ECO EXPRESS! 06

The offical publication of ECO Singapore http://www.eco-singapore.org

6th Issue July - September 2007

COVER STORY

Catwalk on the Wild Side Fashion as glamour goes green

Driven by conscious consumers and resplendent designers, eco-fashion is becoming increasingly synonymous with glamour.

FEATUre

- Entrepreneurs: The Environmentally Friendly Type - Our Recycling Report Card

Interview

- Vivien Tan - California Movement

CONTENTS News

3R news from around the world 03 Wildlife Asia: ‘Intl. Wildlife & Environmental’ Film Festival 2007 05 The IPPC Report: What it really means for Singapore 07

Feature

Catwalk on the Wild Side: Fashion as Glamour Goes Green 10 Our Recycling Report Card 12 Entrepreneurs: The Environmentally Friendly Type 15

Interviews

California Movement Vivien Tan

17 20

Lifestyle

Carbon Neutral Lifestyle: Carbon in our Footsteps Weekends: For Better or for Worse Green Taxis hits the Streets

22

VOLUNTEER EDITOR Ng Pak Shun VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITERS Ahalya Vijayasrinivasan Amanda Lai Bernardine Huang Charmaine Chang David Ahern Emmulin Wee Firdaus Salim Freda Yuin Ho Xiu Fen Jefferson Tan Jill Yong Justine Chan Lee Xi Xun Liao Ying Tan Jia Ni Willy Yeo Yvonne Poon VOLUNTEER DESIGNER Sharon

25 26

KNOWLEDGE CAPSULE Recycling Plastic: Did you know

Foreword...

28 EXPRESS! Newsletter is published 4 times a year by the Environment Challenge Organisation (Singapore), or ECO for short, a non-profit youth organisation registered under the Singapore Registrar of Societies.

INQBUZZ 113 Somerset Road National Youth Centre #01-02 Singapore 238165 Tel: 9147 4541 / 9147 4542 Fax: 6738 1693 Website: www.eco-singapore.org Email: news@eco-singapore.org The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore). No responsibility is accepted by the organisation or its volunteers for the accuracy of any statement, opinion, or advice contained in the text or advertisements. All materials appearing in EXPRESS! are the exclusive copyright property of the ECO. No part of EXPRESS! may be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore).

3R News From Around the World

By Justine Chan

For many years, most of us have turned a blind eye to the environmental carnage that we inflict on Mother Nature. Only in the past decades have we taken drastic steps to address this issue. The most notable action was the signing of the Kyoto Protocol by 169 countries in 2005.

Here are some initiatives from around the globe. Their common aim is to save our world one step at a time through the age-old adage of reducing, reusing and recycling (3R).

Europe: Youth Eco Parliament

The Youth Eco Parliament makes the views of students heard on a global platform. Moreover, these students are able to share their experiences of participating in environmental efforts. Through this learning journey, they are able to bring back newfound knowledge and implement more and better environmental projects in their hometowns.

In 2008, youth aged 14 to 16 from all over the world will converge in Prague for the 3rd Youth Eco Parliament. During this event, they will engage in debates on environmental issues, such as “Can we change our environment by changing our patterns of consumption?” Environmental specialists will provide feedback and advice to the students, who will subsequently write a recommendation paper.

Known as the White Paper, this recommendation paper will then be presented to authorities on environmental issues for consideration. At the 1st Youth Eco Parliament, the White Paper was presented to Josep Borrell, President of the European Parliament; Karl Heinz Florenz, President of the Environmental Commission of the European Parliament; and Stavros Dimas, the European Commissioner. http://www.eyep.info

postal code and specify the batteries. The Locator will then show me the address of the nearest battery recycling facility.

With this tool, residents would no longer be ignorant of where to recycle their waste. Also, recycling banks do not have to deal with waste that they cannot recycle. This improves recycling efforts by making it easier for the public to recycle as well as reducing the time spent sorting waste at the banks. http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page1228.aspx

The United States: Mobile phone recycling

In this age of technological revolution, new inventions become passé the next day. A prime example is the mobile phone. Though I am not a serial mobile phone changer, I have witnessed my classmate changing three different phones in a short span of a year, just to keep up with the trend of owning a 3G phone or just a pink version of the Motorola RAZR. Instead of lambasting this habit, US Recycling has taken advantage of the situation by setting up a mobile phone buyback scheme. The old phones are diverted from landfill sites and are either resold or dismantled for their parts.

Pollution is also prevented as some mobile phones contain toxic materials such as cadmium and mercury. If the phones had ended up in a landfill, these poisons could leak into the soil and pollute the surrounding environment.

This scheme is enticing for consumers as well as they profit too. Alternatively, US Recycling would send the money to a school or non-profit organisation of the consumers’ choice. http://www.usrecycleink.com/index-2.cfm

The United Kingdom: Recycling bank locator People often cite inconvenience as an excuse for not recycling. To them, it takes considerable effort to separate trash or even just using two sides of a piece of paper.

Environmental websites in the UK have consequently sprouted to address this issue.

One such website is “The Bank Locator”, which helps visitors find their nearest recycling banks. It even has an ingenious feature that allows visitors to specify what kind of waste they would like to recycle.

This is because each bank can recycle certain kinds of waste only.

For example, if I want to recycle batteries, I will simply type in my

Express! 1 Issue 5

New Zealand: Paper revolution

The age-old adage “Paper Revolution” is put to good use here in New Zealand through useful yet very commonsensical advice. For example, erasable note boards are used instead of note pads. This saves a considerable amount of paper, especially in the office.

Another initiative is the introduction of the Forest Stewardship Council certification for paper. Paper will only obtain such a certification if it is made from forests that are managed in a sustainable manner. Environmentally conscious consumers can choose to use such paper to support preservation of these forests over paper products that rely on indiscriminate logging.

It would be a boost if people were to also reuse the paper, such as writing on both sides. Then each sheet is utilised as much as possible before discarded or, better still, recycled. http://www.greenpeace.org/new-zealand/campaigns/ ancient-forests/action/reduce-reuse-recycle A few of the above initiatives are practiced in Singapore, but many are unfortunately not. However, environmental consciousness is slowly entering the mainstream Singaporean’s mind. Hopefully, this will cause our reducing, reusing and recycling efforts to pick up steam and take off as soon as possible, for the sake of our world.

Express! 2 Issue 5

Wildlife Asia

‘International Wildlife & Environmental’ Film Festival

By Tan Jia Ni and Ho Xiu Fen

Held for the very first time in Singapore, the Wildlife Asia ‘International Wildlife & Environmental’ Film Festival presented a smorgasbord of seminars, workshops and screenings specially designed to open up the minds of participants to wildlife filmmaking and nature conservation. ECO Singapore got in the action of things to bring you some of the highlights of this event.

Day 1: Opening Ceremony

On March 13, this inaugural festival kicked off with a big bang. Guest speakers included Professor Leo Tan, Chairman of National Parks Board, and Wong How Man, President of the China Exploration & Research Society (CERS). The opening ceremony at Suntec Convention Centre proved to be inspiring and definitely set the stage for the next few days to come. Executive Director of Wildlife Asia, Chris Dickinson, got the action started by extending a warm welcome to all delegates.

The opening video of the ceremony introduced Wildlife Asia and its goals. The message driven home was simple—everyone should learn to care for the environment.

Prof Leo Tan focused on the benefits of using multimedia technology, especially film, to convey messages.

However, unlike in the United States, nongovernmental organisations here often have to fight to air naturethemed films on Asian television, as many governments claim that natural landscape hampers human development. In actual fact, this is not true. Case in point: during the 2006 Boxing Day tsunami disaster, the only hotel in Phuket that remained untouched was the one situated directly behind a patch of mangrove.

The vegetation had borne the brunt of the tidal waves, thus minimising damage to the rest of the area.

Prof Tan noted that though we face space constraints locally, we have taken greats efforts in preservation. These include the major river cleanups and development of a world-class garden on reclaimed land. He recalled how a Japanese delegate once raved about the trees that line the roads in Singapore. These trees represent our resolve to create a green environment despite our limitations.

Also, as home to more than 2,300 indigenous species of animals, Singapore is small in size but big in biodiversity. Prof Tan highlighted that our efforts to preserve these creatures’

habitats have become world-renowned. Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve has become a well-known bird-watching spot and attracted visitors such as Sir David Attenborough, one of the world’s best known naturalists.

