GPS Sumatra (May-June)

Earlier on in May this year, Becky and I spent 16 days with 13 schoolmates from SOTA and 2 teachers in the Sumatran rainforest, learning from and working with the Restoration team there, doing Reforestation work as well as conducting environmental based programmes for primary schools there.
This was part SOTA's Year 5 Global PerspectiveS (GPS) program.

Click on the link below to read more about my thoughts as the 16 days progressed.
It was a very meaningful and musical journey, learning about the forest, the issues with oil palm plantation encroachment, and the most important discovery - learning about ourselves and our connection with our natural environment.

Read about our journey here

Have a very happy new year!

~Almira, Green Beans.

The simple act of eating fish

View from the Moon Rock

Taken by Ms Kong

In early November, Almira and I went on a school expedition to the Anambas Islands 1 day from the coast of Batam. For a period of ten days on the South China Sea, we sailed on Captain Blake's Four Friends with 12 other students. During the expedition, we spent out time kayaking and snorkelling in the crystal blue waters as well as combing the white beaches of uninhabited islands.

Having participated in many environmental activities in 2013 such as starting the environment group, the Green Beans I have had frequent opportunities to preserve nature. However, my participation in this expedition has prompted me to reflect on the environmental friendliness of outdoor sports and expeditions such as these.

Firstly, my hesitation for such outdoor activities was seeded when we hauled our kayaks across an extensive live coral bed due to the low tide on the third day. This accident which culminated in a brief bout of night kayaking was unforeseen but bore profound effects on many corals.

Lugging our kayaks across the coral bed

Taken by Ms Kong

 This was compounded on the third day of the expedition when we "scrambled" up a 30 m high black rock. In the process, Almira and I began identifying the types of forest on the island. Interestingly, the medium sized island foliage was similar to that of Singapore and would probably have been the same if the islands were inhabited. Nevertheless, the island betrayed that it was indeed a secondary forest as seen by the well trodden paths. Why was that so? A shorter, mowed undergrowth of sprawling plants soon betrayed the old marks of mankind’s hands, probably for agricultural purposes.

Emerald Lagoon, Pam's Island (centre) and Sobreno Island (right) at Pulau Bawa

Taken by Amrita

At the top, the Captain told us a short story about the future of the island. In approximately 10 years or even less, Pulau bawa would be transformed into a resort for tourists to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of the island. Often, throughout the trip, the Captain would wax lyrical about how we should have been born 40 years ago to see the bustling marine life. For instance, turtles and whales were once spotted frequently in the serene, rippling lagoon from the rock that we had just climbed.

The white, lifeless smoke snaking in the distance, eating away at the dense trees could only mean one thing. People. Material laden boats would soon follow shortly into the tranquil lagoon bearing their toxic, metal cargo. The pristine, colourful corals we had snorkelled in yesterday would probably crumble sooner or later under such an unnatural load. Upon reflection, I recalled the beach resorts that I had visited and wondered if the value of mankind’s temporal pleasure for a short 5 days was valued over the potentially marine life that probably once was much more abundant than the few we ‘ooh and ah’ over.

Whilst descending the rock, I realized that we were also chopping down the very plants we claimed to protect. Every little action we created killed one plant (as insignificant as that may sound). But the plant is more than a plant. It is a young tree that will take another 5-10 years to grow again to where it was or maybe never grow again.

Were we much better than the men building the resort? Were these outdoor expeditions creating their own tiny environmental impact instead? This led me to realize the importance of ‘ecotourism’ and an environment ethos when travelling. Often, it is easy to forget the implications of our actions when we possess the ‘I want to have fun’ mentality. If we want to protect the beautiful wildlife that we encountered and ensure that 40 years down the road our future generations can enjoy the same crystal, aquamarine seas, our actions to minimise impact is a prerogative. I realized that it is not about being anal but being considerate.

A scared clownfish (not Nemo) at Turtle Reach, Pulau Bawa

Taken by Ms Kong

Another issue eating and environmentally consciousness was raised once again during the trip when a group of us decided to eat oysters and sea urchins in an uninhabited island on the 9th day. Previously, we had learnt to pluck coconuts and catch sea urchin the day before around Rainbow Cracker Beach and Pulau Acah in the SOTA archipelago. That day we began to consume large quantities of oysters clammed to the rocks and hunting for sea urchins. However, some people were clearly disturbed by this action and brought it up later that night. Upon the reflection, I realized that I had caught a sea urchin with the same ‘I want to have fun’ mentality. If no one had eaten the sea urchin, I would have killed out of excess. Thus the lesson was learnt that just because these creatures don’t have large eyes and fur doesn’t mean that they deserve to die.

