You'll not be lost

Afraid that you'll be lost in Botanic Gardens? No worries, you can easily the map of this wonderful gardens at the visitor's' centre or just simply download them off their website.
The link to Singapore Botanic Gardens is on the right hand side of the page.

CELEBRATING SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS’ 150th ANNIVERSARY in 2009

Throughout its long and illustrious history, the Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) has played an integral role in Singapore's cultural, social and economic development. While the Gardens remains true to its original purpose as an institution for botanical and horticultural research and education, it has also evolved into a much‐loved civic space and one of Singapore’s top attractions. Recent international accolades such as Time Magazine’s choice of the Gardens as “Asia’s Best Urban Jungle” and a three Michelin Star rating by the Michelin Green Guide bear testimony to the Gardens’ enduring charm.

In line with the Gardens’ mission of connecting plants and people, we have developed an exciting year‐long programme that will provide opportunities for family and community bonding. The programme line‐up brings together a diverse range of fun‐filled events and activities aimed at providing Singaporeans with opportunities to reminisce, re‐connect as well as celebrate.
A Tale of Two Gardens: Simultaneous Tree Planting Ceremony SBG & the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
3 Apr (Fri), 5.30pm @ SBG and 9.30am @ Kew Gardens

A celebration to mark SBG’s 150th Anniversary and Kew Gardens’ 250th Anniversary,

SBG 150th Anniversary Commemorative Book Launch "Gardens of Perpetual Summer"
3 Apr (Fri), 5pm, Botany Centre Function Hall

A commemorative publication celebrating the Botanic Gardens and its legacy of accumulated achievements of 150 years. This is made possible by the kind support of Lady Yuen Peng
McNeice.

An Open Conversation with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew: Greening of A Nation

The Garden City would not have been realised without the vision and commitment of Minister Mentor and the early pioneers. Moderated by Ambassador Tommy Koh, this is a unique opportunity to hear Minister Mentor’s thoughts on the inspiration, challenges and potential for Singapore as a Garden City.

The Seed That Changed The World

Date :	3 Apr~30 Apr
Time :	9am - 6pm
Venue :	Botany Centre
Contact :	Visitor Services (6471 7361)
Content :	An exhibition that illustrates the incredible story of the rubber phenomemon, and the Singapore Botanic Gardens' pivotal role in pioneering and industry that forever changed the economic landscape of the region.

Advance Screening of the 11th Hour

Event Selected :	Advance Screening of the 11th Hour by HBO and Singapore Botanic Gardens (Sun)
Date :	19 Apr
Time :	11am - 1pm or 2pm - 4pm
Venue :	Function Hall, Botany Centre
Contact :	Visitor Services (6471 7361)
Content :	Join us for an advance screening of The 11th Hour. Synopsis of The 11th Hour Humankind's 11th hour is here: the last moment when we can change course and stop our rush toward global ecological collapse. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio produces and narrates this urgent and transformational look at where we've been, where we're going and - most important - how we can change. Thinkers from Mikhail Gorbachev to Stephen Hawking to sustainable-design expert William McDonough and dozens more reveal the current, critical state of life on planet earth. Astonishing images of floods, fires, hurricanes, collapsing ice cliffs and growing mountains of waste juxtaposed with images of a sustainable future urge us to take action. Will we employ exciting new technologies and change our behavior to save our planets? The crisis is now; but we do have the solutions to save this unique blue planet for future generations. Sunday, 19 April 2009 11am - 1pm and 2pm - 4pm Function Hall, Botany Centre Visit also the eco-living exhibition and learn to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle from a group of students. The 11th Hour premieres Earth Day, Wednesday 22nd April, 9pm on HBO (StarHub Ch 60)

FAQ for LGT Challenge – “Celebrate Our Family”

1) How many members in a team?

A Team of no more or less than 10 members, with at least 2 family members (Teachers and VALs does not form part of the team.)

2) Who are “family members?”

