- reduce cost
- ensure our environment's sustainability (resources & ecosystem)
- reduces chances health problems (eg. asthma, some allergies)
-> better quality of life
Monday, April 12, 2010
Extent of global warming
- Prolonged droughts in Africa and Asia
- Only 2 out of 6 glaciers are left in the Venezuelan Andes today
- 50% of the glaciers in the Glacier National Park (USA) no longer exist
- 20,000 people have died in Europe in 2003 due to the heat wave
-> global average temperature is expected to increase by about 4°C by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced
- Only 2 out of 6 glaciers are left in the Venezuelan Andes today
- 50% of the glaciers in the Glacier National Park (USA) no longer exist
- 20,000 people have died in Europe in 2003 due to the heat wave
-> global average temperature is expected to increase by about 4°C by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced
Save our Earth
http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm
Here are some out of the many things you can do to save our Earth
REDUCE GARBAGE
1. Precycle--buy things in packages that can be recycled or are made of materials that have already been recycled.
2. Wash, reuse, and recycle glass bottles and jars in the kitchen.
3. Instead of using paper towels, keep a cloth towel by the sink and use it to dry your hands or wipe up spills.
4. Reuse plastic bags. Wash them when they're dirty.
5. Recycle paper and cardboard items like empty cereal boxes, notepaper? newspapers, and magazines.
6. Use a lunchbox instead of a paper or plastic bag to bring your lunch to school.
7. Avoid using Styrofoam: it can't be recycled and is dangerous to animals if they eat it.
8. Donate old clothes, books, and toys to places like your local hospital, library, or Salvation Army.
9. Don't throw away cans of oil, paint, or gasoline. Save them for special garbage pickups called "toxic waste collections."
CUT BACK ON ENERGY
10 Turn out the lights when you leave a room.
11. Put on a sweater instead of training up the thermostat.
12. The next time you need to go somewhere, think twice before you ask for a ride. Walk or ride your bike whenever possible.
13. Open the fridge when you've decided what you want to eat--not while you decide.
14.Check the temperature in your fridge: it should be set between 38 [degrees]-42 [degrees] F. Any colder: it freezes food and wastes electricity.
Here are some out of the many things you can do to save our Earth
REDUCE GARBAGE
1. Precycle--buy things in packages that can be recycled or are made of materials that have already been recycled.
2. Wash, reuse, and recycle glass bottles and jars in the kitchen.
3. Instead of using paper towels, keep a cloth towel by the sink and use it to dry your hands or wipe up spills.
4. Reuse plastic bags. Wash them when they're dirty.
5. Recycle paper and cardboard items like empty cereal boxes, notepaper? newspapers, and magazines.
6. Use a lunchbox instead of a paper or plastic bag to bring your lunch to school.
7. Avoid using Styrofoam: it can't be recycled and is dangerous to animals if they eat it.
8. Donate old clothes, books, and toys to places like your local hospital, library, or Salvation Army.
9. Don't throw away cans of oil, paint, or gasoline. Save them for special garbage pickups called "toxic waste collections."
CUT BACK ON ENERGY
10 Turn out the lights when you leave a room.
11. Put on a sweater instead of training up the thermostat.
12. The next time you need to go somewhere, think twice before you ask for a ride. Walk or ride your bike whenever possible.
13. Open the fridge when you've decided what you want to eat--not while you decide.
14.Check the temperature in your fridge: it should be set between 38 [degrees]-42 [degrees] F. Any colder: it freezes food and wastes electricity.
Greenhouse Effect
Effects of global warming:
-> melting of ice/rise in sea level
- increased flooding and erosion
- loss of low-lying land to sea
- threat to aquatic life
Pollution
Industrialization has been the hallmark of human progress. However, with industries, have come a host of toxic gases that are being released into the atmosphere. The industries release gallons of liquid waste into the seas and rivers. Besides adding to air pollution, the innumerable vehicles running on the roads add to noise pollution that has lead to increase in stress, anxiety and problems related to hearing. Pollution of water has led to the decrease in a number of large number aquatic life forms. Respiratory diseases in human beings is the price we are paying for polluting the environment.
