World
Facts
>Benefits
= Norway and Finland at the bottom as they may benefit from balmier temperature- whether in terms of a longer agricultural growing season or upsurge in tourism.
= Firms that recognize the challenge early will create opportunities for themselves and thereby prosper.
>Problems
US experience record breaking high temperature in December winter and low temperature in February this past year.
Others
Electricity for lighting and residential appliances- 1000 kilowatt-hour per person per year
Travel-8,000km/person/year
Business of operating office buildings and homes is responsible for 38% of U.S. CO2 emissions.
United Nations’ Intergovernmental panel on climate change Global green house gases emissions have grown by 70% between 1970 and 2004.
The rate of increase of temperature has been 3 times larger since 1976, or 0.18 degree Celsius per decade.
Warmer weather in Japan has already brought its cherry blossoms into a bloom a week early.
China’s role in global warming
China is expected to pass U.S. in total greenhouse emissions before 2010.
China imposes higher taxes on large cars than on small ones; subsidizes wind, solar and other renewable; and had pass a law that aims to make 15% of the country’s power come from renewable by 2020.
At present, solar power accounts for less than 1% of the electricity generated in the world. China will implement a law- 10% of energy will come from renewable. Many cities in Europe and US provide incentives for home owners and businesses to do the same.
China, which is about to become the world’s single biggest producer of green house gases.
India’s role in global warming
But India, with its less developed economy, cannot easily afford the cost of going green.
Impacts
Melting of Himalayan glaciers will lead first to more flooding in the plains of India and Bangladesh, then to water shortages.
Health
Deaths, malnutrition, diseases and injury linked to heat waves and floods will be more widespread, and more incidents of diarrhea as well as cardio-respiratory ailments and infectious diseases are expected.
Poorer nations will not be the only ones to be affected. Richer ones are also vulnerable. 2003 heat wave killed more than 35,000 people across Europe. About 14,000 died in France, the country with the best health care system in the world.
Examples of Solutions
Individuals can move the carbon needle, but it will be a slow process and not much.
A country had to give up 3% of their GDP for actions taken to counteract global warming.
Governments could also help, by subsidizing technology research and development, giving tax breaks, and setting standard, for instance.
In Straits Times news, mining company pays Aussie farmer $1.2m not to cut down trees on his farm for the next 120 years.
Large corporations or individuals (including the band Coldplay) wishing to become carbon neutral are funding.
= April 9, 2007 TIMES magazine: “51 things we can do” to survive Global warming
+ Take another look at vintage clothes: don’t buy too many new clothes
+ Ride the bus
+ Skip the steak: Livestock generate more greenhouse gases and their warming effect are much greater than carbon nitrous oxide (296 times) and methane (23 times)
+ Have a green wedding
+ End the paper chase: buy more recycled paper
Implication
In the rush of producing biofuel, forests are burn in Asia to clear the land for oil palm, and swathes of Amazon are stripped of diverse vegetation for soya and sugar plantations for ethanol.
Singapore
Facts
Experts suggest that if ice caps melt, water could raise a minimum of 18cm by the end of this century- which Singapore can survive- or a maximum of 6m, which would spell trouble for Singapore and many cities.
Singapore is moving into research and technology, due to falling costs of clean-energy sources.
A National Environment Agency (NEA) study revealed that Singaporeans useabout 2.5 billion plastic bags each year - the equivalent of 19 millionkilograms of waste.
Sharing of environment expertise with China
Singapore, China to jointly develop an ’eco-city’
Singapore and China will collaborate on a new project to develop an “eco-city”,
Which will show case how rapid economic growth can be balanced with sound environmental protection.
China is trying to shift its inefficient and highly polluting mode of economic growth towards a more sustainable form of developments that reduces the strain on environment.
Temasek Holdings has helped Sasac Holdings train 66 independent directors, and 300 chief executives and senior officials from China’s state own enterprises.
Examples of Solutions taken by Singapore
Singapore is investing a large sum of money in clean energy researching and sponsor projects regarding the environment issues.
$0.10 was imposed on every plastic bag at IKEA on earth day.
Singapore could be affected by rising sea levels some 50 or 100 years from now, but the government has already contacted the Dutch to tap their expertise in building dykes.
Campaigns that aim to encourage the conservation and the preservation of resources.
