TopSwop in May

Saturday, May 11, 2013 from 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM (SGT)
Singapore 

Bigger, better and more value for money 

Join us on Saturday 11th May 3.30 – 6pm for our fashion, style and clothes swap event.

 
If you have outfits in your wardrobe that you love but haven't worn in a long time or feel the need to revamp your look but don't want to spend a lot of cash, then TopSwop is for you. Learn about fashion and style from a professional image consultant while swopping your cast-off  clothes for new wardrobe treasures.

Read more here

Upcycle Art Village: A Singapore Event

The UpcycleArt Village is part of an upcycling project by Participate in Design that involves local residents and the wider design community. On this day, there will be an exhibition of furniture pieces and everyday objects that have been collected, together with stories and ideas about them. The day-long event will also have upcycled craft workshops, performances, live music*, sharing by people from the creative community* and a short film screening*. 

Listen to stories behind discarded furniture and how they can be given a brand new life with a renewed purpose.Event: The UpcycleArt Village 

Date: Saturday, 27 April 2013

Venue: Block 116 Aljunied Ave 2, Singapore

Time:  9:30 am-7:00 pm 

*These will be held from 4.30-7pm, by our good friends at Basically (Check out their FB page for more details!)

Schedule:

10:00-10:30 Trash Town Performing Group

10:30-11:00 Daiko Performing Group (performance with recycled materials)

11:00-12:30 Trash to Art Workshop by NLB (for kids ages 6-10)

11:00-12:30 Upcycle Accessories Workshop*

13:00-15:00 Upcycle T-shirt into a Bag Workshop* 

13:00-15:00 Clay Painting Workshop

16:30-19:00 Basically, 06: Upcycle!  (handmade tote bags from recycled materials)

*Participants are required to bring along some materials for these workshops.

Download schedule here.

So do join us at The Upcycle Project!

Basically tote bag is recycled and hand made.To register for the workshops, please contact  Yvonne at Yvonne_GAO@pa.gov.sg at MacPherson CC for enquiries and registration.  Tel: 6745 2940.

Also, check out our project blog at: participateindesign.org/the-upcycle-project 

Have a look at the video here.

Penang World Festival 2013 Highlights

The 2013 Edition of the Penang World Music Festival (PWMF) will take place from 30 to 31 March 2013 and the list of bands performing at the festival is nothing less than impressive.

The venue will once again be the Quarry Park at the Penang Botanic Gardens. 

Penang World Music Festival 2013 features Nasout from IranA total of 12 bands will be featured at the festival during the two days. They are Mu from Portugal, Kimi Djabate (Guinea- Bissau), Nasout (Iran), Alp Bora Quartet (Turkey/Austria), Saharadja (Indonesia), Oratniza (Bulgaria), Inka Marka (South America), Kalayo (Philippines), Dagaya (Japan) and Dende and Band (Brazil/USA). They will be joined by Malaysian bands Akasha and Rimba.

All the bands will be performing at the concert at night and in addition daily workshop sessions with the musicians will take place in the afternoon prior to the concert. This workshop allows the public and audience to participate and learn the unique music making processes of the international artists. The event will be held in the open air and will proceed through any weather conditions.

Tickets to the festival are priced at RM80 per day for adult and RM30 per day for a child between five and 12 years old. Two-day ticket is RM140 for adult and RM70 for a child. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ticketxpress.com.my

This annual festival is organized by the Penang State Tourism Development and Culture Office and managed by UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd.

Singapore International Energy Week 2013

 The Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is the foremost gathering of leading conferences, exhibitions and workshops held in Singapore and a platform for policymakers, business leaders and academics to exchange  ideas, strategies and best practices that shape global industry energy agendas. Now in its sixth year, SIEW 2013 is a much-anticipated event in Asia's energy calendar. 

Event: Singapore International Energy Week 2013

Date: 28 October - 1 November 2013

Venue: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

 

SIEW is organised by the Singapore Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the aegis of the Ministry of Trade & Industry.

 

How to register:

 

Please indicate your interest in the Singapore International Energy Week at ema_siew@ema.gov.sg

 

EMART Asia 2012 to Showcase LNG Trading Model

Asian based utilities seek to switch to LNG as primary feedstock

The LNG sector is beginning to shift towards an oil trading model with potentially new sources of liquidity, more speculation and increased price volatility. EMART Asia, held during Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) from 23-24th of October, will showcase how this new LNG trading model and increased energy trading regulation will impact business opportunities and risks.

“The LNG sector is seeking greater visibility regarding future prices as Asian based utilities seek to switch to LNG as the primary feedstock against coal”, says Marcus Magee, General Manager of EMART Asia.

