Hi guys,

It had been a long while since we have updated the blog, our sincere apology. Everyone of us are busy and many a times forgotten to take a short break and see what is happening around us. From the earth quake in China and cyclone in Myanmar in recent weeks where thousands of innocent lives were killed in the disaster, it really saddens us and made us ponder what is really happening to the world.

Let’s not take the world and environment for granted. GAGAs are constantly spreading their green messages to their peers and public. Many of our local GAGAs have completed their final year project and we will try to showcase them to you soon.

Not forgetting our GAGAs overseas, Admira has submitted her artwork for a cartoon competition on environment protection and do support her by voting for her now! 

That’s it for now!

Hi Everyone!

How have you been? Mikko has just send me an ecard and i thought why don’t i share her blessing and wishes with all of you..

on behalf of Mikko to all GAGAs.

Have a fabulous 2008! We have more exciting projects and green concepts that awaits us.. Stay Happy!

The masterpieces of some of our talented CYX 2007 artists have been moved to a new location!! =)

We dismantled some of the chairs, and reconstructed it in
Morchoo and Titoy’s Magical Garden.

So now, everyone who visits Morchoo and Titoy’s Magical Garden at GardenAsia will also get to see these wonderful creations ^_^

Well, I’m sure all of you are interested to find out where the chairs are being displayed at now… So, here are some pictures =) If you want to get a closer and better look, feel free to drop by GardenAsia for a visit because you are always welcome here.

Calvin, your Mummy Chair is one lucky chair because it’s surrounded with ALL 12 Osmoxylon Lineare plants ^_^

Li Min, yours is nicely settled in the middle of a puddle of rocks =)

Yu Shan, Flipsides is now under a nice wooden shelter.

Mikko, Back To Nature is now placeed under a tree.

Ming, Chairman is just behind Mikko’s Back To Nature, and it’s standing proudly in the centre of Morchoo and Titoy’s Magical Garden =D

Chien Lin, Lazy Bone is now in the company of several palm trees =)

For those of you whose chairs are not shown here… I’m terribly sorry. We couldn’t move all the chairs outdoors because some of the chairs are made from materials that would not be able to withstand rain. Not to worry though, like they say, pictures last a lifetime… and we’ve got LOADS of those =D

CHEERS! ^_^

GO GAGA! GO GAGA!

green se.crets (adj) our unique interpretation through our experience with nature. it can be anything but it’s always fun & inspiring to others.

12 ambassadors. 1 dream. to explore & discover green secrets.

Do you want to find out what the guests who came on Sunday said and wrote on their leaves? =D

“Well done! Keep up the good work!” – Pang Yong

“Very creative exhibition of design. For me, all are winners.” – Miss Earth Singapore 2008, Nicole

“GREAT JOB! You are amazing & winners in your own idea! Business of changing the world… God Bless.” – Elim Chew, 77th Street

“Green Secrets is a way of saving the world silently.” – Anonymous

“Chairs made with a pinch of intelligence, a handful of creativity and a cup full of love for the nature.” – Eileen Chia, Felicia’s sister =P

“Green secret… how you can link back to nature, yourself, friends and environment to create better living.” – GAGA Linda =)

The day that these youths have been spending countless hours preparing for is FINALLY here… SUNDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2007 =D

I’m sure all of them went through this day with mixed feelings… excited that it is finally here, nervous because they have to pitch to the final panel of judges, sad because all 12 of them will split at the end of the night, and happy because they can finally go home to the warmth and comfort of their house and family.

Let’s have a look at what the last day of the Creative Youth Xchange was like for these 12 amazing people =)

The Country Rose has been like a war zone for them… the tables have never been neat since the day they arrived, but all that is what I call “Creative Mess” =P This is also the area where they spent their time brainstorming and creating all their wonderful ideas and masterpieces… where “blood, sweat and tears” was shed to reach the finishing line.

