Stomp, 27 March 2009

106,060 plastic bottles = world record by Republic Poly students

Republic Polytechnic and 2,000 participants from 20 secondary schools achieved a Singapore Book of Records listing for the largest mosaic ever made from 106,060 collected plastic bottles.
The mosaic, which covers an area roughly the size of five-and-a-half badminton courts at RP’s Sports Complex building in Woodlands, aims to draw public attention to the need for energy conservation and recycling.
The event, held as part of pre-publicity efforts for World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Earth Hour programme on 28 March 2009, was graced by Guest of Honour Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan, Mayor, South West District and Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.
Mayor Khor completed the giant mosaic when she and representatives from RP and the secondary schools simultaneously placed the last bottles in position.
The project is the brainchild of Soh Zhi Hao, Jasper and Choo Li Qi, Sabrina, both, third year students from the School of Applied Science and members of the Republic Polytechnic Conservation Interest Group.
“Republic Polytechnic's 100,000 plastic bottles challenge is a part of RP's efforts to engage the community around us to combat climate change and global warming together. If everyone contributes a little each, it will accumulate to make a huge difference,” said Mr. Soh.

Secondary Schools involved in the Republic Polytechnic 100,000 plastic bottles challenge
1. Ang Mo Kio Secondary School
2. North View Secondary School
3. Orchid Park Secondary School
4. Riverside Secondary School
5. Sembawang Secondary School
6. Yio Chu Kang Secondary School
7. Boon Lay Secondary School
8. Bukit Panjang Government High
9. Fajar Secondary School
10. Fuchun Secondary School
11. Hillgrove Secondary School
12. Hua Yi Secondary School
13. Jurong West Secondary School
14. Yusof Ishak Secondary School
15. Zhenghua Secondary School
16. Unity Secondary School
17. Woodlands Ring Secondary School
18. Swiss Cottage Secondary School
19. Deyi Secondary School
20. Naval Base Secondary School

938 Live, 27 March 2009

Republic Poly constructs giant mosaic from plastic bottles

Republic Polytechnic has achieved a Singapore Book of Records listing for the largest mosaic ever made from plastic bottles here.

About 4,000 people had constructed the mosaic using over 106,000 plastic bottles.

The mosaic covers an area roughly the size of five-and-a-half badminton courts.

The effort was part of pre-publicity efforts for the World Wide Fund for Nature's Earth Hour programme tomorrow.

The aim's to draw public attention to the need for energy conservation and recycling.

So after the mosaic is dismantled after Earth Hour, Republic Poly will be disposing of the bottles in an environment-friendly manner.

It'll be carted away by a recycling contractor to be reduced to flakes.

These flakes will then be processed into yarn, which can be woven and made into clothes.