Nevertheless, I personally think that being careful when eating doesn’t equate to completely rejecting meat when it is offered. During a discussion with friends when we were stranded amidst the coral beds on the second day, we concluded that rejecting the meat resulted in more food wastage if no one was willing to eat it. This would mean that the animal’s life which was sacrificed for the meal was wasted. In the one of the later days, we experienced this when we killed fishes caught by the locals (one of them was a rainbow fish). Initially, many of us felt irked at the idea of consuming a life. Mutely, we watched the final, painful breath of a beautiful brown and black striped fish as one of us hacked it apart. However, not eating the fish also mean that the fishes were killed in vain. Almira's philosophy (which I fully agree) is that it is more worthwhile to consume and appreciate the value of the fish's life instead.

The meal before the chopping

Taken by Ms Kong

Living in an industrialized city like Singapore often disconnects us from the roots of food. I too find myself forgetting that the soya sauce doused steamed meal decorated with fried garlic on the table was not just a frosty ice block in the supermarket but a live, flopping fish in the sea. After the bloody incident, many people expressed that they will not eat fish for a long time after witnessing the death of one fish. How ignorant we must appear to be in the eyes of the locals! However, this points us to a larger problem that we Singaporeans lack the practical experience of basic skills. This is probably the reason why we conduct outdoor activities like these. Through this experience, students are able to appreciate nature which is unobstructed by concrete towers or muddy waters. Nevertheless, we must also remember that our actions inevitably impact environment and enjoy the breathtaking views with restraint (e.g refraining from overconsumption of sea urchins or the amount of plastic waste generated). But aside from making resolutions to be environmentally conscious in the future during expeditions, why not start now from home and start reducing the amount of waste thrown away? 
Credits: All the photos in this entry were taken by members on the trip (Ms Kong and Amrita).
Note, the contents may not be approved by the Grammar police as this was adapted from a reflection.

Written by Qing

Just look, look and chill (Ubin Happy Day)

Pictures taken by Becky

Macritchie Memories

Previously, the furthest I had gone into Macritchie reservoir was the door, literally. It was a brief visit with my family and the most memorable part of the dusty compound was a bare grey structure of a cafe that sold expensive, average tasting drinks. That was certainly enough to stamp a big red "commercial place" in my childhood list and effectively strike it off the list of potential trekking sites.  And as most stories go, there was certainly definitely so much more to it than the entrance. Moral of the story, don't judge a book by a cover, likewise don't judge a place by its appearance but its true worth.

In fact, one can enter from all points imaginable, not just the official upgraded entrance. Our small crew consisting of all things green, fingers and horns, enthusiasts and guides, began our journey at Sime Road somewhere opposite Island Country Club. Mirroring the color scheme, our conversation buzzed with life about life itself.

Indeed the wildlife in the Central Catchment is admirable, not only is it the last primary forest left in Singapore, the thick undergrowth is one of the rare pieces of land that weren't razed down by the gambier farmers when they arrived before Raffles. This was all thanks to that strip of bank, a piece of knowledge kindly imparted by one of our nature sages/guides. 

From leaf birds to sea apple tree relatives, the morning was milked for its worth as we rediscovered Singapore and appreciating nature not in textbooks or negative production externalities but by experience. For the matter, no words or numbers can quantify the experience of being in nature and the wonders a foliage can bring. There is this sense of reclaiming the enthusiasm of what once was lost as if the passage of time has been reversed and one is a child again like spotting squirrels and bird watching.

Some might ask, why bother when it is going to be gone eventually? What the future generation doesn't know won't harm them.

Exactly. Rediscovering a place beyond the shopping districts and omnipresent street lighting. Appreciating the lone piece of foliage swamped in a deluge of construction sites and towers. People might say that the quest is a cause that will ultimately fade off and die. One thing I would like you to remember is that our house is not just a home to us alone. The relationship is symbiotic, meaning that we're all dependent on one another and coexist harmoniously. Yet all this will change slightly with the construction of the MRT line through a part of the forest.

Imagine this. One day, a big shoe lands in your backyard and only grows bigger every second. The shoe starts to negotiate with you at first but eventually takes it as its right to step anywhere it wants. After all, you can't argue against a shoe.

The moral of the story is, we should take what we need and return what we don't. The walk opened up our eyes to a whole complex world of relationships between flora and fauna that can be a big problem if altered. This reminds me of documentary I watched in Year 1 called Darwin's Nightmare whereby a man's simple act of dropping a bucket of fish into a river ruined an entire ecosystem. Inevitably, we will affect nature, as told by the guides, whenever we enter it. For example, one road eroded over a long period of time after being trod repeatedly due to the nature walks conducted. That's why we need to conserve certain areas, especially the primary forest which holds a trove of bustling biodiversity. To name a few, we saw a rare lizard just along the edge of the Central Catchment Forest so just imagine how many other species there are in there!