Admira looks through her autograph book… Admira, I forgot to tell you… I LOVE YOUR “I have nothing to wear” shirt (the one she’s wearing in this photo). Everytime you wear it, I wanna steal it from you =P But then I thought… “if I do that, then you’ll REALLY have nothing to wear.” Hehe!

Johnny pre-empt that the youths would want to have something to take home with them to remind them of their CYX experience. So, he designed an autograph book, and gave each of them one to write messages to each other.

Her beautiful smile =D She is ALWAYS smiling, and ever so cheerful… it’s unbelievable how she does it! (… that shirt, I still want it, LOL!)

Let’s head on over to the Kranji Loft, where the chair exhibition is…

Presenting to you…

Admira Pustika’s Chill Bill -

The designer intended to create a space to sit and relax while listening to music and finally read a book she has put away for a long time. This chair is crafted from wooden panels and woven attap leaves to add comfort like pillows do. The structure lets her get lost in surrounding nature elements like how she likes to sunbath by the beach front. The orchids watch over her from above while she takes her nap.

Ong Limin’s Fireplace -

A cozy nook. Made out of bamboo, wood and stone, the cold touch of the materials warmed by the fire make it comfortable to sit low. The intricately pattern alternating between bamboo and wood for the base give the feeling of intimacy while the stone top acts like the binder.

Chien Lin’s Lazy Bone -

The feeling while building the chair and the foresight of taking this experience further to all is the inspiration behind the design. An outdoor seating in a garden setup that itself is complemented by the choice of materials, makes you want to plop yourself on after a long walk in the garden on a hot summer day. This aspect of comfort and laziness is what stands out as a feature and design consideration.

Mikko Fong’s Back To Nature –

Back to Nature stands for just what it is, back to simplicity and comfort. Crafted out of materials that bring out the raw and natural feel, symbolizes nature as the designer sees it. The back rest is interestingly shaped as a leaf to generate a physical interaction between the user and the surroundings.

Linda Yuliana’s Summer –

Feel the warmth of summer as you sit on this chair. That is what the designer wants to convey. The aesthetics, the functionality, the balance and availability of materials being the key governing factors, gives out the most logical and practical end product. Simple yet beautiful, a fascinating combination of wood and stone brings out the desired effect.

Lin Yushan’s Flipsides –

Gets people to change their mindset and bring them closer to the nature by looking at the transition between the two aspects, organic and modern city life. As the chair is structured back-to-back, it conveys the idea that the two work together. The choice of material of wood reveals the organic quality and the concrete reflects the modern aspect of the chair. Both elements create balance as they compliment each other as cohesive elements.

Huang Zhi Ming’s Chair-Man –

The Chair-Man is a dining chair. It exudes modernism with its clean-cut lines and strong concrete materials. The chair’s firm structure keeps its user’s back upright giving a good posture while also giving comfort. The designer effectively imparts a feel of importance and confidence to the user through the chair while seated on it.

Calvin Chua Tin Giap’s Mummy Chair –

The idea of this chair is to visualize the cold exterior of a mother who is full of warmth from the inside. The chair conveys just this feeling, the cold stone outer structure, and the warm relaxing cushion, and more importantly, the strength of the woven rope that binds these two aspects.

Do Nguyen Lap Xuan’s Station –

The designer thought the chair relates back to personal experiences. The bench is the designer’s station, a reflection of the feeling of nostalgia, and the comfort of home. The small little details of life, whether green moss, stones, pebbles, water hyacinth or fishes is the story the chair tells to those who sit on it.

Sangeeta Ramakrishnan’s Yin Yang –

A seat built with available materials need not be temporary is what the designer feels and portrays effectively through the chair. The stark vertical support balances the bold horizontal seat. The colour black stands out amidst the sea of white pebbles and screen of bamboo. The slender plant compliments the vertical and balances the bulk. Interplay of colour and texture teases your senses and enriches the experience. It is an outdoor seat just as effectively as it is an indoor one.