Next, a video based on conservationist Wong How Man’s work was shown. He followed this up with a speech on the importance of film in transmitting the message of wildlife conservation. In Tibet, antelopes are caught and skinned at an alarming rate, and Wong set out to protect the calving grounds where poachers often hunted. Film played a major role in alerting the rest of the world to this endangerment.

The main point he drove home: wildlife issues can be merged successfully with the mainstream media in Asia.

Day 3: Panel Discussion Green is the Colour of Money

Experts from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), WWF International, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and the Singapore Compact Society come together on Day 3 to talk about the link between money and the environment: what is our impact on the environment in economic terms?

Associate professor Euston Quah from the Division of Economics at NTU pointed out some problems that could surface due to the rapid rush towards commercialisation and industrialisation. These include waste disposal and the choice of energy sources. As Asian societies become more affluent, consumption increases.

But in land-scarce countries like Singapore, waste disposal can be a problem as the landfills are not inexhaustible.

So, alternatives like waste reduction and waste recycling must be considered. However, there is a trade-off because waste reduction would eventually lead to decreased opportunities for waste recycling. This will then affect the viability of commercial recycling programmes.

A dilemma over which energy source to tap on could also prove vexing. Due to the greenhouse gases emitted from the usage of conventional fuels, countries have increasingly begun to embrace cleaner energy sources like nuclear power. The number of nuclear power reactors in Asia is estimated to double within the next few years. However, nuclear energy can have detrimental effects if not handled correctly.

All in all, a compromise needs to be struck between the environment and the infrastructure required for commercialisation. It is important to consider both the

Express! 1 Issue 5

tangible and intangible costs in making such a decision.

Duncan Pollard from WWF explained that the idea of attaching monetary values to the environment helps to give us a better understanding of the importance of environmental services. For example, forests are crucial for providing clean water supplies. And as New York City has recognised, it is more profitable to manage these forests than to clean up water supplies artificially.

If attached with dollar values, environmental services can also prove costly, a lesson that the Argentinian tourism industry has learned. Poor forestry management caused Argentina’s international border to be blocked, resulting in the loss of around US$400 million, as tourists were unable to cross this border.

James Compton of TRAFFIC SEA then proceeded to discuss wildlife trade. With legislation in place, legal and sustainable wildlife trade can actually be extremely profitable.

Indonesia has estimated that legal trade in wildlife can possibly generate more revenue than her incumbent timber industry. However, stricter regulations are needed to deter people from engaging in illegal wildlife trade. It also requires the cooperation of the producing, re-exporting, as well as consuming countries in ensuring that regulations are adhered to.

Singapore Compact discussed other measures of protecting the environment. One way would be to encourage society to embrace the idea of corporate social responsibility.

Businesses need to recognise that their actions affect not only shareholders, but society at large, so environmental and social impacts need to be considered.

There is sound economic reasoning for protecting the environment. It is estimated that spending one percent of a nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on managing the environment would save five percent of her GDP in the future, as there would be less need to restore the environment. Unfortunately, it might prove to be an uphill task to get businesses to recognise that there are other important factors to consider beyond profits.

Day 4: Youths Speak Out!

‘Youths Speak Out!’ served as a platform for young people to voice their concerns about the environment on Day 4.

Many groups used the opportunity to present their efforts at “environmental evangelism.”

For example, the Tree Theatre Group initiated the “Tree Day” to promote awareness of the importance of trees in the environment. The group did several things to mark the occasion, like filming a video on trees that will be distributed to schools in Malaysia, composing a song to mark the occasion, and organizing relevant workshops. Hopefully, the Tree Day will be celebrated worldwide one day.

The Raffles Museum Toddycats! engages in guiding activities to help people better understand the environment. With a deeper appreciation of nature, participants might then learn to care for the environment voluntarily.

Toddycats! member, Alison, 17, felt that youths need to take the initiative to care for wildlife.

She was heartened every time she found a youth who was more interested in wildlife than mainstream fashion. Her passion for the environment was evident as she was also an avid animal rights advocator.

This youth-centric platform certainly showcased some outstanding and enthusiastic youths who care deeply for the environment. With such youths around, one cannot help but be filled with optimism. There is hope for our ailing planet!

Express! 2 Issue 5

The IPCC Report: What It Really Means For Singapore

By Kenneth Ng

Industry Smog Source: imageafter.com

The first phase of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report was released in Paris on 2 February 2007. (The remaining three phases will be released later this year.)

It focused on the physical evidence of global change. It was a bleak report filled with horrific news. Perhaps the most terrifying part was that we humans were mainly responsible for this dismal state of affairs.

It discovered that carbon dioxide was the most significant greenhouse gas to contribute to global climate change. This was due to more fossil fuel usage and land-use change. The amount of methane emissions had also increased because of greater agricultural activity and usage of fossil fuels.

From the report:“Carbon dioxide pollution spewed out this century will stoke global warming and sea-level rise for more than a millennium given the time it takes for fossil-fuel pollution to degrade. The Earth’s surface temperature could rise by 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit if carbon dioxide double over pre-industrial levels, but higher warming cannot be ruled out.”

Carbon dioxide levels are now at 380 parts per million (ppm), compared to around 290ppm before the Industrial Revolution. And the levels continue their upward escalation of between 2-3ppm

each year.

The temperature increased by 0.76 degrees Centigrade between 1850–1899 and 2001–2005. The report stated with 90 per cent certainty that this was due to greenhouse gases produced by human activity, rather than natural causes solely. Heat waves and hotter days and nights became more common, while frost and colder days and nights less so.

“If global warming trends continue, heat waves and heavy rains will become more frequent, resulting in ever-increasing climatic disasters such as droughts and floods. “ The IPCC predicted that the temperature would rise by about 0.2 degrees Centigrade per decade over the next two decades.

This also resulted in further melting of the polar ice caps, in turn making the sea level rise. On average, the global sea level rose by 1.8 millimetres per year from 1961 to 2003. More significantly, it rose faster from 1993 to 2003. Sea levels are expected to rise between

Express! Issue 5

seven and 23 inches by 2100. Such an increase will affect coastlines throughout the world.

asking for a retraction of the latter’s fallacious statements.

Impact on Singapore

Reactions to the report Any uncertainty about whether humans were responsible for climate change was removed. The evidence was there for all to see.

According to Gabriele Hegerl, associate research professor at Duke’s Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Sciences, the report gave “a very balanced view of the evidence for climate change, predictions of future change, and the remaining uncertainties, and it draws input from very large number of scientists worldwide.”

The report ought to be a sobering wake-up call for those not already aware of the effects that their actions have on the environment.

Unfortunately, it is hampered by self-serving left-wingers, capitalistic companies that are more interested in making a quick profit.

There were rumours that the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) had collected contributions from oil giant ExxonMobil, then offered the money to scholars so that they would fight against global warming legislation.

The Independent, a British newspaper, wrote that ExxonMobil was trying to bribe scientists to pick holes in the IPCC’s report. The company had also critiqued findings in a major global warming study that attributed global warming to the burning of fossil fuels.

However, the AEI replied that it did not lobby nor offer any money to scientists to question global warming. It also said that the money it paid for climate change did not even come from ExxonMobil.

ExxonMobil, on the other hand, has written to the Independent,

The key environmental problem now is global warming. With the screening of “An Inconvenient Truth” and the latest report by IPCC, interest and concern in the environment has been increasing.

“Global warming is a serious issue that could mean catastrophes in the not-so-far future, and we are clearly not doing enough to reverse it.”

In the United States, places that were once ski destinations now have little or no snow. The bulk of winter was unseasonably warm and spring arrived unreasonably early. More alarmingly, sudden ice storms and cold snaps in springtime have resulted in the ruin of California’s billion-dollar fruit harvest. And with storms dumping 30 centimetres of snow in one day, there was an almost unbelievable number of accidents caused by cars that had skidded on slippery roads.

Lulled into complacency by our balmy weather, Singaporeans may feel that such instances are simply too far-removed for us to be overly concerned about. Yet, even we must notice that the sunniest of Singapore days are becoming harder to bear. And the rains have not been acting according to their usual pattern in recent months.

At its worst, an encroaching sea, swollen by melted polar ice caps,

Climate change?

Source: morugefile.com

Express! Issue 5

could drown our little island altogether.

Hegerl said, “Information in the report will be very important to develop effective policies to address global climate change and to prepare for the change that is coming our way.” Indeed, armed with the report’s assessment of our climate’s situation, we are better equipped to plan for the future. What do we do about the news? Or rather, is there anything that we can do?

All of us can help in small ways by reducing energy consumption.

