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Biodiversity Portal of Singapore 

By Sylvain Richer de Forges

(picture: Dr Arthur Anker)

Recently, The Biodiversity Portal of Singapore (BPS: biodiversity.sg) was given access into Singapore’s Mega Marine Survey, the largest single assessment exercise of marine life in Singapore to date.

The marine survey comprised of several missions spanning over a few weeks with a base camp on St John’s Island off the coast of Singapore. In addition to dives and seashore explorations, one of the key components of the mega marine survey (MMS) was a “deep sea” exploration element to which BPS was given access to.

The concept of such compact mission is to undertake intense research activities and to try to gather as much information and to make as many discoveries as possible in a relatively short period of time.

The concept has been proven going back to the era of the great explorations such as the Challenger during the 19^th century. The Challenger was one of the greatest scientific explorations of all times and was very successful at making breakthrough discoveries in understanding the world that we live in.

The reality is that we still know very little of our surrounding environment and especially deep sea marine ecosystems. Such missions act as an eye opener to the simple fact that we still have a lot to discover.

While the concept of international biodiversity workshops has been carried out in other locations such as recently in Vanuatu or in the Amazon rainforest, it is the first time that a marine assessment of this scale is conducted in Singapore.

One of the simple motivations in doing such exercise is to be able to describe how bio-diverse the oceans surrounding Singapore still are and to back up potential future policies. Indeed it is a simple fact that we cannot protect or debate about the unknown.

Singapore is unique from the point of view that it sits in a tropical biodiversity rich area but also that the island and its surrounding have endured major transformations in the past decades through intense developments. As one of the busiest shipping lanes in the word, Singapore’s marine fauna is under constant pressure. The other particularity is the fact that water quality in Singapore is rather poor with a low visibility (sun light does not penetrate very far). As a result the fauna found in Singapore waters is one that is different than many tropical areas and adapted to a low light environment which is usually found at greater depths.

A photographic journey into the exploration:

While deep sea biodiversity explorations tend to be different from one another depending on where they are carried, there are similarities and general research protocols and methodologies:

1 Planning

Before the expedition was carried, the map of Singapore waters was carefully studied in order to identify areas that would be of greatest interest. It is possible by just looking at a map to identify zones which are likely to hold a higher or more interesting degree of biodiversity. Such features can be determined according to sea current trends, sea bed topography and other factors. In this particular case, one identified feature was a zone of greater depth, up to 200m, which is pretty much as deep as it gets in these surrounding waters. As this zone also coincides with a major shipping lane, obtaining the authorisations to dredge and carrying the activities in this zone was proven challenging.

2 The Equipment

The Galaxea, the research vessel of the National University of Singapore, was used for the dredging. The Galaxea was retrofitted with a winch and a trolling bar that enables the boat to undertake small scale dredging activities. Since waters around Singapore are deeper than 200m and that the marine traffic is very dense, a small vessel is well suited for the task.

Equipment’s of the boat include GPS, maps and sonar systems that allow monitoring in real time the depth of the seabed. Without this basic equipment, the dredging missions would not be possible.

One of the key equipment is a specially designed net and frame device that is meant to be dragged on the sea floor and to collect species in the process (it slides on the sea bed like skis and allows the sediment and species to go into the net).

In addition to this sea bed net, the team also uses different types of nets to collect species within the open water (at different depths).

3 Dredging

The dredging is the most intense part of the process especially in busy waters like Singapore where marine traffic is dense. Waters in Singapore are very still compared to many other parts of the world where the sea often gets rough which makes dredging activities hazardous.

Once a specific pre-programmed location is reached, the specially designed nets are put overboard attached to a cable and a winch then slowly brought down to the sea bed. Usually the cable is set at 2-3 times the depths of the sea bed below to ensure that the net slides well on the sea floor. The net is then let to slide for about 10-15 minutes on average before it is brought up to the surface.

Above pictures: various stages of dredging activities

4 Sorting

The next step involves a pre-sorting of the species collected on the boats deck. Different types of species are put into plastic containers to be studied later on. All the content in the net is then kept in a bag to be further sorted at the lab later on (in order not to miss any of the smaller animals!). While some larger research vessels often have laboratories on board, in this case, the lab work was conducted on shore. The exact location where the samples are collected and the depth are carefully monitored for future works and analysis.

Above pictures: pre-sorting on the boat’s deck. At this stage the species and sediments are usually either muddy of mixed with a range of sediments and substrates. While the find may seem unattractive at this stage, after processing and cleaning numerous wonders are found including colourful species of all forms and shapes.

5 Further Sorting and Laboratory Work

Many of the species present are contained within the sediment, inside rocks, sponges and other substrates. The species are usually small in size and despite an initial sorting on the boat deck, much remains to be done to ensure no species are left unrecorded in the samples no matter how small.

Sediment samples collected at different locations are usually passed under different sizes of meshes to allow species of all dimensions to be retained and captured. Often most of the species range in size from few millimetres to centimetres.

In addition to sorting and recording, laboratory analyses may involve DNA sequencing and other types of monitoring. This is carried with specific analysis techniques and highly specialized machinery.

