Month: October 2017

On 9th October 2017, Earthlink held its annual Extraordinary General Meeting to elect a new group of leaders to its ranks. The different portfolios available are as follows: Honorary General Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Camp & Welfare, Campaign Management, Events Executive Overseas, Logistics, Publications, Publicity, Recycling, and Webmaster. It is crucial that attendees to this event paid close attention to what each candidate represents as well as their future plans within the role, as this batch of leaders will determine and shape Earthlink’s path ahead for the academic year 2017/2018.
After registration, the event began with the opening ceremony, where the president gave a welcome speech to the attendees. It was then followed by an explanation of the voting rules. Each candidate had 3 minutes for their speech, in which they had to describe their background, past experience (if any), and goals if they were to be elected. A question and answer session followed after each candidate was done with their speech.
Running for the portfolio of Honorary General Secretary was Lin Yan Ni (Kolyn). She was previously the Camp Director in Earthlink for AY 16/17 and Acting Honorary General Secretary for AY 17/18. If elected, she would ensure that minutes for various meetings will be taken down accurately, such that clear information can then be passed down to the various portfolio directors. She would also ensure that Earthlink’s vast archives are properly kept for future references as well as ensuring that PDPA policies are strictly complied to.
Running for the portfolio of Honorary Treasurer was Ariel Foo Fang Chin. She was previously the deputy Camp Director in Earthlink for AY 16/17 and Acting Honorary Treasurer for AY 17/18. She also has a Diploma in Accountancy from Singapore Polytechnic. If elected, she would strive to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of funds and would guide the Main Committee in adhering to financial Standard Operating Procedures.
Running for the portfolio of Camp & Welfare Director was Tan Yun Ann. He was previously the Camp and Welfare program coordinator for AY 15/16, Camp Secretary for AY 16/17, and the Internal Affairs and Performance director for the 7th Council of International Council of Malaysian Scholars and Associates (SG). If elected, he plans to have more workshops and sharing sessions, as well as more events like Earthlink Environmental Camp, Earthlink Night, and Earthlink Bonding Day.
Running for the portfolio of Campaign Management Director was Antonio Tjeng Chao Wei. He was previous NTU Earthlink’s Campaign Management Liaison Officer as well as the President for the Fudan International School Environmental Club. He has several campaign ideas which he would strive to implement if elected. They include “Ditch Da Disposables” and “Green Monday”. He also wants to tackle the issue of food waste in NTU.
Running for the portfolio of Events Executive (Overseas) Director is Quah Wee Keong Benson. He was previously the Business Manager of SCBE Convocation Club as was a participant in a SCBE OCIP. If elected, he plans to have recruitment drives and canvassing events in both semesters 1 and 2, meeting and bonding activities, a trip during the summer break of AY 17/18, as well as a local CIP activity in semester 2.
Running for the portfolio of Logistics is Tan Zi Qi. She was previously a welfare sub-committee member in the CEE club, as participated as well as facilitated in events organised by the CEE club. If elected, she would strive to maintain the various Earthlink logistical items as well as ensure that effective logistical support is provided for various events.
Running for the portfolio of Publications is Letitia Koh Rui Xin. She was previously a sub-committee member in Earthlink’s Publications portfolio in AY 16/17, and was a sub-committee member in the Welfare Services Club’s Publications and Publicity Portfolio in AY 15/16. If elected, she would ensure that timely information is provided about Earthlink events on Earthlink’s Facebook page, and that every event has at least 1 writer and 2 photographers. Her goal would be to communicate the aims and efforts of Earthlink NTU to the NTU community and the public at large in order to inspire them to engage in environmentally friendly behaviours.
Running for the portfolio of Publicity is Tan Ying Shi. She was previously the Deputy Director of Earthlink’s Publicity portfolio in AY 16/17. If elected, she aims to reduced NTU Earthlink’s carbon footprint by slowly moving Earthlink towards a more digital future.
Running for the portfolio of Recycling is Jonathan Seow Jun Nyap. He was previously President of the Welfare and Charity Keen Youth in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. He was also the Organising Chairperson of the Illuminate Science Fair 2016. If elected, he aims to revamp the initiative of waste reduction by demonstrating the benefits of effective waste reduction.
Running for the portfolio of Webmaster is Goh Jia Jing Jeslyn. As a student in the School of Computer Science and Engineering, she has experience in multiple computer languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Python. If elected, she would improve the interface of Earthlink’s website and maintain it. She would also work on a phone application that aims to help reduce food waste in NTU.
All candidates were unanimously voted to the positions they were running for. The newly elected directors for Earthlink’s 25th Management officially inherit the responsibilities of managing the club for the academic year 2017/2018, marking the start of a brand new chapter of our Earthlink journey.
With that, we are pleased to present our 25th Management Committee:
Honorary General Secretary: Lin Yan Ni, Kolyn
Honorary Treasurer: Ariel Foo Fang Chin
Camp & Welfare Director: Tan Yun Ann (earthlink-cnw@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Campaign Management Director: Antonio Tjeng Chao Wei (earthlink-cmo@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Events Executive (Overseas) Director: Quah Wee Keong Benson (earthlink-envexp@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Logistics Director: Tan Zi Qi (earthlink-logistics@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Publications Director: Letitia Koh Rui Xin (earthlink-publication@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Publicity Director: Tan Ying Shi (earthlink-publicity@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Recycling Director: Jonathan Seow Jun Nyap (earthlink-recycling@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Webmaster: Goh Jia Jing, Jeslyn (earthlink-webmaster@e.ntu.edu.sg)
Once again, congratulations to the newly elected Committee! If you are keen to join the portfolios, please feel free to contact the respective Directors at their emails (beside their names above)! 🙂