Bao Xiao Xiao’s Zen –

The process of building the chair is transparently evident in the finished product. Step-by-step, black stones are piled up to make the stanchion. That is true to its function, supports the horizontal plank seating. The balancing stanchion of long bricks, apart from supporting, nests bamboo shoots. This itself is complimented by pebbles. All in all, a feeling of Zen, a tranquil state is established.

Ling Han’s Secret Garden –

The most significant aspect of design is definition of space, to create a place. This is what dictated the terms of the design, and the designer has created an entity which at the same time effectively breaks the barriers of confinement through the right amount of punctures and interaction with the outdoor space. An inspirational private secret garden.

While waiting for the judge to arrive, the youths decided to take some goofy and silly random pictures =P I guess that’s one way to relieve stress and anxiety ^_^ Here are some never-before-seen photos!! You saw it FIRST here!!

Admira thinking “Hmm… are they here yet?”

Admira thinking “Oh My Gosh!! Is that them? HIDE ME!!”

Mikko & Admira =)

Welcome to Limin’s salon… be prepared for the wildest hair-dos you’ve ever seen =P Admira, are you a happy customer?

Mikko likes eating hair…

but Sangeeta, like most of the rest of us, prefers eating biscuits =P

*Gasp* A pierced tongue =P Mikko’s proud of it!

CYX… where best friends are made! =D

Uh oh… I feel a cat fight coming this way O_o

Hmm… Limin’s trying to make herself look taller by standing beside Xuan =P Limin, stop being so mean!

Everybody’s Uncle Ming =)

OK… the judges are arriving soon… let’s focus! No more horsing around…

In the morning, there were 3 judges who came… and they are none other than:

Mr Lai Choon Hung, Dy CCO for CapitaLand

Mr Benny Ong, Fashion & Lifestyle Designer

Mr Eliam Eng, Director Nyee Phoe group

Upon arriving, Johnny gave a briefing at Country Rose on what the Creative Youth Xchange programme is about, as well as the judging criteria.

The judging began shortly after the briefing, and knowing that this is the panel of judges that decides who wins the CYX 2007, the youths put their best foot forward, and put on a MAGNIFICENT presentation =)

Whilst waiting for the 2nd round of judging, everyone sat along the curb, awaiting for the next judge to arrive…

WHOA!!! She’s Here!! Judge arrives in her shiny red Mercedes convertible!! Who is she?

She is none other than Ms Elim Chew. Ms Chew is the founder and the current president of 77th Street (S) Pte Ltd. Elim founded 77 th Street in 1988. It was her first foray into the retail industry and has since revolutionized the streetwear scene in Singapore.

Also here with her (her sidekicks) are her 2 personal assistants (PA) =)

People, let’s get the show going!!

During the pitch, each of the youths had to do a presentation on the chair they designed and built and on their green secret idea, their two main accomplishments for CYX.

To get the ball rolling, Ming was first up…

Sorry Ming, I do not have any pictures of you presenting. I was looking for the camera during your presentation… and it ended right when I found the camera =(

After Ming was Sangeeta…

Followed by Admira…

Limin was up after her…

And then Mikko…

Xuan presenting in her usual giggly and smiling self…

… she even manage to persuade Ms Elim Chew’s personal assistant to test out her COMBE =)

Followed by Chien Lin…

… and the unbelievably quiet and talented Calvin =P

Pitching after him is Linda…

Followed by Yushan…

Finally we have Ling Han…

and last but not least, Xiao Xiao… who TOTALLY amazed me with her performance =) She has learnt ALOT and improved SOO much since her first day here. She spoke with so much confidence and conviction ^_^

And that wraps up the judging.

After the judging, Yushan brought Ms. Elim Chew around to view the exhibits…

At 5pm, the reception counter was set up, and our receptionists for the evening are Xiao Xiao and LiMin.

Our ushers for the evening… Chien Lin, Ling Han and Calvin .

