translates them into Japanese.

The plant, a hoya kerrii, is commonly called a "sweetheart plant" because of it leaf shape.

"We were initially interested in what plants are feeling and what they are reacting to where we can't see," said Satoshi Kuribayashi, a researcher involved in the project at Japan's Keio University.

The strength of electronic signals on the surface of Midori-san's heart-shaped green leaves, which react to light and human touch, are measured by a sensor attached to the plant, and this data is sent to a computer in the cafe. The computer uses an algorithm to translate the signal data, as well as other factors -- including weather and temperature -- to translate them into words, which are automatically posted on Midori-san's blog
(http://plant.bowls-cafe.jp/index.php)

"Today was a sunny day and I was able to sunbathe a lot... I had quite a bit of fun today," Midori-san, whose name means "green" in Japanese, posted on Oct 16.

The latest entry reads: "It was cloudy today. It was a cold day."

Kuribayashi said he hopes that in the future, the blog will reflect even more accurately of Midori-san's feelings.

Blogging with computers and mobile phones is popular in Japan, which had the greatest number of blog posts by language at 37 percent, followed by English and Chinese posts, a study from blog search engine Technocrati in 2007 showed.

A recent study by the Universities of Oxford and Oviedo found that Japan has the best performing broadband Internet connections in the world. --REUTERS

We got an award!

2008-10-20T17:50:00.000-07:00

NEA 3R Award: We got the Merit Award.

Congratulations and thank you to the Green Club members who helped to create our club webpage and blogs. Keep in touch.

India's "Karung Guni" Man

2008-10-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

In 1991, after an earthquake hit Uttarkashi in northern Indian, Mr Anshu Gupta watched government relief trucks throw bundles of clothes at villagers gathered along the roadside. It did not go down well with the villagers. Many made do with potato sacks for clothes rather than touch the handouts. Witnessing that tussle between need and dignity would prove one of the deciding influences on Mr Gupta, a former corporate affairs manager.
The idea grew as Mr Gupta came to know of poor young men who avoided job interviews because they had no presentable clothes to wear. The tipping point came outside a government hospital, where he chanced upon an old man named Mr Habib, whose grim job it was to collect the bodies of destitutes found dead on the streets of Delhi. Mr Habib told him the body count would go up in winter because many could not afford proper clothing and simply froze to death.
Shortly after, in 1998, Mr Gupta quit his job and started Goonj, a social service organisation that focuses on clothing the needy. Goonj, which translates into Hindi as 'life's echo', began with 67 items of clothing, mostly picked from the wardrobe of Mr Gupta and his wife.
Last month alone, Goonj shipped 20 tonnes of donated clothing, reaching villages in Bihar in the east and Maharashtra in the west, as well as those in 18 other Indian provinces. Collection centres in cities gather clothes in warehouses, volunteer sorters set aside those in good condition and patch up the rest before dispatching them across the country. Goonj's driving principles is clothing the people with dignity.
'India's biggest issues still are bread, clothing and shelter,' says Mr Gupta. 'Half of the country needs help at any point of the time, regardless of whether a disaster has struck their areas or not.'
When the tsunami struck the Indian coast in December 2004, Goonj collected a million garments for distribution. The cost of the entire exercise, from sorting to transportation, is less than 4 Singapore cents a garment, underscoring just how a little can contribute so much.
Goonj runs on about 25 million rupees (S$809,000) a year and relies on a network of 300 full-time volunteers, backed by hundreds of part-timers. It achieves its level of efficiency by being famously careful with its money. For instance, its people are known to tap vegetable wholesalers and grain merchants to get gunny bags at the cheapest rates. Recipients are taught the value of what they receive. In some areas, villagers are handed out clothes in exchange for helping to build roads. Quite often, it needs to adapt to the social situation. After the religious riots in Gujeat, it sorted out women's clothing into two sets: It sent tunic- pyjama suits to camps housing Muslim women, while saris went to those sheltering Hindus. From being a distributor of clothing, Goonj has grown into a social movement.
For instance, its 'Not Just a Piece of Cloth' initiative targets an ugly secret of rural India - poor women are forced to use dirty cloth during menstruation, leading to diseases. Goonj provides clean-cloth napkins, thoughtfully packed in a pouch. Another recent initiative is the 'School To School' programme, in which city children pass their used school bags and water bottles to children in rural India. Money is always tight, although the situation is improving.
'We are a people's movement, not a funding-based organisation,' says Mr Gupta. 'We give every opportunity to people to become volunteers, not financial contributors.'
The past decade has not been easy. There were many doubters. Even some friends put the question to Mr Gupta: Why? Aren't there better things to do, like build a career?
Some of the will to succeed came from lessons he learnt after being in a road accident when he was 17. Doctors in the Dehradun valley, where Mr Gupta's father was posted as a civilian officer with the army, said he would not walk again. In and out of hospital for a year, he literally struggled to his feet although his legs never fully healed. It is that ability to battle the toughest odds that has helped Goonj succeed and gain an ever-increasing group of admiring volunteers.
Among them are Ms Srividya Natarajan and her colleague, Ms Smitha Anand, who work as hardware engineers. After the two of them set up the Bangalore unit of Goonj in March, their workload has increased by the day, and their homes have become collection centres for clothes. They also want to go into it full time.

