An augury still? Top 10 busted!

Top 10 Courtesy lacking in Singaporeans

1. 'Kialang': Unflushed toilet bowl
   
   
   
2. Smoking cigarettes inconsiderately in the neighbourhood, causing a fug that diffuses into other neighbour's home




3. Kiasu I: Forcefully asking for discounts/ free gifts;even in high end deparmental stores




4. Kiasu II: Fighting for almost everything; including squeezing into MRT, limited sets of exclusive offers, and whatever.




5. Loud Music Blasting; Not only on MRT or public transports, even in flats like loud karaoke




6. Sitting on RESERVED SEAT inside the MRT; If you are at least a little kind, you will give up these reserved aka priority seats to 4 groups of people--the pregnant women, elderly, handicapped and one more.




7. Littering; yes, this is still a problem facing the citizens here. Esp when you can't see a dustbin from the 4 directions you are standing at--in NDP, IT fairs, Roadshows,etc




8. Talking Loudly in Public; too many personal things should well be your own business, so stop sharing them!




9. Not yet near the miles to service; Still, somehow the good is improving like a snail, the bad going to worst. Particularly bad to worst for the inability of Chinese immigrants to communicate with Singapore natives in simple english at all. Some do not even know how to be kind.




10. Vandalism. Stepping on and wilting the grasses, drawings on the wall, tables, chairs, playgrounds, etc.

Will this be the sign of tomorrow? Unglamourity can be changed with the efforts from everyone. You can help remind each one around you and make this city a better place.

Gasp for fresh air

The air these days haven't been getting any better. Cloudy sky which seems to be covered by clouds apparently is a thick layer of gas or smoke resulting from burning. It just gets worst in the night time. The layer of smoke will stay pretty stagnant on the skies while the wind would sweep them down onto the earth where we the human beings can smell soot or burnt, woody odour of perhaps the trees, grasses, woods and even carcasses of living things.

The quality of air in southeast asia, particularly here, has not been good. It is somehow not healthy to breathe in this air which can be cancerous-causing. At night, maybe it would be good if the windows were shut. Air con should be restricted for these periods as they are also recycled air which could contain the harmful toxic gases.

Poor air quality has of course increase the number of illness such as coughs and heatiness in the body. Sore throats are common too. One should take care of their ownself and take precautionary actions if the need arise for each individual.

The way Food can be more Green

Food and Agricultural systems account for up to 30% of every human induced global warming. Here's tips to ameliorate it!

1. Do your homework: food and drink choices to be more environmentally friendly and of course healthy! And most importantly, know what food you need to buy by listing down on a paper to prevent buying unnecessities even if it's "buy-one-get-one free". This can help to prevent overloading of your fridge and (3).

2. Eat local: You can check out how your food is produced and see how much effort they are putting in to reduce emissions. It's even smarter to buy directly from the producer! Wastes as a result of loss due to processing, storage and transportation can be reduced! Transportation via air or shipping also contribute to greenhouse gas emission accounting for 2% and 5% respectively.

3. Eat Fresh: Produce fresh and ripe contain more nutrients as compared to produce which is stored in your fridge for weeks. Storage can deteriorate quality of foods too.

4. Organic foods: more nutritious (vitamins, minerals e.g. zinc and iron), contain pheolics (thought to help prevent diseases), lesser CO2 emission of about 26% reduction (no use of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers.

5. Water is precious: world uses 200 million litres water per second to grow its food. In fact, agriculture uses 70% world's water and wastes 60% of water every year! Read the WWF's report on 'Thirsty Crops' @ www.wwf.org.uk

6. Biodynamic agriculture: a sustainable way as it is self sufficient--in compost, manures and animal feeds. a higher biodiversity than convention and organic farmed soil.

7. Online Shopping: able to track your buys and how much you buy. It saves on the emission by cars or transportation to shop for foods, though walking is also reasonably great as it exercises your body.

8. Reduce the plastic bags: 400-1000yrs to break down a bag, and what about paper bags? 4 to 6 times energy to produce them. That's why use REUSABLE fairtrade or organic cotton bag. (wash it if it's dirty), and even baskets, trolley, etc.

9. Go Unpackaged!: Stores in UK-Unpackaged-has been selling hundreds of loose products! Herbs, spices, eggs, biscuits, bread, etc--you can bring your own container then. Remember local wet market also have loose products =D

10. Create a compost: around 30% of household waste could be composted and avoided in the landfill. Around 6 months' time, natural fertilisers, mulch and soil conditioner can be obtained. Tips @ www.recyclenow.com or www.howtocompost.org

Hope you have a have a more vivid mind for selection of foods. Let's stay e-c-o.

