‘Global warming – just a catchphrase, right? Something crazy cooked up by hippies? Even if it is real, I’ll never see the effects of it in my lifetime. Besides, it’s not my fault.’

Make all the excuses you want – the fact remains that you can do your part to ensure the planet stays in good shape. Sniff sniff. Can you smell that? It smells like change. By TOS staff


I don’t care…
because Singapore is so small. Aren’t bigger countries like China and India the main culprits? 
In theory, yes: Asia’s large industrial powers should be driving the agenda. It doesn’t help that these emerging economies have no greenhouse-gas restrictions under the Kyoto Protocol. But that doesn’t mean Singapore should just sit back and watch. If we as a developed country can’t fund eco-initiatives, it sets a poor example for less developed nations. 

As our economy has boomed, foreigners have bolstered the workforce and Singapore’s population has skyrocketed. As recently as 1990, residents numbered just 3 million; by 2010 the figure could exceed 5 million. New homes are springing up everywhere. We’re growing as a country; we’re younger, living longer, better educated. We have the time (and the luxury) to change our ways, for long-term benefits.

Where better to start than at home, in the ‘Garden City’? Treetops@Punggol – dubbed Singapore’s first HDB Eco-Precinct – leads the way in the northeast. Set to be built by 2011, it comprises seven 16-storey towers arranged around an ‘eco-deck’ community garden area designed to reduce temperature build-up within the precinct by 3° to 4°C. Replete with solar panels, rainwater collection systems and recycling savvy, Treetops sets the pace for modern home-building. 

For those not residing in eco-friendly buildings, don’t be afraid to make that first move. Get acquainted with the recycling bins where you live, and if there aren’t any, ask for them. While they may be well hidden in hawker centres and shopping centres, their obscurity shouldn’t be an excuse to avoid them. Simple practices all count; limit your water and electricity usage. Avoid products with wasteful packaging. Say no to excessive plastic bag usage. Use public transport rather than the gas-guzzling car. 

The responsibility lies with us all, not just big countries. Eco-apathy is not an option. Singapore loves its immaculate malls, spotless CBD and punctual MRT. It’s puzzling how a city so respectful of its own environment could be largely indifferent to the wider world. The problem might not go away within a year, or even ten years; but doing nothing means that ultimately, everyone suffers. Every little bit helps, and so does every little country. 
Jonathan Evans 

I don’t care…
because taking public transport means dealing with the hellish rush-hour commute. And don’t get me started on the new taxi rules. Might as well just drive, right? 

Excuses, excuses! When it comes to whining, you can count on us humans to come up with 101 reasons why our lives suck. But when there’s a greater issue at hand – like the not-so-slow destruction of the planet – compromise is key. If you’re a real stickler for comfort, then invest in an eco-friendly car. The Toyota Prius Hybrid, the world’s first mass-produced, commercially marketed hybrid car, retails at $92,388 (includes COE), and the Honda Civic Hybrid retails at $81,000 (includes COE). Both models boast an integrated engine/motor hybrid design – meaning they run on both gas and electricity, depending on driving conditions. For example, gas starts the car when it’s stationary. When the driver reaches cruise speed, electricity takes over, increasing fuel efficiency. 

The BMW Hydrogen 7 (www.bmwcleanenergy.com.sg), still in the works, offers the same performance as a car that relies on petrol, but it uses an internal combustion engine that can either burn hydrogen or petrol (at higher costs, no doubt). So why spend the cash? Simple: fossil fuels are limited and their use contributes to the greenhouse effect. Hydrogen, on the other hand, is derived from water; no exhaust is produced, and that’s the kicker. Unfortunately, Singapore currently does not have the infrastructure to support liquid hydrogen cars, but it’s worth staying abreast of BMW’s hydrogen movement. 