At this stage, pictures of the interesting specimens are usually taken. This is important not only for scientific purposes but also to raise awareness on the diversity of life to a broad audience. Pictures are a powerful tool to raise awareness.

6 Scientific Analysis & Taxonomy

Species collected during individual samplings or through larger scale expeditions such as this one are then sent for studies in museums or research centres throughout the world. The new specimens are however kept in the country where they are collected, in this instance Singapore.

Taxonomy is the science of classifying species on Earth according to their evolutionary path. Features on species along with other indicators such as genetic codes are used to identify and classify the species.

While some species have already been described, some new species are regularly found. When this occurs a new name is given to the species and specific identifying traits are published in scientific papers that will allow species to be identified in future for usage ranging from taxonomy work to pharmacology or general identification.

Species are usually named after the people who discover them or after their special features. However, sometimes names are given in recognition of a person’s work or achievements. For instance, a new species of deep sea crab from the Philippines (Pleisticanthoides cameroni n. sp in Zootaxa 3551: 65–81, 2012) was named recently after the international movie maker and explorer James Cameron in recognition of his achievement in diving to the Mariana trench on board a revolutionary submersible.

Above picture: Pleisticanthoides cameroni (named after James Cameron) from source Zootaxa issue 3551 p 65-81, 2012

Like in the above, new species found during the Singapore marine survey will be described and published and may perhaps also be named after well-known personalities.

Some highlights of the mission:

The below pictures highlight some of the species found. Despite waters of poor quality that would be seen as inhospitable to life, the findings highlight that a rich variety of species can still be found within Singapore waters. This does mean that numerous species have not already gone extinct due to human pressures, but that even today, Singapore waters can still be seen as bio-diverse.

The very fact that Singapore waters are still bio-diverse can only tell that sometime in the past before intense human pressures, waters surrounding Singapore must have been extremely rich in species.

Below are only a few highlights of species collected during the mission:

(Pictures: Dr Arthur Anker)

And many more…

A re-discovery:

One of the highlights of the Singapore Marine Survey this year was the re-discovery of a species of rare crab that had not been found in Singapore waters since 1900. Below is a brief of the story:

“In 1887, Alfred Walker in London reported on a collection of crustaceans collected by Surgeon-General Archer had collected in Singapore between 1879 and 1883. Of the species obtained, one was one specimen unusual spider crab collected by dredging in shallow waters that was described as new to science, Maja miersii. Lanchester (1900), collecting in Singapore some years later, found the species again, collecting one small female specimen from off Pasir Panjang. The original specimen has long being lost. The species has then been reported from Japan and Australia. As it turns out, studies by Singapore-based scientists have now shown that the Singapore Spider Crab, Maja miersii, is known for certain only from Singapore, with few specimens known to science. The Australian and Japanese records actually belong to different species! Not only this – they belong to a new genus – NOT Maja. As this work progresses, it is heartening to know that during the MMS a fresh specimen was finally collected – a lovely female – and the largest ever found! Not only do we now report the crab after a century hiatus – we also here doument its splendid colours for the first time – white, red, brown, pink and purple!”

(Information Source: Raffles Museum NUS)

Above picture: the “re-discovered” crab

The importance of biodiversity expeditions:

Such expeditions despite relatively rare highlight the simple fact that if we make the effort to look close enough many different life forms can be found in almost any ecosystems on Earth.

This point also raises concerns. Indeed, we can deduct from such assessment exercises that still a lot remains to be discovered even in environments that we may see as already known, so what about environments that we know nothing about?

This point is particularly of actually considering the fact that deep sea mining is becoming increasingly an area of focus by various agencies and governments. As mineral resources on the ground are becoming more and more rare or expensive to extract, easily accessible minerals are abundant in many seabed environments. The attention is particularly targeting rare metals that have increasingly high demand for the semiconductor industry.

As highlighted in missions such as the Singapore MMS, great prevention measures should be put into place to insure that such future sea bed exploitation activities will not be carried without at least initial assessment of the biodiversity present on these sites.

Photography credits
Mission pictures: Sylvain Richer de Forges
Species macro close up pictures Dr Arthur Anker
For more interesting articles, visit the website: The Biodiversity Portal of Singapore (BPS) BPS is a CSR initiative by Siloso Beach Resort

The school’s Eco Club managed to display a Eco Candy Tree to enhance the awareness event. Courtesy of PTEM

Students get their sweet tooth on for a day full of awareness. Meragang Sixth Form Centre (PTEM) officially launched their first “Candy Wrappers’ Awareness Day” on April 24.

Organised by the Student Council (MP) Cleanliness and Refreshment Department, and the school’s Eco Club, the event was aimed to encourage students to dispose candy wrappers in the dust bin provided in every class independently as caring individuals to live in a cleaner environment and healthier life in school.

Before the launching, empty bottles were distributed in each class where students were encouraged to insert their candy wrappers inside the bottle. The result of the awareness campaign have produced 90 bottles full of candy wrapper.

As a common litter in school, it gives a relief for sore eyes for such an initiative to tackle the camah mata (indifferent) attitude of students towards the environment.

MP Head of Cleanliness and Refreshment Diyana Yahya said, ”The main purpose of this project is to ensure that the school cleanliness.”

