15 Feb (Sat): Valentine’s Day Coastal Clean-up at Kranji Mudflats with NSS

Show your love for Mother Nature this Valentine’s Day! Join the Nature Society (Singapore) to clean up Kranji Mudflats to benefit the wildlife that thrives there. Designated as a Key Biodiversity Area, this coastline is a key habitat for horseshoe crabs and an important feeding site for wading birds.

Date: 15 Feb (Sat)
Time: 8am - 11am
Location: Kranji Mudflats

Registration closes 8 Feb.

More details and registration on the NSS website.

8 Feb (Sat): Mangrove Clean-Up at Pasir Ris Park

CANCELLED due to evolving 2019-nCOV situation - from message by NParks on facebook.

For kids and the family, join this opportunity to help clean up the mangroves at Pasir Ris

Date: 8 Feb (Sat)
Time: 9am - 11am
Venue: Pasir Ris Park, Mangrove Swamp ("Outreach" venue) Carpark C, Pasir Ris Park
For families with children aged 8 and above.

More details and registration on the NParks website.

14 Sep (Sat): Fishing community joins MPA Marine Clean-Up Day

The folks behind sustainable fishing, Marine Stewards Singapore, are officially joining in MPA's Marine Clean-Up Day. Fishing teams, boats etc will show that the fishing community are contributing and helping to keep our environment clean.

From their facebook event post, you can:
1) Clean up whereever you fish (even on a boat, scoop passing trash)
2) Join the beach cleanup, or
3) Join the kayak clean up (18 years or older, experience required)

You must register to be counted! Even if you do a clean up by yourself or on a boat.

IYOR 2018 End of Year Report - Singapore's collective efforts

The International Coral Reef Initiative just released the IYOR 2018 End of Year Report on the various activities held across the world! You can download the report here: https://www.iyor2018.org/news/iyor-end-year-report/

Taking this opportunity to thank all of our partners, supporters, friends, and volunteers for supporting Celebrating Singapore Shores! In the past year, our FaceBook page has reached out to almost 1500 likes and 1500 follows! Thank you so much for your support, and we hope to continue using this platform to Connect, Respect, and Protect our marine environments. You can also follow our blog page for events: https://celebratingsingaporeshores.blogspot.com/

Let's take a quick recap on Singapore's efforts!

31 Mar (Sun): Dive clean up at Lazarus Island with Our Singapore Reefs

Calling divers who want to make a difference for Singapore's marine life! Places are limited, sign up now!

Register with Our Singapore Reefs at http://bit.ly/2TNt96l or email oursingaporereefs@gmail.com for more information!

FREE Talks and Tour on Ocean Plastic Pollution (7 Dec 2018, Friday at 7pm)

FREE Talks and Tour on Ocean Plastic Pollution!

7 December 2018, Friday

Function Hall, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens

7.00-8.30pm

Walk-in registration! First-come, first-served for tour!

Talks:

Three eminent international scientists are here as part of the International Conference on Plastics in the Marine Environment, organised by NUS, SCELSE, Cefas, and NParks!

• Professor Richard Lampitt, National Oceanography Centre, UK
• Ms Rhiannon Moore, Ocean Wise, Canada
• Ms Ellie Jones, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, US

Tour:

A specially curated tour of the Beneath Tide, Running Forest art-science exhibition by Dr Wang Ruobing.

[Spotlight on IYOR Interns!] The Bottled-Up Truth: Singapore's Plastic Problem

Over the past year, there has been an overwhelming response from the global communities to tackle the problem of plastics. In Singapore, there has been an increase in the number of players both in the commercial markets and independents who have stepped up to campaign against the excessive use of plastics and organise clean-ups.

As part of the celebrations for International Year of the Reef 2018 in Singapore, the community initiative Celebrating Singapore Shores hosted young interns to platform their voices and ideas. One pair: Jia Min and Fangyi worked hard to produce the following short film to highlight Singapore's excessive use of plastics and where they end up around Singapore.

From the blog post at Celebrating Singapore Shores, the girls said:

This video was created to raise awareness on the issue of plastic pollution in Singapore, while featuring the marine wildlife that we have on our very shores.

We sincerely hope that this video will enlighten everyone to play their part in small ways to effect a big change together. Reducing the use of single-use plastics may inconvenience us just a little bit, but the impact that we can create through these small efforts could make a world of a difference from the environment, for the wildlife, and for future generations.

Well-said and well-done! :D

Further reading:

• The Plastic Backlash: What's behind our sudden rage - and will it make a difference?
• Plastic Oceans, Plastic Seafood
• Pesky plastics, microplastics, and now nanoplastics too!
• Consequences of plastic waste end up in YOU and ME...
• RWS stops providing single-use plastic straws at attractions, eateries
• Zero plastic bags or zero waste? In defence of Singapore's rejection of a plastic bag ban
• Commentary: Dear Singapore, a plastic future is not fantastic

10 Nov (Sat): Ubin mangrove and coastal cleanup

The Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M) Initiative aims to restore mangroves at Ubin without planting! Join volunteers from R.U.M. Initiative and Nature Society Singapore (NSS), Marine Conservation Group to clean up this site before we start restoration.