Is the risk necessary? The crux of the issue is that we have no idea what the building of an MRT would do to a tropical primary forest as no one has actually built an MRT line, much less a train station, through a reservoir. and negative ramifications of loud noises, interruption to water supply, destruction of trees are impending, since if one wants the animals and plants to adapt to the noise, they can't do so overnight. When lives are involved, the risk is too high to take 

Perhaps the biggest issue comes back to the whole notion of price, pricey drinks are just the least of the problems.  What price do we pay in the long term or short term? Nature is something that once lost , becomes harder to replace. No matter how desperate you are, a tree doesn't age a century until a century happens.

My challenge to whoever that reads this is to ask yourself "what can I do to change this?" and not believe that cutting through our primary forest is an inevitable fact. We can still change it if we try (http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com).

At the end of the day, I've learnt that there is no point if everything solely functions on a theoretical basis and justification. What's important is that you loosen up a bit and go out to experience what you want to save before saving it. The last step is to act on the impulse and do something. So lastly, do something for the environment today not just because other plants and animals depend it but also because we depend on it too.

Mentioned article

Darwin's Nightmare :

http://articles.latimes.com/2006/feb/10/entertainment/et-darwin10

Do watch the documentary as it is quite interesting and informative

Qing,

The Green Beans

We the MacRitchie Lovers

Today, Qing and I went for a 'Love MacRitchie advocates training', which was a nature guide training for the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The training was conducted by local nature guides who have been advocates for the environment, some for 30 years already, and we could really feel their passion and dedication in saving Singapore's natural green spaces. 

To sum it up, this training was part of the campaign 'Love Our MacRitchie Forest' which was initiated in response to the government's proposed Cross Island MRT Line, that is set to cut through the Nature Reserve through the MacRitchie forest, including the precious primary rainforest within it. 

Proposed Cross Island MRT Line through the CCNR
Picture from http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com/about/



So instead of talking about the birds that we heard and saw, foraging reptiles and mammals that we stared at in silent awe, insects we photographed, or the many trees that we identified, I want to present my own personal experience and takeaways from today. Everyone in the group went through the same physical journey and saw the same things, but each and every one of us experienced them very differently - and that's the beauty of nature. It provides you with whatever you require - tangible or intangible.

We already know that we get a lot of our stuff from nature, that's the material, 'practical' aspect. But there is so much more that nature provides us with, beyond what you can buy, sell or wear.
What I've learnt throughout my 17 years of growing up with nature is that our relationship with Mother Nature is much more than just a transactional and material one. There must be a reason why we ascribe the name "Mother" to nature isn't there?

By calling her Mother, nature becomes a person to us. Not just a person, but a mother, someone who cares, nurtures, and provides for us. Like the oldest trees in the forest, she is grounded and always there with us. Like the birds in flight she looks after us wherever we may be. And through the entire ecosystem, she shows us how, just like the symbiotic relationships we see in nature, we too must remember that we are part of the ecosystem, and that anything that we do to it, will not only affect others in the web of life, but will affect us as well - and so like all mothers and mentors in our life, she teaches us to think before we do, to be people-centered and think a little bit more about the other people who are in our lives.

Mother Nature, right here, is a teacher, a friend, and is our family, and the least we can do to give back to all her generosity of all these years of bringing up our human race, is to respect her and say thank you. Are these not universal teachings that we value among people? Why should our relationship with nature be any different?

Just as how our relationship with other people reflects who we are as a person, so does our relationship with nature. How can we cut through the nature reserve (is it not called a 'nature reserve' for a reason), and assume that nature will adapt to its new concrete surroundings? Just as we have learnt never to take people for granted, the same goes for nature. We have a biodiversity richer than you can imagine, though sad to say, it is declining rapidly. I implore you to think about what you would like to do to give back to the forest, as you would do for your parents, grandparents, children and loved ones.

So why do I write all this? Is the issue not about stopping the MRT line from being built and to protect our forests through raising awareness of the issue at hand?
Yes, but for me, it is not at all about getting angry at the government, seeing them as an enemy that seems to be out to destroy everything that we love. You probably know this little saying, that when you point your finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you.
I was in London 3 years back, and I came across a sign that said;
You are not stuck in traffic. You are Traffic. 
How often do we fail to realise that we are part of the problem?
When will we begin to realise that the fact that this issue exists in the first place, is in itself a reflection of our own society and of ourselves?
How many times have we wanted the quick fix to a problem, the shortcuts and the cheat sheets?
How many times have we complained that there is never enough...? 
We are not the only ones on this planet, and we part of an Ecosystem, and not an Egosystem. 
How often to we pause to reflect on our own lives?

