Month: March 2021

AY2021G21D- “Creature Comforts”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Jin Ziqi (FOE), Joseph Koh Boon Sin (SDE), Ma Xudong (FOE), Zhang Han Xiang (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Almost half of existing secondary forests will become new developments over the next 10-15 years (CNA, 2020). The loss of habitat forces wildlife into urban areas, leading to human-wildlife interaction. With RVRC being located beside Kent Ridge forest, there is higher likelihood of human-wildlife encounters. In order to educate and build confidence in RVRC residents as first responders in wildlife encounters, we aim to provide accessibility to information required in handling human-wildlife interactions. QR codes were pasted on residents’ doors. If residents encounter animals in their rooms, they could easily scan the code to obtain instructions on safe handling of wildlife. Survey results indicated an increase in respondents’ confidence in animal encounters from 43.1% to 77.8%. 75% of residents were more likely to respond correctly in human-wildlife interaction scenarios. To continue educating future residents, we plan to collaborate with RV Forestore Interest Group and the Office of Housing Services.

AY2021G21C- “Masks On Waste Off”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Chen Yuxuan (SDE), Gao Xinge (FOE), Jin Yonghe (FOE), Yang Donghan (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Improper waste disposal and high waste generation of disposable masks have spiked and adversely exacerbated environmental issues since the onset of COVID-19 both globally and locally. Educating and advocating for reusable mask usage would help reduce disposable mask waste. Education with the engaging activities would foster effective learning and change among RVRC participants. Hence, we utilize a two-pronged approach through conducting an educational workshop and supplying reusable masks to change perceptions and reinforce the wearing of reusable masks instead of disposable masks.

We designed a face-to-face workshop comprising i) a pre- and post-workshop and review survey; ii) distribution of free reusable masks iii) discussion of benefits of reusable mask usage. Our findings showed that 90% of workshop participants continued wearing reusable masks the month after the workshop. Hence, our multi-pronged approach has proven effective in promoting reusable mask usage in RVRC residents.

AY2021G21B- “Thimbles for Water Conservation”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Water

Hu Yi (FOE), Liew Tse Chuan Joseph (SDE), Sun Jiawei (FOE), Zhang Bo Ya Grace (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Water supply in Singapore is limited and PUB aims to lower water consumption, and an understanding of water use habits would be useful to implement conservation measures. Our objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness of water thimbles and posters in helping residents save water. We carried out our implementation at two floors by: i) installing thimbles and water meters in their pantry taps ii) pasting water conservation posters informing residents that thimbles were installed iii) conducting surveys to understand residents’ tap usage iv) conducting observations and interviews regarding differences in tap usage.

Thimbles reduced flow rate by ~50%, but total water consumption was hardly reduced despite their installation. Interviews revealed that perceived time spent using the tap was unchanged, though data and observations said otherwise. Thimbles and posters were not proven to be effective in saving water. Residents likely required more direct changes in their water usage habits to save any meaningful amount of water.

AY2021G21A- “Stop the Drop!”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Water

Wendalyna Lye Liyi (FOE), Ernest Tock Jia En (FOE), Lee Shao Zheng (FOE), Ge Wen Xuan (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

There is a need to address Singapore’s high levels of water consumption. While RVRC residents are cognizant of the impacts of water scarcity, they are unaware of how they can contribute to water conservation. Hence, our objective is to encourage collection of cold water which are wasted while waiting for the water to warm up before their shower. Firstly, we found out residents’ showering habits through focus group discussions and surveys. We then developed a prototype that provides the option to funnel cold water from the shower into a bucket. Lastly, we investigated their willingness to collect water through a focus group discussion. Our findings showed that a total of 464.96L of water was collected from approximately 207 showers during the 2 weeks of implementation. Hence, the prototype proved effective in encouraging the collection of unused water during showers, raised awareness about water conservation and made water available for reuse.

AY2021G20C- “COOL VIEW”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure

Wang Hanxiao (SDE), Miguel Lim (FOE), Chen Xiayu (FOE), Liu Danfeng (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Building construction and operation contributes to 39% of global carbon emissions (IEA, 2019). Active control measures to reduce these emissions tend to have a higher carbon footprint than passive design solutions. Our project examined the impact of 3M solar films in enhancing occupants’ thermal comfort and lighting conditions in RVRC tower block. We selected four pairs of rooms with clear variation in direct sunlight exposure, to conduct a comparative test. Quantitative data for parameters affecting thermal comfort (temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, air velocity) and light illuminance level was collected. We also conducted interviews with occupants (n=8) to understand their perceived thermal comfort. Data indicated that the treatment rooms had lower Wet Bulb Globe Temperature than control rooms, with a difference of up to 0.94°C. Based on our interview results and data analysis, we concluded that the installation of 3M solar film was effective in enhancing occupant’s thermal comfort and lighting conditions.

AY2021G20B- “WeWardrobe: A digital second-hand clothes exchange platform for residential college residents to reduce textile waste”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Shao Yurui (CEG), Lu Qianqian (ISE), Wang Mengyu (ISE), Liu Zhepei (ISE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Textile waste is a serious issue in Singapore due to the rise of fast fashion and a “throwaway” culture. Cultivating a habit of reuse is important to mitigate this problem. Inspired by similar past GEQ projects, our objective was to design and test a platform for NUS residents that facilitates the exchange of clothes, and enhances the receptivity to wearing second-hand clothes. We chose a digital tool to make the process convenient and flexible. We designed a group chat with a embedded Telegram bot that allowed users to buy and sell their clothes. It also allowed us to track the number of transactions. During the initial launch period of 7 weeks, more than 60 participants actively used the platform. Our survey results indicated a parallel decrease in users frequency of purchasing new clothes. Hence, our digital second-hand clothes exchange platform was effective in reducing textile waste among NUS residents.

 

AY2021G20A- “Eco-Soap Bar: The Building Blocks of a Sustainable Habit”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Energy

Sabrina Tan Jie Ying (SDE), Zheng Zongde (FOE), Hu Han Ling(FOE), Wang Runqi (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Liquid soap use has skyrocketed in the APAC market in recent years. Its manufacture and use carries a high environmental footprint, while its plastic packaging directly contributes to increased waste. To mitigate this trend, our project aimed to raise awareness about the negative environmental impacts of liquid soap and promote the use of bar soap as an alternative. We designed an interactive workshop (n=21) with three key objectives: i) enhance knowledge about the detrimental environmental impacts of liquid soap; ii) engage participants in DIY bar soap making; and iii) compare commonly used brands of soaps as liquid and bar versions. We collected data from our workshop participants, and also followed up with them three weeks later to check if there was any change in their choice of soap versions. Our results found 95% of the workshop participants were willing to use and encourage others to use bar soaps, demonstrating a change in their attitude.

AY2021G19C- “NUSe”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Raveen Prabhu (SOC), Tan Chin Han, Benjamin (SOC), Yang Xiquan (SOC), Thirugnana Sambandam Vasanth (FASS), Koh Jia Xian (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

In land scarce Singapore, solid waste disposal is becoming a prevalent issue. As Singapore’s sole landfill is predicted to be filled by 2035, it is crucial to enhance awareness on the importance of reducing solid waste and to provide useful means to do that. Our group created and tested a digital platform to promote the sharing or donation of hostel essentials amongst NUS campus residents. Based on our preliminary findings, the key features of the Telegram channel allowed residents to i) post items to donate or loan, ii) sieve potential wanted essentials, and iii) receive information about reducing individual solid waste. Our channel garnered 51 unique subscribers and 7 successful transactions over a four-week period, from RVRC and CAPT. Based on results of our surveys and interviews with users, we concluded that the channel succeeded in spreading awareness and providing a platform for residents to share goods.