The student, who is also the President of Eco Club, encourages voluntary action by to help keep the campus clean and have a good environment to study in.

PTEM Principal Madam Chong Li Chen officiating the launch of Candy Wrappers’ Awareness Day. Courtesy of PTEM

Since the launching of the event, the school’s Eco Club managed to display a Eco Candy Tree to enhance the awareness event. The event coincides with the PTEM Charity Event for the Children’s Cancer Foundation (YASKA) early July.

International Conference on “Heart of Borneo Natural Capital: Unleashing Their Potential for Sustainable Growth in Sabah”

Date: 11-12 November 2013
Venue: The Magellan Sutera, Sutera Harbour Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Registration is free.
Deadline for applications: 15 October 2013
Download Flyer.

Various HoB conferences held in the past had deliberated on their protection, their special link to climate change and their role in green economy development. The HoB 2012 conference with the theme of ‘Shaping and Nurturing Sabah’s Future Together’ reviewed the progress achieved over the last 5 years since HoB was initiated and attempted to seek sustainable solutions beyond the forests in order to bring the State under sustainable pathways, which is key to conserve HoB. Various inputs and ideas were gathered from the conference with promise of a revised Strategic Plan of Action to bring HoB into the millennium. It was also during this conference that the concept of Forever Sabah was introduced as a 25-year solution to support Sabah’s transition to a diversified equitable green economy.

As a follow up to the above conferences, this HoB 2013 conference will be dedicated to the HoB’s natural capital, and the efforts to further unleash their potential, including special focus on promoting economic activities that can be sustainably hgh anti aging generated from natural capital. The aim is to identify and implement innovative ventures with responsible financing
that could add economic and ecologic value to the HoB.

What the Conference offers

The HoB 2013 Conference offers two (2) important outcomes:

1. The Revised Heart of Borneo Strategic Plan of Action for Sabah; and
2. The Forever Sabah Solutions

These two documentations combined, will path the next wave of conservation in Sabah and promote innovative approaches to generate new physical and financial capital, leading to the promotion of the greater agenda of sustainable development or green economy in Sabah.

Speakers

This conference will bring in key resource persons to speak on cutting edge issues and state of-the-art solutions to further unleash the potential of HoB’s natural capital for sustainable growth.

Exhibition

An exhibition will be set up during the Conference to showcase relevant research work currently being undertaken in the State to increase better understanding of the potential of natural capital in Sabah.

For further enquiries, please contact the following officials:
 Frederick Kugan: +6089-242 777 (phone) or
frederick.kugan@sabah.gov.my (email)
 Michelle Yap Sue Sem: +6089-242 757 (phone) or
suesem.yap@sabah.gov.my (email)
 Rita Garcia: +6089-242 788 (phone) or
rita.garcia@sabah.gov.my (email)

Read Green Brunei’s report of the Heart of Borneo Conference that was held last year.

Little Sun – “A work of art that works in life”

Little Sun is a solar-powered LED light, designed to bring light to the world’s rural poor. Green Brunei was more than glad to have received a Little Sun from Singaporean entrepreneur, Dr. Irene Lee, who is managing the production and distribution of Little Suns in Asia.

What better way to test Little Sun’s usability than to bring it to Cambodia?

GB members, Fatin Arifin and I brought Little Sun to a village in Lvea Aem district, Kandal Province, Cambodia, where the lack of electrical transmission grids forces the village to be in pitch darkness after 7pm every night. The village sleeps under a stunning blanket of stars every cloudless night – and this is also the time when Little Sun shines the brightest.

I personally had the privilege of exploring the many different uses of Little Sun – to keeping the washroom illuminated in its otherwise darkness, to accessorizing my inconspicuous outfit and attracting the interest of my friends.

This lamp is created based on a new and advanced LED technology, where up to 5 hours of light can be given off with a charge in the sun for 4 hours. Compared to conventional light sources such as kerosene lamps, the Little Sun definitely stands out as a clear winner with its pollution-free and sustainability aspects. Not to mention, it is more cost-effective to own a solar-powered Little Sun than buy kerosene lamps that are expended with every usage.

In my four days with the village at Lvea Aem district, every night when the sky falls, Little Sun is definitely a product I would carry with me everywhere I go – to the communal hall, to the bathroom and even within my homestay owner’s house. We were in Cambodia with the ASEAN Young Professionals Volunteer Corps (AYPVC), seeking ways to pool together our expertise as young professionals with enthused individuals from the other ASEAN member countries, to better improve the villagers’ lives. The village we worked with in Lvea Aem is one that is without its own potable water sources and steady electrical supplies, and is also prone to floods as the island’s banks are flanked by the mighty Mekong river.

I found myself needing to charge the Little Sun only twice in the four days I was there, and despite the expectations of a 4 hours charge to provide 5 hours of light, my Little Sun was out in the scorching sun for a maximum of 2 hours every time I charged it. The results were spectacular and definitely exceeded my expectations – the 2 hours of sunlight were definitely sufficient for our uses across the next two days before another charge was required.

