Juying Secondary School students and their teachers are pictured here on 17 January 2016, busily sorting recyclables at the void deck of an HDB block. (Photo by Tan Sam Ba)
“Bottle, Bottle, Can, Can, Paper, Electronics, 1, 3, 5, 7…” On stage, a Tzu Chi volunteer recited the English version of the “Ten Fingers’ Formula” (a formula for remembering different types of recyclables) as the students downstage chorused likewise, listing out the items which can be recycled, such as plastic, glass, aluminum and metal.
It was 7 January 2016, just a few days after the start of the 2016 school year, and a group of Tzu Chi volunteers were at Juying Secondary School to share the importance of environmental protection and vegetarianism to the Secondary Four students.
During the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) held in Paris in December 2015, 195 countries reached an agreement to reduce their carbon emissions, but concrete actions had yet to be taken. Recycling volunteer leader Suzan Tan explained with pictures and video clips how extreme climate conditions due to global warming have impacted many parts of the world.
“How do we slow down the rate of environmental warming? There are five actions we can all do every day!” Recycling volunteer Guo Jing Yi encouraged the students to not only conserve water and electricity, but to also reduce their usage of public transportation, use eco-friendly reusable utensils (instead of disposable utensils) and adopt a vegetarian diet. Tzu Chi had proposed a global “Ethical Eating Day” on 11 January every year in conjunction with the climate conference in 2015. Guo exhorted the students to support the initiative and at the very least, make that one day a meat-free day.
On 12 January 2016, under the lead of their teachers, the students visited 20 blocks of HDB flats in separate teams to educate residents about the importance of saving the environment through eco-friendly practices. The students repeatedly practised what they wanted to say regarding recycling and caring for the environment, and soon lost their nervousness. If no one answered their knocks, they would leave educational leaflets at the doorway, hoping that the residents would bring their discarded items to the Tzu Chi recycling point on 17 January, 2016, which was a Tzu Chi Recycling Day.
On the morning of 17 January, 172 students, the vice principal and 13 teachers gathered at the field of Juying Secondary School as a lively Tzu Chi song about recycling in the Minnan (local Taiwanese) dialect filled the air. Tzu Chi volunteers were present to lead everyone in signing along with the lyrics. In these three years, the vice principal of the school, Madam Jennifer Wong, has been leading by example by finding time to help out at the Tzu Chi recycling point every month.
After the singing and sign language session, 16 Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth volunteers, together with the teachers and students, split up into teams and headed to the nearby HDB flats to collect recyclables. As there were many participating students this time, Tzu Chi had arranged for three areas in the estate to be designated as sorting points.
Absorbed in their own tasks, students were seen quietly sorting out paper discards, while others carried stacks of old newspapers. Some did not know how to classify certain items, such as CDs and requested Tzu Chi volunteers for help.
“I’m happy that the students have started to become more pro-active (in such recycling activities). I hope that they can interact more frequently with, and give back to the community through these environmentally-friendly initiatives.” Teacher Mr Dayan Tan summed up his feelings, having accompanied his students for the third time in such an event.
Tzu Chi volunteer Suzan Tan explains to students through video clips and pictures why the earth is experiencing abnormal climatic changes. (Photo by Tan Sam Ba)
On 12 January 2016, Juying students and their teachers split themselves up into teams to educate residents about recycling. (Photo by Tan Sam Ba)
Vice principal of the school, Madam Jennifer Wong (first from left), joins Tzu Chi volunteers in leading the students in singing and signing the lively Minnan (local Taiwanese dialect) Tzu Chi song about recycling. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Juying Secondary School’s vice principal, 174 students, 13 teachers and volunteers pose for a group photograph on Tzu Chi Recycling Day on 17 January 2016. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
Following their efforts to raise environmental awareness among the HDB residents, 16 Tzu Chings, together with students and teachers from Juying Secondary School, returned to the flats to collect recyclables from the residents on Tzu Chi Recycling Day. (Photo by Tan Sam Ba)
This is the third time that teacher Mr Dayan Tan (centre) has led his students to participate in such a recycling exercise. (Photo by Pua Poo Toong)
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