Back in the Dark Ages, it used to be ‘us’ against ‘them’. That is, sandal-wearing greenies and tree-huggers versus foie gras-snogging, fur-wearing carnivores who didn’t give a hoot about the environment.
Fast forward to the present, where eco-consciousness is the buzzword. A good thing too, for we are fast depleting the earth’s limited resources – who knows what kind of world our kids will be living in, years from now, at the rate we are going?
With Earth Day coming up on 22 April, here are some earth- and/or wallet-friendly options you might want to consider, for indoors as well as outdoors.
May our children inherit a thriving, green planet…
INDOORS: Tiny Tots to Earth’s Rescue
Two ordinary tots go on a quest to save the beautiful planet Earth. The Seeds of Time, the latest offering by Shamini Flint (who pens the delightful Sasha travel series for parents and young children), is an adventure perfectly timed for our current environmental crisis. Suitable for readers aged nine and above. The author is donating all royalties to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature. In addition, if you order this book online (S$15) from www.sunbearpublishing.com, a further US$2 will be donated to the WWF.
On the same Web site, check out this other book by the same author (but under the name S Mahadevan Flint). In How to Win a Nobel Prize: A Stay-at-Home Mum’s Guide (S$12), the author sets out the small steps we can each take to save the future for our children – without compromising the present with our kids. So, if you’ve ever worried about big issues like climate change, global poverty and the war on terror, and what it all means for our children, this is the book to get. A light approach to serious stuff, in a good way.
OUTDOORS: You Can’t Beat Fresh Air ‘n Sunshine
Now would be a good time to distinguish wants from needs. Instead of hitting the malls and buying yet more stuff that you don’t really need, consider some of these great, get-close-to-nature options for the weekend, which your family will simply love.
D'KRANJI FARM RESORT
Farmstay in urban Singapore – why not? This 19-villa farmstay (dubbed a ‘lifestyle-cum-agriculture resort’) comes with a spa, restaurant, fruit and herb plantations. So you see, there are creature comforts yet!
Where: 10 Neo Tiew Lane 2
Tel: 6898 9228
Admission: Free
The one-bedroom villas are S$230 nett per night on weekdays and S$280 nett per night on weekends.
www.dkranji.com.sg
BOLLYWOOD VEGGIES
Organic farm with different species of vegetables and fruit trees. There is also a restaurant serving local dishes using farm produce.
Where: 100 Neo Tiew Road
Tel: 6898 5001
Admission: S$2 per person (free for visitors under 12 and over 60)
www.bollywoodveggies.com
HAY DAIRIES
A goat farm that produces fresh milk for sale, with about 1,000 goats of mixed breeds. The farm is open daily from 9am to 4pm for visits. Milking sessions last from 9am to 11am, so visitors are encouraged to come in the morning.
Where: 3 Lim Chu Kang Lane 4
Tel: 6792 0931
Admission: Free; S$3 per person for educational/groups tour
www.haydairies.com.sg
JURONG FROG FARM
A frog farm that rears mainly American bullfrogs.
Where: 56 Lim Chu Kang Lane 6
Tel: 6791 7229
Admission: Free
www.jurongfrogfarm.com.sg
KHAISENG FISH FARM
Shop for fish for your home aquarium.
Where: 181 Neo Tiew Road
Tel: 6793 7789
Admission: Free
www.khaiseng.com.sg
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