Adapted from “India’s karung guni man”, The Straits Time, August 2008

Zero-Waste Village

2008-10-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, life in Kamitkatsu revolved around the rice crop and tourists arriving to soak in the waters of the local hot spring. Now, the tiny village in Japan has a new obsession: rubbish. Since 2003, Kamikatsu’s 2000 residents have embarked on a quest to be become Japan’s first zero-waste community. Here, all household waste must be sorted into no fewer than 34 categories before being taken to a recycling centre.
Glass bottles must be relieved of their caps and sorted by colour. All bottles, cans and even plastic food wrappers must be washed thoroughly and newspapers and magazines have to be piled in neat bundles tied with a twine made from recycled milk cartons. Any waste that cannot be turned into compost is taken to the zero-waste centre which accommodates a dizzying array of items, ranging from bottles, cans and newspapers to crockery, batteries, diapers, pens and mirrors. Things that can be reused end up at the Kuru Kuru recycling store, where residents are free to drop off or take home free of charge whatever they like, mostly clothes, crockery and ornaments. All but a few categories of rubbish are recycled. Wooden chopsticks are pulped and made into paper, and cooking oil reappear in fertilizer. Batteries are shipped to a recycling centre on the northern island of Hokkaido, while glass and ceramic ware and light bulbs are buried in landfills. The village, 595 km from Tokoyo, was forced to change the way it managed its waste in 2000 when strict emission regulations forced it to shut down its two incinerators.
“We were no longer able to burn our rubbish, so we thought the best policy was not to produce any in the first place,” said Mr Fujii of Zero Waste Academy which oversees the recycling scheme.
Despite initial opposition, the movement has many enthusiastic participants.
“At first, it was very hard work. It took ages to sort out everything but it comes naturally now,” 65-year-old Kikue said, as she emptied a bowl of vegetable peeling into her electric garbage disposal unit.
According to official figures, Kamitkasu’s recycling rate has soared from 55 percent a decade ago to around 80 percent today. Not everyone is happy though. Critics point out that some of the disposal units use electricity and that most residents take their rubbish to the zero waste centre by car. It was also reported that 40% of residents were still unhappy about some aspects of the policy.
“We still have opponents, particularly because almost everything has to be washed,” Mr Fujii said.
“All we can do is talk to the doubters and explain why it is important. I think consciousness is growing that this is a good thing; that it’s not just the right thing to do but the only thing to do.”