AY2021G19B- “Reusable DIY cup-holders as sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic carriers”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Ko Chi Hong (FASS), Su Yating (SOC), Shantia Koh Jia Wen (SOC), Alex Ye Hein Aung (SOC), Cheryl Li Xiang (BBA)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The high volume of waste generated from single-use plastic carriers for takeaway drinks is a prevalent issue in Singapore. To mitigate this waste, our project objective was to design and test a DIY sustainable alternative for takeaway drink carriers for RVRC residents. Our cup holder prototype is made primarily from upcycled clothes waste. We first conducted a performance test for our prototype to measure factors such as strength, durability, drying speed and flexibility in use for different drink sizes. Following this, we conducted a feasibility study with our target audience – high frequency consumers of takeaway drinks. After a three-week trial, results showed that the frequency of cup-holder use by the participants in our trial increased gradually while their use of plastic carriers dropped more than half. Hence, we conclude that our prototype could be a a sustainable alternative to replace single-use plastic carriers for takeaway drinks.

AY2021G19A- “Fridge View”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Ben Joseph Murphy (SOC), Gerald Neo Ee Ren (SOC), Reno Sam Wei Jie (FASS), Zhou Qi (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Food wastage is a pressing concern worldwide. Within RVRC, accumulation of unaccounted and expired food in refrigerators produces large amounts of food waste. Our objective was to enhance the current food labeling system in RVRC fridges through digitization, while providing a convenient platform for food sharing, thereby reducing food waste. We implemented a Telegram bot that i) logs items placed into fridges, ii) reminds users near expiry, and iii) stores a database of shared food items that users can access. Within the two blocks where we did the pilot implementation, there was high uptake (52% of residents), and consistent engagement with the bot. Fair levels of sharing through the bot also demonstrated significant potential of a convenient sharing system in reducing food waste. We conclude that the bot has application in RVRC pantries beyond the pilot, as it successfully enhances the food labeling system and reduces food wastage through sharing.

 

 

AY2021G18C- “Bag&Go”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Calista Chew Kai Shan (FASS), Lee Ju-Ler Jonathan (SOC), Lee Yi Heng (SOC), Soh Jun Han, Owen (SOC),  Zhang Xiangyu Oliver (BIZ)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Both single-use plastic bags and tote bags pose significant environmental problems. From our pre-survey, we concluded that laziness and inconvenience were the main reasons that hampered our participants from reusing their existing bags. Our objective was to increase both the convenience and reuse rate of tote and plastic bags in NUS, to lengthen their product lifespan. Learning from past GEQ projects, we designed and placed self-operating stands at two different locations on NUS campus. Our stands allowed both donation and taking of tote and plastic bags. Over a three-week trial period, 59 tote and 45 plastic bags were taken by campus users. A total of 50 tote bags and 40 plastic bags were donated at our stand. Thee results indicate that our stand was able to successfully increase the life-cycle of used plastic and tote bags.

AY2021G18B- “EWasted: Enhancing E-waste Recycling”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Daniel Lee Min Qiang (SOC), Loh Ching Hern (SOC), Lo Zhao Wei (SOC), Tan Chi Lin (FASS), Vinita Pang Shao Shi (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The large amount of e-waste generated in Singapore, together with a low recycling rate, poses a serious environmental issue. Lack of awareness and information regarding e-waste recycling locations contribute to the low recycling rates. Our project aims to tackle these two issues using a digital solution, with the objective of increasing the convenience of e-waste recycling for Singaporeans. With Telegram’s growing user base among Singaporeans, we designed a Telegram bot that presents customised information about the the nearest and most suitable e-waste bins to users, based on their specific location and e-waste item. During the one month launch period, 360 unique users across Singapore utilised our bot. Of these, 113 indicated that the bot had helped them to recycle e-waste, while 90 users stated that the bot would help in future efforts to recycle e-waste. This data highlights the efficacy of our bot to enhance ewaste recycling, and we are currently in discussion with NEA for integrating our bot with their website.

 

AY2021G18A- “CODE: Plastic Junior”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Chow Yung Jie Kenneth (SOC), Karan Bhatia (BIZ), Lim Yuan Ling Rachel (FASS), Myron Neo (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Lack of awareness of proper recycling methods is a key factor in Singapore’s low recycling rate. Hence, inculcating knowledge about plastic recycling is important, especially at a young age, to enhance the recyling rates long-term. Research has established that interactive games are often more effective in sustainability education for children, as compared to structured learning. Therefore, we created and tested a card game for children aged 9-12 years, to enhance their knowledge of plastic recycling. The game was part of an interactive workshop conducted in a school setting with the target age group. Participants were able to understand and retain the knowledge about plastic recycling, with a 35% increase in correct answers after the workshop. The results proved that our workshop and interactive game design are useful tools to enhance and promote awareness about plastic recycling.

AY2021G17D- “Welcome to the Bread Bank”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Ho Jia Jiin (FOS), Justin Low Jun Ting (FOS), Mi Yang (FOS), Rui Qin (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Food wastage, one of the biggest contributors of greenhouse gases, is increasingly pervasive in Singapore. RVRC’s dining hall discards on average, 5.28kg of unserved cooked rice from trays daily. We aim to alleviate rice wastage by upcycling the unserved rice into a desirable consumable product for RVRC students. We formulated an easy-to-follow recipe to produce tasty bread made from white and brown rice and proposed the recipe to the dining hall caterers for serving during breakfast. We surveyed students regarding its appearance, taste, and its desirability in comparison to the store brought bread currently served by dining hall. Our rice bread was well-received by RVRC residents, demostrating that our recipe produces a desirable product and could effectively tackle rice wastage in the long run. We will be sharing the recipe with the dining hall committee to discuss ways of serving rice bread made from leftover rice in the dining hall.

 

AY2021G17C- “Designing a rinsing device to reduce contamination rates in plastic recycling”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Anthony Hans (FOS), Shen Zhuowen (FOS), Chew Tan Rouge (YLLSOM), Felicia Ong Sing Yi (FOS), Jake Khoo (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

In Singapore, more than 50% of plastics cannot be recycled due to contamination.Our survey of 75 NUS students also found that most students did not rinse their plastic containers before recycling. Hence, we aim to decrease plastic contamination and raise awareness on the importance of rinsing plastics bottles/cups before recycling. To this end, rinsing devices were placed near recycling bins to increase the convenience of rinsing plastics. Posters were placed to educate users on the importance of rinsing plastics before recycling. A survey (n=77) and contamination counts were done throughout the implementation to quantify the completion of our objectives. Our survey reported that 70% of subjects are “likely” or “extremely likely” to rinse plastic bottles/cups with our device, and the contamination rate was reduced by 46%. Both are statistically significant (p<0.01). Therefore, we conclude that increasing convenience for rinsing plastics can effectively improve rinsing rates, thereby reducing plastic contamination.

AY2021G17B- “We Shell Reuse!”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Chin Jun Yu (FOS), Nguyen Minh Tuan (FOS), Goh Wei Kian, Frederick (FOS), Li Wancong (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

The Reusable Bag Library, a reusable bag sharing initiative by NUS SAVE to reduce plastic waste, was largely underutilised and unsustainable. Our objective was to address the limitations of this initiative and make the initiative more sustainable to increase the usage and return of reusable bags in the long run.