Switching off appliances when not in use is sheer common sense.

Avoiding unnecessary fuel consumption by adjusting thermostats is another given. But do any of us take heed of such pleas for environmental friendliness?

By reducing energy consumption and wastage, less fossil fuel is burned, which means less pollutants and greenhouse gases are released.

“Singaporeans can do a lot in these areas, if we do not give in to inertia. “ So the question is: are we ready to commit ourselves? E

Walk instead of driving Source: imageafter.com

What is the IPCC? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It is run by the IPCC secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, and operates under the support of WMO and UNEP, drawing on the knowledge of about 2,500 scientists globally. All members of WMO and UNEP can enter the IPCC. Governments may contribute to the IPCC trust fund to support its work. Experts from participating organisations and governments host technical support units to maintain the IPCC’s actions. However, the IPCC does not perform investigations, nor does it keep an eye on climate data.

Every year, the IPCC bureau meets two to three times and engages in helping the chair to synchronise, plan, and observe the development of the IPCC’s work.

The IPCC seeks to understand climate change as well as the crisis of the likely change that is induced by humans. It weighs the scientific features of climate change, status of knowledge, and susceptibility and adaptation of natural and socio-economic systems. In addition, it considers ways to limit greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, nitrous dioxide, and methane. It uses distributed and peer-reviewed technical or scientific literature, and publishes Technical Papers and Special Reports on self-sufficient advice and scientific information when required. Some of these reports are made public commercially.

IPCC assessment reports are released very five to six years. These provide updates on the state of knowledge on climate change. The first report was finished in 1990 and the second, “Climate Change 1995”, directed the global community to implement the Kyoto Protocol in 1997.

Express! Issue 5

Catwalk on the wild side

Fashion as glamour goes green

By Pramodh Rai

Not with jealousy of course, but with environmentally- friendly practices! What was once deemed a flash in the pan in the nineties, fashion with an environmental sense is a popular emerging subset of the fashion industry once more. Driven by conscious consumers and resplendent designers, eco-fashion is becoming increasingly synonymous with glamour. Designers are possibly adding depth to the superficial image that many consumers have about fashion.

Not that we environmentalists mind!

Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director for the United Nations Environment Programme, said, “Consumers are constantly faced with the choice of wanting to save the planet versus a hedonistic desire to buy the latest must-have brands.” (See footnote 1). The environment, however, does not have to suffer the ills of consumerism much longer.

“Just looking good is not de rigueur anymore, Earth-friendly fabrics manufactured in humane working conditions are crucial factors in both designers’ and consumers’ minds these days.”

Hence, cause celebre events like the latest fashion shows in New York and London are seeing a growing presence of environmentalism. The New York Fashion Week in February saw innovative and captivating green designs in a show of environmentally friendly fashion through the likes of well-acclaimed designers, Oscar de la Renta and Diane von Furstenberg.

Designer Katherine Hamnett also launched the ‘SAVE THE FUTURE’ T-Shirt at the London Fashion Week Esthetica Exhibition, in collaboration with Environmental Justice Foundation. The tees sold out at a furious pace and are now available for sale online. (See

footnote 2).

Joining scores of musicians with their own fashion labels is rock star Bono. However, he has carved a noble niche in the creation of Edun – “nude” spelt backwards - as he aims to build a brand that produces desirable and wearable clothing and provides employment in the developing world. Favourably ‘nude’ is the transparent production process, which shows the eco-fashion line is produced in familyrun factories in South Africa and South America, not in sweatshops.

Also, those who worry about Bono’s fashion inclinations can feel at ease. According to the celebrity, “The only demand Ali (his wife) made was that I didn’t get involved in the fashion!”

Edun’s line of clothing, with prices ranging from $60-$300, are on sale at Saks Fifth Avenue. (See footnote 3).

Fashion reporters and editors are also rightfully galvanizing attention to this latest revolution too. Vogue and W magazine’s website, Style. com, is featuring its first spring fashion guide entitled “Go Eco”. Elle has devoted sections to eco-fashion basics, while Lucire, like many others, provides consumers with a plethora of choices for conscious consumerism in fashion.

One of the pioneers of eco-fashion was designer Lynda Grose, who designed Esprit’s Ecollection in the nineties. Though the line was discarded after just a few years due to lack of popular appeal, she remains steeped in environmentally-friendly fashion. Currently, she gives lessons for the sustainable design course at California College of the Arts in San Francisco.

She encourages her students to design clothing that last longer and break down more efficiently.

Grose adds that the eco-fashion trend will eventually wane, as trends always do, “And some brands will fall away, but many more companies are committed for the long haul. The industry has gained strength and breadth.” (See footnote 4).

Photo courtesy of Storm Model Agency See footnote 2

Express! Issue 5

Indeed! Companies and brands like Nike, Levis, Adidas, Versace and Armani are already adopting the movement created by environment-conscious designers.

Their green designs are actively incorporated into various products, which are lapped up by millions of consumers around the world.

“Eco-fashion has the potential to ‘cleanse’ the fashion industry of practices that are harmful to the environment. “ As many designers are proving, the latest designs can be made of re-used, recycled or environmentally friendly materials. For example, Linda Loudermilk’s luxury eco- line features dresses made from sustainable chiffon silk and lyocell, a biodegradable fabric spun from wood pulp. And Nancy Ng, a student of sustainable fashion design at California College of the Arts, creates eco-friendly shoes made from discarded rubber and wood.

Flower hat, anyone?

Photo courtesy of: Learning and Teaching Scotland (http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/mfle/resources/ imagebank/sightseeingandviews/index.asp)

Thus, even if the re-emergence of eco-fashion does not remain ‘hip’ forever, it can leave a lasting, permanent impact nonetheless. This is because eco-fashion is so much more than a passing fad. It is a movement with the ability to effect sanguine environmental change. If this effort stays on for some time, it will change the process of manufacturing clothes. The materials used for design and production in the fashion and retail worlds would also be more attuned to the environment’s benefit. Ideally, Third World sweatshops and hegemonic trade agreements favouring the well-heeled would be minimised.

Besides fashion designers, today’s conscious consumers are also driving eco-fashion’s re-emergence. Increasing awareness about the environment has led to a growth of consumer demand

for environmentally friendly products and practices across all industries. Our purchases speak volumes about our appreciation of most issues, from AIDS to the environment. So an informed, selfrespecting fashionista would don clothes that not only flatter her physique and personality, but also the environment, wouldn’t she?

Said Loudermilk, “We aim to give eco glamour legs, a fabulous look and a slammin’ attitude that stops traffic and shouts the message: eco can be edgy, loud, fun, playful, feminine (or not) and hypercool.” (See footnote 5).

Yes, and we aim to stamp this new reality in the minds of consumers worldwide. Green fashion is glamorous! Demand it! Rejoice its triumph when it comes! E

Footnotes:1 www.youthxchange.net 2 ‘Save the future’ tees are available for sale at http://www.ejfoundation. org/page427.html.

(The tee is made of 100% organic cotton and is fairly traded.)

Modelled by: Lily Cole, Photographer: Matthew Eades.

3 http://www.saksfifthavenue.com 4 http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/ cns/2006-11-28/hopkinsecofashion/ 5 http://environment.about.com/ od/earthtalkcolumns/a/ ecofashion.htm

Photo courtesy of http://pdphoto.org/ PictureDetail.php?mat=pdef&pg=6611

Express! Issue 5

Our Recycling Report Card

By Firdaus Salim

Sustainable living in Hammarby Sjostad By: visulogik (www.flickr.com/photos/ visulogik) Some rights reserved

If global warming is a pertinent problem that the global community intends to overcome, then recycling is an imperative habit that its people must develop. In particular for our small island state, waste output has increased from 2,600 tonnes per day in 1980 to 7,700 tonnes in 1999 and 14,000 tonnes in 2006. If the trend keeps up, we will need to allocate new landfill space about the size of Sentosa every 30 years. In 2006, our total waste paper and cardboard amounted to 1,116,300 tonnes, of which 51 per cent was recycled.

Of our 656,800 tonnes of plastic waste, most of which comprised of supermarket plastic bags, only 12 per cent was recycled.

Our nation endeavours to raise its recycling rate to 60 per cent by 2012, but are we getting closer to the mark? Or will the Singapore Green Plan suffer the same ignominious fate as our infamous world cup ambitions, Goal 2010?

It takes two hands to clap Sweden is seen as a model for balancing societal needs and ecological sustainability. It is ranked top in the Science and Technology indicator in the 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index.

