Taking Time For Eco Awareness At SAFRA

Time to go green for good!

By Yong Shu Chiang        8 March 2019

For three weekends this March, SAFRA clubs all over the island will be organising eco-focused activities to educate and entertain. The yearly tradition underscores SAFRA’s ongoing commitment to going green and raising awareness of environmental issues. SAFRA Punggol, opened in 2016 and conferred the Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Platinum Award, was built with a focus on energy and water efficiency. Every year, the club saves about 700,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, and achieves about $360,000 in cost savings from electricity and utility bills.

As in past years, SAFRA Punggol and other SAFRA clubs in Jurong, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Yishun will be doing more than just lights-off activities. The clubs will be promoting awareness of conservation and reduction of waste through a series of family- riendly activities, to spread the important message that we can all do our part to stop global warming. Reuse, reduce and recycle Under the broad theme of Go Green, SAFRA clubs are conducting multiple activities to share useful tips on how to reuse, reduce and recycle.

On the weekend of 9 Mar, SAFRA Toa Payoh will host activities to teach you how to live more sustainably every day, and workshops on how to repurpose used items into something new, such as plastic lanterns. From 9 Mar onwards, you can also bring 10 plastic bags to exchange for a tote bag. The following weekend, SAFRA Yishun and SAFRA Punggol will host several workshops that show you how to craft used materials into tote bags, wind chimes, key chains and more.

On the Earth Hour weekend of 30 and 31 Mar, SAFRA Jurong and SAFRA Tampines will highlight how less can be more in your everyday lives, especially when it comes to the use of plastic products. At SAFRA Tampines, you can redeem a free tumbler with $50 spend. That’s not all – bring your tumbler to Sarpino’s for free coffee. So SAFRA is proud to be part of the initiative that helps everyone effect sustainable changes to their lives, and habits to help conserve resources, reduce waste and spare a thought for the earth.

Earth Hour helps remind us to cut down on the use of gadgets and technology. Instead of staring into devices, consider spending some fun family time together! Here are some tips to create unforgettable tech-free family moments.

Family Game Night

Entertainment without tech gadgets: Bring back old-school fun with family-friendly board games. The wide range of board and card games available makes it easy for the family to bond over play any time.

Go To The Park, Bike Or Hike!

Singapore’s Garden City has abundant green spaces for families, so make the most of it. Regular exercise and playing sports hold numerous benefits physically and psychologically. Not only will a good family workout strengthen ties, it will help teach young ones important values such as selfdiscipline and sportsmanship.

Get Crafty

Arts and crafts are not only a great bonding activity for the whole family, they also give children the opportunity to exercise their imagination and improve on their motor skills. The sense of accomplishment that accompanies a successfully completed craft project empowers children and improves their self-esteem too! For more tips on how to spend quality family time, visit www.familiesforlife.sg.