Using our redesigned sharing system, we launched our project at UTown FairPrice with i) attractive booth and poster designs; ii) booths at each RC; iii) labels with reminders of returning the bags, and iv) system to track usage of bags. With the redesigned booths, 61 bags were used over 3 weeks, a 307% increase from NUS SAVE’s initiative. With the addition of booths at RCs, the return rate also increased from 24% to 47.2%. Hence, the combination of more eye-catching booths with a convenient return system was effective in improving reusable bag sharing initiatives in NUS.

AY2021G17A- “Paper Shroom”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Marcus Ng Yao Jie (FOS) , Aloysius Eng Wei Jun (FOS) , Zhai Jun (FOS), Zhou Tianyi (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Singaporeans produce on average 1.011 million tons of paper waste every year, yet 67% are unaware of the non-recyclability of soiled paper packaging, hence leading to improper recycling and contamination of recycling bins. Given that soiled paper packaging cannot be recycled, our objective was to come up with a sustainable and convenient method in order to repurpose non-recyclable waste paper. We investigated optimal mushroom growing conditions to design an efficient DIY mushroom growing kit using waste paper bags from RVRC’s dining hall, and conducted a workshop to assess the resident’s receptivity towards these kits. We determined that waste paper bags were partially successful as a substrate for mushroom growth and 86% of the workshop attendees, after using the kits themselves, were willing to do it again. Hence, our DIY mushroom growth kits are effective in repurposing non-recyclable food-soiled waste paper.

AY2021G15D- “Ugly Fruits? Just Juice!”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Eric Bryan (FOE), Kennard Orlando Wijaya (FOE), Megan Mak Yuk Cheng (SDE), Wu Luoyu (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Corinne Ong

Ugly fruit wastage occurs at every stage of its life cycle. This significantly contributes to fruit wastage, which together with vegetables amounts to half of the food wastage in Singapore (Judith Tan and Vanessa Liu, 2020). The root cause of this is the “beauty-is-good” mindset, resulting in cosmetic filtering. To tackle this issue, we aim to shift RVRC students’ consumer demand which is expected to encourage Dining Hall vendor to minimise fruit wastage and hopefully suppliers, in the future. A blind test juicing booth was conducted to persuade RVRC students that ugly fruits are just as tasty and nutritional as appealing fruits. From our surveys and focus group discussions, we found out that our booth has influenced RVRC students to consume ugly fruits, which justifies our recommendations to the Dining Hall vendor to consider accepting and serving ugly fruits in the near future and the long run.

 

AY2021G15C- “RV-UPs!”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Lu Sicheng(CEG), Marcus Xavier Went (FOE), Norazirah Binte Mohd Amin (FOE), Su Yishan (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Corinne Ong

With the extensive generation of used beverage cartons (UBCs) globally and the inefficient UBCs recycling system in Singapore, it is crucial that the end-of-life of these packages are addressed appropriately. As hands-on activities are more engaging than structured teaching, our objective was to develop interactive educational sessions where RV residents are able to learn and adopt upcycling in their daily lives. Firstly, educational posters were put up around RVRC. Secondly, we held a 2-hour interactive workshop consisting of i) pre- and post- workshop survey; ii) informative presentation on carton materials; and iii) instructions to guide participants to craft a flower pot from UBCs. From the survey results, 84.6% participants expressed their willingness to continue up-cycling UBCs after the workshop. Participants’ upcycled reations from the workshop and exposure to our posters serve as reminders to upcycle, hence inculcating the habit of upcycling UBCs among RV residents.

 

AY2021G15B- “Reducing Food Wastage through Proper Fridge Management in RVRC”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Nicholas Tan Wei Han (FOE), Tan Hui Wen, Shervon (SDE), Tan Li Cher (FOE), Vankamamidi Sree Lekha (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Corinne Ong

Forgotten food in fridges has always been one of the main reasons for food wastage in Singapore, including RVRC. Increased awareness of food left in fridges can reduce food wastage. Hence, our approach aims to make food stored in RVRC’s fridges easily trackable while increasing student users’ awareness of when their food expires. We conducted and created i) a pre- and post- implementation survey to understand food wastage patterns; ii) a telegram bot with a food expiry reminder system; iii) boxes to compartmentalise the fridge for residents. We aim to determine the effectiveness of the implementations through i) user feedback and results weekly surveys over the course of one month; ii) data on wastage levels from the monthly fridge cleaning exercise. we believe that through a thorough analysis of the experiment, we will be able to conclude which implementation is more effective in reducing food wastage in RVRC’s fridges.

AY2021G15A- “Unwrapped”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Chen Ge (FOE), Justin Fidelis Wong Jun Wen (FOE), Tristan Tan Yong Cheun (FOE), Xie YuWen Cheryl (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Corinne Ong

Waste management has always been a challenge in Singapore due to lack of landfill space. The widespread usage of single-use packaging, especially when coupled with low recycling rates, is unsustainable. Our objective was to test the feasibility of a long-term zero-waste snack store in NUS, and measure its effectiveness at (i) reducing single-use packaging consumption and (ii) changing consumer attitudes toward packaging. We conducted a pre-survey to gather information about RVRC students’ consumption habits and snack preferences. Our store was then operated for 4 weeks in RVRC. It was unmanned, sold loose snacks sourced from zero-waste suppliers, and required customers to use their own containers at purchase. We then conducted a post-survey to measure if habits had changed over the duration. According to the data collected to-date, there was sustained interest and purchases throughout the project duration, suggesting our success in reducing packaging waste generation.

 

AY2021G14D- “Project Green Voices”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Energy

An Yebin (BBA), Chua Ming Quan (SOC), Kara Yeo (BBA)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Climate depression is a fatalistic attitude towards climate change which can lead to adverse emotions and attitudes towards actions towards conserving the environment. One main reason is the high exposure to negative news and reports on climate change. Our team aims to address this problem amongst youths through social media and setting up a website highlighting positive news and achievements in addressing climate change. After participating in our workshop and viewing our Instagram page, over 50% of our participants are more knowledgeable about climate depression and are more aware of positive measures and solutions done to solve climate change. This strongly suggests that social media and online resources can have a positive impact on addressing climate depression.

AY2021G14C- “Pantries against plastic”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Guo Jiayi(FASS), JiangPeiyi(BBA), Lim Wee Shuen Bryan(FASS), Sun Jiaze (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

There has been a steady increase in plastic and microplastic waste creation in Singapore. We wish to tackle one facet of this issue by encouraging RVRC students to use more reusable containers when taking food. We did this by improving the washing facilities in RVRC and conducting an educational campaign.
We upgraded the block A pantry by i) installing a tap extension to make washing more ergonomic; ii) improving the pantry environment by using air fresheners; and by iii) replacing synthetic sponges with organic ones (loofahs). We also conducted an educational campaign through i) posters in the pantry, ii) messages in RVRC chat groups and iii) workshops. In doing so, we found that there was a marked improvement from 1-3 to 3-5 daily users of the washing facilities. Thus, we found that a combination of better facilities and understanding has proved useful in encouraging the use of reusable containers.