Hammarby, a relatively small municipality in Stockholm, is the epitome of a successful recycling program. Residents place

newspapers, vegetable waste, and other materials in portals connected to a community vacuum system. This system whisks the recyclables to a common collection point, where they are brought by trucks to recycling areas.

“The “Hammarby model”, as it is better known, is the result of a seamless fusion between excellent town planning, modern ecological architecture and a heightened sense of social responsibility among its residents.”

A 2005 SPRING Singapore report stated that its success is ensured “by educating people on the importance of recycling and ensuring they do not have to walk more than 200 metres to a recycling bin.”

One in every five blocks Singapore embarked on its recycling journey some six to seven years

Express! Issue 5

ago, and the developments have been promising. Since 2005, in true blue Singapore style, the government and its respective agencies have brought recycling centres to over 55 neighbourhoods, with a set of recycling depositories set up for every five blocks of HDB flats. This and other initiatives, such as the fortnightly door-to-door collection of recyclables by Public Waste Collectors, are the result of a national blueprint for recycling, known as the National Recycling Programme (NRP).

A substantial portion of the NRP is focused on raising the awareness among Singaporeans of the need to recycle. The schools’ outreach recycling program is one such project. This encourages environmental action and awareness towards waste minimisation and recycling.

It aims to involve schools in reaching out not only within their own communities, but also to their neighbouring residents. According to the National Environment Agency,

“some 74 per cent of schools have implemented the Recycling Corner Programme since the outreach initiative was launched in 2002.”

CThe proportion of HDB households that recycles has also gone up from 15 per cent in 2001 to 55 per cent in 2005.

The numbers certainly look promising. But as I walked around my HDB estate, it dawned on me that the tide of recycling awareness might not really be upon us. I decided to construct a hypothesis:

• • •

Recycling depositaries are located conveniently around our neighbourhoods.

There is a general increase in awareness about recycling.

Therefore, less recyclable trash should be found in a normal dustbin (at night, before it is cleared up in the morning) and more in the nearest depositary.

My observations quelled my optimism. The amount of recyclable rubbish in dustbins far exceeded that in the depositary, located only five metres away, by more than 75 per cent. If the principles of the “Hammarbay model” were to be applied, the residents in my estate would fail miserably.

But all is not lost. Altvater Jakob, a local waste management company, is trying out an initiative called the Recycling Exchange Initiative. It is offered to 154 Resident Committees (RC) in the Pasir Ris-Tampines, Bedok and Tanglin-Bukit Merah constituencies.

Under the scheme, each RC is rewarded with a microwave oven for collecting three thousand kilogrammes of recyclable materials, such as paper, metals, glass, plastics and even used clothing. If 12,000 kilogrammes are collected, it is rewarded with a digital camera. This is an example of how market forces can influence our recycling behaviours.

Opportunities as solutions If current consumption habits continue, we will need 10 incineration plants to dispose of our daily waste by 2030. Each plant will take up about seven hectares of land and cost almost $1 billion of taxpayers’ money to build.

The above forecast is in stark contrast to a finding based on the

Picture taken from bigfoto.com

Express! Issue 5

In most aspects, the recycling scene here seems to be on the right track.

Infrastructure such as recycling depositaries and other paraphernalia are in place. Environment agencies conjure up numerous recycling campaigns and programmes. Opportunities abound in this new “recycled” economy, providing the impetus for companies to jump onto the bandwagon.

Amount of Rubbish in normal rubbish bin

Amount of Rubbish in Recycling Depositary

Distance between rubbish bin and recycling station

2003 Department of Statistics Survey. This found that the annual turnover of the waste management and recycling industry in Singapore amounted to about $1 billion. This finding should encourage entrepreneurial participation to create a successful recycling program. Why lose a billion dollars when you can gain a billion dollars?

“Joint activities and a shared vision between the public and private sectors ensure that innovative schemes continue to be rolled out to encourage recycling.”

But more can be done at the societal level. The state of recycling in Singapore cannot improve without the active participation of all Singaporeans. Do not let it be the only blemish in an otherwise clean report card. E

Recycling Point Dot Com, a local recycling company, offers free personal accident insurance coverage through AXA Insurance -- just by recycling! A person covered by the scheme needs to collect a certain number of recycling points. Upon fulfilment, these points can be used to offset the insurance premium, which would otherwise have to be paid. This is an example of a successful marriage between sound economic incentives and sustainable ecological behaviour. It is also very encouraging that such an innovative scheme is available here.

In addition, recycling will be a vital part of “business process outsourcing”, alongside functions such as accounting and customer service. This is poised to grow in tandem with China and India’s insatiable appetites for consumption. More companies are expected to outsource recycling to third party specialists that have better economies of scale and expertise. Among the seven third-party companies active in Asia’s recycling arena, two are from Singapore.

Waste awaiting recycling By: gavinandrewstewart (www.flickr.com/photos/ gavinandrewstewart) Some rights reserved

Express! Issue 5

Entrepreneurs: The Environmentally Friendly Type

By Cheong Jiawen

To Chris Sukornyk, green is the obvious choice for his favourite colour. It represents the two things that drive his life: money and the environment. “I am first and foremost a technology entrepreneur,” admitted Sukornyk, “but lately, I’ve been trying to merge my passion for sustainability with my technology background.”

Sukornyk is the founder of Internet start-up firm, “BubbleShare”, a Toronto-based photo-sharing website that has been getting rave reviews from Internet users all over the world. While not related directly to environmental work, BubbleShare is special in that it is a “carbon-neutral” company. It achieves this by making the extra effort to ensure all its power comes from non-fossil fuel sources, and by investing a portion of its profits into carbon credits and other environmental initiatives.

As Sukornyk is proud to proclaim, “BubbleShare is a working example to prove that a company can be both profitable and friendly to the environment. In fact, being conscious about our waste and power usage has streamlined our processes, making them more efficient and cutting costs.”

Sukornyk is but one of a growing number of eco-entrepreneurs.

Young, resourceful, and anxious to change the Or for the environment?

Source: bigfoto.com world, this new breed of environmentalists have turned their backs on the violence of Green Peace and the naggy urgings of white-haired journalists.

“Why ask everyone else to do something for the world,” asked Shea Gunther, a self-proclaimed eco-entrepreneur, “when you could be doing it yourself?”

These eco-entrepreneurs have breathed new life into the environmentalism cause. Despite the daily bombardment of doomsday For profit? predictions from the media, Source: morguefile.com not enough of us are standing up to do anything about it. Governments are still making excuses, companies are still guzzling oil, and people are still leaving their showers on while they soap. Eco-entrepreneurs act as a catalyst of sorts. The innovations they create make it easier for consumers to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle. Also, the economic and political clouts they control are forcing big corporations and governments to turn away from the dark side and into the green.

Ultimately, society moves a step closer as a whole towards sustainable development.

Some of these innovations contribute to the environment directly. A company in Thailand, for instance, has invented a creative water sprinkler system for houses that need to be cooled. It works by keeping the house walls moist constantly. On a hot day, it is able to cool the indoor temperature by up to four degrees Celsius. For the residents, that translates to more comfortable afternoons, and tremendous savings on the air-conditioning bill. For the rest of us, it means much less carbon dioxide is spewed into the atmosphere.

Other innovations help the environment in other ways. Gunther’s Green Options does not sell any tangible product. Instead, it acts as an “online hub for all things green”. Like a green Amazon.com, it allows its users to purchase environmentally friendly goods and services easily.

Express! Issue 5

This is forcing larger companies to adapt to consumers’ new priorities. General Motors and Toyota, for instance, have an arms race of sorts: to create the most fuel-efficient hybrid car for the next generation. Both companies have noted that whoever succeeds could be the dominant automobile manufacturer of the future.

In addition, oil companies are quick to publicise their green initiatives to make them seem less of a villain to the eyes of the public. Eco-entrepreneurs are also collaborating with big firms on a number of green projects. One such project is the Solar Dicathlon, where teams compete to create efficient and habitable homes that are completely power-independent.

On another front, eco-entrepreneurs have influenced government policies heavily around the world. Japan, for instance, has supported eco-entrepreneurship actively for many years. This has enabled it to be the only nation that is still on track to meeting its Kyoto Protocol targets. In Europe, start-ups that demonstrate environmentally friendly practices can receive tax rebates. And in the United States, alternative fuel sources have become very popular, with the number of wind farms quadrupling since 2000. Eco-entrepreneurs have also cashed in on the green craze by selling carbon credits to various companies, allowing the latter to meet their environmental targets.

