Preparation

It's always good to find videos of people successfully growing herbs and vegetables in Singapore. Here, a British resident shows us round his rooftop garden and gives a few practical tips along the way.

Dr Wilson Wong of NParks demonstrates how to prune basil and mint plants and then use the cuttings to grow new plants. A really clear demo.

Mediterranean herbs are hard to grow in our humid climate. Dr Wilson Wong of NParks demonstrates how to take stem cuttings from rosemary and thyme. His advice on watering these herbs is to let them dry out before watering.

UWCSEA-East students learn how to propagate plants from cuttings. A combination of clearly explained theory and hands-on practice.

At least 10 video tutorials from NParks Singapore with instructions on how to grow both leafy and fruited vegetables.

One great thing about this site is that it's about growing vegetables in Singapore. Kailan, Baby Bok Choy, Garlic, Spring Onions, Lemongrass, Lady's Finger, Ginger, Celery.

Marc Frank, Living Collections Manager at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, explains the importance of the four "S"s: space, soil, sun and sustenance.

Alexius Yeo explains the importance of improving Singapore's most common soil type - clay - by adding material such as compost, perlite and sand.

An inspirational short video in which Singaporean Marcus Khoe talks about his passion for sustainable farming. At present (2021), he grows food crops in a community garden, but ultimately he hopes to run a larger market garden and show that everyone can "grow their own".

Part 1 of a very good NParks tutorial  on soil types in Singapore and which are best for gardening.

Part 2 of the NParks soil tutorial. Learn how to add compost, grit, organic fertiliser etc to get the best soil for growing plants.

A superb NParks series on everything from herbs, veg and fruit to DIY fertiliser and pesticide.

An inspiring tour of a permaculture garden in Kuantan, Malaysia. Lots of familiar vegetables, herbs and fruits. One of the most striking aspects of the garden (apart from the sheer scale and variety) is the way that certain crops are deliberately planted together — for example, so that one benefits from the shade provided by another.

Edible gardening is taking off in Singapore. NParks has distributed 460,000 free seed packets and from HDB balconies to  community gardens people are growing herbs, vegetables and berries.

An excellent series of very practical videos from NParks. Essential viewing for students and staff of our Rainforest Restoration Project!

A short video by UWCSEA teacher Frankie Meehan shows you how to collect local tree seeds and raise them as seedlings for the College nursery.

A tutorial on how to take a cutting from a tree and use it to clone a new plant.

Marcotting, or air layering, is a technique in which a tree branch is potted or wrapped in a moist growing medium (e.g. soil or coconut fibre) to promote root growth. Once roots have developed, the branch can be cut off and planted in a pot. Hey presto! An almost instant tree.

A very clear video tutorial on how to grow a tree seedling from the mango you just ate. It does work: the tree behind the Dover staff common room started life as a Grade 1 student's lunch in 2005!

"Learn the basics of watering, mulching, fertilizing, staking, and pruning newly transplanted trees or shrubs ... Not sure if your newly planted tree is experiencing healthy root growth? Try the wiggle test."

This is Texas, not Singapore, but the approach to planting a tree is exactly what our UWCSEA Rainforest Restoration Project students and staff use.

Learn both the theory and practical skills you need to know, grow and care for trees in Singapore.

A simple text-only guide to composting by NParks. They make tonnes of the stuff, so they should know what works.

Be sure to click on the link in the first line, which leads to a Youtube video. The video and blog refer to successful composting in a HDB apartment block in Singapore.

A little Singaporean girl explains very clearly - and with handfuls of worms! - how to make great compost by keeping worms in your compost bin. (Hint: you can get free worms at the Really Really Free flea market.)

This UK site includes two very clear videos. Always be cautious with the Greens/Browns distinction: it really means nitrogen-rich ('green') and carbon-rich ('brown'). So old tea bags and egg shells are 'green' and hard vegetable stems (e.g. broccoli or corn cobs) are 'brown'. But the colour code usually works — see the NParks link here.

Watch the famous British gardener Monty Don demonstrate how  to make good compost by mixing your 'greens' and 'browns'.

An excellent poster by Bambi Edlund of Edible Cape Cod. Compost = CARBON + NITROGEN+ OXYGEN +WATER+TIME

Turn your pile (get oxygen in so the bacteria can breathe); add more green stuff (nitrogen is food for the bacteria); and check the moisture level (the pile should be like a damp sponge).

"Whether you're slowly simmering a double bean chilli to feed a whole house or you need some speedy comfort food for one, these recipes are easy enough for anyone to master. We'll show you how to turn a tin of kidney beans or the humble lentil into a healthy dinner in a flash."

British university students often assume that going vegan will prove expensive. However, this site has found that UK supermarket prices tend to favour the plant-based eater. They compare the traditional and vegan versions of eight popular dishes, such as spaghetti bolognese , falafels and jacket potatoes, and you even get a link to the recipes.

You already know about the expensive Impossible Burger (about $25) and the very tasty Sodexo version. But, honestly, you can make your own "I'm possible" burger at home for next to nothing. (Hint: "Tempeh" is not the same as tofu, but look carefully in the same supermarket section and you should find it.)

Chock-full of recipes for a group such as "Sweet Treats for Sweet People"! 

There's an extensive vegan section, too.

This is a darn good tutorial. It's a cool WikiHow that mixes text with really helpful animated gifs.

Once upon a time, and a very good time it was, most people could sew a button back on, fix a broken zip or repair a hole in their sock. The world needs these simple skills again so that we can stop disposing of perfectly good clothes. Don't go off to university without your sewing kit!

Many of the most famous eco-warriors have a good jumper that goes everywhere with them. And we respect them even more if we know that they knit it themselves. Besides, learning to knit will keep you away from the computer (once you've watched this tutorial). That's less energy burned ...

If you are serious about being sustainable, you must learn how to make your clothes last longer. 

No self-respecting cyclist rides around on half-inflated tyres. Learn to pump your tyres (there are two types) and know how hard to pump them for maximum efficiency.

You know what's it like. Over time, brakes get looser and you have to pull more on the levers to stop your bike. Not good. You shouldn't need to see an expert. Just a simple Philips (cross-head) screwdriver and this video!

Now we're getting more technical, but don't be scared ... Over time, you will probably find that your chain doesn't sit quite right on the cogs at the back. It's a fairly simple matter to adjust them. Watch this video and learn how.

You will eventually need to adjust the front "derailleur" too. If you're not French, that may make you anxious, but a derailleur is just a little device that shifts the chain from one cog to another. It needs to be adjusted so that it moves the chain accurately to a position where the next cog "bites" it cleanly.

This is the kind of full medical examination that you will probably only do once a year. Most of us use a trained bike mechanic, but as your confidence grows, you may enjoy doing it yourself.

Now every rider should know how to do this. Mind you, it's only useful if you always carry a spare inner tube and a couple of tyre levers with you. (Hint: you can store a spare tyre under your saddle, though your panniers would be safer.)

Bike panniers (that pair of bags slung over the back of a bike, like bags or baskets on a donkey) are expensive. This tutorial shows you how to recycle an old backpack and make your own.

This UN booklet gives you 10 suggestions for practical personal action related to each of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. to protect the environment and help mitigate climate change effects. Don't be discouraged: we can all play a part in lowering the global temperature.

If the internet were a country, it would rank #3 in the world in terms of electricity consumption. Consider making Ecosia your default search engine since their searches are powered by 100% renewable energy.  In fact, they produce their own solar electricity and they plant trees that fight climate change by removing CO2 from the atmosphere.