Where did all my rubbish go?

One of the best things about being a Life Science major specializing in Environmental Biology, is that in most modules, you get to look forward to going on field trips. Some to places we've all been too a gazillion times, and some to gems like these. Many times we've all posted up awesome pictures onto Facebook and we'll get friends asking what it was for. Say "field trip" and the usual response is:

"Why you all always have so many field trips one!!"
"So fun!"

It's a little gleeful feeling that we still get all these as part of what we're studying. Until we reach the part about reports that is. =\

Went to Semakau Landfill to look at the facilities there. The idea of tiny specks of rubbish that may be floating in the air not withstanding, the first impression you may get of the place is that it feels very barren and sterile. It just seems very much like no man's land.

Got to see the incinerated ash being dumped by the enormous cranes like the one above. And smell it.

I kid.

They opened the doors of the van for us to take a whiff of the smell. The first reaction was to hold your breath, until your brain processes the fact that it's already ash. No smell, except for the industrial water that is used to mix with the ash. Fishy smelling.

The van took us around the island. You get to see the replanted mangrove forests there. It's really a lush green. Gonna look fantastic when it's fully grown.

The filled cells of the landfill have also managed to have vegetation grow naturally. Most of it looks like the grasslands we -rarely- see in Singapore now. Complete with many birds all over. Or at least birds were the only animals that were very visible at that time.

Look at the spectacular view from the rock bund! These sights aren't rare on the main island itself, but still rewarding all the same. There were subtle differences though. You'd see various birds that wouldn't normally be noticed on the main island. There was one giant flock of tiny birds that flew too fast to be identified. And we were all too mesmerized to take a photo.

Now comes the depressing part. Behind this rock bund, was this. An empty cell part of our landfill programme. Beautiful. Where can you see waters as blue as this in Singapore? There's a multitude of wildlife in and out of the waters. Corals, fish and more. And all those birds. It's heart-wrenching when one sees this, and realise that it's going to be filled up in a matter of years. All that wildlife.

Before, Semakau Landfill, to my mind, was simply a landfill where all our incinerated rubbish goes to. But to see it personally and realise all these are simply gonna go, it's a little hard to swallow. Our rubbish is being dumped in increasing amounts all the time, and the landfills are filling up faster than expected. And then the guide gives the low down on how much waste is being generated everyday, everyone in the van is stunned. Most of us contribute to the enormous amount of food wastage.


When was the last time you've not left a grain on your plate? 

Singapore is still eons away from cultivating a society that actively recycles. Recycling programmes have failed many times, with people treating recycling bins as rubbish bins, or discouraging recycling because people didn't want to sort out their rubbish. Now that's pure laziness. They've now put out blue bins that allows residents in public housing to throw all sorts of recyclables into it. And it still is relatively empty.

My experiences while travelling abroad have opened by eyes to the various types of recycling habits that other people utilize. Some countries have no bins on the streets at all! Or simple habits like people returning to supermarkets to recycle plastic and glass bottles to get some loose change back. Their recycling habits have evolved such that it is not driven by money, but by the will to recycle to protect our environment. Perhaps that isn't going to happen anytime soon, but maybe our local supermarkets can start building those machines that eats up our bottles and give out some loose change too. We've only got one measly machine like that so far. =\

I think it starts with yourself. And I hope whoever is reading this is already recycling and all that, cos everyone is important in spreading this habit. I've a friend, she tells me that her no-plastic-bag rule has spread to the friends around her. Looks like there are people realising that we do not need so much of these.  If anything, social influence is going to be more effective than any programme.

It's really rewarding is that the guides there are really passionate about the environment. Be it a person who used to live on Semakau and got displaced, or a person with a high-flying job making a switch to try make a difference. Every one of them matters to helping reduce the pressure we put on our resources. All we have to do now, is to get more people to come see Semakau Landfill and learn more about our rubbish. Maybe primary schools should start including Semakau as a field trip?

If you're interested in visiting Semakau Landfill for a whole variety of activities, contact these few organisations to join!

Sport Fishing: Sport Fishing Association Singapore
Bird Watching: Nature Society Singapore
Intertidal Walk: Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
Star Gazing: The Astronomical Society of Singapore
Educational/Recreational/Others: Semakau Landfill, NEA (68620480)

Baby blues?

Some food for thought.

The long and short of the long text below?

Singapore needs more babies for a sustainable population. 

There was a talk given by Sir David Attenborough at the Royal Society in March 2011, where he brought up one of the key problems the world is facing: population explosion and the need to control the birth rate.

When there is a conflict between a country's goals and the world's goals, every country would prioritize their own need first right?

Singapore, with our very dense population, has an already unsustainable ecological footprint. Add in more people? How do we actually go about encouraging population growth and at the same time reduce the ecological impact on the earth? 