Meanwhile, car owners across the US are turning to recycled vegetable oil – the same kind your neighbourhood hawker uses – as an alternative to petrol. Biodiesel is a processed fuel that is manufactured from waste vegetable oils. When Singaporean Kom Mam Sun heard about the movement, he hauled ass and picked up to the States to learn the basics. In 2003 back in Singapore, he and two friends launched Biofuel Research (www.biofuel.sg) – a company that produces and sells biodiesel locally. It also cuts back on the amount of wasted cooking oil and provides a biodegradable and renewable alternative to petrol. It may only be a beginning, but we all have to start somewhere. Sabrina Lee 

GLOBAL WARMING
Unfortunately for sceptics, ozone depletion and global warming aren’t overzealous hippy conspiracies. Want proof? A 2006 NASA report details how the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica set a ‘new area record with a daily average of 26 million km2’ last October – that’s 1.5 times the size of Russia. And though the ozone layer only allows in 1 per cent of the sun’s UV radiation, this tiny amount is enough to cause skin cancer and cataracts. Scary stuff. As for the latter, all eyes are currently on melting polar ice caps and changing weather patterns, with an overall forecast of doom and gloom unless drastic action is taken. 

But how will this affect Singapore? For one thing, there is a 60 per cent chance of water levels rising 28-43cm in the next decade. Singapore will feel the burn when people realise that Beach Road has reverted back to…a beach. Interactive online flood maps (flood.firetree.net) indicate that a 1m rise in water levels is enough to eat away coastal areas like Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin, home to a microcosm of unique ecosystems such as mangroves, and rainforests, not to mention new species of flora and fauna that have recently been discovered there. 

On a state level, the Government has been doing its part by ratifying ‘green’ protocols and regulating the use of pesticides in Singapore. Nonetheless, individuals should also do their part to reduce their carbon footprint: world energy consumption is going to hit 470.8 quadrillion BTU (British Thermal Units) by 2010 and escalate to 622.9 quadrillion BTU in 2025 – ie, even more CO2 and heat being released into our atmosphere. But before anyone starts taking swimming lessons or screaming ‘We’re all gonna die!’, start making some smart lifestyle changes, like chilling out on the air-con use and using organic pest-control methods. And always remember: sunscreen! 
Alexis Ong 

ENERGY
A recent BBC poll found that ‘most people are ready to make personal sacrifices to address climate change’ – or, more specifically, four out of five of the 22,000 people surveyed in 2007. With the help of polling service Globescan, the BBC interviewed people in 21 countries, from Kenya to China – Singapore didn’t make the cut. 

It’s easy to think that a country the size of this ‘little red dot’ with a 4 million-plus population can’t have an impact on the environment, and that ‘what we do in Singapore is not going to change the world’ (so said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November 2007). But how do we account for tiny Singapore ranking 22nd out of 207 countries in a highest carbon-emissions list? According to a 2004 international study by Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the United States, Singapore produced 3.3 tons of CO2 per capita, ahead of Taiwan (2.9 tons; 27th), Russia (2.89 tons; 28th) and the UK (2.67 tons; 37th). 

With a $6 billion budget surplus for the next fiscal year, Singapore is poised (and financially able) to make some important changes – which can include green initiatives. Just because the island doesn’t have a wealth of natural resources doesn’t mean alternatives to fossil fuels aren’t plausible. It starts with private companies like BMW building hydrogen cars; offering – not debating – rebates for businesses that are energy-efficient; Norwegian company Renewable Energy Corp building a $6.3bn solar plant here by 2010; solar panels at Ang Mo Kio Community Hospital; 78 per cent of Singapore’s energy coming from natural gas-fire technology in Tuas, and so on. And at home, it takes a flick of a switch. Laura Dannen 

The grass is always greener
TOS's with list of eco-acts we could follow

NORTH AMERICA 
Canada: Toronto has curbside pick-up of organic matter – food remnants – that is later turned into compost rather than dumped in landfills. 

United States: 
San Francisco: Banned free plastic bags from supermarkets and pharmacies in 2007. 
Texas: The second largest state boasts one of the world’s largest onshore wind farms. We couldn’t believe it either, but there it is: Horse Hollow Wind Farm in Taylor County, with 421 wind turbines each 263ft high, with the capacity to produce 735 megawatts. 
Washington, DC: The US government passed an energy bill in 2007 calling for 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels by 2022. 

