Change starts with action. Better yet, an action that affects the world around you.
From students to faculty, staff to partners, there are ways for anyone to make a difference. Start today and keep coming back, keep taking action, and join the movement to change the world.
Play Your Part in Sustainability
Travel without flying
Consider alternative travel options like rail (sleeper to high-speed), car or coach when travelling in the European regions.
Find a First Responder
In SMU, we have a team of First Responders (FRs) to support and provide immediate emotional support and care to colleagues in cases of sexual harassment and other workplace harassment, discrimination and bullying.
Stop the drips
Don't leave that tap running while you brush your teeth or lather soap on your face and body. Install low-flow fixtures to save water. See more from Public Utilities Board (PUB), Singapore's National Water Agency.
Get Active, Feel Good
Download the SMU Resilience app today on the Apple App Store!
Volunteer & participate
Volunteer with NEA, Singapore Environment Council, or one of the many green groups in Singapore. Join the “Bring Your Own” (BYO) movement, encouraging Singaporeans to use reusable bags at supermarkets. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) has more.
Package Pals sorting sessions
Package Pals is co-founded by SMU undergraduate Rachel Han. Read about their startup journey here and join their monthly sorting sessions at Our Tampines Hub.
Connect Peer To Peer
Volunteer to be a peer counsellor and help your fellow schoolmates in distress. Or, reach out to a peer if you need a listening ear and emotional support in times of need.
Celebrate cultural Diverse-city
Diverse-city is a week-long SMU festival that promotes social integration and appreciation of ethnic and cultural identities to celebrate cultural diversity, organised by our SMU Icon (International Connections) club.
Get counselling and support
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a 24/7 confidential counselling service and employee support programme for SMU employees and immediate family facing personal and/or workplace challenges.
Experience WOW
WOW is SMU's Work on Wellness, Wellness on Work programme, to help you build resilience through health talks, health screening, fitness classes, workshops and courses.
Buy responsibly
Buy only what you need. Consider our SMU Shop Sustainability collection created by our own students and alumni entrepreneurs.
Go local
Support our farmers, improve our food resilience. Local produce is fresher, closer to home and thus have a lower carbon footprint.
Back A Million Books
Alum Joline Tang's Sustainability project, A Million Books, was born with a mission to rehome preloved books. All profits are used to support tree planting efforts in Singapore. You can participate by donating or buying used books, or even organise a book donation drive.
Keep cool with a fan
Using a fan consumes 1/10 of the electricity as compared to an air-conditioner, which means a savings of about $840 a year!
Shower in 5
By cutting your shower time from 10 minutes to 5, you can save about 47.3 litres of water each time.
Share food with your BFF
You can't finish that big pizza? Why not share it with your BFF? Save money, and cut down food wastage too!
Say no to plastic straws
Do you know our SMU Koufu is the first food court in Singapore to stop using plastic straws? Bring your own reusable straw when you dine here.
Major in Sustainability
This major offered by the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, the first of its kind in Singapore, develops a basic understanding of issues such as climate change, marine pollution, the depletion of natural resources, and poverty.
Meet online
Conducting your meeting over virtual tools like Microsoft Teams or Zoom means you may save time, transportation fees and also lower your carbon footprint!
Be respected & protected
Our Voices Unit within the Student Services Hub supports students (regardless of gender) affected by harassment or violence - including cases of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
Drive an Electric Vehicle (EV)
We have 7 numbers of EV Charging Stations at Administration, Lee Kong Chian School of Business and Yong Pung How School of Law's car park for use by SMU faculty, staff, and students who own an Electric Vehicle.
Clean up a beach
We don’t need to stress enough how polluted our waters are. Beach Clean Ups will not solve the cause of our pollution, but it is time for us to clear the mess we have made. Sponsor, attend or organise one.
Donate materials
Donate A4 paper (1 side blank), scrap fabrics, beverage carton, foam pump bottles, or other useful items. The Sustainability Project is started by SMU Alum Joline Tang.
Check out our SMU-X courses
Consider courses like Technological Innovations Enhancing Urban Sustainability (College of Integrative Studies) or Corporate Sustainability & Business Development (Lee Kong Chian School of Business), and get a chance to develop practical solutions to real-world problems.