Of course, I didn’t have the heart to leave the Little Sun lying around as I went out in the fields with the team and the local farmers. Its comfortable strap made it convenient for me to wring it round my neck as I worked in the fields, charging the lamp simultaneously. It also has a clasp that easily detaches upon sufficient impact, such that any child who has it taken away by force would not be hurt by it. That is indeed thoughtful.

Little Sun, the perfect neck accessory. Photo credits to Daylon Soh.

The design of Little Sun is one that is definitely attractive; it managed to garner the interest of my friends from all over ASEAN who were intrigued upon first sight. They were impressed by its design, its strong battery life and its functionality. The idea of solar lights and lanterns remains relatively new and Little Sun is definitely one that makes this complex technology highly relatable.

Little Sun bringing light to the world’s rural poor

Fatin and I decided that the best thing to do at the end of our stay in the village would be to donate Little Sun to a Grandma who lives without light as she is too poor to afford any source of light. Our Cambodian friend, Reaksmey, very kindly helped us translate the instructions of use (it was short, sweet, and succinct because the Little Sun was really easy to use!) and Grandma’s smile reassured us of our decisions.

Giving instructions on how Little Sun is used to both Reaksmey and Grandma

Green Brunei makes our first donation to Grandma in Lvea Aem! From L-R: Amanda, Grandma, Fatin

The Little Sun is purported to last up to 1000 charges and that gives the average user a good 3 years of light from this LED lantern.

For more information about the Little Sun, please visit Little Sun’s
Webpage
Facebook Page
Twitter

Staff at Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. sorting the recyclables at their centre in Serasa.

In line with its vision to create a sustainable environment, Hewlett-Packard (HP) in collaboration with local non-profit organization, Green Brunei, will be organizing a Recycling Drive, a recycling campaign which encourage the participation of local Schools. The drive aims to develop a recycling habit amongst students and to enhance their knowledge of recycling. “Green Brunei is very happy to be able to work with Hewlett-Packard (HP) through their official distributor, Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd. (SDS) on this project as we both share the same vision about helping to make the environment sustainable”, said Khairunnisa Ash’ari, Community Engagement Director of Green Brunei.

“We hope that through this initiative it would encourage more recycling habits and awareness about the waste problem that we have in the country”, she added. Khairunnisa said they hope to reach their total target of around 20 tonnes of recyclable waste during the recycling drive. Participating schools for the competition will be provided with recycling bins and will be able to gain funds during each collection as the recyclables will be sold to Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. using fixed rates (1kg of paper = $0.05, 1kg of plastic = $0.03 and 1kg of aluminium cans = $1.20).

Three awards will be given. First, will be for the Best Participating School, is for the school that collects the most recyclable (in relation to the number of students/size of school); Second, is the Best Waste Recycling Corner (Overall) for the school that has the most creative recycling corner; and finally the Best Waste Reduction and Recycling Campaign, is for the school that has the most creative campaign to encourage waste reduction and promote recycling.

The recycling drive is part of Green Brunei’s commitment and support for stronger environmental education in the community. According to the Managing Director of Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd. (SDS), Mr Sulaiman Haji Ahai, “This is the first project by HP under our corporate social responsibility this year and we hope to do more in the future. We hope that through this initiative, we will help to encourage more people to practise recycling.”

On average, a Bruneian produces 1.4kg of waste per day amounting to about 189,000 tonnes of waste per year. This marks Brunei as the highest per capita generator of waste in ASEAN.

HP – Green Brunei Recycling Drive is jointly organized by HP through their distributor, Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd., in collaboration with Green Brunei and also in partnership with Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. and supported by the Department of Schools under the Ministry of Education.

For more information, please read about the programme here.

According to the Brunei Economic Development Board (BEDB), an average of 350 tonnes of waste end up in Sg Paku Engineered Landfill (SPEL) every day (Borneo Bulletin, 2012). A 2005 survey found that the largest type of waste is food waste, followed by paper, plastic and scrap metal. Through proper waste management and segregation at the household level, the amount of waste being sent to the landfill can be significantly reduced thereby saving a lot of resources (especially land) for the future generation. Green Brunei shares some tips on how you can help by doing your part at home:

How to Manage Common Waste (Submitted by: Md Noor)

Waste Management Strategy:

1. Reduce – Minimise amount of wastes produced
2. Re-Use – Re-using materials in its original form
3. Recycle – Turning waste materials into different usable items

Tips:

1. Choose and Use Biodegradable & compostable (eco-friendly) bin liners over common plastics (you can buy them in Hua Ho or Cutepack)
2. Don’t pour used cooking oil direct to water source or drains. Collected used cooking oil can be dispose by recycling centre.
3. Avoid using plastic bags when shopping groceries. Always bring along reusable bags when shopping (not limited to Friday to Sunday only)
4. Avoid using Styrofoam food containers or plastic food containers & plastic cutleries. Encourage the use of compostable and biodegradable (Eco-Friendly) food containers, cups and cutleries.
5. Conduct paperless meetings. Encourage use of computers for reviewing of documents and note-making.
6. Use paper more efficiently. THINK TWICE before printing. If printing is necessary, then choose double sided printing. Change your computer settings to fit in more text on each page by adjusting page margins or reducing font size. Print only the pages you need by using the “Print Selection” function. Use the print preview function before printing to avoid print mistakes.
7. When sending a paper fax, eliminate cover sheets and use fax stick-on labels instead.
8. Reuse paper. Use the blank sides of unneeded single-sided copies for printing drafts or as scrap note paper. And Reuse envelopes.