60 Earth Hours

A symbolic iniative to fight against climate change, The Earth Hour is back this year. Till then, already 2712 cities, towns and municipalies in 83 countries have committed to support this iniative.

The objective of the Earth Hour is to reduce carbon (dioxide)emissions. And the most basic way was thought to be switching off the lights and appliances to lower consumption of electricity which in turn reduce the carbon emissions.

In real life, it's more than electricity alone. One can reduce their carbon footprints by doing alot. For instance, if everyone saves themselves from smoking cigarettes in a day, that would mean alot. What else? Share your opinion in the comment field!

The Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (+8 hr NST). Make an effort to refrain from 'negative' things you are doing usually. Think awhile before you decide on doing certain especially during Earth Hour. You may not know the ultimate result but at least you know you have done your best!

For more information --> http://www.earthhour.org/home/

"IT" 's a Litter Chaos

IT fair 2009 had come to an end. After work, I decided to go to Suntec City for the inaugural IT fair with my friend. As anticipated, there was large crowd and many people squeezing their way through the entrance and the inside was chaos...

The issue is not about the crowd. It's more than that. Littering was the biggest part of the IT fair. Wherever and whenever inside the IT fair confines, there are tonnes of rubbish littered onto the floor. And paper is a very precious thing on earth but it was treated as take-and-throw and taken for granted.

Blame it on the advertisers and participating brands who are selling their products there. Marketing department of the companies can might as well go home and sleep. It is a waste of money to distribute leaflets and brochures. Save it on the hiring of people to distribute leaflets and brochures too. With economic crisis here, that may help positively. My main emphasis would of course be keeping the environment cleaner and greener. Look yourself and imagine that elsewhere at the IT fair is even worst!



Paper may seem 'as light as a feather' but it is a powerful equipment. It shouldn't be trampled on. The IT fair's dark side is that it does not regulate the rubbish generated by the companies. IT is definitely a failure. Failure to keep the environment clean and thinking twice before they abuse the use of paper.

If there is at least a little eco-consciousness, I would suggest the IT fair organisers to get ready the recycling bins and reduce the leaflets and brochures by 2/3. No point distributing leaflets and brochures at the entrance to everyone. No need for psycho. Actually many were there to see rather than buy. IT's no need to be so 'desperate' for sales and in turn disturb the environment. Another thing is maybe companies can use less packaging or use recycled material for products on sale. Since it's on sale, as long as it is new and in excellent condition, people will buy. This is definitely a win-win situation.

How Green is SP?

Check out for updates soon on 'How Green is SP' on the next post and you shall rate it!

Deforestation

By Katie N.

Destroying the forest,

Mining,

Logging,

Using more than you need,

Not helping,

Leaving it for others,

Losing the forest,

Killing the forest,

Waiting for something to happen,

Extinction,

This is deforestation.

Deforestation is constantly happening, almost everywhere. It basically means the destroy of forest by chopping the trees off--killing the trees that is.

Consequences usually is "insidious" until one day the earth becomes sick. Deforestation has led to soil erosion, loss of natural habitats and climate changes.

Soil erosion happens because the top soil is exposed to wind and rain, and will be washed away. So trees are good friends who help to hold on to the ground with its roots, preventing soil erosion. Natural habitats including mice, rats, squirrels, birds call tree their home. By removing the giants from earth, it eventually leads to homeless creatures. You don't want to be homeless, do you? Lets show our concern for this environment, will you?

Climate change? This is a important consequence of deforestation. There will be less generation of oxygen into the atmosphere, lessening the amount of oxygen for breathing. Weathers over many years may change to hotter and hotter (no rain), which may see more deserts over the world. Why? Plants and trees act as a medium for transpiration. Trees help to transport water through an actual, vegetated body into the atmosphere. E.g. A large oak tree can transpire 40,000 gallons (151,000 liters) per year. This will help to cool the surrounding air below a certain temperature before condensation takes place. When billions of these water droplets gather together, clouds are formed. Bigger water droplets which gather together and is too heavy to float will fall as rain. This process = precipitation.

*Look, Trees help to cool the surroundings and help to reduce temperature. What if there's no trees? We should be grateful and do something!*


You can do something:

I drew something similar in pri sch and won a prize. Anyway, remember the 3Rs. We are able to do it by ourselves. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

You can also plant your own trees. Plant Propagation:

• from seed .................................chilli plant
• cuttings ......................................laksa leaves
• runners........................................grass
• dividing tubers, clumps.............gingers plant
• air layering (marcotting)...........mango tree
• growing from spores..................ferns

Try it. Makes your house cooler. Really. What a breeze.

I'm sure we won't want another Gobi Desert, Arabian desert, Sahara Desert, Majave Desert, Atacama Desert, Australian Desert or Trundra desert, right? So do what an individual can. It may be your hobby one day. Who knows?