 “This year we focus on two key areas that impact energy traders in Asia, and Singapore in particular”, adds Magee: “The new LNG Trading Model - the increase in short term trades and its flow on effects regarding LNG contracts, utilities and the wider fuel mix, and the increased regulation of OTC trading - more transparent electronic platforms, increased liquidity and increased financialisation of energy markets.”

Speakers Include:

* Yunji Xu, LNG Origination, Portfolio Trading, Shell Eastern Trading LNG

* Rajnish Goswami, Head of Gas & Power Consulting for Asia-Pacific & Middle East, Wood Mackenzie

* Jim Nicholson, Vice President, Argus Asia

* Alan Heng, Director and CEO, Gas Supplies

* Alan Bannister, Asia Director Energy, CME Group

* Dr Hooman Peimani, Head of the Energy Security Division at the Energy Studies Institute, National University of Singapore

* Travis Nadelhoffer, Director Energy Products, Morningstar

* Jennifer Ilkiw, Vice President, Asia Pacific, IntercontinentalExchange

* Praveen Kumar, Senior Consultant, Head of South Asia Oil and Gas Team, FACTS Global Energy

* Simon Ellis, LNG Analyst & Editor of Global LNG Markets, ICIS Heren

Topics at EMART Asia:

* Spot market development and price benchmarking

* Regulatory developments in ensuring healthy competition in energy trading

* Impact of derivatives trading on the physical market

* Risk management in the volatile energy market

* More market case studies across Asia

EMART Asia is a regional conference that focuses exclusively on LNG procurement - from spot trading and hedging to long term contracts and the development of a Asian based LNG trading infrastructure including its own price indexes, trading hubs, storage infrastructure and related derivative products. The event profiles the activities of LNG traders in Asia, and particularly in Singapore, as the LNG industry develops a new procurement model reflective of new supply and demand fundamentals. Although still far from being a commodity, LNG is undoubtedly emerging as an essential vector for world gas expansion. Attend EMART Asia to get the facts on how to improve your LNG trades and to better understand the role for intermediaries in this important and rapidly expanding industry.

EMART Asia is part of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW).

Event dates and location -

Conference: 23-24 October 2012

Location: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Event website: www.emart-asia.com

Langkawi One Earth Music Festival 2012

In its second year, this two-day eco-themed festival will feature well-known Southeast Asian musicians performing jazz, blues and a mix of other genres. The One Earth Music Festival 2012 is held on the picturesque beachfront of the Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa, which Gaia Discovery reviewed and reckons is a model of an eco resort in many ways. Read Gaia Discovery review of Frangipani Langkawi Resort.

Leading Malaysian jazz pianist Michael Veerapen will feature together with several other rising Malaysian stars including Reza Salleh, Liyana Fizi, Poova and Amir Yussof (Sabah) as well as Saxman Koh (Thailand), the Langkawi-assembled Panjir Warisan and the Langkawi Love Band. And more to come.

Event: One Earth Music Festival 2012

Date: Friday 2 November 2012 - Saturday 3 November 2013

Time: 6 pm til late

Venue: Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa, Langkawi Island, West Malaysia

Environmental Message and Activities

The festival aims to promote Langkawi internationally as an eco-friendly holiday destination and to encourage the local community to keep the island clean and green. The festival’s theme this year is the Rivers Project which is a programme to keep Langkawi’s rivers clean. Activities focussed on protecting the environment will be organised throughout the day.

Following the concert, DJs will set the temperature up a notch higher on the beach after 11pm.

For more details on ticket prices and specially priced accommodation packages log onto: www.langkawi-live.com

Singapore International Energy Week 2012

The Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is the foremost gathering of leading conferences, exhibitions and workshops held in Singapore in one week, in one location. Now in its fifth year, SIEW has established itself as a must-attend event on Asia's energy calendar. SIEW provides a platform for policymakers, business leaders and academics to exchange ideas, strategies and best practices that shape global industry energy agendas. 

The Singapore Energy Lecture and Singapore Energy Summit kickstart the Week by providing a forum for key players to discuss high-level energy issues. SIEW also features best-in-class conferences and exhibitions such as Asia Future Energy Forum Asia Smart Grid, Downstream Asia, EMART Asia, Gas Asia Summit and the PV Asia Pacific Expo. Collectively, they represent the energy value chain, from fossil fuels to renewables and from production to trading.

Event: Singapore International Energy Week 2012

Date: 22-25 October 2012

Venue: Sands Expo & Convention Centre,Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

How to register:

Please sign up at <http://www.siew.sg/

Event details:

SIEW is organised by the Singapore Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the aegis of the Ministry of Trade & Industry.

