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Environment - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Release carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide
    - - Release carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
    - - nitrogen-rich fumes from fertiliser and methane from livestock released into the atmosphere
    - - Volcanic eruptions release sulfur gases which combine with the water vapor released by the eruption and the water vapor in the atmosphere to form sulfurous and sulfuric acid. This forms a toxic mixture of water and acid that is very harmful to people who breath the mixture.
      - Wildfires release large amounts of carbon dioxide that trap heat and pollute the air.
- - - - Aim to shift economies and the world to cleaner resources
      - 200 countries commit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
  - - - work directly with local communities , indigneous groups and governments
      - deliver measurable, boots-on-the-ground, solutions.
        
        Over the past ten years, they have worked to conserve wildlife and habitat in more than 50 countries and have helped establish over 30 protected areas, home to more than 150 endangered species, impacting over 20,000 species overall.
    - - educate and influence people and businesses into making sustainable tourism
      - influence those who work in governments to set favorable policies that helps nature
  - - - switch off lights for 1 hr
    - - avoid use of cars
    - - Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is the global platform to share and co-create innovative water solutions
  - - - Greta Thunberg - Swedish Climate Change activist
        
        Environmental activist Greta Thunberg’s searing address at the United Nations earlier this week earned enthusiastic praise from climate researchers, with many saying that the 16-year-old has found ways to raise awareness of climate science, galvanize support and resonate with people in ways that they have struggled to for decades.
      - Severn Cullis-Suzuki
        
        In 1992, when Severn was 12, she traveled with three other young activists to the United Nations climate conference in Rio de Janeiro. The science of global warming had just begun to resonate. The UN had created the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, now the leading authority on climate science, just four years earlier, and world leaders weren’t accustomed to listening to children lecture them.
        
        Severn became known as “the girl who silenced the world for six minutes,” setting a precedent for young activists to express their sense of impending doom in the clear-eyed way that only children can. “You must change your ways,” Severn told the delegates. “Losing my future is not like losing an election or a few points on the stock market.”
  - - - Recycle limited resources such as producing NEWater from sewage water
- - - - Agriculture
      - Animal Grazing
      - Collection of resources eg wood
- - - - Asthma
      - Pneumonia
  - - - May affect our sources of natural resources
  - - - Becomes a big turn off for tourists
        
        Livelihood of locals are affected
- - - - Eg
        
        NEA Food waste management has collated info online to make people aware of ways to minimise food-wastage
  - - - Since 2016, they have banned free plastic bags and made it compulsory for consumers to be charged a few cents for each
        
        This has led to a 71% drop in plastic bag use
        
        Therefore, showing that price signals and jolting do influence behaviours
  - - - The tax will create a ‘price signal’ to incentivise industries to reduce emissions
- - - - Reduce what is produced -> waste decreases -> less to recycle/reuse
        
        1) Print on both sides of paper instead of 1
        2) Avoid use of disposable cutlery/utensils
      - Always think twice before purchasing goods, don’t “shop till your hearts’ content” because you may end up discarding unnecessary belongings
      - Most effective way - the fewer things we purchase, decreases the need for us to discard our belongings
      - Abstain from the use of plastics, particularly disposables as they contribute a lot to our growing waste
    - - Reuse or re-purpose items
        
        Reuse newspapers when packing items, donating clothes to charities so others can use them
        
        reduces the amount of waste to be treated or burnt
        
        modular construction of homes and office buildings that is being created out of discarded shipping containers.
      - Old clothes that you may not like, you may alter them to your liking or change them to be use for something else
    - - Buy products made from recycled materials , buy products that can be recycled such as glass jars
      - Turn waste into raw material to be used in productions
      - E.g - Annual Clean Up South West
        
        A recycling drive that took place to raise awareness of environmental issues while introducing residents to hands-on recycling activities and sustainable zero-waste living
      - HFWYA with some people’s view that recycling is a waste of time?
        
        benefits
        
        Recycling makes use of unwanted belongings and making them useful so that we do not discard such items which reduces our waste
        
        We could do our own recycling at home
        
        Some people can create new useable paper from used paper on their own
        
        Why is recycling not the way to go?
        
        The reality is, 40% of the load collected from blue recycling bins in Singapore are tainted - these items are likely to end up in the incinerator
        
        Recycling can be ineffective in Singapore because it is often done overseas
        
        https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/recycling-does-not-change-plastic-addiction-problem-11438134
  - - - No
        
        Companies should be responsible for developing cleaner alternatives
        
        Climate change - its a conversation heavily skewered toward individual behaviour and personal choice
        
        With the mentality that if enough people boycott a company, this company would change its practices
        
        This obscures the bigger picture
        
        Our own individual actions are insufficient
        
        We are failing to ponder much more conconsequential questions about how the systems that shape our lives have led us to this point of crisis
        
        1 more item...
        