Our Green Secrets tree and voting boxes…

The Green Secrets tree grows throughout the evening as more guests and visitors arrive and share their thoughts and feelings by writing a message on the leaves…

At the reception counter… our CYX mentors, Aaron and Ix.

Right before the event starts, Yushan gets interviewed by a reporter from the Today paper =)

We are also very honored to have Ms Earth Singapore 2007 with us tonight…

Shirlene, Director of Phish Communications, was the emcee for the night…. and she did a smashing good job =D

First up to give his speech, Mr Kenny Eng, Director of GardenAsia Pte Ltd…

Followed by Mr Baey Yam Keng, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility for CapitaLand…

Last but not least, giving us his views is Mr. Zaqy Mohammed.

And now… for the moment these youths have been waiting for for the last 11 days… for the moment we’ve all been waiting for all evening… the announcing of the CYX 2007 winner!

(… waiting anxiously for the winner to be announced!!)

BEFORE we announce the winner, let’s present each of these youths with a certificate of participation to acknowledge their efforts, hardwork and talent, not only during these 11 days, but also for their CYX entry submission prior to the programme.

At this point, Shirlene announced “At this moment, 9 of the youths have received their certificates, and the remaining 3 youths that have NOT received their certificate will walk away tonight with, not only their certificates, but also a cash prize!”

And the winner for the Creative Youth Xchange 2007, who will be walking away tonight with a cash prize of S$10,000 goes to…

CALVIN from Malaysia!!!

The 2 runner-ups for the Creative Youth Xchange 2007, who will be walking away tonight with a cash prize of S$2,000 each, goes to…

Admira from Indonesia!!

Xuan from Vietnam!!

With that, the ceremony came to a close.

Everyone proceeded to the Petals & Leaves Bistro for a sumptuous buffet dinner =)

Everyone, except our winner, Calvin >_< He had to do a little bit more work before getting dinner =P But I’m sure he didn’t mind his 15minutes of fame =D

Every end is a new beginning and it’s never over until it’s over =)

Although this marks the end of the Creative Youth Xchange 2007, it is also the beginning of the journey to unravel the many hidden green secrets.

What’s next? Where will we be heading towards?

Stay “tuned” to find out! =D

But before we go… let’s have one more look at our CYX 2007 winner:

OH NO!! He’s getting bullied by the 2 runner-ups =P

OK… ok… they were just messing around with him…

Right before everyone leaves to go home, we had one FINAL meeting… and just in case you didn’t know, in CYX, we have meetings for EVERYTHING =P (… maybe even to decide where to meet for lunch, LOL)

And the FINAL group picture for the night before we bid farewell…

Just one more day before the BIG day… the youths have all been working hard and long to make Sunday happen… to make it an event that runs smoothly… and an experience that will be remembered by the public (… for how fantastic it was, of course) =)

Although none of them have complained YET, it definitely shows on their faces that they are all stressed out having to do so much under such a short time frame. I guess it doesn’t really help either that Johnny has such high expectations of them =P OK guys… he’s only playing the “bad guy” here because he has to… he wants all of you to remember your CYX experience for the rest of your lives =) I mean, how else would you have learnt so much from this programme, right? (… Johnny made me say this =P LOL, just kidding! It’s my honest feelings =D)

Having said that, Johnny knew they would need a good stress reliever before the big day, so he invited Aaron and Ix back to GardenAsia to lead the youths in their morning exercise… To give them that additional endorphin boost for their final lap in CYX!

Come on guys! Let’s get those muscles working!!!>_<

What is Aaron and Ix doing with them this time?

Ah…. Tai Chi. Or should I say… contemporary tai chi =D

Looks easy when Aaron and Ix does it, don’t you think?

*giggles*

Ok… maybe it’s not THAT easy -_-

Nevermind… let’s move on to the next move… this should be easier.

Whew… ok, that second move wasn’t too bad =) YAY!!

OK… what’s next…

Whoa…. looks like some David Blaine trick… are we REALLY going to do that?

