StarHub plants $450,000 to grow 'green' students

Telco StarHub will give $450,000 over the next three years to plant the seeds of environmental conservation among students.

The funds will be used to sponsor the School Green Awards, an annual initiative of the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), now in its 15th year.

Yesterday, SEC chairman Isabella Loh and StarHub chief executive Tan Tong Hai signed an agreement at the MINDS Fernvale Gardens School.

Under this deal, StarHub will give the council $150,000 each year for the SEC-StarHub School Green Awards.

The awards are meant to recognise schools for their efforts in areas such as waste management and the limiting of energy use.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, was guest of honour at the signing.

He said: "It is noteworthy that this year is the 15th year of the awards, and that it has grown over the years... I think this is something to be celebrated."

The School Green Awards, usually given out in November, received 344 submissions last year, up from the 28 it got during its inaugural run in 2001.

Mr Tan said: "Through the School Green Awards, StarHub hopes to empower youth in Singapore to proactively take care of our planet."

He said the funds, to be administered by the SEC, could be used to extend the programme to more schools.

It was expanded last year to include institutes of higher learning such as universities, polytechnics and Institute of Technical Education.

SEC's Ms Loh said this expansion would mean reaching out to about 70,000 more students. Last year, about 435,000 students took part.

She added: "StarHub's support will enable the School Green Awards to strengthen its outreach and education to students at all levels of education, and this sponsorship clearly highlights StarHub's commitment to the environmental cause in Singapore."

This article was first published on February 13, 2015.
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