Will you be an eco-entrepreneur?

Source: AAAClipArt.com

“These eco-entrepreneurs have also helped to make green the new “bling”. It is now hip to be an environmentalist. “

But perhaps the most significant function of eco-entrepreneurs is that they are role models for the next generation. They are dynamic, resourceful individuals who have taken it upon themselves to save the world. More importantly, they walk their talk.

Sukornyk, for instance, made a pledge to be completely carbonneutral by 2006. As he said, “I’ve come to realise that the ‘next generation who pays for the sins’ is actually my generation. So if I’m not going to do something about it, who will?” Wise words from a young man. E

To when the ‘green’ car?

Source: morguefile.com

Express! Issue 5

California movement

By R.Meenakshi Sundaram

“Small drops make a big ocean.” One of the classic examples of this trite maxim is the California movement. Started by a mere 10 people in 2006, its challenge is to abstain from buying new products, or in simple words, to adopt reusable methods. Today they have dedicated groups working in each and every part of the United States and Europe. This extraordinary Compact is the best paragon for those who want to save Mother Earth but are annoyed by the thought, “What difference can I make when there are millions of others out there who just don’t care about the environment?”

Recently, we caught up with one of the core members, Ms. Rachel Kesel, to learn more about the group and how they make their small deeds count.

How and when did you start this movement?

The Compact began on 1 January 2006 among 10 friends in San Francisco over a dinner conversation on the limitations of recycling.

You still can’t recycle a lot of the things that you buy. But I should point out: I was not at this dinner! By April, we had some media attention, which attracted around 2,500 members to join us. The second round of media attention began in early December, bringing a further 5,500 members by March 2007. Now we have about 8,100 people registered in our Yahoo Group.

Source: morguefile.com

What are the objectives of your Compact?

The Compact began as a challenge among friends – to abstain from buying new products (except food, health and safety items, and underwear and socks) for all of 2006. We also agreed to get rid of objects we didn’t use or need, and to shop locally when it was necessary to buy something, like food.

We have so many other acute environmental problems like pollution, ozone depletion, and extinction of plants and animals.

Do you think that this one measure of reusing things will tackle these problems effectively?

By reducing our consumption, we impact all the environmental problems mentioned. A product, say a microwave from a Wal-Mart, has its own environmental impact.

To build the product, oil, copper and rubber are extracted, which can contribute to habitat loss and pollution. Also, consider whose land these products were harvested from and who receives the profits from the sale of the resources. Are they equitably distributed among the population from which the resource was taken? Is there an environmental impact that the local community must now address?

Next, the raw materials are shipped to a factory, which likely

Express! Issue 5

If we want all the lovely people on this planet to achieve the standard of living that the average American enjoys, then we will need four more planet Earths. (E.O. Wilson. 2002. The Future of Life, page 150).

Those who are over-consuming need to consider the impact this has on the majority of people and life on our little planet.

Source: bigfoto.com

causes carbon emissions. Then the product is generated, creating more emissions and possible pollution. After this, the microwave is shipped for sale, again causing carbon emissions. Next Wal-Mart markets this product, using materials like paper and electricity, to convince people to buy. And the microwave is packaged in a cardboard box, buffered by Styrofoam and almost certainly wrapped in a plastic bag. Again there are extraction issues, as well as forest habitat loss.

Then someone buys the microwave, drives home and uses it for a few years before deciding to get a better one. This is tossed into a landfill, again with habitat loss. This is where we come in. Why should we buy a new microwave when we can find a used one?

Why do we constantly replace items that still work, but maybe don’t fit our decorating scheme anymore?

Within the Compact, we encourage people to really think about their needs and the impact their consumption of material goods can have.

You ask people to be non-materialistic and reuse things.

Won’t this create economic problems for manufacturers?

The environmental problems that manufacturers face are much more pressing! Resource loss is a huge problem. Many of our industries are entirely unsustainable and will eventually run themselves out of business by destroying the very resources on which they depend on.

“Our current economic model does not account for the environmental cost of goods.

As we mitigate the impact of industries and over-consumption, we’re chasing our tails trying to fix their associated problems with technology.”

There are economic analyses that support charging companies for ecosystem services. This would raise the prices of goods, making their consumption less likely. I’m no economist, but I see a lot of room in the economy for a recycled goods market. Transition will not be easy. But neither will environmental collapse!

What are the disadvantages or sacrifices that you had to go through for such a lifestyle?

I don’t feel disadvantaged by the Compact. I’m amazed at how much used stuff I can find, and how much I simply don’t need to buy.

When you look at other people leading a normal lifestyle, do you feel you’re missing out?

Are you saying I’m not normal? Just kidding. I don’t feel like I’m missing something in my life when I talk to friends who are prolific consumers. But sometimes I feel distanced from mainstream society.

I can’t really relate to people who are talking about TV, video games or cars. Sometimes I think the folks I see out shopping, or the pop culture junkies, are the ones missing something!

What was it like adapting to this new ‘lifestyle’ initially?

When I started the Compact, it was a bit nerve racking. I was looking for items on Craigslist (a centralised network of online urban communities, featuring free classified advertisements and forums sorted by various topics). I was worried about sticking it out for a year. But the anxiety faded with time.

How effective is reusing when compared to recycling?

We have that saying: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. That’s the order it should be considered too. Re-using goods has a far greater impact than recycling, notably in terms of energy.

Let’s take paper. I print on paper that has already been used on one side. If I re-use it instead of printing on new, recycled paper, then I’ve given that paper twice as much use as it would have gotten.

If all paper were used to their full utility, we’d have half as much to recycle.

Recycling is often expensive in terms of electricity and water usage.

And there’re also shipping considerations, again with carbon emissions.

One of your aims is to support local businesses and farms to reduce clutter at home. How are these measure relevant to environmental protection?

By shopping locally, we reduce the amount of shipping required to bring food and other necessities to us. We also retain more control over how our money is spent by shopping with small businesses.

Express! Issue 5

adult consumers, who have more money to spend. Rise above all of that. If you want to reduce your consumption, you can make that as cool and expressive as you choose. How can a mass-produced tracksuit express your individuality? Engage your friends in environmental issues and reject the push to buy a bunch of crap that you don’t need.

Source: bigfoto.com

By reducing clutter in our homes, we’re able to get some goods out to people who will use them. For example, my house had a television set that we didn’t use, so last year we gave it away. Now someone’s using it instead of buying a new one!

”Your stuff does not make you who you are. The words you say and write, thoughts you think, pictures you draw, and moves that you dance, and distances that you run make you who you are! “ Consumption sucks up your income and your time. Use your money and especially your time for education, art, music, and community. E

Consumerism is not a serious issue in most parts of the world since they are developing or underdeveloped countries. Instead governments want to expand their economies and encourage people to buy. Are your ideas relevant in such countries?

I think the problems with over-consumption should be discussed everywhere. There are wealthy people everywhere and they tend to be the over-consumers. Most Americans, Australians and Europeans happen to be wealthy on a world standard, and I do think that’s where the Compact is most relevant.

You’ve gathered great support from all over the world!

How did this movement become so popular?

We received quite a lot of media attention, particularly during last Christmas. I think folks get really annoyed with all of the consumption around that holiday and they feel trapped in it. And frankly, there are a lot of people out there who care about this planet and already live like this. A lot of those folks want to connect with like-minded people, to share ideas and talk about their motivations!

Youths today are the most materialistic! Do they follow your suggestions and ideas? How many members of your group are youths?

I was the youngest of the original 10. I was 25 when I started this. I’d guess youths make up only about 15 per cent of our members. I’ve been encouraged by some of the young people who have come into the Compact. But as a 20-something, I’m a bit disappointed by how easily most youths can be ensnared by consumerism.

What advice do you have for youths who may want to follow you?

Advertising preys on young people, grooming them to become

Express! Issue 5

According to Rachel, “I’m not in the picture but the folks you see are giving juggling lessons while the other side of the room was sharing their excess stuff. It’s an alternative to shopping that I attend once a month.”

Photo courtesy of Rachel Kesel

Find out more about Rachel and her Compact at http://sfcompact.blogspot.com or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thecompact/

Vivien Tan: A Model Example

By Felix Siew

You probably recognise her as a model in magazines, a television presenter, or even a radio deejay. But while Vivien Tan plays many roles in the public eye, she has one other important role – a serious crusader for environmental issues. We caught up with this busy local personality to find out how she strives to live a ‘green’ life.