I guess so…

Phew… ok, we survived that!

Give me more!

OK… that looks easy enough.

Maybe not… ok, I take that back =P

Come on… give and take… why can’t I give and take… balance…

*Tai Chi session ends*

Remember those Osmoxylon Lineare plants they planted on the first day and took care of throughout the CYX? Well… it’s time to get feedback on how their plant is doing =)

First, Aaron and Ix talks about what he observed from the body movements of the youths during the tai chi session. In a nutshell… he felt that the youths were not willing to give, and did not dare to accept. Lesson to learn here is for us to offer unconditional help to people, and to accept help and advice graciously when we need it.

Moving on to their plants… Johnny “summoned” Kenny with his powerful handphone, and called him to BlueSky =P

With his expertise and experience in the gardening and landscaping business, Kenny shared with the youths how he felt their plants were doing.

“Did you know that plants have MANY roots that spread out like this? (hand gesture)”

“Look at that tree over there… how big do you think the roots are? A plant has many roots, and through these roots, they absorb various nutrients from the burnt soil and top soil mix. Unlike humans who only have one source of nutrients (eating through their mouth), besides obtaining nutrients from the soil, plants can also produce their own nutrients if they receive enough sunlight.”

“However, plants are similar to humans in a way, they need space to grow too. We hate being confined, so do the plants…. so remember to give them plenty of growing space.”

“These plants are growing this way because they are in a pot. Plants take the shape of the pot they are in. So, sometimes… they have a narrow base, and a bushy top.”

“Make sure you look into these conditions when taking care of a plant.”

“I think all your plants are growing well, good job! Of course, it has only been 11 days… so all you had to do was water your plants to keep it healthy. However, the nutrients in the soil will only last the plant a few months, so you have to re-pot and change the soil in a few months to keep the plant growing healthily.”

Hmm…. will the youths continue to take care of their plants religiously after CYX? We shall see, hehe!

Time to show Aaron and Ix their chairs…

As part of preparing for tomorrow, Aaron and Ix offered to help the youths with the dry run for the event.

First, they had to learn how to present their chairs to the guests in an appropriate manner… In a way that will keep the visitor interested in what they have to say. They were taught how to create a story to introduce their chair, how to give the chair more character by adding the designer’s personality to it (“giving a piece of you to the chairs”) , how to stand and move around their chairs when presenting, and also to be mindful of their body language… like Aaron said “movements NEVER lie” =)

Everyone gathered for some general feedback from Aaron, Ix and Johnny

Before meeting Aaron and Ix, I never knew there was such a thing as a movement specialist. When I first saw it in the CYX handout, I was like “What is that? What do they do? Tell you that you are moving wrongly and teach you how to move properly? Is there even such a thing as moving wrongly? Huh?”

Now, that I’ve met them, I think what they do as movement specialists is extremely interesting and very unique. I’ve learnt alot from them, and one of the things I’ll remember as a student doing marketing is: “when people buy things, they want to buy a story, something different that they don’t already have.” I thought that made ALOT of sense =)

Oh ya… here’s a random picture I took while I was looking around…

(Ix’s uniquely shaped back pack =P)

Next part of the workshop… Aaron and Ix made them figure out what are the 3 most comfortable ways to sit on their chairs…

… everyone looked like they were posing for a photoshoot… here’s Mikko =P

Happened to catch Admira while she was sitting on her chair… she looks REALLY comfortable, doesn’t she? Chill Bill was made specially FOR Admira because she fits on it perfectly ^_^

After a morning of moving around and learning… it’s time to take a break…

BREAKFAST TIME!!

Fueled with food… the youths head back to work once again…

“Come on guys… let’s go!” says Yushan.

Back to the dry run…

Aaron and Ix pose as guests …

Everyone figuring out how to solve the ushering problem at the entrance as Johnny plays the “bad guy” again and tries to paint every possible scenario that could happen at the entrance… even the most unlikely and ridiculous scenarios were brought up!