Do you know why researchers observe dragonflies when studying wetland ecosystems?
Also, do you know how to differentiate between cranes and herons?
The above are just a few examples of what participants of NTU Earthlink’s first public nature walk – Mangrove Mystery Nature Trail, learnt during the event. The event was held at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve – Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park, on the morning of 7th October 2017.
Sungei Buloh first opened in 1993 as a Nature Park. The area was later upgraded to a Nature Reserve and took on its current name in 2002. In 2003, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve became Singapore’s first ASEAN Heritage Park. The area is now home to 202 hectares of mangroves, mudflats, ponds, and forest, within which countless species of flora and fauna reside with minimal human intervention.
Participants were excited about learning more about the rich biodiversity present in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, as well as observing the various species of flora and fauna in their natural habitat. Everyone was also prepared to brave the early morning sun and unrelenting mosquitoes in order to have a chance to observe and be part of nature at its finest.
After a safety briefing by the event organisers and group photo, participants were split into 4 groups to ensure a better experience when exploring. The guides gave a brief history of the area before setting off on the walk proper. Along the walk, the more knowledgeable participants regularly shared their insights and past experiences with the others, allowing those with less experience to learn more.
The two main areas explored by participants were the bird hides as well as the mangrove boardwalk. Several species of migratory birds were present during our visit, and participants managed to observe them clearly with the help of binoculars. During the mangrove boardwalk section, participants observed the mangrove at high tide.
Let us now review the questions at the very beginning:
“Do you know why researchers observe dragonflies when studying wetland ecosystems?” –
Dragonflies are ideal indicators of wetland health as their larvae develop in water and because they are located relatively low in the food chain. Therefore their presence and health can reveal changes in water ecosystems more quickly than if researchers were to study other organisms.
“Also, do you know how to differentiate between cranes and herons?” –
An easy way to differentiate between cranes and herons is to observe them while they are in flight. Herons curve their necks into a “S” shape and rest it on their bodies while they are flying. Cranes however fly with their necks outstretched.
Let us now take a closer look at mangroves, and why they are so important. Mangroves are useful to both humans and nature in many ways. Firstly, they serve as a form of shoreline protection by acting as a natural barrier to incoming winds and waves, thereby decreasing the intensity at which they hit the shoreline. Mangroves are also able to, as part of the carbon storage mechanism in plants, store up to five times more carbon than an equal area of rainforest. Furthermore, mangrove forests are home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. The roots can serve shelter for many underwater animals, while the forest itself is a food source for other animals. Therefore, in order to protect such a valuable asset, we should contribute to the protection and conservation of mangroves worldwide, starting with our own mangroves right here at home.
If you have unfortunately missed this event, fret not! You can keep a lookout for future nature trails organised by Earthlink 🙂