>Car free day- promote taking of public transport to reduce carbon emissions
>Bring Your Own Bag Day launched in 2006where more than 200 supermarkets will encourage customers to use reusablebags. That it is not just a one-off campaign, but one that will take placeevery first Wednesday of the month, is also laudable.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Is the media an integral part of modern life in your country?
Introduction
Ask anyone along the street what form of entertainment he or she enjoys usually. A stereotype answer will be given, from the various means of communication, the media, such as radio, television, newspapers, and magazines. This shows that media has formed a strong bond with our busy lifestyle and no one is able to run from all forms of communication. In this essay, I shall elaborate on how media act as a channel for our daily advertisements, reliance on media for leisure, channel which government used to pass down the law to the citizen and even a family “coordinator”. However, media exploit sex and violence which is not considered as an important thing that media can bring.
Agree
Media is a channel for producer to advertise their products and let the consumers to know what products is available for them. In the process, economic growth is generated. The advertisements from media helps the producers to promote their products and the consumer attracted by the advertisements will buy their products to gain satisfaction.
Message from the politicians are pass down through the medium
Those printable materials of media is believed to be common to all, everyday they will be in contact with such materials at least one.
We have heard about teenagers, adults spend hours in front of the television or computer to watch series drama and buy a specific magazine to see the forecast of the shows they are watching. What Singaporeans do when they came back home from a long day of work is to switch on the television, position themselves nicely on the sofa to watch various programs. Young children watching their educational shows or cartoon at there leisure time and sometime get a reprimand from the parents due to staying up late to watch the exciting programs. With such a busy lifestyle lead by Singaporeans, spending their normal leisure time after work is a luxury. First, they are less energy wastage form of entertainment, some young children wants the programs.
Televisions sometimes serve as a “coordinator” to bring busy family members together to watch a common program. Family members may share a common favorite show, so time the show is screened, they will get together to watch it. Interactions will occur upon having their paths crossed.
Disagree
If we were to look at media closely, some people keep the media at a distant as media sometimes exploit sex and violence, which is redundant in our daily life, it just to attract people to watch the programs.
Conclusion
On the whole, I still firmly agree that media is a vital part on the Singapore society nowadays though sometimes it is seen as a root to the polluting of the innocent minds. Media has merged with our daily life, our daily routine seems to be unable to run away from enjoying a type of media. The producers has used the media greatly to advertise their products, government use it as a medium to communicate with the citizens, people get so attracted to the media that they were deep rooted to the media for ours. Moreover, television also serves as a central for family members to get together and mingle around.
Ask anyone along the street what form of entertainment he or she enjoys usually. A stereotype answer will be given, from the various means of communication, the media, such as radio, television, newspapers, and magazines. This shows that media has formed a strong bond with our busy lifestyle and no one is able to run from all forms of communication. In this essay, I shall elaborate on how media act as a channel for our daily advertisements, reliance on media for leisure, channel which government used to pass down the law to the citizen and even a family “coordinator”. However, media exploit sex and violence which is not considered as an important thing that media can bring.
Agree
Media is a channel for producer to advertise their products and let the consumers to know what products is available for them. In the process, economic growth is generated. The advertisements from media helps the producers to promote their products and the consumer attracted by the advertisements will buy their products to gain satisfaction.
Message from the politicians are pass down through the medium
Those printable materials of media is believed to be common to all, everyday they will be in contact with such materials at least one.
We have heard about teenagers, adults spend hours in front of the television or computer to watch series drama and buy a specific magazine to see the forecast of the shows they are watching. What Singaporeans do when they came back home from a long day of work is to switch on the television, position themselves nicely on the sofa to watch various programs. Young children watching their educational shows or cartoon at there leisure time and sometime get a reprimand from the parents due to staying up late to watch the exciting programs. With such a busy lifestyle lead by Singaporeans, spending their normal leisure time after work is a luxury. First, they are less energy wastage form of entertainment, some young children wants the programs.
Televisions sometimes serve as a “coordinator” to bring busy family members together to watch a common program. Family members may share a common favorite show, so time the show is screened, they will get together to watch it. Interactions will occur upon having their paths crossed.