“Oh my gosh… what if they start wondering off here… or there… or even behind here… what should you do?”

“No signages? Where are the signs? Your guests will be lost…”

“2 ushers for 80 guests?! Are your ushers going to be on rollers? Cannot lar…”

Very real problems they would face, all pointed out by experienced event planners Johnny, Ix and Aaron.

OK, the stressed out youths FINALLY came up with a solution to ALL the problems raised by the “bad guys”… moving on to the museum…

Johnny continues to challenge them with every possible scenario that could happen on the actual day…

Everyone joining in to give their opinions and to help perfect every little detail and aspect of the event =)

Finally, the dry run ended at Kranji Loft with a final debrief by the 4 mentors …

Managed to get a picture of the 4 mentors in one shot… As you can see, Johnny and Kenny are STILL looking very serious… thinking of other things that could go wrong… not an easy task because you have to PRE-EMPT everything and anything that could happen =)

 Johnny and Kenny are the 2 people I admire for their foresight and ability to plan WAY WAY ahead… I need to learn to be more like them and think ahead =D

There’s no “I” in TEAM… and true enough, the 12 youths worked and gel-ed together like a peanut butter and chocolate sandwich (… which I remember, from the first day, is Admira’s favourite ^_^) OK, what I mean to say is… the 12 of them worked REALLY well together, playing it by each other’s unique strengths. They worked SOOOO well together with such great team spirit that if I didn’t know better, I would NEVER have guessed that this was a competition.

What the youths have displayed… THAT spirit is what I feel the CYX is all about. It shouldn’t be about knocking each other out on the way to the top, it’s about learning and progressing forward together because by teaching others, you learn just as much as they do. Like what they always say, it’s not the outcome that matters (… although sometimes it is =P), it’s the process you have to go through to achieve the outcome that you should understand and appreciate.

Today was spent solely on making preparations for Sunday… don’t really have much to say here… so I’m going to let all the photos do the talking this time =D

LiMin reproducing more of her signature CYX ZoCard fans for the guests and visitors to take home on Sunday…

I sat there for a while, watching her make the fans… and I could tell, she’s a perfectionist! Am I right, Li Min? Every corner has to be perfect, everything has to be exact and she is SOOO precise =P Li Min, well, that’s OK… because let me tell you a little secret… (I’m a perfectionist too, hehe!)

Mikko and Xuan working on the banner design…

This came last minute and they only had a few hours to get it done, by 5pm the design had to be sent to the printer…

Calvin was given an important new task… to draw the instruction steps for ALL 12 green secrets. That means, if people look through the book and say “Huh? How do you use this product?” Calvin’s dead because that means he didn’t do a good job with his diagrams! O_O But like I mentioned in my previous entry, Calvin can draw and colour so well, this task is probably “xiao er ke” to him >_< Am I right?

What happens when everybody thinks “who has time to clean up a table when there are more important things to do?”?

Answer:

Admira, Xiao Xiao and Linda making sure there is enough walking space for the guests and visitors to maneuver between and around the chair exhibits.

Another look at the chairs they designed and built… now with an added touch, they’ve added greens and stones to them =) Now, they’re better than before… pretty-er ^_^

Sangeeta’s Yin Yang:

LiMin’s Fireplace:

Chien Lin’s Lazy Bone:

Calvin’s Mummy Chair:

Mikko’s Back To Nature:

Yu Shan’s Flipsides:

Xiao Xiao’s Zen:

Xuan’s Station:

Linda’s Summer:

Ling Han’s Secret Garden:

Admira’s Chill Bill:

Ming’s Chairman:

Another timeline to keep everyone on their toes =)

Let’s have a look at what the others are up to…

Everyone is doing their part and contributing to the event in their own way.

Chien Lin working on the Green Secrets book:

Admira doing her thing as Editor of the Green Secrets book:

Calvin took a break from drawing “instructions” and joined the banner designing duo… SEE?! Now you know what I mean when I say they help each other out and work as a team =)

Ming doing what he does best… PHOTOGRAPHY!

