The Sinking of Singapore!!! (NOT The Sinking of Japan movie!)

As we all know that global warming cause a lot of temperature changes and a rise in the sea level. Singapore has acknowledge this problem on the news, Straits Times, to be one of the most serious problems that will to be face if nothing is to be done. According to the article, it estimates a rise in ocean water levels would vary widely from just a few centimetres to six meters or more in height due to the melting of ice caps and warming. This would therefore greatly affect Singapore as we are surrounded by the sea.

A solution to this problem is to build dykes similar to the Dykes of Netherland. These dykes are like an artificial wall that prevents water from flooding low lying areas from the surrounding ocean/sea. But the dykes are not enough as rain would also cause flooding and a pump would be required to tap out this excess water in order for these areas to be flood free and useable. Singapore has gone to seek advice from Netherland pioneers as they have the expertise and experience of building such structures.

Reference

PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE – Singapore April 24, 2007, http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,479061,00.html

WoW? yeah WOW internet gaming!!!!!!

World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massive online role-playing game (MMORPG) created by Blizzard Entertainment in the late 2004s. The storyline is base upon the continuous game series of warcraft where the universe of warcraft begins. Of course I will not be telling you the story of Warcraft in detail but just to give some people an idea why MMORPG such as WoW are quite addictive in nature and certainly there are always good points and bad points in playing such a game.

Many people do not know that MMORPG actually teaches a person some useful skills and application in real life. Just by being in the virtual community within the game, people can interact through the internet via the game teaching them social skills of communication and even coordination while playing the game. Of course it would also depend on the people you meet whether they are friendly or even hostile towards you.

In some MMOPG, particularly WoW and guildwars, they do introduce events and cultures into the game making it more realistic and attractive. Such event like the lunar New Year and Christmas can promote awareness of different cultures to people around the world to see and understand.

Other points such as virtual economics also exist in many MMOPG. These virtual online games can actually simulate a real-world trade and could be a useful tool for students trying to understand economics in a friendly and safe manner as no actual cash transaction in involved but only virtual currency.

The downside about this is when someone actually gets addicted and obsesses about the game and actually tries to do virtual in-game actions such as flying in real-life.

(Weeeee..... fly.... splat u r dead ( =p) )

How does the increase in waste/rubbish affect Singapore's environment?

In Singapore, The government have done a great job cleaning up our country and is labelled a green city to many locals and foreigners. But little do people know the underlying problems ahead as our waste generated is seemly ballooned up for the past decade. Statistics from the Straits Times shows a 600 percent increase in waste generated from 0.46 million tonnes to 2.786 million tonnes of rubbish in 1970 to 2000.Even though Singapore have four incineration plants to burn most of our waste, but not all of such trash like glass could be incinerated and items like such would required to be dumped into landfills to be ridden off. Furthermore, as Singapore has limited land for landfills, our tiny country might soon not have enough places for us to dispose of our rubbish.

Obvious solution is not to keep finding for more landfills and avoid our current situation, but to face the fact that our trash is increasing more as our population keeps growing. One of the many ways of cutting the amount of waste generated can be performed by us is; to promote / encourage recycling habits. Such small acts of using own carriers instead of plastic bags, throwing glass/metal cans into respective recycle bin and probably even selling/giving to our local “karung guni” man reusable items could help promote and reduce the amount of out garbage produced daily. If everyone plays their humble part in contributing onto our environment, we would have lesser waste and a better tomorrow.

(My blogging buddy is William)