I'm throwing out a lot of these questions, questions that are perhaps not meant to be answered but are somehow answers in themselves. Just by thinking about these questions, we raise our awareness that the issue at hand is not an issue external to ourselves but more of a reflection of ourselves. So I guess the more fundamental, underlying question at hand is not about MacRitchie (though it is indeed a big issue important to us), but is (and I leave you with this thought) :

What kind of person do you want to be? 


Stay tuned, we'll be posting more information about the actual names, statistics and stories from our training today soon!

Almira 
The Green Beans. 

Back to Ubin Part 2

The Green Beans at Ubin (photo taken by Lemuel)

Baby Periopthalmodon schlosseri (Giant Mudskipper)! The Green Beans revisited our favourite island yesterday and dug deeper into the beauty of Ubin.
We've got one more Ubin visit, part 3, happening on the 17th of August, Saturday, to finish up our series!

Coming up next is a trip to MacRitchie Reservoir, not just any trip to MacRitchie visit though. Qing will take you to the former Shinto Shrine deep in the forest, which was built by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII.

It would be a great time for all nature and history enthusiasts!

Check it out at this link:
http://joyloh.com/blog/?p=2803

Do join us if you're interested!

Nature's Bucket List in the making

 Underground natural springs, Spiderweb cocooned trees in Pakistan, Blood waterfalls are just the tip of the iceberg.

Dive deeper in this website which captures on camera sights that you might never see at all.

In this new series, we feature the lost, the hidden and the found of nature's wonders.

Do share your experience with us if you have found or encountered any other stunning natural phenomenon or perhaps just the everyday, rose lined sunset.

Now click on the link to discover the 15 things a green bean would do:

http://www.nature-pictures.info/the-15-craziest-things-in-nature-you-wont-believe-actually-exist/

Adrift : A love letter to the mist

Adrift from Simon Christen on Vimeo.

This short film, entitled "Adrift" was shot by Simon Christen and has won a Vimeo Staff Pick nomination.

As said by the photographer, "Adrift is a love letter to the fog of the San Francisco Bay Area" that he chased for two years to "capture the magical interaction between the soft mist, the ridges of California and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. This is where "Adrift" was born."

We hope you enjoy this tranquil interaction between architecture and nature.

Ubin/Chek Jawa Series Part 1

Location 1 by Lemuel Poh and (Film) by Nicholas Goh

 Beyond the tourist front, not too far from mainland lies a hidden world waiting to be discovered.

Last saturday, the Green Beans began their first official venture into the wild at Ubin and Chek Jawa on our brave hors-bicycles.

Aren't photo montages just so conventional nowadays? Catch a slice of the walk in an iridescently euphonic sound montage by Almira (Ubin through sound).

As you listen to chatter and nature, we hope that our voices would go beyond your distant ambience and shatter the image of nature as a sticky unpleasant matter.

About The Green Beans

Who are we? 

The Green Beans is a CAS group initiated by 3 year 5 students from the School of the Arts Singapore; Becky (Visual Arts), Qing (Theatre) and Almira (Music). While CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) is a mandatory component in the IB Diploma Programme, the genesis of The Green Beans was formed primarily on our love for the natural environment and our hopes to share this love with other youths.

What do we do? 

The Green Beans aims to encourage Singaporean youths like ourselves to explore and develop a love for our local, natural green spaces. 

Aside from its therapeutic qualities, we also strongly believe that nature is a great source of inspiration for the arts and the creative process, which is important to us as arts students. 

We believe that immersing ourselves in nature is not only a way of connecting with the world and learning about the ecosystem, or a form of relaxation, but is also what pushes us to pause a little and reflect on the lives that we live. 

Everyone has different experiences with and takeaways from nature, such as environmental conservation, botany, physical and mental wellbeing, nature in the arts and so on. We all have different experiences because we're all different people. What The Green Beans aims to do is to provide the opportunity for these experiences. 

In Singapore, our rich natural green spaces are rapidly being replaced by concrete jungles, and we have seen for ourselves the many youths who unconsciously suffer from a disconnect with nature, as well as the loss felt by the many who have known these green spaces for decades. These spaces hold memories for many Singaporeans, and our greater aim is also to document the green places that we visit. Documentation through any way possible; blog posts, pictures, plant samples, sound montages, and stories. 

Go back to the basics. Treasure the small things in life with The Green Beans.