Acid Rain
A variety of environmental problems now affect our entire world. As globalization continues and the earth's natural processes transform local problems into international issues, few societies are being left untouched by major environmental problems.
Some of the largest problems now affecting the world are Acid Rain, Air Pollution, Global Warming, Hazardous Waste, Ozone Depletion, Smog, Water Pollution, Overpopulation, and Rain Forest Destruction.
ACID RAIN
The term acid rain refers to what scientists call acid deposition. It is caused by airborne acidic pollutants and has highly destructive results.
Acid rain, one of the most important environmental problems of all, cannot be seen. The invisible gases that cause acid rain usually come from automobiles or coal-burning power plants.
Acid rain moves easily, affecting locations far beyond those that let out the pollution. As a result, this global pollution issue causes great debates between countries that fight over polluting each other's environments.
For years, science studied the true causes of acid rain. Some scientists concluded that human production was primarily responsible, while others cited natural causes as well. Recently, more intensive research has been done so that countries have the information they need to prevent acid rain and its dangerous effects.
The levels of acid rain vary from region to region. In Third World nations without pollution restrictions, acid rain tends to be very high. In Eastern Europe, China, and the Soviet Union, acid rain levels have also risen greatly. However, because acid rain can move about so easily, the problem is definitely a global one.
CAUSES
Acid rain can be caused by many things. Industrial emissions from factories and power plants that burn fuels such as natural gas, coal or oil, emit smoke that gives off oxides of sulfur and nitrogen is one cause. Another cause is vehicles (e.g. cars, buses) that burn gasoline and diesel. The exhaust emitted by burning these fuels contains sulfur dioxide, an oxide of sulfur. Also, vehicles that have gas engines will produce oxides of nitrogen, another cause of acid rain. One other cause is home fires giving off smoke that contains sulfur dioxide. Some fairly minor causes are natural causes which are volcanoes, swamps and rotting plants giving off sulfur dioxide. Natural causes only account for 10% of the pollution causing acid rain
Effects
- crops cannot grow well, lower crop yield
- metal/cement structures are corroded
- aquatic life destroyed
- people may end up drinking contaminated water/consuming toxic chemicals which leads to health problems
Management
- using less fossil fuels (taking public transport instead/producing smaller cars which run on less fuels)
- desulfurising the fossil fuel before use
- catalytic converters
- using energy just sufficiently to reduce the amount of electricity used
Therefore, we can play a part to save our earth and to reduce the amount of acid rain
Deforestation
Expanding population, industrialisation and the need of land for development of expanding cities has led man to cut down forest selfishly. Not only are the forests home to a large number of animals, trees are also an important component of the water cycle. The roots of plants hold the soil together and prevent soil erosion. Deforestation in the world is at an alarming rate and has been a cause of constant worry for environmentalists around the world.
Conservation efforts in Singapore
PLANTING TREES
- 3000 ha of nature reserves in Singapore protected from any development
- tree-planting day on first Sunday of November since 1971
- many tree-lined roads
SAVING WATER
- Save Water campaigns
- water-saving devices installed in all non-domestic premises since 1983
SAVING ENERGY
- switching off lights/air-conditioning units/electrical appliances when not in use
- servicing electrical appliances
3Rs
REDUCE the amount of goods we use
- using durable goods to avoid regular replacement
- reducing water and energy consumption
REUSE products for full utilisation
- reusing paper/plastic bags
- donating clothes/books/unwanted goods
RECYCLE materials that can be used as useful items
- eg. paper, glass bottles, aluminium cans, plastic products
- 3000 ha of nature reserves in Singapore protected from any development
- tree-planting day on first Sunday of November since 1971
- many tree-lined roads
SAVING WATER
- Save Water campaigns
- water-saving devices installed in all non-domestic premises since 1983
SAVING ENERGY
- switching off lights/air-conditioning units/electrical appliances when not in use
- servicing electrical appliances
3Rs
REDUCE the amount of goods we use
- using durable goods to avoid regular replacement
- reducing water and energy consumption
REUSE products for full utilisation
- reusing paper/plastic bags
- donating clothes/books/unwanted goods
RECYCLE materials that can be used as useful items
- eg. paper, glass bottles, aluminium cans, plastic products
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