Uncle Ming, you look so professional in these pictures =) So HAWT!! LOL! =P

After hours of brain-storming…

Hours of reading pop-up books for reference…

Hours of working on the computer…

Hours of drawing, colouring and cutting…

… Above and beyond all that,

2 LONG sleepless nights…

The Green Secrets pop-up book is FINALLY completed!

Well… almost.

On the way to CapitaLand, Calvin was still adding the final touches to the pop-up book on the bus:

HERE IT IS… “Hot out of the oven”!!! =D

This book was brought by the 12 youths to CapitaLand Towers this morning. With this book, they presented their 12 green secrets to the CapitaLand Green Committee.

To start things off, Mr. Tan Pang Yong did a short presentation on CapitaLand Group’s corporate profile to give the youths a better idea of what CapitaLand does. Before this presentation, I never knew how huge CapitaLand Group is. CapitaLand has footprints in countries in Europe, Asia and Australia. Under their arm, there are CapitaLand Residential, CapitaLand Commercial, CapitaLand Financial, CapitaLand Retail, CapitaLand International Leisure, Entertainment and Conventions and The Ascott Group. Impressive, isn’t it?

The 12 of them, sitting in an arc…

Following the corporate presentation, Kenny did an introduction of what the Creative Youth Xchange is and how the whole idea came about.

Hmmm… why did Kenny turn around to look at the slides when he didn’t prepare any slides for the presentation? =P LOL!

So, what exactly is all of this, and what are the youths going to be presenting?

“Creative Youth Xchange in association with GardenAsia and CapitaLand focuses on unleashing simple green innovations that can be incorporated to make convenient our daily lives. The Green Secrets pop-up book is a compilation put together by 12 youth from various parts of Asia, mainly Singapore, China, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. The designs are a proposal for incorporation of green ideas into Plaza Singapura. Although the designs act as individual creations, it follows a sequential flow, coming out of one spirit, Green Secrets.”

Introducing… the panel of judges…

Admira steps up to the plate and does an introduction on the behalf of all the youths…

Li Min giving out her handmade CYX ZoCard fans to the judges… I’m sure they will keep it as souveniers =)

FINALLY! The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here… Let’s start!

First group to present… the group who came up with Pre-emptive green ideas.

Yu Shan did the opening introduction for her group =) Yu Shan, I really like your presentation style, always so calm and composed… though a little shy… but you express and articulate your thoughts and ideas VERY well =D

Designer: Bao Xiao Xiao

Product Name: Green Hand

Idea: To allow shoppers carrying multiple bags to loop them all into a holder, making carrying the bags more convenient and less strenuous on their hands. Green Hand is made from used toilet paper roll core.

Designer: Lin Yushan

Product Name: Twee

Idea: To encourage shoppers to reuse their shopping bags, and reduce the usage of plastic bags. Twee is a trendy foldable recycled paper shopping bag with a rattan casing. The rattan casing serves as a storage case when bag is not used and a bag handle when in use. Twee is made from recycled paper and rattan.

The panel of judges loved the ideas… they even started giving our youths ideas to improve the products =P

The fact that these youths made the pop-up book by themselves impressed the judges too =D They enjoyed the creative way the presentation was done… Definitely something different from powerpoint presentations.

See their happy and excited faces *points below* ^_^

Designer: Ong Li Min

Product Name: Paddie

Idea: A pouch for females to dispose used sanitary pads in a hygienic manner. A stack of Paddie pouches will be suspended on a string next to the toilet paper dispenser for easy and convenient access. By tugging on the pouches, Paddie will detach from the string and be ready for use. Paddie is made from recycled paper and magazines. 