AY2021G14B- “Fashionstein”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Aisha binte Shamsudin (FASS), Cai Rui Qi (FASS), Cheang Xing Wei (SOC), Yong Jia Yu (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

The fast fashion industry has increased the volume of clothing disposal to unsustainable levels, exacerbates global warming and pollution. Our project objectives are to educate youth on the negative impacts of fast fashion and encourage them to dispose sustainably in a specially designed program that makes learning and taking action fun and effective. We designed trend-based educational series on Instagram, conducted hands-on workshops, and hosted a pop-up shop for tote bags upcycled from donated clothing. Our workshops reflected that 90% of participants are willing to create and purchase upcycled products despite initial unawareness towards upcycling. 86% of our Instagram audience thought our mascots and trends increased their interest in upcycling. Hence, our project has used an interactive methodology to achieve its goals: educating and inspiring behavioural change among youths against fast fashion and its impacts.

AY2021G14A- “Trailmix”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Mannfred Tan Ian Hian (FASS), Audrey Lim Hui Ping (FASS), Ren Weilin (SOC), Ng Zi Xuan (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Nature Deficit Disorder has been on the rise given Singapore’s fully urbanised population. While visiting nature trails, youths do not have much learning experience and are thus less engaged with nature, which reveals a growing disconnection between youths and nature. Our group intends to bridge this disconnection through our mobile application, Trailmix.

Trailmix, targets a segment of Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve (SBWR). To test the effectiveness of Trailmix, we designed a pre-post-survey to evaluate the 4 components of connectedness to nature: knowledge, interest, importance, and attitude towards nature at SBWR. Participants first did a self- exploration trail and took the pre-test survey afterwards. Participants then went on either a Trailmix guided trail (experimental) or with an actual tour guide (control). Comparisons between the pre-post survey scores revealed that Trailmix was effective at enhancing the nature trail experience, with comparable results to an actual tour guide.

AY2021G13C- “Project Plastick”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Li Baishi(FOS), Wang Jianing(FOS), Farah Bte Abdul Rahim (YLLSOM), Szeto Yan Ting, Caitlyn(FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

A survey we conducted found that RVRC residents generated high amounts of PET waste and had poor recycling habits. Our objective was to raise awareness of repurposing as an alternative to disposing PET bottles. We adopted a holistic approach for our project which consisted of i) a repurposing workshop; ii) an exhibition of repurposed objects; iii) tutorial video and iv) Instagram account. Through a pre- and post-workshop focus group discussion, we concluded that the workshop was successful in changing the perception towards repurposing. However, analysis of our post-project survey showed that the effectiveness of the three components ii-iv were limited by the scale of our implementation. Hence, we recommend the repurposing workshop as an effective way to encourage repurposing in RVRC. However, the exhibition, tutorial video and Instagram account will require more extensive outreach to effectively complement the workshop and ensure the long-term continuity of our objective.

AY2021G13B- “Clean Plate Club”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Leong Hoi Mun, Charlene (FOS), Liu SiYi (FOS), Meng Qiaoran (FOS), Utkarsh Pundir (FOS), , & Wang Zixuan (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

RVRC’s monthly food wastage was about 1209kg, or approximately 20kg per meal. Food wastage has been a persistent problem in RVRC. We aim to investigate the effectiveness of peer support on encouraging students to reduce their plate wastage. We recruited five groups of students to participate in our project. From pre-campaign focus group discussions, we gauged their general attitudes and behaviors towards food waste, allowing us to better tailor our peer support techniques. During the three weeks of campaign, participants were tasked to motivate each other to reduce their plate waste through a peer support system. We collected data on the amount of plate waste for two dinners weekly. Furthermore, we provided weekly “dinner table topics” to actively engage the participants in the peer support system. A post-campaign discussion was carried out and the responses indicated a positive impact from peer support in reducing food waste.

 

AY2021G13A- “Cool2dry: Awareness Campaign to decrease high heat usage of RVRC dryers”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Energy

Chia Wei Ling Janice (FOS), Justin Tan Min Shi (FOS), Tang Beiqi (FOS), Yang Liran (FOS), Zhu Le Yao (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Electrical dryers consume substantially more energy than other household appliances. Past projects tried to eliminate dryer dependency, but their results showed continual dependency on dryers for laundry in RVRC. Therefore, we aim to reduce the electrical consumption of dryers by educating RVRC residents on its high consumption through informative platforms – Instagram, stickers on dryers and posters, and to discourage high heat usage by using lower heat whenever possible. We conducted a pre- and post-campaign survey, set up a notebook for residents to record users’ dryer heat setting throughout the campaign and conducted a series of focus group sessions. From our results, i) usage of high heat has decreased significantly; and ii) majority of our respondents have learnt something from our campaign. Hence, educational posters and stickers on dryers proved effective in raising awareness of electrical consumption of dryers, and resulted in users opting for lower heat setting where possible.

AY2021G12D- “Not Full Load? Please Unload!”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Water

Elton Lim Jun Rui (FOE), Sivakumar Yogarajan (FOE), Tham Zi Xuan (SDE), Xiao Yue (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Corinne Ong

Laundry contributes to a huge amount of water usage globally, yet many Singaporeans (RVRC residents included) do not do their laundry on full load. Our objectives were to analyse laundry habits and behaviours of RVRC residents, raise awareness about the importance of full loading their laundry, and examine changes in laundry habits of RVRC residents after our intervention. In order to fulfill the objectives of raising awareness and analysing laundry habits, our approach comprises i) a pre- and post-survey; ii) an educational poster; iii) a weighing scale for residents to assess and increase laundry loads over time, and iv) a focus group discussion. We found out that many residents were aware of the importance of washing on a full load. However, many do not practice washing on a full load due to personal reasons. Overall, our intervention was effective in raising awareness and helping us better understand the laundry habits of residents.

 

AY2021G12C- “Save RV”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Culture and Lifestyle Trends, Responsible Consumption

Yu Haihong (FOE), Wang Yuda (FOE), Marcella Antania Tan (FOE) & Zhang Yijie (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Corinne Ong

While environmental problems remain a serious issue, many people do not regularly practise sustainability. One of the reasons might be a lack of knowledge of sustainability. Research has showed board games to be effective in teaching about sustainability, our objective is to develop an educational board game for RVRC student participants, to reinforce their knowledge of sustainability and provide everyday solutions to environmental problems. We adopted the board game ‘Terra’ and conducted 3 gaming sessions. Our methods comprised i) a game session; (ii) a pre-quiz and a post-quiz testing participants’ knowledge of sustainability; and iii) a follow-up survey asking for feedback and lifestyle changes supporting sustainability. Quiz results showed that  average pre- to post-quiz scores improved by 21.9%. Also, 88.9% of participants provided positive reviews of the game. 82.4% of participants reported living a more sustainable lifestyle afterward. Hence, the implementation of an educational board game proved effective in reinforcing students’ knowledge of sustainability.

 

AY2021G11C- “Beyond Mask”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Energy

Lee Hur Sebastian (SOC), Felissa Faustine (SOC), Chiau Ren Dao (SOC), Aloysius Choon Kai Boon (BIZ), Lee Jonghyeok (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Human toxicity impact from disposal of metal strips within face masks is extremely high. With Singaporeans using more than four million masks daily, coupled with a low recycling rate, there is strong potential for recycling of these metal strips. As digital marketing is one of the most effective tools for engaging a wide variety of audiences, we aim to harness the power of social media to cultivate stronger consciousness of metal strip recycling.

We created an Instagram account with project-related, educational and empowerment posts. We also set up collection boxes across RVRC and gave the metal strips collected away to be reused. With over 1500 impressions on our Instagram account, over 200 metal strips collected and a change in RVRC residents’ mindsets over the course of our campaign, we had achieved our objective. Hence, tapping on social media garnered notable results in cultivating the recycling habit amongst RVRC residents.