What are you most worried about, environmentallyspeaking? Global warming? Rising sea levels? Unnecessary wastage? The state of recycling?

I see all these issues as interconnected. I don’t have a particular concern for just one, but all of them! So I try to incorporate my concern for the environment into actions in my everyday life.

Can you give some examples of the environmentally friendly practices you have adopted?

I understand you enjoy working in your garden too. Do you have any ‘green’ tips for us there?

Well, I use biological deterrents for my pond and garden – I have fish that eat mosquito larvae! I also use the residue from my juice extractor as a form of compost for my garden.

And after having tea, I bury my used teabag leaves into the soil of my potted plants.

Many Singapore households use quite a lot of water. How do you save water at home?

I think it just takes a little common sense. For example, when brushing my teeth, I don’t leave the tap running; instead, I use a mug. When I’m showering, I turn off the water while I soap and scrub up. I turn the water on only when I need to rinse off the soap. I only water my outdoor plants when it hasn’t rained for some time.

And I wait until I’ve a full load of dirty laundry before I use my washing machine. Otherwise, it’ll only be a waste of water and electricity!

Thanks for these great pointers!

Do you influence your friends and family actively to adopt these practices too?

Many such practices have been easily incorporated into my normal everyday routine, and they’re simple things anyone can do!

For example, when I’m leaving a room, I make it a point to switch off the lights to save electricity.

And when cleaning my house, I avoid unnecessary chemicals like fabric softeners.

But when I need to, I use diluted Clorox to keep my benches and bathrooms clean. After opening presents, I keep the pieces of wrapping paper and ribbons to reuse on new gifts for my friends and family!

Yes, I believe in leading by example… and suggestion, so I ‘threaten’ them, “Do it or else!” (Laughs) No, I’m joking.

My family is really on the eco track – they’re educated, aware and responsible.

They do their part as best as they can during everyday activities.

You’ve travelled across Asia and met many different people and corporations. Who has left the strongest impression on you with regards to the work he or she has done to help the environment?

When I’m shopping for groceries in the supermarket, I avoid buying overly packaged foods, for instance, biscuits that are individually wrapped. I feel that that is an unnecessary waste of resources! As much as possible, I use public transport to get around. And, of course, I sort out my trash and recycle my tins, plastics, glass, paper and polystyrene waste.

I’ve met many great people and organisations that share my passion for ‘green’ causes.

Some of them include: - Tokio Marine Asia Group has a neutral policy where they’re attempting to counteract their own carbon emissions by planting mangroves in Asia. In addition to replacing a lost ecosystem, their action may also save human lives because these mangrove trees act as a natural barrier against rising waters in the event of another tsunami.

Express! 1 Issue 5

- Timberland, as a corporate entity, has taken up an environmental initiative. Its goal is to plant one million trees in an area in Tibet, where the land is being eroded as a result of deforestation and drought.

- There’s a resort in Palawan, the Philippines, called El Nido. It is run by the Ten Knots Foundation. It is committed to preserving, conserving and renewing the marine environment of the region. The hotel’s policy is to minimise any environmental damage; their dive masters and crew ensure guests keep the marine environment pristine and untouched. And the residents of the nearby town are educated to understand the importance of protecting the marine environment that they live in.

known individuals who are doing the same now, making a difference! I think we can all make a difference.

Start in your own sphere: where you are, where you work and where you live! Encourage your friends and family by setting a good example. If every person could act responsibly, then together, we’ll have a cumulative effort to change the state of the world. After all, we’re responsible for this world we live in. We should accept this responsibility and try to reduce, reuse and recycle.

- Mr. Vicente Madrigal “Bu” Warns from Calatagan, the Philippines, has taken the initiative and responsibility to renew the marine environment by rebuilding a reef that has been destroyed by dynamite fishing.

He has already placed 16 giant pyramids underwater for the coral to grow on. His foundation has also replanted mangroves and reforested land.

Do you think youths today are becoming more aware of environmental issues?

Unfortunately it seems that the youth of today are too heavily influenced by the entertainment industry and far too dependent on technologies like their handphones, television and computers. It’s unfortunate that society seems to be going further and further away from the natural world and becoming more and more dominated by television and entertainment. I feel that people are spending more time with their electronic devices rather than quality time with friends and family or simply enjoying the beauty of the natural world. So my hope is that we can better use technology like television to encourage more people to understand and be aware of the real and actual state of the environment.

Some youths say being environmentally friendly is a lost cause or a waste of time. What would you say to them?

I’d like to gather them together and parachute them into a huge landfill or dump site, so they can see first-hand that this is not a waste of time, but rather good waste management! (Laughs) But seriously, everyone should be aware that this isn’t a problem that will go away. We all need to take responsibility for the environment and stop being in denial. In fact, the problem is so massive that one can often feel inadequate and miniscule!

Well, what would you say to youths who are concerned but feel helpless to effect change?

The problem often seems too great to be solved and too difficult to manage because it’s a global situation that involves many companies, industries and governments. But we should not feel helpless nor be discouraged. Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Theresa were both individuals who made a huge global difference in the causes of humanity, poverty and peace. And there’re thousands of lesser-

Finally, do you have anything to share with our readers about the environment?

I understand that it’s not necessarily easy to ‘put oneself in the position of others’, and to empathise with people you don’t know and who live in places you’ve not seen.

But empathy is one particular ability that makes us human!

It’s also hard to assume responsibility because that comes with accountability for the things you have done and not done.

But I view countries that take on (environmental) responsibility as a sign that its people are emotionally developed. These countries understand the need to create sustainable industries, work towards a zero-waste environment, and educate and nurture their populations to care for their world. Ultimately, collective understanding and action are most needed today!

Express! 2 Issue 5

Carbon Neutral lifestyle:

Carbon in Our Footsteps

By Yvonne Poon

We have tried to do our bit for the environment in our own ways -- switching off the lights when we don’t need them, climbing stairs instead of taking the lift whenever possible, even shelling out additional thousands of dollars for a car that claims to produce less carbon emission.

After doing all these things, we feel the glow of selfsatisfaction that tells us, ”Yes, you have done your part for the environment, good for you.” Perhaps we may even go so far as to assume an air of quiet superiority, because we think that we are much more environmentally conscious than those around us.

While a pleasant thought, these actions are, unfortunately, exactly what they sound like: too good to be true. Do they actually reduce a significant amount of your carbon emission? In fact, can they even go so far as to eliminate all of your emissions?

The problem is that the bulk of our carbon emissions come from sources that we are powerless to affect or control. The obvious sources are right in front of us, like vehicles and fossil fuel power generators. These release tonnes of carbon gases into the atmosphere.

The not-so-obvious sources? The clothes you wear. The shoes you run in. Even the food you eat.

You might be wondering: how do clothes and food result in carbon emissions? No apparent connection seems to link these disparate items together. However, the links are there, and perhaps more direct than you would think.

For example, certain foods are grown on land that was cleared by slash-and-burn farming methods. Thus, their production necessarily required releasing large amounts of carbon gases during the land clearance.

Source: morguefile.com

Similarly, the links between carbon emissions and clothes or footwear are apparent after some thought. In this industrialised age, factories produce many goods that we use.

Climbing stairs vs. Taking lifts – what would you do for the environment?

Picture courtesy of Yvonne Poon

And what powers these factories today?

Bingo: fossil fuel combustion.

Then we have to account for the environmental costs of goods transportation, especially if their countries of origin are geographically distant from their destinations.

As a result, that pair of shoes, which you just slipped into, could be responsible for more carbon emissions than you will save in a month of climbing staircases.

“In the end, it is really more or less an issue of half-knowledge, even on the parts of those most zealous about environmental conservation. That might be the greatest impediment to the progress of green efforts today.”

Express! Issue 5

The axiom is true: out of sight, out of mind. However, factories in remote countries continue to belch out tonnes of carbon gases. We cannot afford to ignore them even as we enjoy the material comforts that they produce.

Carbon emissions are, frankly, one of the largest contributors to global warming because carbon dioxide is the principal greenhouse gas. According to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning accounts for two-thirds of the human-caused greenhouse effect.

We know the impacts of increasing temperatures on the world. However, cushioned in the warmth of Singapore’s balmy weather, too many of us may be far too complacent for comfort.

Ours is a world-based ecosystem. For now, Singapore enjoys friendly weathers and lacks the terrors that grip other regions -- storms, floods, hurricanes, ice snaps. But that does not mean it will always be that way.