As the objective of the LGT Challenge is to “Celebrate Our Family” – it is encouraged that the “family members” should be as follows:

- parents

- grandparents

- siblings

- relatives (aunts & uncles)

- godparents

- church members

3) Can I have more than 2 family members in a team?

Yes.

4) Can I have a teacher/officer in a team?

A teacher/officer is a VAL as required by the school. Thus, the role and responsibility of the teacher/officer is to be the overseer for the event. It is recommended that they should not form part of the 10 member team so as to keep to the spirit of celebrating our family.

5) What are the activities lined up for the day?

Activity 1 :

“Seek, Explore & Discover”

The teams will be given activity sheet which will require them to seek out, explore and discover various location and objects in the Botanic gardens. The activity will allow bonding among team members.

Activity 2 :

“ Dress up to 3Rs”

Teams are to dress up having the 3Rs in mind

· Recycle

· Re-use

· Re-duce

Finale:

A-come-together of all teams:

- Sing-a-long

- Presentation of prizes to:

· Best Dressed team

6) What are the criteria for LGT Shield?

1. No. of Teams proportionally to Company ratio

2. Timing

3. Completion of activities.

Tips on 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

To prolong the life span of our incineration plants and landfill site, we can help to minimise the waste generated by adopting the waste management hierarchy, ie. the 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Reduce - to avoid unnecessary waste generation.

Reuse - to use again.

Recycle - to convert unwanted things into useful and marketable recycled products.

Follow the links for tips on how you can practise the 3Rs at home, at school, in the office and in organisation:

At Home

Reduce Plan a shopping list to prevent purchasing on impulse. Purchase products that will not go out of fashion quickly. Purchase things with less packaging. Purchase things in bulk quantities eg. one large box of breakfast cereal instead of two small boxes. Purchase durable items that will last you a long time eg. rechargeable battery. Purchase refillable items eg. dish washing liquid. Borrow, share and/or hire things that you only need occasionally. Bring a shopping bag while shopping instead of requesting for plastic or paper bags. Use cloth instead of paper tissue for cleaning. Minimise the use of disposable items such as disposable crockery, non-rechargeable batteries etc. Store perishable food eg. bread, fruits in refrigerator. Cook just sufficient food for meals. Pack breakfast or lunch in washable container instead of a one-time container. Write to the respective organisation/s if a few members of the family receive the same reading materials/information. Call the respective organisation/s to remove your address from their mailing list to prevent junk mail. Switch off lights and electronic appliances when not in use. Close the refrigerator door immediately after taking out necessary food, fruits or drinks etc. Use one strong bulb instead of a few low-wattage ones. Use the fan instead of air-conditioning if possible. Turn off the water tap promptly. Check for dripping taps and inspect taps and pipes to prevent water leakage. Take a shower instead of a bath. Wash only with full loads of laundry. Wash the floor with a mop instead of water hose. Wash the car with a pail of water instead of using the water hose. Use a tumbler of water when you brush your teeth.

Reuse Reuse used glass and plastic containers as receptacles. Reuse your old mouse pad as an insulator for placing hot containers that have just been removed from stove or oven, or as a beer mat. Use unwanted plastic bags to bag garbage. Use old clothing as rags for cleaning. Convert scrap paper into memo pads. Pass old textbooks, story books, and toys to others. Pass smaller size but good quality clothing to others. Donate good quality but unwanted items to old folks' homes, charitable organisations etc. Delete old files from diskette to save new files. Repair and recondition faulty electronic appliances to extend their useful lives. Clean and reuse ornaments for the next festive celebration. Clean and reuse washable cutlery and crockery for the next party.

Recycle Make recycled paper at home and decorate it for use as a greeting card or wrapping paper. For more information on National Recycling Programme and condominium recycling programmes, please check http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=2306. Segregate recyclable items for collection by waste collectors. Participate in recycling programme/s and deposit recyclable items into designated recycling bins. Purchase recycled products. Purchase greenlabelled products. For more information on Singapore Green Labelled products, please check http://www.sec.org.sg/greenlabel_htm/greenlable_frameset.htm.