Disagree
If we were to look at media closely, some people keep the media at a distant as media sometimes exploit sex and violence, which is redundant in our daily life, it just to attract people to watch the programs.
Conclusion
On the whole, I still firmly agree that media is a vital part on the Singapore society nowadays though sometimes it is seen as a root to the polluting of the innocent minds. Media has merged with our daily life, our daily routine seems to be unable to run away from enjoying a type of media. The producers has used the media greatly to advertise their products, government use it as a medium to communicate with the citizens, people get so attracted to the media that they were deep rooted to the media for ours. Moreover, television also serves as a central for family members to get together and mingle around.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Birth Dearth
Developed countries have been experiencing ageing population, like Europe, Japan and Singapore. Experts say that India will have the largest population in the world rather than China in the years to come, as China population has been decreasing due to the 1 child policy.
Reasons for reduce in the number of births
-Mainly caused by the policy implemented by the government
>Singapore
Ø the 2 child policy launched in Singapore in the 1960s - use of contraceptives was encouraged and abortion was legalized.
Ø No paid maternity leave for third children onwards
Ø No income tax relief
>Japan
Ø Data quoted from an organization state that the actual number of abortions in Japan at two to three times the "official" number of about 410,000 a year in 1996.
-Overpopulation
Ø resulting from baby boom
Ø There will be overwhelming population searching for limited jobs.
Ø If the birth control policies are implement, parents’ resources can be limited to only a few children, so each child can get more attention as well as increased chances of getting higher education.
-Growing urbanization
Øwomen now have education and jobs
-Later and fewer marriages, more divorces
Disadvantages
Ø The countries experiencing ageing population will be less attractive to the investors as the country will not be able to produce enough talents to sustain its development. Also, with fewer young workers who are cheaper to employ and more nimble with their hands and are more up to date in their skills and training. This means that the productivity rate will decrease and this may affect the business of the company.
Ø Fewer men eligible for NS, a great threat to the safety of Singapore.
Ø Great strain on country’s resources, have to channel large sum of money to build infrastructure for the elderly.
Solutions to the Birth Dearth
Ø Encourage citizens to have more children
> Baby bonuses
> Income tax relief
> Delivery charges can be paid through other channel
>An eligible female employee is entitled to absent herself from work for four weeks immediately before and eight weeks immediately after delivery. Where there is a mutual agreement with the employer, the extended four weeks (9th to 12th week) of maternity leave can be taken flexibly over a six-month period after the child's birth. [Singapore]
Ø Support from Family
> Relatives or parents help to take care of the children while the parents go to work
Reasons for reduce in the number of births
-Mainly caused by the policy implemented by the government
>Singapore
Ø the 2 child policy launched in Singapore in the 1960s - use of contraceptives was encouraged and abortion was legalized.
Ø No paid maternity leave for third children onwards
Ø No income tax relief
>Japan
Ø Data quoted from an organization state that the actual number of abortions in Japan at two to three times the "official" number of about 410,000 a year in 1996.
-Overpopulation
Ø resulting from baby boom
Ø There will be overwhelming population searching for limited jobs.
Ø If the birth control policies are implement, parents’ resources can be limited to only a few children, so each child can get more attention as well as increased chances of getting higher education.
-Growing urbanization
Øwomen now have education and jobs
-Later and fewer marriages, more divorces
Disadvantages
Ø The countries experiencing ageing population will be less attractive to the investors as the country will not be able to produce enough talents to sustain its development. Also, with fewer young workers who are cheaper to employ and more nimble with their hands and are more up to date in their skills and training. This means that the productivity rate will decrease and this may affect the business of the company.
Ø Fewer men eligible for NS, a great threat to the safety of Singapore.
Ø Great strain on country’s resources, have to channel large sum of money to build infrastructure for the elderly.
Solutions to the Birth Dearth
Ø Encourage citizens to have more children
> Baby bonuses
> Income tax relief
> Delivery charges can be paid through other channel
>An eligible female employee is entitled to absent herself from work for four weeks immediately before and eight weeks immediately after delivery. Where there is a mutual agreement with the employer, the extended four weeks (9th to 12th week) of maternity leave can be taken flexibly over a six-month period after the child's birth. [Singapore]
Ø Support from Family
> Relatives or parents help to take care of the children while the parents go to work
Ø More child care centres are being set up
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