Sustainable population 'most critical' issue

Andrea Ong Straits Times 2 Mar 12;

THE Government is studying ways to develop a strategy that will produce a sustainable population which will ensure the country thrives as well as meets its people's aspirations in the future.

Coming up with the strategy is the 'most critical' issue Singapore faces in the long run, and it is important for the Government and people to come to a shared understanding of how to tackle the challenge, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.

The outcome of the study will be made known by the end of the year when it is presented in a White Paper in Parliament.

In announcing it, DPM Teo said the study will be spearheaded by the National Population and Talent Division, which falls under his charge in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). He was speaking during the debate on the PMO's budget.

The division is 'comprehensively examining' the nation's population goals and policies, he said. It will also discuss related issues via dialogues and online channels with other agencies, stakeholders and the public.

These issues, which include topics like the size and make-up of the population, will have an impact on how the Government plans its land use and infrastructure, said DPM Teo.

The results of its work will be incorporated into the White Paper. He said: 'Through this process, we hope to bring to light issues that are important to Singapore and Singaporeans, and develop a shared understanding of our strategies to build a sustainable population that secures Singapore's future.'

Four MPs, including Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Nee Soon GRC) and Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC), had asked for the Government's population parameters for planning purposes.

DPM Teo assured the House that Singaporeans' views, aspirations and concerns would be considered in developing a population strategy.

The strategy would maintain Singapore's vitality, strengthen its harmonious multi-ethnic society, and 'enable Singaporeans to achieve their life aspirations'.

He also had good news for those worried about the twin woes of low total fertility rate (TFR) and the foreigner influx.

Slightly more babies were born to Singapore citizens last year compared to in 2010. With 30,922 babies against 30,131 babies in 2010, the TFR rose to 1.2 from a historic low of 1.15 in 2010.

The low number of new citizens last year was partly because the citizenship application process was changed.

Would-be citizens have to go through a compulsory orientation programme before the process is complete. Hence, 4,000 who got in-principle approval for citizenship late last year will get their pink identity card this year.

The pool of new permanent residents last year was also the smallest in five years: 27,521 were made permanent residents, around 6 per cent less than in 2010.

However, DPM Teo cautioned that Singapore is at a 'demographic turning point' this year, when the first cohort of post-war baby boomers starts turning 65. This marks the start of an 'unprecedented age shift', with more than 900,000 set to retire from now to 2030.

He painted a dire picture of Singapore's future if birth rates stay at today's low levels and there is no immigration. The workforce will shrink and there will be less support for a growing elderly pool.

But DPM Teo remained optimistic: 'While we face serious demographic challenges and difficult trade-offs in managing population growth, Singapore has a good foundation on which we can build our future.'

2011 POPULATION HIGHLIGHTS

30,922

Number of babies born to Singaporeans, nearly 3 per cent more than in 2010.

15,777

Number of new citizens, lowest in five years.

27,521

Number of new permanent residents, lowest in five years.

If the birth rate remains constant and immigration stops, the median age of citizens will rise from 39 in 2010, to 47 in 2030, and 53 in 2050.

By 2030, fewer young citizens will enter the workforce - about half the number of elderly people leaving the workforce.

Singapore's population at "demographic turning point": DPM Teo
Imelda Saad Channel NewsAsia 1 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE: The Singapore government is taking a comprehensive look at its population policies in view of the country's changing demographics.

Even as it does this, it is introducing measures to better help parents with the cost of raising a child and helping foreign spouses sink their roots here.

Speaking in Parliament during the Committee of Supply Debate for the Prime Minister's Office, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean announced enhancements to the Child Development Account.

Under the scheme introduced in 2001, parents set up a deposit account for their child.

The government matches the deposit one-for-one, up to a cap of S$18,000 per child, depending on the child's birth order.

The money can be used for the developmental needs of the child, up to age six, in areas such as child care, kindergarten and health care.

The enhanced scheme will expand the scope of this account to cover expenses at pharmacies, opticians as well as assistive technology devices for children with disabilities.

The account will also last the child up till the age of 12.

The changes will be implemented in the second half of this year.

Another announcement - the introduction of a Long Term Visit Pass Plus (LTVP+) for foreign spouses of Singaporeans, especially those with Singapore children.

The new pass will be introduced from April 1, 2012.

Currently, most foreign spouses who have yet to be granted Permanent Residency or citizenship, qualify for a Long Term Visit Pass.

Under the new Long Term Visit Pass Plus, they will have greater certainty of stay.

The new pass will last for three years in the first instance and up to five years for each subsequent renewal, instead of the current shorter periods of typically one year.

Holders of the new pass will also receive health care subsidies for inpatient treatment at public hospitals, pegged at a level close to that for PRs.

That is, about the same rate as PRs even though they have not yet been granted PR status.