“Our world is in a fragile balance and tipping one scale too much will affect all of us sooner or later.”

So what’s to be done?

Efforts have been underway to improve the situation, but these are often misguided despite their best intentions. We are eager to jump on the bandwagon of

conservation, but that may have impeded our progress because we lack proper research and information beforehand.

The example of British Airways (BA) is pertinent. In a bid to showcase its environmentally friendly policies, the airline implemented a carbon-offset programme.

Reportedly, the airline would seek to plant trees after each flight, in order to neutralise the carbon emissions released in that journey.

On BA’s website, however, there is little to indicate that this programme exists. Without prior knowledge of how to locate the relevant page (type ‘climate care’ into the search engine), visitors would be hard-pressed to discover anything related to this programme at all.

The only item the above search churned up was, incidentally, an all too short question-and-answer segment. It stated only that BA customers could donate to the airline’s carbon offset fund. This would in turn be used to fund the efforts of Climate Care, an organisation purportedly dedicated to carbon-offset efforts.

Unfortunately, a lot was missing from this page. How about information on what the organisation would do specifically? How much carbon emissions would be neutralised with each attempt? What other projects, accolades or certification does this organisation have to its name? How has BA conceptualised this plan and what is its purpose for doing so?

What about the controversy over carbon offsets in the first place: that they are little more than ‘licenses to pollute’? Given so little information, would customers still be willing to pay blindly to offset their carbon emissions?

Yes, the “big boys” are chipping in and doing their bit for environmental conservation. Still, it is apparent that we have a long way to go before these efforts are truly brought to fruition.

So, it seems that even the big companies are floundering and, frankly, a bit lost when it comes to environmental conservation. What then can we do as individuals?

By reducing air pollution, we can certainly have more of such blue skies! Picture courtesy of Yvonne Poon

Common sense dictates that we should continue to switch off appliances when they’re not in use, use both sides of every piece of paper before (hopefully) recycling it, and walk instead of drive where possible. We can also buy locally produced goods instead of imported ones, so as to lessen our guilt of causing indirect carbon emissions.

Express! Issue 5

Are we happy with the smog that we have to live with due to excessive fossil fuel burning? Picture courtesy of Yvonne Poon

With more thought and willingness to sacrifice some luxury, we may also skip flying to other countries when we can do the same activities in our own countries. Then we don’t even need carbon offsets to neutralise the effects of our flights.

Yes, our small efforts to reduce our carbon footprint have only a small impact on the copious amounts of emissions that we produce unknowingly. The big companies like BA also need to shape up to significantly influence carbon emission production, Until then, it is unlikely that our monetary contributions will be able to achieve their maximum impact -- if, of course, they are even coaxed

out of us in the first place. Nevertheless, we can’t give up just because too much is out of our hands together.

“Every little bit we can reduce our carbon footprint counts.”

However, in addition to personal discipline, we must also start demanding that big companies pull their weight to walk their talk of environmental protection, before it’s too late for anything to be done for the sake of our next generations. E

Source: morguefile.com

Express! Issue 5

Weekends: For Better or for Worse

By Tan Jia Ni and Ho Xiu Fen

So it’s the end of yet another busy week. By the time Friday swings around, one cannot help but look forward to the weekend with much enthusiasm and relief. Shopping and dining with friends, making a quick weekend getaway…

But wait! Step back to consider the impact of your activities on the environment. It needs rest and relaxation just as much as you!

How do you spend your weekends typically? Be it picnicking by the beach or living it up in the city, your choice of activity can affect our nature greatly. If you think it does not concern you, think again. What we enjoy now may no longer be feasible in future if we do not protect our environment.

Here’s a typical Singaporean’s activity list on a lazy (or not so lazy for some) weekend:

Sports For the adventurous or those who just want to let it all out.

Well, it all boils down to what sort of activity you engage in. The fit and healthy normally choose to sweat it out by cycling, jogging, or indulging in sea sports.

Water sports like windsurfing and sailing make use of the natural force of the wind to push you forward. Such activities are certainly healthy in the environmental sense.

A hike up Bukit Timah Hill or a cycling trip around Pulau Ubin is non-detrimental provided you take nothing but photographs and leave nothing but footprints.

In contrast, activities such as recreational biking emit a lot of smoke and dust, which affect the environment negatively.

Relaxation For the couch potatoes and those who like some peace and quiet.

One of Singaporeans’ favourite kind of recreation involves watching television. Lounging on the couch and enjoying your favourite programme may appear to be a very personal hobby. However, upon closer inspection, this activity consumes a lot of electricity, more so if you use the air-conditioner as well.Instead of being such a recluse, why not head down to the cinema instead? There, resources are spread over a larger number of people, so this can be deemed as more efficient. Or simply ditch the goggle box and spend a quiet afternoon reading at the library.

Dining and Revelry The partygoers’ staple.

A simple activity like dining at restaurants with friends is part and parcel of the social butterfly’s weekend. In addition, it can also benefit the environment if you choose the right dishes. Going vegetarian may allow more people to be supported by the Earth’s natural resources. As an omnivore (or self-professed carnivores for some), you need more food further down the food chain, due to the inefficiency of energy conversion from meat consumption.

Hence, consuming more vegetables and less meat in social events amounts to doing the environment a big favour.

Bonding with friends can be done easily over any type of food, so consider going green (not literally, of course!) the next time you eat out.

Heading downtown to where the action is? Car pool with your friends! This greatly reduces the pollution emitted by cars per head.

It would be useful to note that activities like home parties may be more detrimental to the environment than dining out. This is often due to the excessive use of disposable utensils and napkins. These waste resources and hence put unnecessary strain on the environment.

Shopping Retail therapy, anyone?

The next time you buy that pretty pair of shoes or dress, see if you can cram all your purchases into one big bag! By doing so, you save resources while also reducing the hassle of carrying so many bags.

The more leisurely folks would rather spend their weekends doing things that calm the mind. Fishing is one such popular choice. Unfortunately, it can upset the ecological food chains if we overfish or if we fish in prohibited areas.

Also, look out for stores that provide reusable cloth bags!

Here’s to helping you make a more informed choice for your weekend activity! Remember: what you do affects the environment in more ways than one!

Opt for a picnic instead. When was the last time you had one? You can enjoy what nature has to offer without removing anything from it.

Express! 1 Issue 5

Green taxis hit the streets!

By Samantha Kwah

with economies of scale, when more of such taxis are available, average maintenance cost should go down, so the fare increase may not even be needed.

But, cost comes with quality. When asked for comments about the CNG taxis, taxi driver Neo Teck Leng said, “Pick up is smooth, engine is quiet.” In addition, natural gas is a clean fuel, so CNG taxis – and all such vehicles – emit negligible amounts of particulates and pollutants. In the long term, these benefits will definitely surpass any disadvantages.

Caption - Align Left Bottom

Singapore Central Business District Source: bigfoto.com

With more environmentally enthusiastic youths and organisations mushrooming in Singapore, there is no doubt that CNG vehicles will gain immense popularity in the near future.

What can we look forward to next? CNG planes?

For those who don’t know what CNG is all about, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is an environmentally cleaner fuel than petrol or diesel manufactured by compressing methane (CH4) extracted from natural gas.

2004 saw an alarming 727,395 public transport vehicles on the road, a 18.9 per cent increase over the last decade. These accounted for 19 per cent of total vehicular emissions in Singapore. Clearly, there was a need to bring about environmental changes while continuing to meet the transportation needs of modern Singaporeans.

One thing is for sure: efforts are now louder, bolder and more innovative than previous campaigns. The government has stepped up to the challenge and worked side by side with both private and public environmental organisations to chart ways of improving the situation.

One of these was to promote the use of green vehicles. The then Ministry of Environment sought new ideas, resulting in successful partnerships with the 3P sectors (Public, Private and People).

Together, they introduced the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Bus and CNG Taxi Pilot Projects on 22 April 2002.

Now, there is one CNG refuelling station run by SembGas on Jurong Island that caters to 104 CNG taxis and 12 CNG buses (Statistics courtesy of LTA and NEA). However, CNG taxis need to be refuelled twice a day. Also, CNG taxis cost more to rent than regular ones, so an extra 20 cents is charged per trip (though even this may be insufficient to cover the rental, as some commuters like Ang Li Liang and Lai Yew Chan revealed in letters to The Straits Times). Moreover, since there is no obvious negative pollution, the higher fares will therefore perceived as unreasonable.

