Environment & C onservation

1. Environment&Conservation BY: TAN WAN QI (22) JILL TOH (23) YE LI SHAN (24)

2. The environment is the surrounding in which a person, animals, or plants live. Over centuries our environment has changed numerous of times, from bad to good or even good to bad. Our environment now is currently at threat, due the numerous pollutions all across the world and green house effects have caused global warming., climate changes and etc. Endangering the lives of humans, animals and plants. In Singapore, we have the National Environment Agency (NEA); a leading public organization responsible for improving and sustaining a clean and green environment in Singapore. Knowledge

3. SG Programmes To Protect & Conserve The Environment Pollution Control Air and water pollution, and regulates hazardous substances and toxic industrial wastes are control through prevention, enforcement and monitoring. Develops and implements joint programmes on transboundary pollution with the neighbouring countries. Solid waste management Plans, develops and manages refuse disposal facilities; licenses waste collectors; regulates refuse collection for the domestic and trade premises in the nine sectors; and enforces illegal dumping. Promotes the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) to conserve resources.

4. Energy efficiency Promotes energy efficiency and conservation to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse Office (E2PO) integrates the overall efforts of the public, private and people sectors to improve energy efficiency.  Radiation protection & nuclear safety Administers and enforces the Radiation Protection Act and Regulations through licensing and inspections. Gas emissions and help mitigate climate change.

5. Public hygiene and cleanliness Regular checks on food establishments, cooling towers, swimming pools, and public toilets were conducted to ensure that a high standard of hygiene is maintained. In order to promote, anti-littering practices through education and enforcement, also to maintain an effective system of public cleansing to keep Singapore clean and to prevent environment-related diseases.  Meteorological services Provides timely weather information to support public safety and socio-economic activities. Issues of haze alerts and provides vital meteorological services to the aviation and maritime communities. 

6. 3P (People, Public and Private) Partnership Builds strong networks among the 3P sectors, and develops effective outreach programmes in partnership with partners from the 3P sectors to enhance the pro-environmental mindset amongst the community and to raise community ownership of environmental and public health issues.  Environmental Training Actively promotes knowledge transfer and offers environmental capacity-building training programmes to enhance the competency of working professionals from the industry, international organisations and the general public, through our Singapore Environment Institute. 

7. Current Affairs Deforestation is a main environmental concern in the world. Deforestation includes the cutting down, burning, and destructing of forests. These forests are being cut down at a petrifying rate to supply man with lumber, pasture land, and farm land. The outcome of such human activities is deforestation; the world's most valuable environment is being ruined. Plants and animals life is gradually diminishing as the natural habitats are bested. Deforestation occurs because people need land for agricultural. Large companies clear vast amounts of land, often for cattle pastures to fill the beef market. They also use the land for large plantations and use pesticides and irrigation systems that are very harmful to the land. The chemicals which are used to destroy pests also kill other animals and cause a lot of damage to surrounding areas. The rain washes the chemicals into the water system killing the aquatic life. The use of Land in such a way affects negatively the surrounding areas. It also can take centuries to re-grow. Governments and environmentalists are facing major challenge- what steps must be taken to stop deforestation so that current environmental conditions would not get poorer. Scarcity and over population are main causes which alarms to governments. Policies must be made to overcome such problems so that we can save our forest and animals. Environmentalists and forestry supporters have been telling people and governments to instantly act on the problem regarding continued deforestation practices all around the world. Deforestation could be gradually stopped if people would be more environmentally mindful. That means, to speed up efforts in stopping deforestation Case Study: India’s Deforesation

8. Wanqi: During Earth Day 2012, I planted a tiny plant together with my small group of friends in my backyard, hoping that I can contribute a little to the Earth as plants gives out oxygen and beautify the country. I think what I did was very meaningful and I hope I will continue to help conserve the environment and not only on Earth day. Personal EXPERIENCE

9. Li Shan: During the Earth Hour this year,I helped by participating actively by switching off my room lights for 1 hour from 8pm-9pm.I felt a sense of achievement by doing so as I have somehow helped in conserving the environment by playing a small part.Through the experience,I have realised how important it is if everyone just put in a minimal amount of effort and it can actually turn out to help the Mother Earth greatly.So I hope that in the future there will be more events that can allow everyone to play a part in helping the environment so as to create awareness on how important it is to conserve the environment. Personal EXPERIENCE

10. Jill: I have been taking part in Earth Day & Earth Hour ever since it started. As I believe that the environment is for us to protect and taken care of, we have every responsibility to keep our environment healthy. This year, our school Environment Club has organised a recycling plastic bottles competition; to see which class can bring in the most weight of plastic bottles. I am encouraged to see my classmates, all being enthusiastic about this particular event. Recycling is small contribution to conserving our environment, I hope that everyone can do so too. A small action like recycling can make a big difference in the environment, I truly hope everyone can do their part in conserving our environment! Personal EXPERIENCE

11. http://www.civilserviceindia.com/current-affairs/deforestation.htmlhttp://www.civilserviceindia.com/current-affairs/deforestation.html http://app2.nea.gov.sg/index.aspx Resources