Author: teoruijuan99

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.