The annual Student Leaders’ Night took place on Tuesday, 26 September 2017, where student leaders from more than 100 clubs in NTU congregated at the LKC Lecture Theatre to bid farewell to the outgoing management committees, and at same time welcome the new batch of leaders. Notably, the Mr. and Mrs. Kwok Chin Yan Award for Student Initiatives was conferred on student leaders who had organised initiatives with significant contributions towards the enhancement of student life, the improvement of the campus environment or the betterment of the larger community.
The Student Leaders’ Night was a collaboration between Earthlink NTU and NTU Student Affairs Office (SAO) to promote the “Ditch Da Disposables” (DDD) initiative. Started in 2014, the DDD is an Earthlink NTU initiative that aims to reduce waste by curbing the usage of disposables. In merely two years, the DDD initiative has successfully reduced more than 2000 sets of disposables during Earthlink events. The overwhelming success of the DDD initiative inspired EarthLink NTU to promote DDD to other clubs in NTU.
During the event’s networking session, student ambassadors from Earthlink NTU fervently approached the participants to advocate the practice of using reusable containers and cutlery for their club events. The student ambassadors also shared about the detrimental impact of disposables on the environment as well as health. To broaden the impact of the DDD initiative, participants were invited to join the DDD Alliance, playing a part in actualising DDD in their clubs.
As part of the DDD initiative, disposable plates and cutlery were not provided for the event. Instead, participants were informed beforehand to bring their own reusable containers and cutlery. To support this mission, Earthlink NTU sold reusable containers and cutlery to cater for participants who forgot to bring theirs. Certainly, it was heartening to see that most of the participants brought their own containers and cutlery. EarthLink NTU hopes that the student leaders continue the legacy of the DDD initiative by implementing it in their respective clubs to create a greener NTU.

The International Coastal Cleanup Singapore (ICCS) was held at Coney Island on 23 September 2017, with the aim of educating the NTU community on marine trash pollution with data collected from the coastal cleanup, and the ultimate goal of reducing the pollution in our waterways. 54 participants covered a 200-metre stretch of Coney Island’s shorelines to collect the trash. Despite an unexpected downpour during the event, our participants braved the rain and managed to collect 106kg of trash. Participants also extended their care to fellow members by sharing their umbrellas or passing their umbrellas on to other members even if it meant that they would be drenched by the rain. If you have unfortunately missed the ICCS, fret not! There are many other ways to protect the environment, such as avoiding the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and stores and minimising food takeaways. You can also keep a lookout for future Earthlink events and join like-minded peers in protecting our environment!

Our Welcome Tea event was held on 22nd August 2017. The 4-hour event aimed to promote the importance of sustainable living as well as to attract more students to join Earthlink and various environmental conservation efforts. The event also allowed current Earthlink members to interact with prospective Earthlinkers. The president of the 24th management committee started things off with a warm welcome speech. Attendees then watched a video detailing past events, which was followed by the various portfolio directors introducing themselves. Attendees were highly interested in what Earthlink represents as well as our past events and looked forward to being part of Earthlink’s future activities. If you missed the Welcome Tea event, do keep a look out for events initiated or promoted by Earthlink on our Facebook page and feel free to join! We sincerely hope that you join us in playing our part in saving the environment! 🙂

During 26 to 27 August, Earthlink held its annual camp – EE Camp 2017, with the aim of attracting freshmen to join Earthlink whilst providing a platform to learn about the importance of environmental conservation.
One of the camp highlights was the visit to Gardens by the Bay. Participants were exposed to species of flora rarely seen in Singapore due to unfavourable weather conditions. They also learnt about environmental sustainability via architecture through observing the various structures in the Garden.
Another highlight was the trip to Pulau Ubin. By being able to be up close and personal with nature herself, participants had an experience that they would never undergone back on the mainland. It was truly an eye-opening experience for the participants as life on Pulau Ubin is completely different than that on the mainland.
Overall, participants were able to bond with each other during this event as well as learn more about a side of nature that they would not normally experience in their everyday lives. If you unfortunately missed this year’s EE Camp, be sure to join us next year! We guarantee an enriching and fun 2 days of exploring various aspects of the environment as well as interacting with fellow camp participants who share the same love for the environment as you do! 🙂