Ecotourism Leaders to Gather in Cairns

Ecotourism Australia’s Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference has attracted some of the world's leading players in ecotourism.

Over three days, 60 speakers will come together with representatives from across the tourism industry to discuss the key challenges and opportunities for ecotourism now and beyond to 2020.

The program features a line-up of speakers from organisations including G Adventures, Virgin Australia, World Expeditions, Tourism Australia, the Department of Conservation New Zealand, Shangri-La Hotel International Management, The Federal Group and senior representatives of tourism departments in China, Japan, Malaysia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Korea, Taiwan and Nepal.

Global Eco will be held 15-17 October 2012 at the Pullman Reef Hotel in Cairns, Queensland.

Register to attend and view the program at www.globaleco.com.au

Eco Flores Congress 26-29 September 2012

An inaugural event organised by The Eco Flores Coordinating Network

What is The Eco Flores Congress?

The first ever Eco Flores Congress is a result of the work by The Eco Flores Network, an organisation dedicated to promoting and connecting those interested in the long-term sustainability of the island of Flores.

The Congress is a four-day event open to Flores' local NGO’s, residents, businesses and organisations, and internationally by invitation only. The Congress will provide a forum to mobilize green efforts on Flores by facilitating sharing of information, cooperation, and transparency about sustainability efforts.

The Congress Objective

“To share knowledge and experience in support of the sustainable development of Flores. This covers the health of the local environment, the well-being of its population and their interrelation.”  

The Congress Goals: 

• Define sustainability issues on Flores at present and in the foreseeable future
• Identify which expertise is present on Flores and whether such expertise can be used in other locations on Flores
• Clarify what expertise is needed from outside if not present on Flores
• Define the future role of the Eco Flores Network 

Who is involved?

Participants from Flores and around the world numbering around 180 will convene working groups to draft action plans in their particular fields of sustainability. Many Practitioners will meet for the first time to share their vision for a Sustainable Flores.

The Event is being sponsored by New Zealand Aide Program and WWF with the added materials and travel support of KLM, Walls Paddle Pop/ Unilever. Various international NGO’s - Swisscontact, VECO, Sustainability Partners and Caritas Asian Regional Office - are supporting the event with their local partners attending the Congress.

The Schedule

We currently have a tentative Schedule of Events which you can see on our website. 

You can follow the developments as they happen at Gaia Discovery , our media partner.

The Venue

Pelangi Hotel and Stella Maris Aula in Labuan Bajo

How Can I Learn More?

To find out more about the challenges faced in Flores take a look at the Eco Flores website

Learn more about local projects, initiatives and news by following Eco Flores on Facebook and on Twitter @ecofloresorg

Keep up to date with happenings at the Congress at Gaia Discovery.

Send enquiries to Zoe at Eco Flores zpastorfieldli@gmail.com

Watch a video on Bajo Komodo Eco Lodge's sustainability initiatives.

Watch the highlights from the Eco Flores Congress here

Biorock Workshop 2012: Coral Reef Restoration for All

Gaia Discovery recommends this week-long hands-on session conducted by Dr Thomas J Goreau of Global Coral Reef Alliance. The Biorock Workshop is important as through lectures and interactive platforms it explains the state of the oceans and marine life and how to deal with degraded marine environments, essentially by taking a pro-active stance of re-creating underwater habitats. Yes, you can help to improve the oceans!

A unique experience - the Biorock training - awaits all dive enthusiasts, marine scientists and students, environmentalists, dive resort operators, resort managers, sustainability managers, mayors, governors and policy makers who are concerned with the state of their coasts due to any of the following occurences: shore erosion, damaging wave action, depleted marine life, reduced or destroyed coral reefs, water pollution, declining marine tourism, and more.

To participate in underwater coral reef program in particular, a scuba dive certification is needed. By the end of the workshop, you will be able to apply the principles involved in building Biorock coral reefs.

Event: 8th Indonesian Biorock Workshop 2012

Dates: 12 - 18 November 2012

Venue: Gili Trawangan (off Lombok), Indonesia

Course Fees: Starts from US$200 (see full Biorock workshop fee structure here)

Organisers: Gili Eco Trust, Global Coral Reef Alliance

Media Partner: Gaia Discovery 

Booking Enquiries: Write to Gaia Discovery for reader privileges, or register direct

Official Website:  8th Indonesian Biorock Workshop 

Sponsor enquiries welcome.

Reference and related articles:

About the Biorock process

Biorock programme by Pemuteran Bay Coral Protection Foundation (Indonesia) receives recognition from UNDP at Rio +20 conference in June 2012.

Gaia Discovery review: Biorock helps coral reefs grow

The Guardian review: Biorock giving new life to coral reefs