Last Saturday the Green Brunei team had an opportunity to visit C.P. Hobby Farm in Jalan Muara. As the name suggests, it is not a commercial farm, but a hobby farm with the aim to have a chemical free (no pesticides) environment for plants, or in other words, a natural organic farm.

Established in late 2009 and with many hours of hard work and love, a vacant land has transformed into what you can see in the photos. The farm houses more than 40 different fruit plants as well as live animals in a safe and nature environment. At the farm you will be able to learn more about the fruit plants and how they are able to grow with minimum care and without the use of any chemicals, as well as the many usage of the plants.

In the future, the farm aims to add more colour and features by planting more flowers to attract butterflies and birds. It also aims to add in more interesting sculptures such as bird houses made of natural materials.

Over 80 people took part in the visit to CP Hobby Farm, comprising of environmental advocates, green lifestyle enthusiasts, teachers, parents and their children.

The list of fruits found in the farm

The farm houses several farm animals such as sheep.

Passion fruit flower

Passion fruit

Holding out mulberry we ate right off the tree.

Growing the papaya trees slanted instead of straight makes the fruits grow better due to the exposure to sunlight.

The farm is not open to the public, and visits are arranged by appointment only. It is located in Simpang 143 in Jalan Muara.

We would like to thank RAW FOOD ASIA for organising this trip.

Opportunity from TUNZA Eco-Generation Environmental Networking Platform for Children & Youth:

Eco-generation would like to announce the call for application for the 12th Eco-generation Regional Ambassador Program.

E-gen Regional Ambassador is an elite position awarded to the children and youth qualified to represent Tunza Eco-generation. E-gen Regional Ambassador Program provides exceptional experiences with the opportunities to actively plan, to execute or participate in various environmental awareness programs in each region.

As the representatives of Tunza Eco-generation, E-gen Regional Ambassadors must embody the spirit and values of Tunza Eco-generation. E-gen Regional Ambassadors must take on various roles to promote and raise environmental awareness for each region they are representing.

The Eco-generation Regional Ambassadors would carry the voice of the universe at international level. Since your friends will gain their first impression of Tunza Eco-generation through E-gen Ambassadors, E-gen Ambassadors are also expected to be knowledgeable on current environmental issues and on information about Tunza Eco-generation platform as well.

We look forward to receive many applications from children and youth eager to protect the environment.

For more information about the application for the 12th Eco-generation Regional Ambassador Program, please click this link.

The Green Brunei team had the opportunity to visit the site of Brunei’s first renewable energy project in Seria today. Located on the former Seria Power Station, the Tenaga Suria Brunei Photovoltaic Power Generation Demonstration Project (TSB Project) is a joint project of the Government of His Majesty and Mitsubitshi Corporation. This Mitsubishi Corporation funded project is part of Brunei’s commitment towards developing sustainable energy sources.

The visit was attended by seven members of Green Brunei, led by Lim Yong Chee, and it was welcomed by Hj Jufri and Raymee, TSB officers from the Energy Department, Prime Minister’s Office.

The visit began with an introduction to the history and milestones of Tenaga Suria, which was followed by a visit to the control room, where we were shown the impact of different weather patterns on the production of electricity at the solar power plant. The TSB staff also took the visitors to see the six different types of panels laid across the site, where they explained the capabilities and limitations of each type of panel.

Hj Jufri (left) explaining the function of the display board while Mr Raymee (right) and members of the Green Brunei team looks on.

Group photo from the top of the viewing tower.

The solar plant was inaugurated by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam back in 2011. Shortly after its completion in 2010, it began a three years evaluation period, during which the energy produced was first introduced into the national power grid. It was handed over to the Government in October 2010. Its evaluation period ended last October.

The TSB Plant Project worked towards the aim of assisting the Government in formulating renewable energy policies. Data collected from the photovoltaic (PV) modules installed on the site were evaluated and analyzed to determine the module most suitable for local weather conditions. Six different types of PV modules are evaluated: monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, microcrystalline-Si tadem, amorphous silicon, copper-iridium-selenium (CIS) and heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT).

The TSB PV system has a nominal capacity of 1.2 MW and is made up of PV cells, PCS which converts direct current to alternating current, and a number of transformers. The PV modules are sited in such a way that their pigmentation and efficiency can be fully exploited: the modules faces south, with a 5° tilt.

The plant is able to generate 1,344 MWh of electricity per year, help saving 340,000 litres of crude oil each year. This translates to a reduction of carbon dioxide emission by 2,060,000 kilograms.

“The visit broadened my knowledge of solar energy generation in Brunei,” said Wong Shing Ping, a member of Green Brunei.

The panels represent the future, with the burning gas in the background.