UK: Town of Modbury in Devon banned free plastic bags in 2007; London plans to obtain 10 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010, with hopes of doubling that by 2020. 
Ireland: Started charging for free plastic bags in 2002; usage has dropped 90 per cent since. 

EUROPE: 
Denmark: The Danish energy plan, Energi21, hopes to produce 4,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2030 – the equivalent of 40 per cent of Denmark’s electricity. 
Italy: Levy on free plastic bags, with an outright ban expected in 2010. 
Spain: The world’s largest photovoltaic solar farm opened recently in Jumilla, a wine-producing region of Spain. The farm – with 120,000 solar panels over 100 hectares – powers roughly 20,000 homes and is expected to cut carbon emissions by 42,000 tons annually. 

CENTRAL/SOUTH AMERICA: 
Mexico: More quirky than anything else, but ‘bioarchitect’ Javier Senosiain has been creating homes that merge the basic principles of animal and human construction since 1985 (think real-life hobbit dens). See more at www.arquitecturaorganica.com. 

MIDDLE EAST: 
Abu Dhabi: The capital of the United Arab Emirates plans to open the first stage of a carbon-neutral, waste-free city – Masdar – by September 2009. Cars will be banned and natural shade, wind tunnels and canopies will keep temperatures down rather than using air-con. 

AFRICA: 
Eritrea: Banned free plastic bags in 2005. 
Kenya: Banned free thin plastic bags and put taxes on thicker ones in 2007. 
Rwanda: Banned free plastic bags in 2005. 
Somalia: Banned free plastic bags in 2005. 
South Africa: Banned free thin plastic bags in 2003. 
Tanzania: Banned free plastic bags in 2006. 
Uganda: Banned free thin plastic bags and put taxes on thicker ones in 2007 

ASIA: 
Bangladesh: Banned free thin plastic bags in the capital city, Dhaka, in 2002. 
China: Ban on free plastic bags, effective in June 2008. 
India: Mumbai banned free plastic bags in 2000. 
Taiwan: Banned free lightweight plastic bags in 2003 and disposable cutlery. 

AUSTRALIA: 
Canberra: The Australian government plans to phase out free plastic bags by the end of 2008. 
Sydney: Australia’s largest city shut off power for an hour on 31 March, 2007, in support of Sydney’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent by March 2008. Nearly 53,000 homes, 2,000 businesses and tourist attractions like the Opera House went dark. 

I don’t care…
because I need hard copies of my emails and files so I can stay organised. Printing is a necessity. 

Hello? Hard-copy records are so 1995. And if you haven’t noticed, there’s this wonderful thing called the digital revolution, which means you can store everything you need (except incriminating photos of your celeb ex-partners) on your computer. A smarter alternative is to email crucial documents to yourself on a searchable, web-based email client, like Gmail, so you can always find what you need even if you’re filing every correspondence since the days before the PC (scan and save, scan and save). And if you get conscientious about storing important items on your virtual desktop rather than letting them sit around and collect dust on your reallife one, you could save some major trees – one ton of office paper equals 24 trees! 

Why should you bother? Because not only does your compulsive need to have everything backed up in hard copy mean the clearing of forests, it also equals the loss of habitats for many adorable, cuddly creatures. Ever seen those pygmy elephants in Borneo, and the Australian tree kangaroos? Your wasteful paper usage is killing them. Printing without a second thought also wastes another precious and quickly disappearing resource: water. Around 7,000 gallons of water are used to make a ton of paper – that’s more than what’s required to make glass and even steel. 

This doesn’t mean you have to put your degree certificate in the recycling bin – just think before you print. Reduce your font size, make sure you’re only printing what you need (ie, not an irrelevant ten-page email conversation that started in 2002) and rig your printer to use both sides of a piece of paper. This last one is a no-brainer. Would you use only half a bottle of tequila and then throw it out? Enough said. Sabina-Leah Fernandez 

AIR-CON
Some consider air-conditioning – affectionately called ‘air-con’ – the greatest invention of the millennium, the one thing keeping Singapore a happy, functioning society in tropical climes. Others call it a selfish technology that ironically contributes to global warming. 