Upcycle your denims
Bring your pre-loved denim jeans to The SMU Shop, and we will transform them into creative new merchandise such as bags and pouches! This is a partnership with SMU Artfest 2022 Lost & Found.
Turn off when not in use
If you turn off your appliances using the remote control, they continue to draw power, so switch them off at the power socket. Learn more tips by our National Environment Agency.
Meditate… Be Mindful…
Meditating for 5 minutes a day can improve your quality of life. Resilience is one of the key benefits from a mindfulness practice.
Consider reusable paper
Imagine a notebook that never runs out of pages. What you write connects to your digital files or planner, and reusable paper erases clean after being wiped by a damp cloth.
Join SMU Verts
SMU VERTS is our environmental sustainability club. They promote eco-friendly habits and engage the SMU community through hands-on workshops and other activities.
Take public transport
SMU is serviced by 2 MRT stations (Bras Basah on Circle line, Bencoolen on Downtown) and many bus stops, so take your pick!
Recycle paper in campus
We have 20 locations for collection of waste paper, and monthly collection dates for off-site shredding. All payments received from the sale proceeds will be credited into the SMU Staff Welfare Fund.
Express gratitude
Write before you go to bed. Even if you think of things that may seem small, this is a good way to learn to appreciate what you have and be happy.
Develop good '3R' habits
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Don’t leave the house without a full reusable water bottle. Instead of ordering coffee to go (ta-bao), order coffee ‘to stay’. When placing orders for food online, choose the ‘no cutlery’ option.
Make a gift
Pay it forward. With your gift, many of our students will be able to achieve their educational and career goals. Your gift to SMU will empower students, expand capacity, and enhance impact.
Participate in co-curricular activities
Out of our 150 SMU clubs showcased in Vivace, our annual CCA fair, there is surely something for you. Time to make new friends!
Reduce flight emissions
If you must fly, choose Economy Class, non-stop, direct flights, fuel-efficient carriers, airlines/hubs that use sustainable aviation fuel, or offsetting schemes.
Strengthen mental health
Participate in Mental Health Week this year which focuses on the 4 aspects of physical resilience - sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and creating a safe environment for oneself.
Collaborate in urban related research
Engage in urban sustainability research with themes in Urban Structures, Network and Flows, Behaviours and Choices.
Digitise your forms
Need to collect data? Create an e-form, and incorporate automation too. So that your forms are always accessible, and you save trees too!
Calculate your carbon footprint
United Nations carbon footprint calculator shows your carbon footprint across household, transport, and lifestyle categories. Your results are then displayed alongside the country’s average and the world’s average.
Support Ugly Food
SUTD-SMU Double Degree Programme alum Pei Shan founded UglyFood with a mission to eliminate food waste and revamp the food ecosystem. They aim to make sustainability a part of people’s everyday lives. Check them out!
Read about sustainable living
The SMU librarians have curated a list of e-books and resources to guide you in sustainable living. Check them out!
Partner us as a sustainable supplier
SMU expects our suppliers to deliver services and goods on a fair and ethical basis and provide assurance that they conduct their businesses in alignment with our core principles of sustainability.
Cut down on food wastage
Project Midori is a student-led SMU community service programme, driven by a group of undergraduates who are passionate about reducing food wastage. Check out the Instagram page!
Get Active, Feel Good
Download the SMU Resilience app today on the Google Play Store!
Dispose of used cartridges responsibly
There are 10 designated locations on the SMU campus to dispose your used cartridges. All sale proceeds from the used cartridges will be credited into the SMU Staff Welfare Fund.
Repurpose used coffee grounds
Alum Joline Tang's Sustainability Project, Kāfēi, aims to repurpose used coffee grounds, upcycling them to soaps, transform them into body scrubs, or make them into fertilisers. Donate yours, or engage them to conduct upcycling workshops.
Start a SG Eco Fund Project
Do you have an idea for a project that supports environmental sustainability and involves the community? The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) SG Eco Fund offers financial support for ideas that create positive impact.
Know it's ok to be not ok
Our counsellors in the Mrs Wong Kwok Leong Student Wellness Centre promotes intellectual and emotional wellbeing, and provides a safe space for students who require a reprieve from the rigours of academic life.
Eat plant-based
Choosing a plant-based diet two to three times a week may make you feel more refreshed and healthy, and also help to lower your carbon footprint! See the many vegetarian options available at our F&B outlets.