AY2021G11B- “Spray Don’t Wipe!”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Chan Zhuo Yang (SOC), Crystabel Angelista Chua (FASS), Fan Tian Hao (SOC), Ng U-Yin Rebecca (SOC), Ngai Win Lynn (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

27,000 trees are cut down daily and are chemically processed into toilet paper which generates significant water and carbon footprint (Braun, 2017). Our project aims to educate Singaporean households, by using youths as a proxy, that toilet paper generates a high environmental footprint, and increase their willingness to switch to a bidet as a more sustainable and effective alternative. Through a 10 week Instagram campaign, we designed i) comic strips featuring our mascot, Biddy to encourage discussions surrounding toilet habits and ii) infographics that provide bite-sized information. 76% out of 25 followers have expressed positive interest in exploring the use of bidet or have already begun incorporating it into their daily lives. As a result, our engaging storyline paired with educational graphics have proved to be effective in raising awareness of the bidet as a sustainable alternative to toilet paper.

 

AY2021G11A- “Serious Chillers”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Energy

Aditi Madhav Kamath (FASS), Chuang Kuang Yu, Martin (SOC), Liu Yize (BIZ), Lye Wen Jun (SOC) & Wang Ruofan (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Air-conditioning is widely used in Singapore due to the year-long hot weather. However, aircon consumption requires a large amount of energy and is the second highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Singapore. To tackle the lack of accessible substitutes to air-conditioning, our project aims to develop an alternative cooling solution to help nudge users to work in a warmer environment. We created an eco-friendly air-cooler using reusable materials, and reached out to youths via a i) 5-day challenge for user acceptance and ii) DIY workshop for experiential learning. Our prototype managed to achieve a temperature of 25.7˚C — a decrease of 2.7˚C. Participants of the 5-day challenge gave much positive feedback and expressed their willingness to continue using the product. Hence, the prototype is effective as an alternative sustainable cooling method and our users have successfully accepted working in non-air conditioned rooms through the 5-day challenge.

 

AY2021G10D- “Makan Express”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Cai Guiqing (FOE), Chen Keying (FOE), Peng Fei (FOE), Sathappan Ashwin Chockalingam (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of food deliveries spiked in the past year both globally and locally, resulting in an increase in food delivery trips and hence, an increase in carbon emissions and plastic wastes. Focusing on Ridge View Residential College, our project objective is apply the concept of food order coordination to reduce the carbon emission and plastic waste. The purpose is to reduce the number of separate food deliveries.

We created a Telegram channel and used the polling function to collect the individual orders from subscribers and combining them into one mass order. This resulted in the reduction of the number of deliveries and plastic bags and straws used. On average, we managed to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by 1400g (including plastic bags) per mass delivery. Statistical results proved our project is effective in reducing carbon emission.

AY2021G10C- “Precious Plastics”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Claudia Goh Chen Shuane (SDE), Iolaus Ong Weiming (FOE), Muhammad Syazani Bin Abdul Wahid (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Infrequent plastic recycling in Singapore has resulted in large amounts of plastic wastage, adversely impacting the environment. An effective strategy is essential to promote plastic recycling. Our objective was to utilize these unwanted plastics to create a meaningful art piece, visually reminding RVRC residents of the repercussions of excessive plastic wastage, motivating them to recycle regularly. A visual approach, coupled with physical involvement generates lasting results.

We hosted a hands-on art workshop complemented with other implementations; i) a pre & post-workshop interview and survey, ii) designated plastic-collection booths, iii) creation of a collaborative artwork, and iv) Instagram page for publicity. Through interpretation of survey and interview results, 83% of our audience experienced increased motivation to recycle more often, which resulted in a 60% increase in plastic recyclables collected. Hence, the combination of our interactive art workshop, exhibition, and publicity proved effective in motivating residents to practice plastic recycling more frequently.

 

AY2021G10B- “Greener Dabao”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Hoang Trong Tan (FOE), Shu Xiaowei (FOE), Tay Yi Heng (FOE), Wang Weiqing (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Many RVRC residents tend to use disposable containers when taking away from YIH canteen, which generates massive amounts of waste. Our objectives were to help them visualise the differences in the impacts of using disposable versus reusable containers and to persuade them to switch to the latter.

We designed a 30-minute interactive workshop that comprised a pre- and post-workshop and review survey, a presentation and a Kahoot quiz. We also put up posters and created a Telegram group to remind RVRC residents to bring their containers when taking away food. After the workshop, 30% of the 20 participants of our workshop started using their reusable containers at least 50% of the time when they take away food from YIH canteen. This shows our method had some positive effects in promoting the use of reusable containers to take away food.

 

AY2021G10A- “Feed People Not Landfills”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food, Responsible Consumption

Ang Kah Meng (FOE), Mio Jia Ying (SDE), Tew Fang Yie (FOE) & Victoria Lee Yu Qing (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Wastage of food in communal fridges has been a persistent issue in Ridge View Residential College (RVRC). With convenience for residents in mind, we implemented a multi-pronged approach of 1.) Food Sharing System (FSS), which comprised of labelling stickers to indicate food items that residents want to share and a telegram group chat to facilitate food sharing; 2.) Fridge-inventory mobile applications to remind residents of their food.

From our findings, the food waste mass in the treatment levels were on average consistently about 30% lower than that of the control levels. Around 60% of the residents from treatment levels made use of the FSS but were not as receptive to the fridge inventory application. Hence, we conclude that the FSS was an effective solution due to its convenience and practicality for reducing food waste from communal fridges, and has the potential to be sustainable with a few modifications.

AY2021G09C- “Bar Soap Bums”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Elizabeth Roy (FASS), Rehman Sajid (SOC), Sun Cuimin (Business), Wang Yuxi (Business), Yee Xian Hao Samuel (Business)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Singapore generated 930,000 tonnes of plastics in 2019, of which only 4% was recycled (NEA, 2020). Liquid soap packaged in plastic bottles generates plastic waste which is not easily recycleable. Our project aims to encourage Singapore’s youths to switch from liquid soap to bar soaps to reduce plastic waste and carbon footprint. We delivered a 30-minute interactive workshop to address key concerns of bar soaps among the audience, a social media campaign to raise awareness on relevant issues, and a 3-week bar soap trial to help the audience form a habit of using bar soaps. After the workshop, participants’ misconceptions decreased by more than 80% decrease and 75% of the participants were willing to try out bar soaps. Our social media campaign and bar soap trial also received positive feedback. Hence, a combination of workshop, social media campaign and trial use proved effective in promoting bar soaps among Singapore youths.

AY2021G09B- “Project Deconsumption”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Teo Yi Hui (Business), Kim Jubok (Business), Jeyadurga D/O Sola Rajan (FASS), Xu Wei Ling Vania (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Globally, the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions (UN Environment, 2019). In Singapore, 1 in 3 people throw away clothes after wearing them just once (Yougov, 2020). Our survey amongst youths (n=60) showed that 60% purchase clothes out of impulse. Our project aims to reduce clothing consumption by changing perceptions and purchasing habits amongst youths. We created an Instagram account to educate youths with regular posts highlighting impacts of fast fashion and tips to reduce buying. A series of hands-on activities over 21 days aimed to change perceptions on clothing consumption. Additionally, a workshop was conducted to educate on impulsive purchasing habits and promote sustainable clothing. 84% of our 238 instargam followers reported that they will reduce clothing consumption in future. 94% of our workshop participants reported that they will choose sustainable clothing in future. Hence, the awareness campaign was effective in changing youths’ perceptions towards clothing consumption and purchasing habits.