At School

Reduce Purchase more durable devices and items eg. plastic folders instead of paper folders. Purchase refillable items eg. mechanical pencils and refillable pens. Pin notices on notice boards instead of making copies to distribute. Cater sufficient drinks and food for school activities and events. Use refillable soap and drinks dispensers instead of providing individual packets. Switch off light, fan and electronic appliances when not in use.

Reuse Use both sides of paper for writing, calculations and problem solving etc. Pass unwanted textbooks and assessment books to others. Donate old story books to the school library. Delete old files from diskette to store new documents. Compost organic waste into soil conditioners or fertilisers for planting in the school?s garden. Reuse plastic and glass containers as pots for planting.

Recycle Set up a recycling programme in school. For more information on School Recycling Corner Programme, please click here. Participate in your school's recycling programme. Purchase and use recycled products.

In Office

Reduce Use less disposable items eg. polystyrene and paper cups and plates. Bring your own cutlery and coffee mug. Do not ask for a plastic bag if you can take the packet of food back to the office yourself. Make a few copies of a document to share instead of making one copy for each individual. Circulate written or printed memos. Use electronic mail to communicate or to send messages. Subscribe to electronic mailing list whenever possible. Proofread documents on screen before printing. Instead of using sticker labels, print addresses directly onto envelopes or use window envelopes to reduce duplicate printing of address. Print on both sides of paper. Order just adequate drinks and food for meeting, seminars, conference and events etc. Switch on light and electronic devices only when necessary. Buy longer-lasting & useful items as corporate gifts.

Reuse Reuse used envelopes for sending internal mail. Remove old documents and reuse files for filing again. Use the other side of used paper for drafting, printing and taking notes etc. Re-format or delete old files from diskettes so that they can be used to store new documents.

Recycle Set up a recycling programme in the office. For more information on the Office Recycling Programme, please click here. Participate in recycling programme/s. Segregate recyclable items for recycling.

Organisation

Inventory Management Proper control over raw materials, intermediate products, final products and the associated waste streams. Inventory Control Purchase only the amount of raw materials needed for a production run or a set period of time. Purchase the material in the proper sized container/package to reduce waste packaging. Approach the supplier to see if it will take back the excess materials. Material Control Ensure that raw material will reach the production process without loss through spills, leaks or contamination. Ensure that the material is efficiently handled and used in the production process and does not become waste. Handle and manage recyclable waste like a product to prevent contamination which may reduce or eliminate any recovery potential.

Production Process Management Improving the efficiency of a production process can significantly reduce waste generation. Operational and maintenance procedures Make the production processes more efficient, no matter how long these processes have been in operation. Establish a strict maintenance programme which stresses corrective and preventive maintenance to reduce waste generation caused by equipment failure. Process equipment modification Install more efficient process equipment or modify existing equipment to take advantage of better production techniques.

History of Singapore Botanical Garden

The idea of a national garden in Singapore started in 1822 when Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore and a keen naturalist, developed the first 'Botanical and Experimental Gardent' at Fort Canning. This Garden closed in 1829 and it was not until 30 years later that the Singpaore Botanical Gardens at its present site was founded by an agri-horticultural society. This oasis of beauty and grennery was soon handed over to the Government.

In the early years, the Gardens played an important role in fostering agricultural development in Singapore and the region through collecting, growing, experimenting and distributing potentially useful plants. One of the ealiest and most important successes was the introduction, experimentation and promotion of Para Rubbers, Hevea brasiliensis, from 1877.
This become a major crop that brought great prosperity to the South East Asian region. In the 1920s, the Gardens spearheaded orchid breeding and started its orchid hybridisation programme. In contemporary times, the Gardens also played a key role in Singpaore's Garden City programme through the continual introduction of plants of horticultural and botanical interests.

Today, the 63-hectare Garden is home to a great diversity of tropical plants set in verdant landscapes. Here is a tropical Eden, rich with 150 years of history, where time seems to stand still. Be it a rejuvenating walk in solitude, a romatic rendezvous or a day with your family, the Garden has plenty to offer.