One thing’s for certain: Singapore has a love affair with air-con. More than 70 per cent of households own a unit, with air-con accounting for 30 per cent of a home’s energy use (the refrigerator comes second at 17 per cent). But few pay close attention to the luxury that has morphed into a necessity. If units aren’t cleaned regularly, they can spread mould and airborne disease; they’re the leading cause of Legionnaire’s disease, a rare form of pneumonia that can be fatal. 

As if that were not enough, consider shifting daily from a balmy 29°C outside to a bonechilling 19°C in the office. Overuse of the air-con can affect how a body adapts to climate change, and often results in a weakened immune system that falls prey to regular colds and flu. 

It’s enough of an issue that the National Climate Change Committee (www.nccc.gov.sg) made a recommendation that indoor temperatures be kept at 25°C, and is discussing alternative ways to make buildings cooler, from better ventilation to more greenery to lighter-coloured exteriors. ‘Healthier’ models of air-conditioning units have been developed as well, such as Samsung’s versions with Micro Plasma Ion technology that zaps harmful particles in the same way that hairdryers eliminate frizz. It’s the magic of ions. 

Change starts at home – like running the air-con for an hour before bed, then switching to a fan – but until Singapore stops cooling its outdoors (you all know the feeling when you walk by sliding doors to malls), and its wasteful practices, the island will just get hotter. 
LD 

Chill factor: How cold can it go?

20°C Starbucks, Capital Tower 
22°C Sushi Tei, Nankin Row 
24°C GV VivoCity, VivoCity 

I don’t care…
because I like my red meat – what’s so wrong with that? 

A wise and very maudlin singer once wrote ‘Meat Is Murder’, and it is – on us. The meat production industry not only consumes tons of energy, it’s also contributing to global warming. We’re not kidding. According to a recent article in The New York Times, just under a third of the globe’s ice-free land is used to raise livestock – an industry that generates one fifth of the world’s greenhouse gases. That’s more than all the world’s planes, trains and automobiles put together. If that’s too abstract to imagine, picture this: a 186g steak creates 24 times more greenhouse gases than a cup of broccoli, a cup of eggplant, 125g of cauliflower and 250g of rice combined. (And the steak requires 16 times as much energy to produce.) 

Then there’s the land that’s being damaged. The practice of clear-cutting Brazilian rainforests for grazing purposes has become so out of control that, just last month, the government had to take emergency measures to stop it. And in the US, where most of the grain that’s grown is for livestock consumption only, the unchecked cultivation is leading to water-quality problems in rivers and streams. And while it takes 550 litres of water to produce enough flour for a loaf of bread, 250g of beef can require up to 25,000 litres of water. 

Perhaps the most infuriating thing, though, is the damage we’re doing to ourselves. It turns out that the majority of corn and soy grown in the world is used to feed animals instead of humans (and there are more than 800 million starving in the world). The kicker? It takes up to 16lb of grain to produce just one pound of edible meat. No wonder Morrissey was so sad. 
Billie Cohen 

Friends of the Earth? 
Jennifer Aniston 
The former shampoo spokesmodel advocates lightning-quick showers: ‘I even brush my teeth while I shower. Every two minutes uses as much water as an African uses in a whole day.’ 

Sting 
The lute-lovin’ crooner and longtime rainforest activist came under fire in 2000 after he accepted a six-figure sum to advertise gas-guzzling Jaguar cars. 


Madonna 
She performed at Live Earth, but Madge’s green cred is suspect: she invests in Big Oil and travels in a private jet. Is her interest just a phase, like that pointy bra? 

Orlando Bloom 
The heart-throb Buddhist has been a member of environmental organisation Global Green since the early 2000s, renovating his London home to incorporate solar panels and recycled materials. 

Sheryl Crow 
Country-rocking Crow conserves toilet paper, and recommends using ‘only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where two to three could be required.’ 