AY2021G09A- “A Pulp’s Story”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Loh Jean Way (FASS), Tan Yit Hien (SOC), Teh Pei Ling (FASS), Zhu Yuhao (BIZ)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

In 2019, 744,000 tons of food waste was generated in Singapore, with only 18 percent of it being recycled. This indicates that more than 500,000 tons of food waste was left unrecycled on a national level, making this a concerning issue. By leveraging on social media and a website, we wanted to reach out and teach creative ways to turn fruit waste into edible food products. We designed a website to showcase some of our recipes using fruit waste and an Instagram page to engage with the younger audience. Pre-and-post taste test surveys for our products were also deployed in order to ‘convince’ consumers to adopt these new habits. By tapping on youths and technology, many individuals are now aware of how they can do their part against fruit waste in Singapore.

AY2021G08C- “Fruit To Destroy COVID”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Seungah Lee (FOE), Khoa Le (FOE), Sanath Nanda Kumar (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

With the rise of the Covid19 pandemic, hygiene has become a more significant issue for many countries aiming to limit the spread of the virus. Our objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of promoting desk sanitizers made of fruit peels. Our project uses zoom and in person workshops to allow us to share with participants advantages of using fruit peel sanitizers and assess their opinions and gather any concerns they may have. Results show that 63% of them are not aware of the fruit wastage problem but 74% of them are willing to try using the fruit peel sanitizers. Hence a combination of zoom workshops as well as blogs for RVRC residents might prove to be useful and alleviating their concerns and promoting environmentally friendly desk sanitizers.

AY2021G08B- “Crick-Ate”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Alphonsus Teow Rui Jie (FOE), Lee Jiahui (FOE), Nan Song (FOE), Rickson Ooi Jia Le (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Meat consumption generates a significant carbon footprint, accounting for 14.5% of global greenhouse emissions (FAO, 2020). This necessitates the search for alternative protein sources such as crickets as they are high in nutrition and environmentally sustainable. However, these are not widely accepted due to low awareness and aversion. We aim to increase the awareness and willingness in youth in accepting entomophagy. We created an Instagram page, sharing the nutritional and environmental benefits of entomophagy. Hands on workshops were conducted to enable participants to try out cricket flour products. After both workshops and our Instagram campaign, our surveys showed a 92.6% increase in awareness of the nutritional benefits and a 93.2% increase in willingness to consume cricket flour-based foods. Hence, the combination of our workshops and Instagram page has shown to be effective in increasing the awareness and willingness to consume cricket-based food amongst youth.

AY2021G08A- “Time the Flow”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Water

Goh Kang Sheng (SDE), Kunal Khanijau (FOE), Teng Yi Shiong (FOE) & Trystan Timothy (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Showering contributes to the highest water consumption out of all daily activities in Singapore. Thus, strategically targeting to reduce water consumption via showers will aid water conservation immensely. Realizing that simply raising awareness is ineffectual in enacting changes in showering habits of RVRC residents, our objective was to develop an audio-visual reminder that actively alerts users to stop showering within a stipulated time. We installed a shower-alarm device that activates a combination of flashing LEDs and an alarm buzzer to serve as the audio-visual reminder. This was accompanied by i) pre- and post- implementation surveys; ii) Posters to raise awareness; iii) DIY Kit for users to build their own shower-alarm device. Within the 2 weeks of device implementation, the average shower duration of participating RVRC residents was reduced by 27.3%. Hence, utilising our device along with the physical/digital posters successfully influenced RVRC residents to reduce their shower duration.

AY2021G06D- “Famyshd”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Abhishek Jain (SOC), Cheng Yu Feng (SOC), Khin Hnin Su (FASS), Lee Yat Bun (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Household food waste is a prevalent issue in Singapore, mainly generated from leftovers and expired food items (Liu, 2020). Similarly, food waste in RVRC stems from excess meal enhancements (perishable) and packaged food items (non-perishable) being discarded unconsumed (n = 73). Our project aims to reduce these categories of food waste. We installed a central collection point at two pantries, supported by a Telegram Bot and channel, for residents to share food in a timely manner instead of disposing it. Our pilot test conducted for 4 weeks successfully redirected over 90% of food items left at our station (n = 54). Residents identified convenience and anonymity of our digital platform as key factors that alleviated their initial hesitation towards food sharing. Given the high adoption rates and effectiveness of our solution, we aim to convince the college to adopt it long-term.

AY2021G06C- “Grab & Dispose”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Cai Kai’an (SOC), Ngo Ngoc Phuong Uyen (SOC) & Roy Tan Chun Wang (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Inconvenience is a crucial factor in Singapore’s declining domestic recycling rate (NEA, 2019), with 82% of RVRC students (n=76) citing it as a reason for not recycling regularly (AY1920G20B, 2019). Our project aimed to address this by providing an opportunity for waste segregation, so as to enhance the recycling rate in the RVRC dining hall. We targeted the waste from grab-and-go items during the breakfast service. We installed separate recycling bins for drink cartons and sandwich packaging, over three weeks. This effort was supported by an awareness campaign targeted at the residents. We collected a total of 95 juice cartons and 78 plastic sandwich containers. Of the estimated 840 such recyclables generated from residents dining in, our project successfully diverted 173 (21%) of them. Hence, our placement of recycling bins in a suitable location, along with the publicity campaign, has indicated it as a successful strategy to increase recycling rates in the RVRC dining hall.

AY2021G06B- “TEA-rrific”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Glenn Fong Wei Quan (BIZ), Le Ngoc Quynh Mai (SOC), Hang Zelin (SOC), Marcus Choo Qi Jun (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The increasing global trend in the consumption of bubble tea has led to an increase in the waste generated from used tea leaves. Our project attempted to mitigate this issue of waste by reusing tea leaves to craft sustainable scented candles. Our preliminary survey of RVRC students found that 69% (n = 57) of respondents were receptive to using scented candles made from upcycled used tea leaves. We collected used tea leaves from bubble tea shops in NUS to make scented candles and invited 40 RVRC students to use and test them. We gathered comparative feedback about the candles through surveys, and also interviewed selected students. 88% participants gave positive feedback about using our scented candles, which lasted an average of 12 hours each. We conclude that upcycling used tea leaves into scented candles, instead of throwing them, is a possible alternative that minimises the environmental impact of tea leaves.

AY2021G06A- “Don’t Be SUS Be SUStainable”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Arnav Gupta (SOC), Binson Koh (BIZ), Chong Sook Yee, Amelia (SOC) & Choo Yan Qi (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

Research indicates that sustainability education from a young age is associated with increased environmental consciousness in the future. Environmental footprint and Earth Overshoot Day are relatable measures of an individual’s impact on resource consumption, and we saw an opportunity to spread its awareness to primary school students. We designed and conducted a workshop highlighting ways for P5 students to understand, measure and reduce their individual environmental footprint. The workshop incorporated interactive components tailored specifically for the target age group. Our results indicated that 92% of the workshop participants displayed an enhanced understanding of individual resource consumption and its implications for “Earth Overshoot Day”. Participants also deemed the workshop contents to be relevant in integrating with their school sustainability education syllabus. The most important measure of the workshop impact was its effectiveness in rallying a change in the students’ daily lives, as documented by the students themselves.

