Inaugural Ecofriend award goes to 15 Singaporeans

By Teresa Tang, Channel NewsAsia
14 June 2007

SINGAPORE: Fifteen Singaporeans have been recognised for their varied efforts to protect the environment.

They are the first group to receive the Ecofriend award from the National Environment Agency (NEA).

A garden at Alexandra Hospital, carefully designed by landscape artist Rosalind Tan, helps patients to de-stress and speed up their healing process.

And for her green efforts, Ms Tan has been chosen as an Ecofriend.

She said: "This award is very timely because Singapore is facing a lot of problems with global warming and if each of us put in our effort to help the environment, I think Singapore will be a better place to live."

That is the same message that Tan Li Jian wants to share with his peers.

The Raffles Junior College student has been organising Earth Day programmes and initiating paper recycling for lower secondary students.

He said: "I feel that youths can play a bigger role in environmental work in Singapore and I think all of us have different strengths which we can contribute... what we can do is to offer whatever we have."

Another Ecofriend award recipient, Ong Lye Huat, has helped to keep 500 tonnes of tetra packaging by forging a partnership with four public waste collectors.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Environment and Water Resources Minister, said: "The Ecofriend award seeks to recognise individuals for their commitment and efforts towards making our living environment a sustainable one.

"We hope to inspire others to take on the challenge of promoting and adopting environmentally sustainable lifestyles."

And this will be the focus of a new Climate Change Exhibition at the Singapore Science Centre next year.

Dr Yaacob announced that the project is a partnership between the Science Centre and NEA.


- CNA/so