        We spend too much time worrying about our individual choices and too little demanding political changes needed to make real progress against this existential threat because we know we have more control of our own actions
        
        We end up blaming each other;s habits which is corrosive when really the people responsible should be those with the power as they’re not making the necessary changes
        
        Just 100 companies —including vast oil and gas concerns are responsible for 71% of all greenhouse gas emissions since 1988
      - Yes
        
        Air travel pollutes at an altitude
        
        Flying footprint is growing fast as more people take to the skies
        
        The sector’s climate impact could increase between three to seven times by 2050
        
        Our single biggest piece of carbon footprint
      - https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/recycling-does-not-change-plastic-addiction-problem-11438134
  - - - Petitioned for a straw-free movement as the number of plastic straws we use and discarded everyday is growing exponentially in number and this small change in our lifestyle can positively impact the environment by reducing our waste
      - https://mothership.sg/2018/09/nyc-youth-conversation-environment/
  - - - We need to change our old habits and change our lifestyle to wean-off plastics
  - - - So we can lower carbon emissions
- - - - case study-palm oil industry
        
        expected to expand and could affect 54% of threatened mammals and 64% of all threatened birds
        
        chimpanzees, tigers, elephants are a few of the critically endangered and vulnerable species
        
        palm oil industry must be properly managed as it cannot be banned
        
        government can implement laws, policies and punishments
      - consequences
        
        breakdown in the functioning of the eco-system,
        
        loss of sources of food and medicine
        
        threatens global food security
        
        displacement of species in human-animal conflicts
  - - - slash and burn agriculture
      - uncurbed and excessive demand for timber , other types of wood and palm oil as well
      - 85% of global palm oil supply comes from Indonesia and Malaysia
        
        expansion of oil palm plantation into natural area is responsible for emission of greenhouse gases
        
        contributes to regional smoke haze and water pollution
      - "Only when the last tree has died, the last river poisoned and the last fish been caught will we we realise we cannot eat money
- - - - clean land policy
        
        REDUCING AND RECYCLING OUR WASTE
        
        cut down on the amount of waste generated as we are running out of space to dispose them.
        
        MINIMISING THE VOLUME OF WASTE DISPOSED
        
        To conserve limited landfill space, we incinerate as much waste as we can to reduce the volume going to the landfill. Through incineration, we can reduce the volume by as much as 90%.
        
        moving towards a 'zero waste nation'
        
        circular economy
        
        1) better product design
        
        2) reduce buying
        
        3) repair and reuse
        
        1 more item...
        
        https://www.towardszerowaste.sg//
      - clean air policy
        
        transition to low carbon future
        
        URBAN PLANNING TO reduce POLLUTION
        
        industries are screened to ensure they do not pose un-manageable pollution problems and health and safety hazards. In addition, they have to incorporate pollution control measures to comply with NEA’s air emissions standards and regulations.
        
        REDUCE EMISSIONS FROM VEHICLES
        
        All new vehicles in Singapore have to meet minimum emission standards.
        
        ensure good air quality
    - - ‘Climate-friendly’ labels
      - Phasing out the use of high-GWP refrigerants.
- - - - But electric vehicles are only as clean as the electricity that powers them
- - - - shift or collision of these plates can have severe adverse effects
        
        lead to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.
    - - moon has a strong influence on the natural processes on earth.
        
        According to latest studies, researchers found that the moon has the potential to cause huge earthquakes
        
        https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/earthquakes-why-do-they-happen-moon-tidal-stress-nature-research-evidence-japan-a7239896.html
    - - lead to a change in the ocean temperature
      - higher probability for hurricanes or tropical storms.
  - - - increase in temperature of oceans
        
        more and stronger hurricanes and tropical storms as hurricanes get their energy from the sea water.
      - probability of droughts increases
    - - forest usually prevent floods and droughts
      - balance and hold back natural groundwater resources
- - - - Every ending is a good opportunity to grow
- - - - Feelings and reactions of those carrying out the order
        
        Humiliated
        
        Conspicuous in their bright neon yellow vests with big word ‘corrective work order’ printed on them
        
        Forced to pick litter as penalty for repeatedly littering
        
        Large crow of onlookers probably making fun of the litterbugs and gloating/laughing at their plight
        
        Usually these people wear sunglasses
        
        Hiding their faces
        
        Ashamed
        
        As the experience will allow them to reflect their wrong-doings
        
        Tinge of regret
        
        They will be able to put themselves in the shoes of the Cleaners ad hopefully understand what they have done wrong
        
        Frustrated/Furious/Upset
        
        That they have to do CWO
        
        It is a loss of face to be publicly punished
        
        Resentful
        
        That such draconian measures have been put into place to punish them
  - - - Back-breaking work as they bend to pick up litter
  - - - Draconian/Harsh consequences should be used as a last resort for recalcitrant offenders
      - Best solution is to create awareness through education
        
        Campaigns by NEA to educate people on the adverse impacts that littering has on the environment
        
        Eg Save Gaia campaign
        
        Students learn the habit of picking up their own mess
        
        Compulsory cleaning of classrooms mandated by the ministry
    - - Unfortunately the littering problem is SG is getting from bad to worse
        
        Strict punishments have to be put in place as a form of deterrent