AY2021G05B- “Enabling Energy Saving Mode: Why Waste When You Can Save?”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Energy

Duan Tianyu (FOS), Juay Liang Jing (YLLSOM), Lee Zi Jie (FOS), Maryanne Joju (FOS), Wang Xiaohan (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Energy consumption has been increasing over the past years. 90% of Singaporeans have access to smartphones and switching to Energy Saving Mode (ESM) is would help to reduce energy usage. We aim to increase the number of Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) residents using ESM, raise awareness about its potential to save energy and reduce e-waste, and determine the most effective method in encouraging ESM usage.

We created a poster, video and telegram channel to educate and encourage more RVRC residents to adopt ESM. The effectiveness of our methods were quantified through a pre and post survey involving the same respondents. We also interviewed 18 individuals for their opinions on ESM. After implementation, we expect to see an increase in frequency and number of RVRC residents using ESM. Hence, a combination of our methods proved effective in increasing RVRC students’ ESM usage, with video being the most effective method.

AY2021G05A- “BinBin”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Julian Chua Au Tze (FOS), Brandon Chia Wei Zhe (FOS), Jerald Tan Chun Sing (FOS), Kaaviya Selvam (FOS), Goh Meng Chun (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

In Singapore, only 4% of plastic is recycled (NEA, 2020), largely due to plastic contamination and inappropriate plastics in bins. Our project chose to focus on the latter. Our preliminary data showed that 81% (n=72) of RVRC residents were aware of proper recycling habits. However, our recycling bins contained large amount of unrecyclable materials, rendering items in the bins unrecyclable. Our solution aims to reduce inappropriate and non-recyclable plastics in our plastic recycling bins, which would in turn increase the success rate of plastic recycling in RVRC. We created a prototype bin which had a deterrence layer to reduce disposal of inappropriate plastics, and a filter that had a 98% success rate of retaining larger plastics, while eliminating smaller unrecyclable plastics. This was supplemented with posters with clear messages to remind people of recycling etiquette. Hence, we believe that our prototype can increase the number of recyclable batches of plastic.

AY2021G04D- “Nudging Students towards Meat-Reduced Diets ”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Lin Yu En (FASS), Papattarada Apithanangsiri (SOC), Tay Hui Loo Violette (BIZ) & Wong Chee Hong (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Meat consumption has been normalized in Singaporean youths as they consume up to three to five times more meat than is environmentally sustainable. This creates a significant carbon footprint. Studies have shown that nudging is an effective way towards behavioral change especially when combined with other informational tools. As such, we embarked on a social media campaign and developed a mobile application to function as tools to nudge students towards pursuing meat-reduced diets in a seamless and sustainable manner.

Our mobile application mainly includes i) nearest vegetarian stalls locator ii) push notifications iii) nutritional tracker iv) vegetarian recipes recommendation. With the use of mobile application and social media platform, focus group participants expressed greater interest and ease in pursuing meat-reduced alternatives. Hence, nudging students through the use of mobile application and social media platform proved effective in changing students’ behaviors towards meat-reduced diet.

 

AY2021G04C- “Makeamaskwme”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Glenys Leong Xin Ning (FASS), Joshua Lim Wei En (FASS), Raja Dishafnya Achadi (SOC), Yeoh An Ni (BBA)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

COVID-19 has made masks an integral part of life. High usage of single use disposal masks led to an alarming rate of disposal, leading to land and water pollution and affecting ecosystems. Our group aims to educate youths on the detrimental environmental impacts of using disposable masks and encourage usage of reusable masks by teaching them a fast and easy method of making their own reusable masks.

We started an Instagram campaign to post educational infographics and organised both physical and Instagram live workshops to raise awareness of the issue and teach them how to make reusable masks. Our workshop survey showed that 83.4% of respondents had an increased understanding of harmful effects of reusable masks and continued to make reusable masks after the workshop. Hence our Instagram campaign and workshops have been effective in altering youths’ behaviours to become more environmentally conscious.

 

AY2021G04B- “COBRA-19”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Nguyen Quang Vinh (SOC), Tan Xin Yi (FASS), Yuen Jia Jun (BIZ) & Zhang Yu Bin (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Undergarments and masks are daily necessities. The high usage and disposal rates of these two items bring about consequences to the environment. Our group seeks to educate residents on the adverse impacts of bra and mask disposal and empower them to repurpose unwanted bras into reusable bra masks. Essentially, we hope to push the boundaries of conventional ways of upcycling.

We designed a 30-minute focus group discussion comprising (1) a pre-and post-discussion survey, (2) a time-lapse video, and (3) a discussion on the consequences of bra and mask disposal. We also created an Instagram page for further outreach. Through our discussion session, 76% of attendees were more willing to partake in upcycling efforts in the future, and 80% of attendees claimed to have a heightened awareness of the environmental consequences. Hence, a focus group discussion is effective in achieving our objectives.

AY2021G04A- “Stop Getting Wasted”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Girvin Rafferty Chang ChiHao (BIZ), Lee Jing Yu, Jonathan (SOC), Lin Fangyuan (SOC), Tng Zhong Sheng Kenneth (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Plastic consumption is a pervasive issue in Singapore, with the use of plastic bags being deeply ingrained in the daily lives of many Singaporean households. As such, we aim to promote upcycling as a means of reducing plastic consumption. We will do this through a public awareness campaign, to raise awareness on the issue and help them take their first step in upcycling. Our campaign has three phases – Social media posts to appeal to our target audience, educational workshops on upcycling old clothes to tote bags as a plastic alternative, and finally a pilot study to gauge the effectiveness of our campaign. Educational workshops were able to promote upcycling as 80% of participants reported knowing how to upcycle their unwanted t-shirts after going through the workshop. Hence the use of hands-on workshop and video tutorials effectively aid in promoting a “pro-upcycling” mindset thus reducing plastic bag usage among students.

AY2021G03C- “Extending the Lifespan of Poly-Mailers in A Circular Economy”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Chai Wan Lin (SOC), Goh Zi Xuan (SOC), Wang Jian Kai, Benjamin (BIZ), Ong Yi Ting Natalie (FASS), Koh Han Boon (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The e-commerce market has been growing globally, resulting in increased use of plastic packaging such as poly-mailers. In Singapore, poly-mailers end up in the waste-stream as they are not recycled. Our project addressed this issue by ‘closing the loop’ – collecting used poly-mailers and extending their lifespan as packaging materials through reuse. First we identified and set-up collection points in RVRC, and then we created an educational video to raise awareness on the proper steps to collect poly-mailers. To ‘close the loop’, we collaborated with an external partner for the reuse of the collected poly-mailers. Over a four-week implementation span, 87 poly-mailers were collected; which equates to more than 50% of the residents who had ecommerce packages delivered during this period. Therefore, our project has successfully tested the feasibility of a ‘collect-to-reuse’ solution to divert used poly-mailers away from the waste stream.

AY2021G03B- “CONWASH-21: Wash Your Troubles Away”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Chua Kai Jun (SOC), Huang Ziwei (FASS), Jeff Sieu Yong (SOC), Loh Xin Yi (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The long-term environmental impacts of single-use plastic, coupled with Singapore’s limited landfill capacity, highlight the urgent need to reduce plastic waste. For RVRC students, one simple way to mitigate this problem is to use lunchboxes instead of single-use plastic containers when doing takeaway. However, our preliminary survey indicated that most students do not adopt this solution due to inconvenience of washing the lunchboxes by hand. Our project addressed this problem by designing and testing a dishwasher prototype as a more convenient alternative. First, we measured the prototype’s effectiveness based on three key design criteria: hygiene, time required to wash, and water consumption. After making required design adjustments, we invited RVRC residents to test our prototype. Based on the results collected during the implementation phase, we found that our prototype was effective in all three criteria, and was also identified by residents as a more convenient alternative to wash reusable lunchboxes by hand.

