ASEAN

Timed Para~~~

2008-03-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, zero waste will be more suitable for my country, Singapore, as there is limited land resources in my country and by using landfill will be an unwise choice due to land scarcity. Land filling is to dispose all unwanted waste into a piece of land that is to be covered up. We assume nature will do its part to biodegrade these waste materials. Using the landfill method is a fast and effortless way of disposing waste material as waste is just needed to be collected by garbage trucks and these wastes are compressed and dumped into the landfills. In contrast, according to Collins (2002), zero waste is a system that uses materials “that can be repaired, reused or recycled” (p.25). Zero waste system requires the man power to sort out the types of waste used before the recycling process begins. The time and money needed to clean and reuse such materials may be a lot but it will also create vast number of job opportunities for the people in addition to being environmentally friendly. Using zero waste will not only save us the space for landfill but it can promote economical benefits and provide a cleaner and greener environment for Singapore.

References
Collins, J. (2002, Oct 3rd). Radical plans for waste could herald a big clean-up. The Guardian Weekly. P.25.

First draft! First draft!! WORSE draft!!!!

2008-03-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

According to Environmental ethics (2007), “Carbon dioxide levels have risen 200 times faster over the past 50 years than at any other time during this period” (p.370). This is a result most likely attributable in burning of fossil fuels when industrialization started back in the early 1850s.Having the global climate changing gradually could result in both the seawater and temperature to raise over time. This change could cause the increasing temperature to change our tropical climate and the coastal land to be submerged in the water.

Researchers have recorded that “Antarctica is shrinking: gravity survey shows overall loss in ice, Antarctica alone contains 90% of earth’s ice, and there is evidence that west Antarctica is melting. The loss of ice amounts to roughly 36 cubic miles per year.” (Jacqueline, 2006, as cited in Environmental ethics, 2006, p.370). And According to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, “By 2100, global temperatures are projected to rise by 1.4 to 5.8 °C compared to 1990 levels”. Warmer temperatures might not only affect our regional tropical climate to change but also disrupt cycle of rainfall. An article from Channel Newsasia (2006) tells us how much the rainfall has changed since 75 years ago as the amount of rainfall hit 366mm flooding many areas in the city. Not only this, our mangrove forest, home to many fish and shellfish and also helps to protect against coastal erosion, is now beginning to disappear as the heat wave and irregular rainfall caused by global warming contributes to the loss of mangrove vegetations (Environment News Service, 2008).

The increases in global temperature, fuelled by greenhouse gases, have already led to significant melting levels of both Greenland and Antarctic polar icecaps (environmental Ethics, 2007). According to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, “Sea levels are projected to rise by 9 to 88cm by 2100.” This could mean that our tiny island will soon be sunk into the ocean as the water level is rising caused by melting of ice and snow from mountainous area. Indirectly, it could also cause a lot of flooding issues when rainfall or storm surges occur in low lying areas such as Tanjong Katong and Chinatown areas (Channel Newsasia, 2006). Not only that, a rise in seawater could cause our coastal reservoir’s water supply to become contaminated by seawater, thus, depriving Singapore of a source of fresh water.

If the climate change is left unchecked, such warming could lead to sharply rising sea levels, disruptions of ocean currents, droughts, floods, famines, all ranging from serious to cataclysmic disasters.

Reference

Bhatti, J.S., Lal, R., Apps, M.J., & Price, M.A. (2006). Climate Change and Managed Ecosystems. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Channel newasia (2006, december 20) Tuesday's heavy rainfall third highest in 75 years .Retrieved feburary 10,2008, from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/248220/1/.html

Climate change and the rights of future generations: Social justice beyond mutual advantage. (2007). Environmental ethics, 29, 368-385.

Jacqueline, R. (2006, March 2).Antarctica is shrinking. Retrieved March 13, 2008, from http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060227/full/news060227-10.html

Environment News Service (2008, February 3) Mangrove forests vanishing at an "Alarming" rate. Retrieved March 13, 2008, from http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2008/2008-02-03-01.asp

Ministry of the Environmental and Water Resource. ( n.d.) Retrieved feburary 10,2008, from http://www.mewr.gov.sg/nccs/va.htm

Thoughts about "Saving Nature, but Only for Man" (Charles, 2000)

2008-03-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

Singapore Zoo - White Tiger exhibit

The way an economist think is usually to get or choose the best results of the any outcome that is beneficial to them. Likewise in this article, I find that the author has a strong economist way of thinking and writing about the environment. He writes in the fashion that relates us to how much we can love nature. But when it comes to a choice of oil over Arctic caribou, the choice will be always us, humans, over others (Para .9-10). I find it kind of disturbing as the more we learn about things in life or the world, it makes us more self-centred and uncivilized in the view of nature herself. We humans would want more power, knowledge and control over things as we gain new insights in technology as we grow. An example would be keeping animals in Zoo would seem like an earth loving and preserving behaviour to do. In actual fact is the Zoo really to preserving these animals the way they were before or just making a commercial trade and income for people to visit and see what was left after the making of mans own environment? Who are we to play God?

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References

Charles,K. (n.d). Saving Nature, But Only for Man. Handout given by Brad,B

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

2008-02-18T04:38:00.000-08:00

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!!!!!!

2008-02-09T18:15:00.001-08:00

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?

2008-02-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

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)

My Home My Environment!!

2008-01-27T22:12:00.000-08:00

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

RUBBISH GONE GOOD: An aerial view of Singapore's Semakau island landfill.

Rise

2008-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

There is a voice within my mind
Singing the songs of distant times
Speaking the thoughts from lost horizons.
Music and words that must be signs
Shaping the facets that define
How we have come to be the present
Descendants.

BRIDGE
Though we’re from ten different lands
Bound by shores of common sand
Singing out as one
Let’s stand
The world is in our hands

CHORUS
No matter where we’re from
If we could sing one song
Dreams that are yours and mine
They will be realized
Trusting the love we feel
Trust in the love that’s real
Children unite
People of ASEAN rise.

Chapters unfolding from the past
Speaking of wisdom to my heart
Lessons to learn from our ancestors.
Pushing horizons let's have faith
Our differences we will embrace
Shaping as one our common future
Our future.

Composed by Dick Lee
Arranged by Kenn C
Performed by Stefanie Sun

The Meaning of Life

2008-01-23T05:10:00.000-08:00

The meaning of life has always puzzled me ever since I was a kid. As a child, I was taught many things such as mathematics, science etc. But when it came to the topic about meaning of life, no one actually had a similar definition of what life is, as each has their own experiences and differences.

Trying to use the knowledge taught at that young age, I found that the meaning of life was impossible be reasoned out, predicted or even calculated. Questions keep popping up from my conscious about what is the meaning or the very existence of my life supposed to be? My parents told me I would understand more as I would grow older.

As time goes by, my parents brought me to different parts of the world, and told me to see for myself what life was in different places. Having exposed to many different culture, religion and society around the world, I figured out why I had so many different answers from the people whom I asked. Each of them was trying to convey their own experiences in life for me to understand.

Even thought I have a picture of what the meaning of life is, but it’s a picture that I couldn't describe myself in simple words or knowledge. I would say that the meaning of life have to be experienced in-order to be appreciated.

EG1471 (Group E11)

2008-01-21T22:44:00.000-08:00

Lecturer-in-charge:
Mr Brad Blackstone

Team members:
1)Justin Wong Shui Xiong
2)Liu Yong Jun
3)Chang Tai Wen
4)Wang Chao
5)Yao Yuan
6)William Tan