Storytelling our sustainable future

August 25, 2025

Valerie Seow, who reads the Environmental Studies Cross Disciplinary Programme and a Minor in Communications and New Media, has built her academic and personal journey around a deep passion for sustainability which she has nurtured since her youth.

From the onset, Valerie set out to participate in hands-on learning experiences to better understand the complexities of real-world environmental challenges. She is currently interning at WWF Singapore and prior to this, she interned at the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

At URA, she was in charge of launching its TikTok channel, which she describes as “an unconventional platform for URA, the first of its kind, to break through the generation gap and spread the word of urban planning to the younger generation.” Seeing how Gen Z readers enjoyed the content she created was one of the high points of this experience.

“Having an educational aspect to the content we frequently consume while still making the content attention-grabbing, was a key takeaway for me,” she says.

Valerie believes that the skills to engage the public effectively – through storytelling, outreach and public education – are crucial in raising advocacy in sustainability. Many environmental issues – be they climate change, biodiversity loss or pollution – are deeply intertwined with human behaviour, values and policies. Without an informed and engaged public, efforts to promote environmental stewardship risk falling short.  

For instance, “People can express their views more in public participation initiatives set by URA and town councils before urban planning developments take place,” she says. “This helps to inform urban planners on what future generations need and to allocate resources more efficiently.”

She adds, “Young Singaporeans can also be more mindful and socially conscious of what they buy, for instance, by avoiding non-biodegradable waste. Singapore is modernised and we don’t see the waste in front of us, but nevertheless it impacts our land and seas. This is where public education comes in.”

Valerie also went on a Student Exchange Programme at the University of Waterloo, where she read urban planning and other sustainability-related courses which deepened her understanding of land use, public health in relation to urban planning and resource / environmental management.

She says, “Being surrounded by nature expanded my appreciation and knowledge of sustainability. Seeing environmental conservation from a fresh perspective motivated me even more to fight for the environment through my daily actions, such as reducing my meat intake and bringing my own bottles / reusable bags.” 

In the future, Valerie hopes to venture into a career in marketing to raise awareness of the pressing need to save resources and the importance of doing our part to protect the environment.