Close to 80 tireless volunteers from the NUS community joined thousands of others in a record-breaking SG Clean Day on 13 May 2023.
Amid the sweltering heat, they showed their commitment to the environment as they collected tissues, wrappers and other litter at the F1 Pit Building. Chairman of the NUS Cares Steering Committee, Mr Ho Jun Yi (Law & Public Policy ’11), highlighted the event’s significance. “It’s more than picking up litter. It symbolises our wider NUS community — staff, students and alumni — being a part of this movement. That’s consistent with the mission of
NUS Cares, which is to bring the community together through service to society.”
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Addressing the trash pollution problem might seem daunting, but many helping hands can multiply the impact. Learning about sustainability through such first-hand experiences can bring much joy and satisfaction.
Dr Eunice Ng, Fellow and Resident Fellow, NUS RVRC
Started in April 2021, the quarterly SG Clean Day is spearheaded by the Public Hygiene Council, with partners including town councils and organisations like NUS. The recent island-wide event drew 4,801 volunteers, eclipsing previous numbers in the
Singapore Book of Records for the Most Number of Participants in a Single-Location Clean-Up and
Most Number of Participants in a Multiple-Location Clean-Up. The involvement of NUS volunteers, including alumni and their family members, showed the University’s dedication to sustainability. Mr Sidarath Sharma (Business ’18), an alumnus who recently started volunteering again, said: “These events give us the right values, reminding us not to take our clean city for granted and to give back to society. Volunteering brings a lot of satisfaction.”
NUS Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) even organised an intertidal walk as part of its clean‑up at Changi Beach on SG Clean Day to emphasise the impact of litter on marine ecosystems. Student Rywene Ang, who picked up 52.5kg of trash in 40 minutes with her RVRC mates, said: “It was nice to join others in caring for the environment and clearing beach litter. Every effort counts!”