Your chance to visit Ubin, learn more about Ubin mangroves and R.U.M., and make a difference for them!

10 Nov (Sat): Coastal Clean Up at Sungei Seletar with Little Green Men

Sneak a peek at the Seletar jetty and fishermen kelongs on our way to the site, and enjoy the beautiful mangrove forest that surround the river.

Our waterways are often clogged with plastics and other marine debris — so join us on 10 Nov for a coastal clean up to tackle the litter and learn about why this matters to marine life (and eventually, us). Registration now open https://lgmsungeiseletar.eventbrite.sg

15 Sep (Sat): Clean-Up on Kayak

Make a difference by cleaning up at East Coast Park. Learn how you can contribute to research and policy on marine litter. Enjoy ‘A Plastic Ocean’ movie screening and appreciation dinner at the end of the Cleanup.

Join this marine environmental protection journey through the full-day Clean-up on Kayak event organised by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore!

Update: Although the ticket allocation for Kayaker is full and there is an option to be on the waiting list, help still needed on the landward side.

14 Jul (Sat): Our Singapore Reef's Singles Mingle: Marine Clean Up!

In celebration of 2018 International Year of the Reef, we are back for our marine dive clean up and this time, we are calling for singles who are ready to mingle!

Game for it? Come join us and have fun in saving Lazarus Island from marine trash with your new friends!

24 Jun (Sun) is Ubin Day!

Pulau Ubin is the most special offshore island of Singapore. If you can only visit Ubin once, come on Ubin Day, the finale of four weeks of Pesta Ubin!

Here's some FREE activities where you can learn more about Ubin and make a difference for Ubin shores!

10 Jun (Sun): Dive clean up of the Sisters' Islands Marine Park

Celebrate World Oceans Day by joining Our Singapore Reefs for a dive clean up of the Sisters Islands Marine Park.

Places are limited and fill up fast! Register now http://bit.ly/2x5vZJ8

12 May (Sat): Lazarus Island dive cleanup with Our Singapore Reefs

Grab your friends and join volunteers of Our Singapore Reefs to discover marine animals that live on the seawall and help save Lazarus Island from marine trash and plastic waste! In celebration of 2018 International Year of the Reef!

6 May (Sun): Mangrove cleanup at Pulau Ubin

Join volunteers from the Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative and Nature Society Singapore, Marine Conservation Group as they clean up this Pulau Ubin site. In preparation for restoration work.

Photo by Lisa Lim.

A chance to visit Pulau Ubin. Meet fellow nature lovers. Learn more about how we plan to restore the mangroves without planting! And make a difference to Pulau Ubin too.

Date: 6 May (Sun)
Time: 8.30am - 11.30am

Only registered participants may join us as we have limited capacity for both ferry and van transport.

Register online http://tinyurl.com/ubinrum06may2018

A glimpse into what happened thanks to Lisa Lim.

21 Apr (Sat): Youth for Our Ocean: Marine Clean Up with FRANK by OCBC

Specially for  youths! In celebration of 2018 International Year of the Reef and Earth Day, FRANK by OCBC x Our Singapore Reefs wants you to join their upcoming marine clean up dive!

This time, they are calling for passionate youths! Grab your friends and join us to discover what marine animals live among the seawall and help save Lazarus Island from marine trash and plastic waste!

Celebrate Earth Day on Singapore shores!

Next week is Earth Day with the theme "End Plastic Pollution". The Earth Day website has more info on how you can end plastic pollution as an individual, organisation and educator.

This Earth Day weekend, there's lots happening on Singapore shores! Clean up plastics from a shore at Lim Chu Kang, watch a free movie about marine plastics at the Botanic Gardens, rescue horseshoe crabs at Kranji, get muddy at Sungei Buloh, join shore walks at Chek Jawa and the Sisters Islands Marine Park, explore the heritage of Pulau Ubin or kayak to St John's Island.

22 Apr (Sun): Celebrate Earth Day by battling marine trash @ Lim Chu Kang East

Registration closes 19 Apr. It’s Earth Day on Sunday 22nd April 2018, with a focus on the battle against plastic pollution.

Join International Coastal Cleanup Singapore on a mangrove cleanup at Lim Chu Kang.

Time: 7.30am to 12.00pm
Venue: Lim Chu Kang East
More details and registration on the ICCS blog.

24 Mar (Sat): Mangrove cleanup at Pulau Ubin

Join volunteers from the Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative and Nature Society Singapore, Marine Conservation Group as they clean up this Pulau Ubin site. In preparation for restoration work.

Photo by Lisa Lim.

A chance to visit Pulau Ubin. Meet fellow nature lovers. Learn more about how we plan to restore the mangroves without planting! And make a difference to Pulau Ubin too.

10 Feb (Sat): The Ocean, My Family and Me - family dive cleanup

Priority given to those who sign up with their family! Grab your family members (who dive) and join this upcoming trip to Lazarus Island, "The Ocean, My Family and Me" by Our Singapore Reefs.

In the spirit of spring-cleaning before the Lunar New Year, help our marine life spruce up their living spaces by removing debris underwater.