Adapted from “Japanese village wastes nothing"
The Straits Time, 9 August 2008

Green 'Air-purifiers'

2008-09-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

Did you know that some plants can improve the air quality indoors?
“ A few pots of plants will make a marked improvement to the quality of indoor air. They do not just add some greenery, but they also ‘filter the air’. They take in toxins and break them down with the help of microbes in the compost.”
–British landscape and garden designer Andy Sturgeon.
His top picks for these green air-purifiers include the Boston fern, the dumbcane, money plant and the corn palm because“they are easy to grow and do well in an indoor environment”.

Greenstar Workshop

2008-09-04T21:14:00.000-07:00

Green Club members participated in an Environmental Project Workshop organised by Commonwealth Secondary School. They were handed case studies on how to generate ideas for a project in school.

Learning Journeys

2008-08-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

A Visit to Singapore Garden Festival at Suntec City where we had a colourful and refreshing experience admiring the flowers and the fantastic displays. This set us thinking about creating our own mini-gardens for our club.

A Visit to Singapore Orchid Show - Flowers, flowers everywhere...

How does your Garden grow - at the Landscape and Fantasy Garden

Coming soon - after the exams ...

2008-07-16T08:37:00.001-07:00

Don't throw those textbooks and uniform ....

Student Initiated Activity - Site Visits to Singapore Mint and Tuas SembCorp

2008-07-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

SembCorp at Tuas - recycling at work to reduce the amount of trash generated by Singaporeans.

A STUDENT-INITIATED ACTIVITY - SITE VISITS TO SINGAPORE MINT AND SEMCORP TUAS - Where we learned more about the environment and had the opportunities to interact with mentors and facilitators from the pre-tertiary and tertiary institutions.

Jumble Sale @ Hong Kah Sec School

2008-07-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

pitching a sale - buy lah for a good cause

recyclables donated by students and staff

waste not, recycle instead

recycle, sell, buy - proceeds donated to Needy Students' Fund

Our Principal, buying for a good cause

necklaces galore - cheap! cheap!

Videos of the Jumble Sale

Save the trees and money too!

2008-07-02T22:24:00.000-07:00

dont throw those books - swap, sell at half price, donate ... but dont throw

What to do with extra exam papers after exams ?

Here's the answer:) Free copies for pupils to do Exam Practice and self-study.

plastic, plastic everywhere ... 1000 years in a landfill

2008-07-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Our bottle hunters

http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=
"Singaporeans use about 2.5 billion plastic bags a year for bagging their purchases - or an average of 2,500 bags per family, per year. These 2.5 billion plastic bags translate collectively to 19,000 tonnes or 0.8 per cent of the total waste disposed of in Singapore annually.
plastic bags can end up as litter, and in the natural environment, plastics have a strong tendency to suffocate plant and marine life." - NEA

Another bottle given new lease of life

Mother Tongue Department did their part too

2008-07-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

An innovative project by Malay Language Department

From trash to a work of art

Save those trees

2008-07-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

We saved many trees by recycling our papers

Our Chairman

2008-07-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Our Green Activist - tireless, passionate and dedicated

Our Bulletin Board

2008-07-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

Look for it for the latest update

the disappearing boxes - from the classrooms

2008-07-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

The hardwork of collecting boxes for recycling -

Recycle the vbottles, throw not the boxes!

Inter-schools Youth Water Challenge 2008

2008-07-02T21:44:00.000-07:00

The Water Challenge Amazing Razers - we almost made it to the finals ....

Our Green Paramedics

2008-06-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

We started it all - making recycling cool and trendy in HKSS!

Give old belongings new meaning

2007-03-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

Between 5 February to 10 March 2007, our Pupil-Librarians collaborated with World Vision in a recycling project to coincide with Chinese New Year Spring Cleaning Week. World Vision is a humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families, communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. During the recycling exercise, a total of 30 boxes and 3 bags of clothes, shoes, bags, toys and books were collected and donated.