Argentina and Brazil have the largest fleets of CNG vehicles in the world. Conversion has been facilitated by a substantial price differential with liquid fuels, locally-produced conversion equipment and a growing CNG-delivery infrastructure. A ‘Bluenetwork’ of CNG stations is being developed on the major highways of South America to facilitate long-haul transportation fuelled by CNG. In response to high fuel prices and environmental concerns, compressed natural gas is starting to be used in light-duty passenger vehicles and pickup trucks, meium-duty delivery trucks, and in transit and school buses. E Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compressed_natural_gas

In response, local taxi operator, SMART, plans to set up two to three refuelling stations under the National Environment Agency’s innovation grant to mitigate the inconvenience caused. Even so, Express! Issue 5

Source: morguefile.com

Recycling plastic

Q & A / Did you know?

By Emmulin Wee and Freda Yuin

Q&A

In a nutshell, Designated number

Since there are many different types of plastics, is there a difference in the way we recycle plastics?

You may have noticed that some containers and bottles are stamped with a string of numbers at the bottom. One of these is a single-digit number, ranging from one to seven, surrounded by a triangle of arrows. It was designed by The Society of the Plastic Industry to help consumers and recyclers differentiate among various types of plastics.

The most common types of plastic to be recycled would be scripted with “1”. These are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and products include water bottles and containers. After the recycling process, PETE can become fiberfill for winter coats, sleeping bags and life jackets. It can also be used to make bean bags, rope, car bumpers, tennis ball felt, combs, sails for boats, furniture and, of course, other plastic bottles.

Number “2” is for high-density polyethylene plastics, which include heavier containers that hold liquids. Examples of these are our detergent and shampoo containers at home. Their afterlives include toys, piping, plastic lumber and rope. Like plastic products designated number “1”, number “2” plastics are widely accepted at recycling centres.

Another useful plastic to recycle is number “6”, which is polystyrene or more commonly known in Singapore as Styrofoam. Items in this category, such as coffee cups and disposable cutlery, can be reprocessed into many items, including cassette tapes and rigid foam insulation.

The less commonly recycled plastics include polyvinyl chloride “3” and low-density polyethylene “4”. The former is used in shower curtains and some baby bottle nipples, while the latter is used in grocery and sandwich bags. Plastics numbered “5” include polypropylene containers used in Tupperware. These plastics are not commonly recycled due to their low recycling rates.

Perhaps the hardest plastic to recycle is “7”. Sometimes, this is not even scripted at all. These are items crafted from various combinations of the aforementioned plastics or from unique plastic formulations that are not commonly used.

Source: morguefile.com

Types of plastics

Examples

polyethylene terephthalate (PETE)

Waterbottles, containers

high-density polyethylene

Detergent and shampoo containers at home

polyvinyl chloride

Shower curtains, baby bottle nipples

l o w - d e n s i t y polyethylene

Grocery and sandwich bags

polypropylene

Tupperware

Polystyrene/ Styrofoam

various combinations of plastics

Coffee

cups, disposable cutlery

Not commonly used

Source: http://environment.about.com/od/ear thtalkcolumns/a/ recycleplastics.htm

If using paper bags for grocery purchases is just as bad as using plastic, what is the best alternative to get my groceries home?

According to the National Environment Agency, Singaporeans use about 2.5 billion plastic bags a year for bagging their purchases. This is an average of 2,500 bags per family, per year.

These plastic bags amount to 19,000 tonnes, or 0.8 percent, of the total waste disposed of in Singapore annually.

Many of these plastic bags end up in drains, which may be a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes. With health problems like dengue fever on the rise, we should do our part to minimise plastic waste. One way is to replace plastic and paper bags with reusable bags.

Express! Issue 5

Picture courtesy of http://www.easy.com.au/newbound/0-exquisite%20reusable%20fabric%20bags.jpg

Reusable bags are made from materials that do not harm the environment during production. And just like its name implies, they can be reused after purchases. Singaporeans have a misconception that reusable bags are “unpretty” and costly but that is not the case. Reusable bags come in different designs and prints and cost about a dollar. Some are given free (with a minimum purchase) at participating retail stores like Carrefour and Giant.

Alternatively, you can get them online in attractive designs.

Just visit www.reusablebags.com to be convinced. Perhaps you can start the ball rolling by getting one. Apart from being environmentally friendly, you may also be the fashion trendsetter. In addition, with increased demand for reusable bags, manufacturers could look into producing more attractive bags.

on types of plastics) present the challenge of separating them from other plastics, in addition to their own many variations. Due to the difficulties in sorting and reprocessing these containers, few are recycled.

Because of this, alternatives containers are being developed. One of these is a corn-based plastic called polylactic acid. It functions as well as the polypropylene containers and is fully biodegradable due to its plant-based derivation. However, the process may be lengthy and its use is widely debated.

Nonetheless, some retail companies in the United States are already using the corn-based plastic for packaging. However, it has yet to replace heat-resistant polypropylene, though researchers anticipate that such plant-based alternatives will be made stronger with time. E

Reusable plastic bags are also kinder to hands and fingers compared to plastic bags. This is because they are designed for the purpose of carrying and can hold twice the weight of plastic bags. They can be strapped over your shoulders, leaving both hands free. Most rewarding of all, apart from being attractive and affordable, they can be washed and will last for years.

Source:http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=2692

We have seen recycled papers and eco-friendly bags. Are there any eco-friendly containers available? Especially when hawkers in Singapore are using more containers now than previously.

Hawkers, or rather, food sellers are increasingly replacing transparent plastics with polypropylene. With their higher melting points and resistance to oil and chemicals, these are attractive solutions for packing hot food. These number “5” plastics (see earlier question Express! Issue 5

Source: morguefile.com

Did you know?

Excessive intake of sugar not only does us harm, but hurts Mother Nature as well. It may not be talked about as much as other environmental issues, such as global warming. But just as over-consumption of fossil fuels leads to problems, excessive consumption of sugar results in pressing environment issues, such as:• erosion, • shrinking animal habitats, • creation of infertile land masses, • pollution, and • water depletion.

Picture courtesy of http://itu107.ut.tu-berlin.de/wrh/ persons/gunkel/Erosion.jpg

The cultivation of sugar plantations requires a large amount of land, water and industrial chemicals to maintain. Forest clearing for the cultivation of sugar causes erosion and reduces animal habitats.

Additionally, sugar cultivators, in their bid to increase profits and yield, tend to overwork the land, which then becomes barren.

When the land becomes barren, cultivators merely pack up and leave to “greener pastures” to continue their sugar production. They leave the chemical-soaked land exposed to the harsh weather, which leads to greater erosion and contamination of nearby streams and rivers with residual chemicals and sediments.

At the same time, gallons of water are needed for irrigation on the sugar plantations. As a result, much of the Earth’s valuable water resource is lost to pollution and over-irrigation.

So the next time you sink your teeth into that sickeningly sweet slice of banana chocolate cake, or add an additional spoonful of sugar into your coffee, think about the 121 sugar-producing countries, which includes Papua New Guinea, Africa, Pakistan and Thailand, and the consequences that your over-consumption would have on their environment – and yours. E Source: http://environment.about.com/od/pollution/a/sugar.htm Express! Issue 5

Volunteering Opportunities at ECO:

We are looking for volunteers to become a part of our team in the following positions; Volunteer Marketing Officers Volunteer Human Resource Officers Volunteer Liaison Officers Volunteer Staff Writers Volunteer Forum Coordinators Volunteer Administrator Volunteer Web Designers Visit our website to find out more about us, and be sure to come down for our induction program before you start your volunteer journey with us at “Buzz the Bus”. This induction program is conducted monthly! The aim of this program is to align both our expectations of each other and be able to have a better experience together.

Drop us an email at enquiry@eco-singapore.org

Environmental Events/Activities Coverage:

We are starting to cover local environmental activities in our publication so that more people can participate. If you have an event, please contact us one week in advance so we can try to schedule our volunteer journalists to cover it. Should you have your own write up, please feel free to email us for editorial arrangements.

The publication team can be contacted at news@eco-singapore.org

Knowledge Capsule:

This column covers environmental issues in a “question & answer” format. Readers that write in can choose to disclose their names or stay anonymous. We will provide and include any pictures or illustrations if possible to make the column more informative.

We will use “layman” instead of technical terms for readers to understand specific environmental issues better. If needed, we will include explanations for technical terms used. We will use games and interactive approaches to aid readers in remembering and understanding the issues raised in the questions.

Drop your questions and feedback to news@eco-singapore.org

Express! 29