AY2021G03A- “ZeroWasteRV”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Benedict Koh Wee Seng (BIZ), Heng Chen Kai, Darren (SOC), Lee Wei, David (SOC), Ng Shi Hui (FASS), Wang Wei Yu (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The proliferation of ecommerce has contributed directly to an increasing trend in packaging waste and its resulting water and carbon emissions. Given that RVRC residents do not reuse ecommerce cardboard boxes, our objective was to implement a two-part system to encourage its diversion away from the waste/recycle stream, into the reuse stream. First, we set up collection points at carefully chosen locations. We conducted a poster and digital publicity campaign to raise awareness about our initiative, with a focus on Tuesday and Thursday – parcel collection days. Within 3 weeks, we collected more than 7kg of reusable cardboard boxes. For the second part of our project , we established a collaboration with an external partner. The collected ecommerce cardboard boxes were handed over to them for reuse. Our project results demonstrate that a significant number of ecommerce cardboard boxes in RVRC can be successfully redirected towards reuse, thereby minimising their environmental footprint.

AY2021G02C- “Give Trash a Second Life”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Kaung Htet (SDE), Park Shieun (FOE), Xu Yuxing (FOE), Zhu Shaohan Steven (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Singapore is facing a rising demand for single-use drink containers. The lifespan of these items could be lengthened to reduce consumption of other ready-made products. Our preliminary survey results (n=108) indicated that most students (65%) consumed drinks from these single use containers multiple times a week and do not dispose them properly. Another survey was conducted to gather opinions about glass repurposing. Majority found our repurposed glass product attractive. Hence, our objective is to raise awareness of upcycling these single use drink containers among NUS students. We designed a website and a 40-min online workshop with surveys. During this workshop we engaged 35 NUS students to raise awareness about upcycling single use drink containers. The results indicated that majority of the students found the workshop effective in raising awareness about upcycling. Hence, our interactive workshop, website and repurposed product display proved effective in raising awareness about upcycling among NUS students.

AY2021G02B- “Fruit Enzyme as an Alternative to Commercial Dish Soaps”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Lee Chang Jun Tristan (FOE), Samuel Koh Sheng Nan (FOE), Scarlett Lin Yu Huai (SDE), William Wahyudi (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Using store-bought dish soap could harm the environment in various ways, ranging from plastic waste from the bottles to deforestation caused by the production of palm oil, which is the soap’s main ingredients. An environmentally friendlier alternative would be to ferment fruit waste in order to make an enzyme-rich cleaner, which is suitable for daily use. Our project seeks to spread awareness through workshop and distribution of enzyme cleaner samples across RVRC’s pantries.

We conducted a 30-minute soap making workshop which consisted of a quiz and a post-workshop survey, demonstration of the enzyme cleaner as an environmentally friendlier alternative to commercial soap, as well as hands-on cleaner making activity. The fruit enzyme cleaner has been proven to be fun and easy to make during the workshop. Moreover, during the demonstration process, participants also agreed that the cleaner could effectively wash out oily dishes.

AY2021G02A- “Drop the Beads”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Boominathan Pushpanathan (FOE), Lim Xin Yi Joreen (SDE), Teng Wei Han (FOE), Thomas Tio Da Ming (FOE), Yeoh E Ming (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Singapore is experiencing an exponential surge in concentrations of microplastics in its natural environment, with pernicious concomitant ramifications on public health and marine life. We aim to raise greater awareness concerning the detriments of microplastics, in particular, microbeads in commonly used Personal Care Products (PCPs) and gauge the receptivity of RVRC residents to microbead-free alternatives.

We put up posters elucidating the deleterious effects of microplastics and conducted a giveaway for microbead-free DIY facial scrubs, complemented by informative e-brochures and videos expounding on the ease of making said scrubs. Pre- and post-giveaway surveys and a focus group discussion were subsequently conducted to determine receptivity to microbead-free alternatives. 90% of respondents had heightened awareness of microbeads in their PCPs while 97% were receptive to using microbead-free alternatives.

These awareness-raising initiatives were indubitably effective in helping students understand the detrimental effects of microbeads whilst promoting suitable microbead-free alternatives.

AY2021G01C- “GreenFood@NUS”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Food

Tian Xiao (FOS), Hew Li Yang (FOS), Liu Xinran (FOS), Ong Weng Qi (FOS), Wayne Gareth Koh (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Our choice of food has a significant impact on the environment, especially in terms of the greenhouse gases emitted during production. However, our preliminary survey results showed that NUS students do not practice sustainable eating habits. Inspiration for our project was drawn from Duolingo’s leaderboard system as a form of motivation for increased performance. Therefore, we conducted a two-week observational study with a tracker and leaderboard system, to examine whether such a method of positive persuasion would encourage students to eat more sustainably. A scoring system was also designed to quantify the sustainability of common food ingredients. We updated participants daily on their scores for the day, to enable them to track their progress over the course of data collection. Our results concluded that the leaderboard system was successful in influencing more environmentally sustainable eating habits.

AY2021G01B- “dr. stRAINge”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Water

Derek Ong Boon Hong (FOS), Leonard Fang Wei Jie (FOS), Qiu Qishuo (FOS), Zhang Chenxiao (FOS), Zhang Xiangyu (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Water security is an essential issue in Singapore due to the energy-intensive desalination process, limited water resources and increasing demand. Given that rainwater is highly accessible in Singapore, our objective was to use rainwater as an alternative water source, specifically to mopping, thereby conserving and reducing consumption of potable water and energy in cleaning activities.

After identifying the most efficient location for rainwater harvesting, we designed and installed a rainwater harvester that filters, stores and dispenses rainwater. We executed a trial where cleaners would dispense the collected rainwater for mopping Block C’s ground floor. We interviewed the cleaners and OHS, and obtained positive responses. We found that the collected rainwater is of sufficient quality to ensure the cleanliness of the floor and conserves tap water simultaneously. Hence, we believe that using filtered rainwater is an effective and sustainable way for cleaning in the long run.

AY2021G01A- “PlinkoBingo”

teoruijuan99 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Responsible Consumption

Angel Foo (FOS), Chen Yichi (FOS), Cody Tan Zheng Hao (FOS), Michael Lim Wen Hai (FOS), Zhao Xi (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Contamination of plastic bottles is a significant issue in Singapore that prevents them from being recycled properly. Uncapping of plastic bottles and pouring away residual liquid within is crucial for reducing contamination. Gamification could motivate environmental protection, so we developed an interactive game board targeted at university students to promote the uncapping and emptying of bottles in a fun and engaging manner.

We designed an interactive Plinko board comprising of colourful elements and lights that users may drop their bottle caps into. The bottle cap would then randomly land in different reward zones. The board also directed players to recycle their plastic bottle bodies in the recycling bin directly besides it. With the presence of the Plinko board, the average recycling rate increased by 19.3%, and the average uncap rate increased significantly to 64.9%. Hence, gamification proves to be effective in promoting recycling and uncapping among RVRC residents.

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