Canon’s H3ROES programme sets double records for Singapore Book of Records to promote advocacy for sustainability

Canon’s
H3ROES programme sets double records for Singapore Book of Records to promote
advocacy for sustainability

223 green H3ROES
formed the largest sandwich board parade

to drive home
the message that sustainability begins with self 

Expressing awareness through taking positive action
for change, to love and to care for our Earth. #H3ROESLoveSG

SINGAPORE, 3 November 2016 – A new Singapore Book of Records has been
set today by 223 students from 12 schools and the volunteers of Ground-Up
Initiative (GUI), forming the largest sandwich board parade to drive awareness
about environmental sustainability and waste minimisation in the community. The
students were participants at H3ROES Love SG, a half-day environmental advocacy
workshop organised under the Canon H3ROES program, an environmental education
and leadership initiative in Singapore by Canon[1].
The H3ROES program is resultant of a Memorandum of Understanding between Canon
Singapore and the National Environment Agency for a period of five years.

“Canon’s corporate philosophy of kyosei, which means living
and working together for the common good, is wholly reflected through the
spirit of the H3ROES Love SG workshop,” said Edwin Teoh, Head of Marketing,
Singapore Operations, Canon Singapore. “The record is a bonus which will help
the student participants reaffirm that their individual efforts can make a
significant impact. The H3ROES program is into its sixth year and it is very
rewarding to see each batch of young green H3ROES come away better equipped
with life skills and be agents of a meaningful change themselves.”

Home to the Ground-Up Initiative, the H3ROES project was
held at Kampung Kampus located within the Nee Soon neighbourhood. Students aged
from 14 learnt about the major environmental issues affecting the world today
and the corresponding impact of positive actions. Each student designed his or
her own sandwich-board which represented their pledge of a small positive
action contributing towards waste reduction and environmental management on a
daily basis. 

Thereafter, students had to muster the confidence and apply
the advocacy skills imparted from the workshop to demonstrate commitment to
their pledge. Collectively, the students spent two hours walking the neighbourhoods
of Khatib Central and Chong Pang to connect and share with residents the
practical ways in which they can play a role to care for our environment and conserve
resources.

At the same time, participants were also taught to yield
the power of imagery to help them further promote and raise awareness of their
cause by walking around in the heartlands to speak with members of the public
and share their personal pledges; as well as capturing images of both positive
and undesirable environmental practices respectively. More than 1,000 photos
were posted using the hashtag #H3ROESLoveSG, which communicated their pledges
for the environment.

The successful conclusion of H3ROES Love SG will set the
stage for the next phase of growth for the H3ROES program in 2017, where a key
highlight will include a nationwide experiential camp. To date, the project has
groomed 269 H3ROES, garnered participation from 49 schools and impacted over
2,000 members of the public through outreach efforts. Canon aims to broaden the
program and welcomes further participation from the school communities and for
further information, please contact Koo Hui Ying at info@wowkampung.com.

About Ground-Up
Initiative

Ground-Up Initiative (GUI) is a non-profit organisation that nurtures its
people by giving them space to discover their sense of purpose, empowering them
to contribute effectively towards the stewardship of our world. Its flagship
programme, Balik Kampung (Malay for “return to the village”) since 2008,
attracted thousands of volunteers from all walks of life and of various
nationalities.

Located in Yishun, north on the island city-state of Singapore, many have
come to the Kampung Kampus to experience for themselves GUI’s approach in sustainable
living and a hands-on culture.  Since end
2014, GUI has embarked to build the Kampung Kampus on a 2.6 hectares of land,
towards a low-carbon footprint campus and pioneering a new way of learning,
strengthening communities and nurturing more grounded leaders based on our
“Thinker~Warrior~Farmer” philosophy.

Find out more about Ground-Up Initiative at: www.groundupinitiative.org.