According to Khairunnisa Ash’ari, the Community Engagement Director of Green Brunei, “The visit has been very informative. I previously came in with some misunderstanding about how Tenaga Suria works, and I’m very satisfied with the explanations provided by Hj Jufri and his team. We hope that the government of His Majesty will continue investing in solar energy research and that it will not be long before we can get into production on a national scale.”

Committee and volunteers in a group photo. Photo by Hamdillah Kamaludin.

Over 30 volunteers consisting of members of Green Brunei, volunteers from HSBC, students and teachers from various institutions, staff from the Forestry Department and general public have gathered today in Bengkurong to plant 100 mangrove trees along Sungai Damuan.

The Mangrove Planting Project 2014 aims to save the areas of mangrove forests that have been cut down along Sungai Damuan. It is hoped that by helping to rehabilitate the area, the project would help to create more habitat space for proboscis monkeys and other wildlife. At the same time, the project also hopes to create more awareness of the properties of mangrove forests, which have the capacity as one of nature’s best ways for fighting global warming with its ability to serve as carbon sinks.

The volunteers were divided into groups to plant the mangrove trees and at the same time helped to collect the trash that were deposited on the river bank which were then segregated for recycling.

The area near the planting site is quite popular as a tourist destination where wildlife such as proboscis monkeys, crocodiles and mangrove snakes are often spotted.

“This is the second time I have organised a mangrove planting activity here in Bengkurong. Last year, we have planted 200 trees with the help of the Forestry Department together with participants of the ASEAN Young Professionals Volunteer Corps (AYPVC) Seminar. Both events were supported by HSBC Brunei. Hopefully after this project we will be able to engage more volunteers to take part in our future mangrove planting initiatives,” said Khairunnisa Ash’ari, the Community Engagement Director of Green Brunei.

Green Brunei hopes to continue this effort to ensure continuous work is done to rehabilitate the area. Several tree planting projects are planned over a span of 4 months to allow volunteers to return to the area and assess the results of previous planting efforts.

The Mangrove Planting Project 2014 is organised by Green Brunei, with the support from the Forestry Department, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and HSBC Brunei.

Group photo with Energy and Environmental Club of Rimba II Secondary School. Photo by Ying Chia.

A soft launching ceremony was organised today by the Energy and Environmental Club of Rimba II Secondary School today to launch the first Recycling Corner at the school.

The event was attended by Cg Suriani bte Hj Noor Hashim, the Chief Executive Officer of Rimba II Secondary School; Mr Cheong Huat Joo, Senior Special Duties Officer (Secondary) of the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education; Mr Sulaiman Haji Ahai, Managing Director of Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd.; Mr Jeffrey Hung, Project Manager, Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd.; and Khairunnisa Ash’ari, Community Engagement Director, Green Brunei.

The ceremony began with a welcoming speech from the Head of Energy and Environmental Club, followed by a speech from the CEO of Rimba II Secondary School. Three recycling bins were then presented from Mr Sulaiman Haji Ahai, the Managing Director of Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd, to Rimba II Secondary School.

Rimba II Secondary School is one of the schools currently taking part in the nationwide recycling programme organised by Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd., the official distributor of Hewlett-Packard, and Green Brunei. The project is supported by Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. and the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education.

The HP Recycling Drive aims to develop a recycling habit amongst students and to enhance their knowledge of recycling.

Schools will be awarded not only based on the amount collected, but also based on the creativity of the schools in engaging the students and community to recycle.

A total of 49 schools from all four districts have signed up ranging from pre-schools to sixth form levels, both public and private.

The recycling drive will run until the end of May. An award ceremony will be held in June in conjunction with World Environment Day.

According to BEDB, on average a Bruneian produces 1.4kg of waste per day amounting to about 189,000 tonnes of waste per year. The Sungai Paku Engineered Landfill collects an average of 450 tonnes of rubbish per day, with 350 tonnes originating from the Brunei-Muara district.

Picture by YSHHB Secondary School

Photo by YSHHB Secondary School

The Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School this morning hosted a recycling bin handover ceremony to mark their participation in the HP Recycling Drive.

Attending the ceremony were Cikgu Kassim Haji Ibrahim, Education Officer from the Department of Schools (Private Section), Ministry of Education; Mr Sulaiman Haji Ahai, Managing Director of Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd.; Jeffrey Hung, Project Manager of Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. and Khairunnisa Ash’ari, Community Engagement Director of Green Brunei.

The event began with the recital of Surah Al-Fatihah, followed by a speech from Cg Hjh Mariam binti Hj Ladi, the Principal of Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School. Amongst others she shared about the school’s commitment to environmental programmes, including taking part in beach clean-up activities and also sending representatives to the Singapore. Mr Sulaiman from Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd. then presented the three recycling bins to the school, through the Ministry of Education. The bins were officiated by Yang Mulia Pengiran Anak Raaqib bin PSI Pg Anak Hj Abdul Rahim as he consented to place the first can in the recycling bin.

Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School is one of the schools taking part in the nationwide recycling programme which will run until the end of May.

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Green Brunei recently delivered talks to Maktab Duli and Sekolah Menengah Rimba II. The objectives of the school talk is to create awareness about the work of Green Brunei and how young people can take their own initiative to provide solutions to the green issues we are facing in Brunei and globally. At the same time, the talks were also to educate to the students regarding the waste problem that we have in Brunei and the importance of recycling as one of the solutions.

