Dear Friends,
OVERVIEW
“The Place We Call Home, This is where We Belong”
Last Sunday morning a Waterways Watch Society member and six Polytechnic students went to Pang Sua Pond and its adjacent park to do litter picking. It was their project to learn about the environment and how we can make it more sustainable and liveable. The students were impressed with the scenic surroundings and they learned about our water story and the need to conserve and keep our waterways clean and safe. The park was well-manicured and the trees and plants were healthy looking providing a lot of shade and coolness for the park users and residents alike. There were joggers and walkers and others doing their healthy physical activities. There was even a group of bird enthusiasts enjoying the chirps and pleasant shrills of their caged birds and at the same time, having a good social de-stressing time with one another. It was a pleasing sight to see the group of bird enthusiasts getting together enjoying their common past-time activity. However, from afar we could smell cigarette smoke coming from that group.
At the end of their walk in the park and doing their small task of picking up litter, the students concluded that the scenic surroundings could have been better if there were no litter next to the void deck of residences and around the pond and the park. As it was they saw and they picked up used masks, cigarette butts, cans and plastic bags and bottles.
On reflection, we agree that all of us need to work together to foster community stewardship in our City in Nature. We would like to encourage everyone to play a part in keeping our parks, gardens and public spaces clean. It is all about a clean, green and sustainable Singapore, that is liveable, endearing and vibrant. Can we all do our part to pick up the litter we see and not let us wait for the cleaners to do it?
This our Home and this is where we belong and it should extend beyond the four walls of the house or flats we are living in.
It was another week of meaningful work done at Waterways Watch Society and all this is due to the belief and passion of our volunteers and members.
In summary, the following activities were done:
- We conducted 5 CSR and 2 VIA programmes which were attended by 133 participants and 246 participants respectively, and together they collected a total of 301 kg of litter.
- CSR programmes – 2 Boat activities, 3 Kayak activities and 2 Pedal Boat activities
- VIA programmes – 1 Bike activity, 1 Foot activity and 1 Kayak activity
- We conducted a Learning Journey on Foot at Pang Sua Pond for 6 students from Singapore Polytechnic and they collected 2 kg of litter.
- We conducted a virtual and an onsite Assembly Talks to two schools in which a total of 440 students attended.
- An On-the Job Orientation was conducted for a total of 5 new members on their roles and responsibilities when doing patrol. 1 member did it at Kallang and 4 at Punggol.
- This week a total of 109 members were involved for CSR/VIA programmes, talk, patrols, administration, housekeeping duties and training and, the total trash collected = 361 kg.
- Boat Patrol. A total of 5 Boat patrols were carried out; 2 at Marina, 2 at Punggol and 1 at Lakeside.
- Bike Patrol. A total of 5 Bike patrols were carried out; 2 each at Marina and Punggol and 1 at Lakeside.
- Foot Patrol. We conducted 1 Foot Patrol at Pang Sua Pond.
- Pedal boat Patrol. No Pedal Boat patrol was conducted at Marina.
- Physical Clean Up Orientation for New members. This was conducted for 5 new members at Marina and Punggol.
ACTIVITIES AND REPORT
- Educational Programmes
- Volunteer Patrols & Activities
a. Marina
b. Punggol
c. Lakeside
d. Pang Sua Pond
e. Yishun Pond
