Saturday 13 August 2011

Green Volunteers August update

AUGUST GREEN UPDATE                                                                                                      
13th August 2011





1)      BUTTERFLY GARDEN @ PASIR RIS PARK
Our garden at Pasir Ris Park (Carpark C) is thriving very well and has become a popular spot with photographers on weekends.  This beautiful and healthy garden has made possible with help from regular volunteers who are there most Saturdays (10am to 1 pm) to help weed and maintain this section.

Because of its attractiveness and popularity, this butterfly garden is going to be extended soon to 3 times it’s present size, so more volunteers will be needed.  If you can help on Saturdays, please email me.
 
2)      BUTTERFLIES AND BEYOND
As you know, last year we started a butterfly garden at Fort Canning Park.  This theme has been extended to the plot next to the newly renovated Registry of Marriages.

We need volunteers to help maintain these 2 plots once a month (one Saturday a month, 4pm to 6 pm).  We are also going to extend this project by propagating our own butterfly plants.  In conjunction and with support from NPARKS Fort Canning, we are launching project “Butterflies and beyond”.  This project will help/teach volunteers not only how to maintain our butterfly gardens but also start a plant propagation project so that we have a constant supply of healthy butterfly plants to replenish at both the gardens at Fort Canning and Pasir Ris Park.

We are planning our first meeting/demonstration on Saturday 3rd September, 3 pm at the visitors centre, Fort Canning Park.  Please sign up if you can commit to volunteer once a month.

3)      SIGLAP SECONDARY SCHOOL @ PASIR RIS Drive 10

We have set up a mini butterfly garden and are helping to rejuvenate their eco/spice garden.  Volunteers needed for Saturday afternoons and Sundays.


4)     ENZYME MAKING
20th August, Saturday, 2.30 pm at Vivo City.  Making enzymes from every day kitchen waste.  It’s great as an organic cleaner or mixed with water as a plant fertiliser.  This class is joint is jointly organized by the Green Volunteers and National Geographic store (Vivo city). 
You have to register at their website http://www.ngsingaporestore.com/exhibits/enzyme_making.html.

     5)      TRASH BAGS
Oglivy and Mater, the world’s leading advertising agency has designed a beautiful trash bag with a subtle message printed on each bag.  These bags were endorsed by the Body Shop so there are 2 logos on the bags – ours and the Body Shop.   This was all made possible by our staunch supporter, Juggi who works for O&M.   He not only designed this bag but also got his company to sponsor these bags – thanks Juggi, you’re a good friend to the Green Volunteers and the causes we believe in.

A sample bag will be given to everyone who attends any of our activities.  One volunteer who received the bag said Quote “they’re too beautiful to use as trash bags” unquote.

6)      POACHING ON THE INCREASE IN SINGAPORE 
On the 31st July, the Straits Times ran an article called “Poaching problem growing” (home page 10).

Birds, fishes, plants etc are being poached at an alarming rate.  This has to stop.

The butterfly garden at Pasir Ris Park, workers often lay mist nets to catch the endangered jungle fowl.  I regularly walk along the edge of the mangroves to check and confiscate these nets.  Once when I was gathering these nets, I was approached by 2 China workers who demanded that I return their nets, I said “sure after I call the police and you will tell them that the nets are yours” to this they promptly departed. 

These nets are recycled as they make excellent light shed for new saplings or seeds planted.  You’re a Green Volunteer, if you sit back and wring your hands in despair without doing anything than there’s very little hope for our fauna and flora.  Here’s a list of agencies you can report poaching, vandalism to: 
AVA 6227 0670
PUB 1800 284-6600
NPARKS 1800 471 7300

Put these numbers in your mobile – it will only take a couple of minutes to do it.  If you are outnumbered or feel threaten just take a picture of the registration number or vehicle so you can report it – everyone today has a camera – use your mobile.

Let’s start WHISTLE BLOWING on these socially and criminally irresponsible people.

Well, we’re go on a whole lot of activities for you to get your feet wet and hands dirty so hope to see you at one of them.

Cheers
Grant W. Pereira
Founder
The Green Volunteers