1) Could you briefly tell us about your work at SAVE and VEGE (e.g. any significant initiatives you led) and your motivations for initiating it? What was the impact of your projects?

As the inaugural President of NUS Vision of Equality For a Greener Earth (VEGE) (2018-2020), I led my team in introducing the NUS community & fellow youths to the concept of a plant-based diet and lifestyle, mainly for environmental and ethical reasons. Through engagements with canteens and the school, potlucks, baking sessions and other activities, VEGE aspires to create a safe and welcoming space that supports everyone, whether he/she/they is embarking on or continuing his/her/their plant-based journey. One of the key initiatives I conceptualised was VEGE’s ‘Meat-Lite Movement’, whereby VEGE collaborated with canteen stall / F&B owners, the NUS Office of Campus Amenities, and the NUS Office of Environmental Sustainability to bring more plant-based options to F&B establishments around campus.

As the President of NUS Students Against Violation of the Earth (SAVE) (2019-2020), I revamped SAVE’s internal structure to include what I felt were more meaningful initiatives for members to have a greater stake in. This included reforming the previous Sustainability Fund cell into a new Green Audit cell. Under Green Audit, I initiated new projects like working on a proposal for an event sustainability grading system, though it didn’t work out in the end. I also co-initiated a F&B Sustainability Project with SAVE’s VP, which focussed on expanding the usage of RSPO-certified palm oil on campus. This project was conceptualised after both of us attended the 2019 RSPO conference in Bangkok, where we had an eye-opening experience as youth delegates representing Singapore.

One of my key projects was coordinating the co-creation of a campus sustainability proposal in partnership with all green and blue groups in NUS and Yale-NUS & faculty members with expertise in sustainability. The purpose of the letter was to invite relevant offices and administrative staff in NUS to collaborate with student groups and other members of the NUS community, so as to enact more effective and efficient systemic changes for environmental sustainability. The letter aimed to highlight the urgency of the climate crisis and our collective need to address it urgently, without intending to be confrontational. The relevant offices and administrative staff invited me to meetings to share their perspectives, ongoing initiatives and challenges, and to discuss how we could move forward.

As President of SAVE, I really valued the opportunity to attend various sustainability-related events and shared key takeaways on SAVE’s Instagram stories and blog. Before stepping up as President, I created the first Event Sustainability Toolkit for NUS (tinyurl.com/how2greeneventnus) as the co-director of a now defunct cell called NUS Goes Lite, which used to organise the club’s signature annual sustainability fair for the campus. The toolkit was born out of a desire to ameliorate the waste, resource consumption and carbon footprint that accompany every event on campus.

2) What challenges did you face while working on it and what motivated you to keep going?

Besides the challenges of leading such a large group of members and trying to keep their interest and drive in environmental volunteerism alive, I also faced difficulties in balancing my SAVE presidency with my concurrent role as the inaugural president of NUS Vision of Equality For a Greener Earth (VEGE). When the going gets tough, seeing the good work of my friends and the people who inspire me in this field reminds me of what I was aiming for. In no particular order, special shoutout to Xiang Tian aka co-founder of @lepakinsg, Qiyun aka @theweirdandwild, the ever-inspiring Melissa from the National University of Singapore Centre for Nature-Based Solutions, Coco aka @cocowantsyoutobyo and founder of @projectbecome, Carla of @carladrawz and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson aka @ayanaeliza.

I am extremely grateful to have friends who regularly check in with me, remind me of why I started on this journey of climate action, and push me to continuously keep in touch with climate news and increase my capacity to contribute to more sound, effective and inclusive climate action policies.

3) Are there any other projects you have worked/are working on?

Digitally, I engage in online advocacy through Instagram @consciouscookieee & @consciousmochiii, as well as on my online platform consciouscookieinsg.wordpress.com.  Conscious Cookie in SG is an informal online resource bank with links to articles, research papers, videos and other material on a variety of environmental and social issue

4) What are your fondest memories of NUS? (my response overlaps with Q1)

The most memorable experience I’ve had in VEGE would be conceptualising and leading the execution of VEGE’s inaugural ‘Meat-Lite Movement’. For this movement, VEGE collaborated with canteen stall owners, F&B owners, the NUS Office of Campus Amenities, and the NUS Office of Environmental Sustainability to bring more plant-based options to F&B establishments around campus. It was a meaningful experience, learning to take into account the different interests and priorities of various stakeholders from different backgrounds. Communicating about plant-based foods to F&B establishments on campus with meat-centric food offerings has not been and is still not easy, but I am heartened that the tide may be changing, with more and more plant-based options being launched across Singapore.

The most memorable experience I’ve had in SAVE would be leading the creation of a letter of invitation, addressed to the relevant offices and administrative staff in NUS. Whilst the offices and administrative staff were definitely not pleasantly surprised by the letter, and initially had substantial reservations about the suggestions proposed, I am heartened to hear more and more significant climate action by the university over these past two years.

5) What have you been up to since you graduated?

I’ve been working as a Sustainability Executive at the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC). As a sustainability executive, I’m in-charge of all sustainability matters in SFIC, which includes: Strategising and executing a 3-year Sustainability Roadmap and all programme and initiatives regarding sustainability for the council and industry, building on sustainability consultant Desire Line's commissioned research report that leveraged design thinking, as well as working with multiple stakeholders, including both SG-based and overseas sustainability certification bodies, IHLs and ground-up movements.

It’s been an interesting and enriching experience researching about and working on sustainability in the furniture sector, especially given how it remains a nascent concept in the industry. I’ve been learning a lot from thematic Youtube webinars organised by the US’ Sustainable Furnishings Council, and am continuing to develop our resource bank on more sustainable furniture. Recently, I organised a Sustainable Business Model Transformation Mission to Tokyo, Japan, in April 2023. We visited 9 companies who were leaders in sustainability in the local furniture and lifestyle scene, and engaged in sustainability-centric discussions with multiple stakeholders, including NGOs, business consultancies and fellow trade associations. Beyond my day job, I volunteer at ground-up environmental group Lepak in SG. I lead the teams working on (1) climate research and advocacy and (2) food sustainability, and occasionally help out with social media as well.