Group photo in Laksamana College of Business on 27 February.

Hanna delivering a talk on carbon footprint in Laksamana College of Business on 27 February.

Izzah (L) and Firdaus (R) introducing Green Brunei to students in Maktab Duli on 8 April.

Press coverage on the talk in Brunei Times Edu Supplement Page.

Firdaus Ismail delivering a talk on recycling to SM Rimba 2 on 12 April.

The CEO of SM Rimba 2 presenting a token to Firdaus Ismail on behalf of Green Brunei on 12 April.

Local environmental non-government organization Green Brunei is calling for participants to the first ever Green Leaders Camp in the capital. In tandem with World Environment Day, 40 local youths between the ages of 17 to 25 years old will have the opportunity to work together for a more sustainable future.

Organised with the support from the Heart of Borneo Centre, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, and sponsored by HSBC Brunei, the Green Leaders Camp aims to empower participants through capacity-building workshops centered on the principles of volunteerism, leadership, community outreach, and many others.

From 17^th to 21^st June 2014, successful applicants will be able to develop creative ways to campaign for a greener lifestyle, addressing the challenges of climate change, as well as gain a greater understanding of the current situation in Brunei.

This event will focus on training of youth leaders and mobilizing the committed parties, through the exposure of issues and environmental initiatives led by different stakeholders in the country, including the government, private sector and NGOs. Through discussions and activities, the participants are expected to critically assess environmental problems facing the country and come up with possible solutions that they can engage in after the camp program. The Green Leaders Camp will take place outdoors in several locations around Brunei.

Applicants should be a citizen or permanent resident of Brunei Darussalam, aged between 17 to 25 years old, and have an active or strong interest in environmental activities. A registration fee of BND25 is required only by successful applicants.

Registration closes on 30 May 2014, and the final roster of delegates will be announced on 1 June. Interested parties can register online at the Green Brunei website (www.green-brunei.com) or email info@green-brunei.com for more details.

The Recycling Drive 2014 concluded yesterday in a fanfare of prize-giving and awards as students, invited guest and organisers, paid tribute to the phenomenal results of the competition, on World Environment Day. The event was held in Songket Ballroom, Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong. In total, the recycling drive managed to raise over 33 tonnes worth of recyclables through the efforts of 52 participating schools.

Group photo with the winners and partners of the Recycling Drive

Educational institutions across the nation competed over five and a half months, to recycle plastic bottles, paper and aluminium cans.

Present to give awards to the winners was Hajah Kamlah Haji Daud, the Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Core Education), at the Ministry of Education. Also present was Mr Ng Tian Chong, the Vice President Printing & Personal Systems from Hewlett-Packard, who presented the Tokens of Appreciation to the partners.

The categories and results are as follows:

Category A (Pre-Schools & Primary Schools):

1. Hornbill School
2. Joyful Kids Montessori School
3. Tutong Kem Primary School

Category A, 1st Place – Hornbill School

Category A, 2nd Place – Joyful Kids Montessori School

Category A, 3rd Place – Tutong Kem Primary School

Category B (Secondary School & Sixth Form Centres):

1. Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School
2. Rimba 1 Secondary School
3. Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College

Category B, 1st Place – Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Secondary School

Category B, 2nd Place – Rimba 1 Secondary School

Category B, 3rd Place – MSPSBS

Best Recycling Corner:
Tutong Kem Primary School

Best Recycling Corner – Tutong Kem Primary School

Best Recycling Campaign:
Hornbill School

Best Recycling Campaign Award – Hornbill School

Green Award for Highest Amount Recycled:
Tahfiz Al-Quran Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute

Green Award for Highest Amount Recycled – Institut Tahfiz Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

Ms Olivia Choong from Green Drinks Singapore was also present to give a talk entitled, “Life Beyond Recycling”.

During the recycling drive, teachers had been frank about the difficulties in walking the talk and had said that it would take time to create a normal culture of eco-conscious behaviours such as not littering, conserving resources, and not using plastic as they were all still learning about proper recycling procedures.

Wider impacts of waste production were also discussed in Hajah Kamlah’s speech, most notably on marine wildlife like turtles who often mistake plastic bags or products as food and die as a result. Education is a key process to becoming a more caring society she added, and highlighted the impressive 33 tonnes of trash collected by students. “This is the kind of effort that we, as individuals, can make – and should make-  in order to contribute towards solving a global problem.”

The Recycling Drive 2014 is an initiative by Sulaiman Development Services Sdn. Bhd. in collaboration with Green Brunei and sponsored by Hewlett-Packard. It is organised in partnership with Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. and supported by the Department of Schools, Ministry of Education, The Brunei Times and Aewon Garment & Embroidery.

A total of 105 mangrove trees were planted on 12 June, organised by Green Brunei with the support from the Forestry Department, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, and HSBC Brunei. 39 people were present for the activity located in Bengkurong, coming from Green Brunei, the Forestry Department and also volunteers from the public.

