The Green Wave is a global biodiversity campaign about biodiversity. Each year, local schools and various different countries will be planting their own local tree species on the same day and same time (TUESDAY 22 May, 1000am). To know more about the GREEN WAVE, visit http://greenwave.cbd.int/en/home
Our school had participated in this event by planting a local tree called Syzygium polyanthum behind Mr Low's office.
Here are some details of Syzygium polyanthum:
Medium to tall tree, growing up to 20-30 metres in height. Crown is open, oval or cylindrical in shape.
Leaves
Small to medium-sized, simple, elliptical and narrowing towards both ends. Light green in colour, and when crushed, gives off a smell of “Jambu”. New emerging leaves are reddish in colour.
Flowers
Creamy white in colour, turning pale-pink, slightly fragrant and occur in small clusters on the bare twigs.
Fruits/Seeds
Small round and pulpy, 1 centimetres wide or less, often flattened and ripening red to purple-black.
Interesting Facts
The young leaves, which have a slightly sour taste, are a commonly used spice in Southeast Asian cuisine that is particularly popular in Indonesia. Fresh or dried leaves are added to meat, vegetable and rice dishes, such as curries and stews.
In Malaysia, a poultice prepared from leaves, roots and bark is applied to the skin to provide anti-itch relief. In Indonesia, leaf infusions and bark extracts are used to treat diarrhoea.
Being a moderately hard to hard wood, it is used to make furniture, as well as building material for home construction. In the Dutch Indies, a bark infusion was once used to tan fishing nets and dye bamboo mats. The tree is sometimes planted in the understory of tree plantations to inhibit growth of weeds. The leaves are good mulching material, because they decompose slowly.
Here are some photos taken on 22 March:
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| Digging the hole |
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| Planting the tree |
Mrs Tan planting the tree
The "GREEN" People
One of the great functions trees offers, besides its aesthetic addition, is the sequestering of CO2, carbon dioxide. This directly reduces the growth of the Greenhouse Effect and counteracts Global Warming. Studies show that a single tree can soak up as much as 48 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year and produce enough oxygen to sustain two human beings.
Thus, what we can actually do to help the Earth is to plant a tree. It seems like such a simple and menial task. But the truth is; every tree makes a difference.
While many of you are busy and are not able to make it physically to witness the Green Wave, you can still do your part for "tree planting" too. Northwest CDC is embarking on a charity drive where New York Skin Quest will donate $15 for every correct quiz answered (total 15 MCQ). Don't just say "I will do my best to save the earth"! Action speaks louder than words! So, log on to http://www.ecoquestatnorthwest.sg/index.php to complete the quiz! It only takes 10 min of your time.