Holders of the Long Term Visit Pass Plus will also find it easier to work to supplement the family income.

They need only get a Letter of Consent from the Manpower Ministry to work.

This can be obtained easily online.

To qualify for the new pass, factors such as the length of marriage and whether there are citizen children in the family will be considered.

Even as Mr Teo announced new initiatives, he stressed on the need for Singapore to attract new immigrants.

He described 2012 as a "demographic turning point" for Singapore.

That's because the first cohort of post-war Baby Boomers, that is those born between 1947 and 1965, will start turning 65 from this year.

So Mr Teo said, from now till 2030, Singapore will experience an "unprecedented age shift, as over 900,000 Baby Boomers, more than a quarter of the current citizen population, retire from the workforce and enter their silver years.

Mr Teo said at the current birth rates and without immigration, more than 1 in 4 citizens will be aged 65 and over in 2030.

The median age of Singapore citizens will rise to 47 from 39 today.

And to 53, post 2030.

Fewer working adults will also support citizens aged 65 and above.

While those entering the working-age pool will shrink.

"Without immigration, we will face a shrinking workforce and the prospect of a shrinking economy. This challenging situation is compounded by the need to support a significantly larger elderly population at the same time," said Mr Teo.

Mr Teo said the most critical long term issue is to "develop a sustainable population strategy that will maintain the vitality of Singapore, strengthen our harmonious multi-ethnic society, and enable Singaporeans to achieve their life aspirations".

To this end, the National Population and Talent Division will release a White Paper by the end of the year, setting out the issues important to Singaporeans and strategies for a sustainable population.

The division will consult various stakeholders over the course of the year.

- CNA/cc/fa 

Mangroooooving!

I've lived in Pasir Ris all my life, and I've never actually walked this section of the mangrove walk. *shamefaced*

Well, there's always a first time for everything. Joined the Naked Hermit Crabs for their first ever trip into the Pasir Ris Mangroves. It's fantastic that this free walk could garner all sorts of people, from families with young kids in tow and students who want to know more about our biodiversity to even couples seeking out a new way of dating. HA!

One thing I found inspiring was that the guides were actually people with day jobs who still find time to share their experience and knowledge about Singapore's wildlife. After a week of work, going on these trips as guides is relaxing. Perhaps as more of us are becoming more aware of the environment and the priceless moments it can provide, there'll be a proliferation of great guides such as those that I've met on this walk.

Before the walk started, Ria told us that if we're lucky, we might get to see the mangrove pitta. But it's a rare bird, so it was unlikely we'll even see it. One of the guides even said she tried looking for them before, but hasn't seen it yet.

First time lucky! Some very generous birdwatcher told the group that there was a mangrove pitta somewhere, and even showed us his pictures. So the sharp-eyed kids went searching for the bird. Lo and behold! It was just standing not too far off. Definitely the highlight of the trip.

The mangrove pitta is near threatened globally and critically endangered in Singapore. There was recent sightings of pittas in the mangroves, but no one's ever seen more than one each time. Let's just hope it's not the only one around.

Ria pointed out the parts of the mangroves that had trees which were covered in sooty mold - an indicator of poor habitat quality. After awhile, you'd actually start to notice that there were many patches which had trees whose leaves were covered in the mold. Not the most reassuring thing, since the mangrove habitat is to many unique mangrove species, such as the pitta.

What was worrying was that along the boardwalk, there was not one single stretch that was litter free. From bottle caps, cans and discarded materials, to a random bottle stuck in a tree, litter was simply everywhere. I don't mean to sound all gloomy, but it feels as if there are people who think they love nature and go for these walks to revel in it, when actually they are in love with the notion of being in love with nature. =\

Is the idea of loving nature actually driving the extinction of many species? It's very much like how these places are being loved to death.

Enough of the morbid stuff.

There were few older visitors to the mangroves and they shared their experiences of the mangroves in their time. We always knew that outside the coastal areas like the beaches lay outside. But it felt different to hear first-hand experience of how they actually went through these mangroves to get to the beach. I don't know whether its a good or bad thing that we now have our boardwalks and concrete paths to the beach. Hmm.

There's also going to be developmental projects nearby, more potential damage to the mangroves and coastal areas. We'll find out soon enough.

At the end of the day, nothing is more satisfying that getting something so simple yet majestic like that.

First post, to mark the start of walking into the great unknown.

Here, I explore Singapore's biodiversity, discovering new things along the way. No doubt nature will never cease to amaze me, with its myriad wonders that hide in the nooks and crannies of the most unexpected places.

I sure look forward to posting my musings about our biodiversity, as well as other things. This looks like one mindset-changing ride, from being the relatively passive sponge that most of us have become, to actually taking a step back and looking at things, thinking about them from another perspective. (And perhaps really doing something about it!)