Designer: Chua Tin Giap, Calvin

Product Name: Ha-ha Leaf

Idea: A disposable baby changing mat for parents to lay their babies on while changing their diapers. The mat comes with a drawstring that allows the parents to turn the mat into a bag for containing soiled diapers, before disposing into the trash bin. This product helps to ensure hygiene in the changing room and disposal of diapers. The mat comes in 3 sizes, small, medium and large. Ha-ha Leaf is made from recycled paper and organic cotton wool.

Designer: Mikko Fong

Product Name: GreenSole

Idea: A disposable, eco-friendly, non-woven shoe wrap with an elastic band at the ankle to accommodate to varying sizes. Allows users to cover their wet shoes on a rainy day, and prevents shoppers from slipping on wet floors in the shopping mall. GreenSole is made from eco-friendly materials and organic cotton fabric.

Designer: Tang Chien Lin

Product Name: Bag Roll

Idea: Already a product that exists in the market, this is a plastic bag used for carrying wet umbrellas into indoor areas. However, instead of a standard size, Bag Roll comes in 2 sizes, one for the full size umbrellas, and the other for the foldable umbrellas. This helps to reduce plastic wastage for shoppers using the foldable umbrellas. Bag Roll is made of plastic.

Designer: Linda Yuliana

Product Name: Infox

Idea: A box, the size of a namecard, that holds cards and booklets with environmental information and do-it-yourself project ideas. The box can also be used as a namecard holder. The 2 slits at the bottom of the box makes it stackable and can be used as a toy for children.  Infox is made from recycled paper, plastic and cardboard.

Second group to present… group who came up with Reactive green ideas.

Designer: Admira Pustika

Product Name: Bagcharia

Idea: A re-usable shopping bag that unfolds into a chair. This product is targeted at the teenagers as it allows them to carry their shopping items, as well as take a sit when waiting for friends, for a movie to start, or in a crowded food court. Bagcharia is made from recycled cardboard and cloth.

Third group to present… group who came up with Adaptive green ideas.

Designer: Sangeeta Ramakrishnan

Product Name: Cart-A-Pram (CAP)

Idea: An adjustable clip that can be fastened to baby strollers and trolleys and is used for carrying additional bags. CAP is made using cardboard, padded with bubble wrap, plastic buttons and hooks.

Designer: Do Nguyen Lap Xuan

Product Name: COMBE (Care of My Better Earth)

Idea: Disposable comb that can be used up to 3 times. COMBE is made from recycled cardboard.

Last but not lease, group with Failsafe ideas =)

Designer: Huang Zhi Ming

Product Name: Lampedia

Idea: For exhibiting, showcasing and promoting products, ideas and for spreading information and creating greater awareness. It also serves as a lamp. Lampedia is made from used tin cans/ box cartons and a bulb.

Designer: Ling Han

Product Name: Hidden Space

Idea: Multi-function reclinable seats that occupies minimal space and maximizes available space. Bottom of seats can be used as an advertisement bulletin.

DONE!!

12 Green Secrets have been revealed… now it’s up to the panel of judges to decide which secret to implement =)

The judges were VERY much impressed, to say the least…. this is probably something new to all of them, and having heard such refreshing and creative ideas, they were all smiling at the end of the presentation =D They were very receptive of the ideas, and at the same time inquisitive and interested in what the youths had to say. The judges were also very open-minded, which made persuading them a ton easier. Going the extra mile…. the judges even provided good suggestions and raised valid concerns for the youths to ponder on and consider.

Kenny wrapped things up for the day… and that was that!

After the presentation, everyone proceeded for a short tour around CapitaLand’s showroom… There, they got to see models of properties owned by CapitaLand.

Found out from Johnny that there are people whose job is to make trees for models like these… ONLY trees, nothing else. What are these people called? Hmm… maybe Tree Model Experts? ^_^

After the tour of the exhibits, they were free to go for the day. Everyone headed back to the Singapore Sports School for a well-deserved afternoon of ZZzzZzZzz =D Johnny made it clear that EVERYONE should sleep… no sneaking out into town to go shopping, sight-seeing or partying =(