Mohamad Rozizan bin Mohd Maslin giving a briefing about the properties of mangrove forests

Mohammad Zukrina Hj Daimun@Hj Roslan giving a demonstration on how to plant the mangrove saplings

A briefing on mangrove forests was delivered by Mohamad Rozizan bin Mohd Maslin, Forestry Assistant and Head of Bukit Patoi Forest Recreational Park and Selirong Island Unit, prior to the planting. This was followed by a planting demonstration by Mohammad Zukrina Hj Daimun@Hj Roslan, Junior Forestry Assistant from the Forestry Department.

Photo by Tony

Photo by Tony

At the same time, the volunteers also did a river clean up along the riverbank, where 78 kg of plastic bottles were collected for recycling.

Izzah Zakaria, the Project Manager for the second mangrove planting activity hopes to see substantial progress in the next few years. “I am glad to see overwhelming support from the volunteers who were willing to come really early in the morning to plant and clean the river bank under the sun. I hope that by involving the youth in this mangrove project, they will learn to appreciate our forests more and not take rubbish disposal so lightly,” referring to the amount of waste found along the riverbank.

Stephanie Yong, the Volunteer Coordinator of Green Brunei, also added, “I hope that we will be able to organise more tree planting activities, and if possible, the more people involved with tree planting will be better. This shows that they are supportive to the environment.”

Group photo at the end of the activity

This is the second mangrove planting event organised by Green Brunei, where 100 mangrove trees were planted in March this year. Two more mangrove planting activities are currently being planned, tentatively in August and September.

Green Brunei yesterday completed the first 5-day 4-nights Green Leaders Camp which was held in Hadfa Recreational Park and Wasai Batu Mapan. The camp saw 35 youth aged between 16 to 23 years old taking part in various environmental activities including talks, debates, discussions, field trips and volunteer work.

Participants and some of the committee members in a group photo with the Guest of Honour and invited guests.

The Green Leaders Camp focused on developing their knowledge and understanding on environmental issues and practices in the country through sharing sessions by NGOs and government bodies. The objectives of the camp include to enhance individual skills such as leadership, teamwork, creative thinking and public speaking. The participants were also exposed to three main environmental topics, which were waste management, renewable energy and biodiversity.

The closing ceremony was held in Hadfa Recreational Park with presentation of certificates and token of appreciation and also a video presentation of the programme. The Guest of Honour at the event was Hajah Hasnah binti Ibrahim, the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources. Muhd Faiz bin Adros represented the GLC participants to share their many experiences under the programme.

According to Firdaus Ismail, the GLC Project Manager, “Green Leaders Camp was definitely an eye opener for the participants and these young green leaders are now enthusiastic to conduct their own projects.”

The Green Leaders Camp is organised by Green Brunei with the support from the Heart of Borneo Centre, Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and sponsored by HSBC Brunei. The Camp also exposed the participants to the work of other NGOs, which were Beach Bunch, Society for Community Outreach and Training as well as the Biodiversity and Natural History Society. The participants also had the opportunity to visit Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn. Bhd. in Serasa, Tenaga Suria in Seria, the Tropical Biodiversity Centre in Jalan Labi, and spent a night in Wasai Batu Mapan.

Participants taking part in a beach clean up activity facilitated by Beach Bunch

In order to develop the participants’ capacity in environmental programmes, a talk on Environmental Issues and Practices in Brunei Darussalam, and a Project Planning Workshop, were conducted, with the hopes that they can develop better awareness on the environmental issues in the country and how they can contribute to mitigating the problem.

As a follow up to the programme, participants are expected to conduct a sharing session in their respective schools or organisations and to organise projects with the support from Green Brunei.

Trash to Treasure is an initiative by Asia Inc Forum in collaboration with the Ministry of Development and Daikyo Environmental Recycling Sdn Bhd that aims to build and sustain an environmentally-friendly community. With three of Brunei’s leading environmental NGOs (Beach Bunch, SCOT and Green Brunei), the T3 campaign extends to the Bruneian public to take action and deliver a lasting impact in Brunei’s environment. The campaign’s mission is to create clean, beautiful environments, reduce waste and increase recycling, bring positive impact on local economies and inspire communities of environmental stewards.

All proceeds of this campaign will be donated to participating NGOs for their green projects.

How it works

The T3 campaign is open to all households and business establishments in Brunei Darussalam. Only one person is allowed to participate per household and one representative to register from a business establishment.

Participants are to separate their trash by material types, which are converted into points:

*Electronic wastes are accepted as long as they contain the Power Circuit Board (PCB). They include a variety of items such as, telephone, computers, laptops, televisions, radio, DVD player, printers, calculators, refrigerators and others. As glass cannot be recycled, large electronics with glass (e.g. television set, monitors, etc) will be deducted by 5kg.

Please note that only trash mentioned above are accepted in this campaign. Organizers have the right to refuse any trash that does not fall in the above list.

Collection

Collection will be held in two occasions at the Stadium Negara Hassanal Bolkiah.
Collection 1: Sunday, June 22nd, 2014.
Collection 2: Sunday, August 10th, 2014.

What is in it for you?

The top three recyclers from each category will receive prizes at the National Environment Conference on Wednesday, August 13th, 2014.

For more information, please go to www.asiaincforum.com or email may.low@asiaincforum.com