GARDENING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
At our Pasir Ris garden (carpark C, 5 mins walk from Pasir Ris MRT). Every Saturday 10 am onwards, come learn more about gardening, medicinal plant, butterflies etc. Tools provided just bring cotton gloves, drinking water and a cheerful attitude. SMS Donald (96494043) if you and your friends want to help.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Volunteers needed at a volunteer fair at Orchard road, on 26th and 27th March (Sat/Sun) 11 am to 8 pm. If you want to help man our booth, please email me (also which day you can help).
BE A WHISTLEBLOWER
Today, protecting our fragile environment has become even more important and pressing. We can no longer sit back and watch bad things happening and hope that “the other” person will report this offence/abuse to the authorities.
We have to take a more proactive approach and in some case confront the offenders/abusers or polluters head-on.
We started the “Whistleblower project” some years back but for the benefit of our many new Green volunteers here are some useful numbers to report pollution/littering/cruelty and endangered animals (put these numbers in your mobile).
When you call, make sure you get the name of the person/offender you’re are talking to and say you need someone to call you back with feedback on what action has been taken.
National Environment Agency (NEA) – 1800 2255 632
PUB (Water) – 1800 284 6600
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) – 6287 5355
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) – 9783 7782
Police - 999
BLUEFIN TUNA CAMPAIGN
We have just started a 3 postcard campaign to highlight the endangered Bluefin Tuna. The tagline for this campaign is called “when you see TUNA – think Panda” to show that Bluefin Tuna could be even more endangered than the Panda. To see these really cool postcards, go to our blog http://www.thegreenvolunteers.blogspot.com/. Thanks Juggi for your brilliant work and support.
ECO/and FISHING MAGAZINES
I have a lot of fishing/eco magazines containing articles that I’ve written. If you are interested please sms me so I can meet you at Pasir Ris MRT to hand them to you.
SOMEONE IS POLLUTING SG. API API
Sungei Api Api is usually teeming with aquatic life. I live near drive 3 and stop there regularly to observe the activities. There are huge numbers of Tilapias and grey mullets and at the edges you’ll observe plenty of mud skippers and a variety of crabs.
A few months ago, all this aquatic activity disappeared completely. The water turned grey and smelt putrid and was totally devoid of life I contacted the authorities who said they would investigate. They said that the putrid smell was that the river bank baking in the strong sunlight (after all these years of conservation work, one would at least credit me the intelligence of knowing the difference between a natural smell and pollution).
The strange part was that a couple of weeks after my report, the river slowly started returning to life. Last week, the same thing happened again and all the aquatic life disappeared.
I reported this again to PUB and NEA and got the usual reply that they would investigate. I think it’s time the Green Volunteers, took matters into our hands investigate the source of this pollution ourselves.
I need some volunteers who can spend time back tracking drains to trace the source of this pollution. We will work out a grid so that we can methodically cover this area. I have a rough idea who is polluting Sg. Api Api but we need to catch them red-handed, take photos and call our friends in the press.
I am also looking for a company that can sponsor us in doing chemical analysis of water samples that we take – please let me know if you have friends who can help. If you want to help, please email me (with subject Sg. Api Api).
ONLINE INTERVIEWS
I recently did 2 online interviews, one with NVPC Salt online magazine and the other with The online citizen. They are both on our blog http://www.thegreenvolunteers.blogspot.com/.
FREE GUIDED NATURE WALK PASIR RIS PARK
A free guided nature walk at Pasir Ris park Saturday, 12th March 2011. We meet 9.30 am SHARP Pasir Ris MRT, walk covers herb/vegetable garden, mangroves, native trees. If you want to attend please email your name, mobile and number of people attending (subject Pasir Ris walk). If you have binoculars please bring them as there are some interesting birds to see.
CALLING ALL BIRDBRAINERS…..
A section of Pasir Ris Park (near carpark C) is now a “hotspot” for bird watchers and photographers. I recently followed some keen photographers and we spotted a spotted wood owl and a fledging. There were green pigeons galore feeding on the fruit of Java plum. I saw a Barbet and to me the most interesting pair of Oriental pied hornbills. Someone said they were released pets but I would like to believe that they came across from Pulau Ubin. One person said he even saw a rare Hawk-cuckoo.
SUNGEI TAMPINES CLEAN-UP
On Saturday 22nd Jan, 18 staff members of Watami Japanese restaurant took part in cleaning up the mouth of Sg. Tampines. In 2 hours, they collected 18 large trash bags of plastics, one raft and one fridge? Thank you everyone for helping to clean Sg. Tampines. For pictures, please go to our blog http://www.thegreenvolunteers.blogspot.com/.
BUTTERFLY WALK SATURDAY 5TH MARCH
We are doing a butterfly walk on Saturday 5th March at Pasir Ris Park. S.K. Khew a butterfly expert (see book review below) has kindly consented to lead this walk. If you want to attend this interesting walk and learn more about these “flying flowers” please email me (subject: Butterfly walk) walk confined 12 participants.
BOOK REVIEW
S.K. Khew has just written a great butterfly book called “A field guide to the butterflies of Singapore”. It is really informative book both for the beginner and advance hobbyist. It retails at $40 a copy but S.K. is offering members of the Green Volunteers a special rate of $35 per copy. If you want to buy this useful reference book, please email be (subject Butterfly book). Priority will be given to those attending the butterfly walk on 5th Mar.
LIME PLANTS....
During the CNY season many people buy lime and mandarin orange plants. But many are abandoned or discarded after the Chinese New Year season.
These are host plants to a number of lime butterflies... so if you have any or see them abandoned can give them for our Pasir Ris garden.
If they are heavy just remove the soil and just bring the plant.. I can collect them at Pasir Ris MRT station''
If they are heavy just remove the soil and just bring the plant.. I can collect them at Pasir Ris MRT station''
I’M AWAY
I’ll be away 14th Feb to 1st March going to Northern Thailand with a Thai school to help do a vegetable and mushroom garden at a hilltribe school in the North.
Wishing everyone a Happy Prosperous and safe Chinese New Year holiday.
Cheers,
Grant W. Pereira
The Green Volunteers
Mobile: +65 968 40950
www.thegreenvolunteers.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/search.phpq&init=quick&tas=0.2943151085139533#!/group.phpgid=48062238603
www.sebanahornbills.blogspot.com
www.seashepherd.org
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