Nature Society

Vision & Mission

1. To foster an appreciation for the outdoors and nature within the CCA
2. To advocate for environmental causes and promote the green movement in Nanyang, ultimately aiming towards a zero-waste school.

Our Focus

• Brown: Environmental initiatives, zero waste efforts
• Green: Gardening, nature conservation efforts

What to expect in Nature Society

Get in touch with nature through our Backyard Garden!

The Backyard Garden was started in 2013 when our seniors transformed an empty plot of land into the Backyard Garden. Since then, the Backyard Garden has been consistently developed by succeeding batches of students, creating new plots and building new structures — resulting in the marvel that is the Backyard Garden now. In 2021, the backyard team worked with Food Citizen to create an edible garden and welcoming spaces for humans and wildlife. Check out our CCA microsite https://sites.google.com/nygh.edu.sg/naturesociety/home for more photos, CCA achievements and events.

In the Backyard Garden, you will find yourself surrounded by a wide variety of plants. Not only are there herbs such as mint, rosemary and dill, which can be used for flavouring food, but there are also mango and mulberry trees, spicy chilli plants, and beautiful blue pea creepers.  

In interacting with nature, our CCA is able to: 

• Learn how to identify different plant, bird and butterfly species
• Attain gardening skills through regular maintenance of the Backyard Garden

Experience running a café!

The 4 Degrees Cafe is a cafe run by students, for students. The name is derived from the alarming report by GreenFacts that if the earth’s temperature rises by another 4 degrees, there would be an irreversible impact on humanity and the environment. 

We use coffee beans from Puro Coffee, a fair trade coffee brand that conserves rainforests and prevents the exploitation of farmers. The money earned from the sales of coffee, drinks and cakes funds the Backyard Garden, as well as other NYNS initiatives. There are also festive cafe specials on occasions such as Valentine’s Day and National Day. 

What is there to gain from working in the cafe: 

• Learning about entrepreneurship by running a business 
• Acquiring basic service skills: handling drinks and cakes, and serving customers

Cakes and drinks previously sold at 4 Degrees Cafe

Working at the Backyard Cafe

Advocate for environmental causes and fight for our planet!

Nanyang Nature Society has an advocacy focus group which aims to educate the school on environmental issues. In 2021, the group ran several campaigns to educate the school about topics such as Recycling and Food Waste. Our upcycling focus group also does their part to save our planet by collecting, donating and recycling used pens, Chinese New Year containers, old clothes and old textbooks.

Participate in competitions!

• International Science Drama Competition
• The Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots Project Awards

• SUTD X SIA Upcycling Challenge

Get crafty with our hands-on activities!

Upcycling projects

• Coin purses with old milk cartons
• Friendship bracelets with old t-shirts
• Self-watering planters with old plastic drink bottles
• Key pouches with old fabric pieces

Our Initiatives & Activities

NYNS has rolled out, as well as participated in, various environmental initiatives. Through these projects, NYNS members and the rest of the student body are given a platform to push for a more sustainable school. 

CNY Containers

Every year during the Chinese New Year season, NYNS organises a CNY container collection drive. Most CNY snacks come in plastic containers, which generally get thrown away after being used. This donation drive aims to reduce the waste produced during CNY by giving the donated containers to a selected organisation for reuse. In 2020, NYNS collected a total of 200 containers, which were donated to Edible Garden City, who used them for their various gardening and enzyme-making workshops. 

Flea Market

In 2020, NYNS organised our inaugural Flea Market to foster a spirit of reusing and recycling. Students and teachers alike were encouraged to donate their pre-loved items like old clothes, books and stationery which were then sold to the school at the Flea Market. All proceeds went to Nature Society Singapore to aid their conservation efforts.

This initiative aims to discourage consumerism — a constantly rising ideology that encourages people to buy goods excessively. Consumerism has severe effects on our planet—depletion of environmental resources, polluted environments, and excessive use of often non-renewable energy, to produce goods that are already in abundant supply.