Daryl Hannah 
The Kill Bill star leads a double life as Hollywood’s most prolific environmental blogger (see www.dhlovelife.com). She once chained herself to a Los Angeles walnut tree for three weeks. 
Mark Smith 

The eco-warriors
Jack Sim
Organisation: The World Toilet Organisation (www.worldtoilet.org) 
The origins: In 1999, Sim discovered there were 15 toilet associations around the world without a headquarters. He recommended starting a WTO in Singapore. 
The calling: The WTO’s objective is ‘clean, safe, affordable, ecologically sound and sustainable sanitation for everyone’ because 40 per cent of the world’s population does not have access to proper sanitation. This level of poor hygiene spreads disease and 2 million children under five years of age die each year from diarrhoea alone. 
The future: ‘Sanitation can be made more green when you stop polluting the water sources,’ Sim says. ‘Look at how we cleaned up the Singapore River. It was a sewage river before; now it has become a reservoir. In the future, the flush toilet will become extinct. We need to invent a solid waste disposal method for the toilet using a vacuum.’ 
Your mission: ‘Start by treating our water as a precious thing, but use enough to maintain personal hygiene,’ Sim says. ‘When you are healthy, you use less resources than when you are sick… I want to tell everyone there is no such a thing as human waste. Our excreta contain nutrients and are good fertilisers.’ 
Tolla Duke 

Ria Tan
Organisation: Wild Singapore 
The origins: Tan wrote a guidebook to Pulau Ubin (‘the last kampong village’) to encourage people to visit the island before it was redeveloped. Even she didn’t expect the book to result in development being deferred until 2011. With a new buzz around preservation prompting even more questions and information – more than the guidebook could cover – Tan started a website and blog (www.wildsingapore.com) in 2003. 
The calling: ‘I just want to encourage people to see the world around them,’ Tan says. ‘ It is easy to visit Pulau Ubin and there’s tons of nature there. It gives you something you can’t buy in a shopping mall.’ The future: ‘The main issue in Singapore is that people don’t realise nature exists here,’ Tan says. ‘Without this basic understanding, we can’t move forward. When a natural habitat is threatened, nobody realises or acts to save it. There are obviously bigger global issues, such as rising sea levels, but we must start in our own backyard and appreciate what Singapore has in abundance.’ 
Your mission: ‘Dare to take the plunge, pack the mosquito repellent and take your first step into the natural environment. If it seems like an alien environment, go with a guide. Finally, give some time to volunteer. Wild Singapore has a long list of opportunities and 2008 is the International Year of the Reef. Go to www.pulauhantu.org to find out how you can support the local marine life there.’ TD 

Tan Jia Sheng
Organisation: Building & Environment Division Green Volunteers (BEVG) at Ngee Ann Polytechnic The origins: Though the BEVG preceded him, Sheng, 20, carried the torch as its chairman. The self-proclaimed science nerd with an avid interest in biology recently graduated from Ngee Ann and plans to attend university, but he still does his part to educate the general public on ways to conserve, protect and restore flora and fauna. 
The calling: Sheng and his gang of tree-huggers set up educational booths to increase awareness among students, and helped organise guided walks around places like Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Chek Jawa. BEVG also conducts Native Plant Hunts at Hindhede Nature Park, located within Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which was adopted by Ngee Ann Poly. 
The future: As part of the Singapore Green Plan 2012, the green warriors at BEGV will battle waste recycling. The mission is to get more students and staff to adopt a greener mindset and help boost recycling to 60 per cent by 2012. 
Your mission: Check out the Native Plants walk, with five stations each highlighting a different species of plant. 
SL 

I don’t care…
because I’m not sure my individual efforts to recycle are actually helping. 

Being a small country and one that lacks natural resources, it makes sense that Singapore is big on large-scale recycling technology. We have the National University of Singapore’s Professor Wong Nyuk Hien transforming old rubble into compact walls for new buildings and the Government making roads out of rubbish in Jurong. We have NEWater and the Singapore Packaging Agreement, under which companies pledge to make environmentally friendly packaging material. Nestlé stands to save 9.5 megatons of tin a year under the new guidelines reducing the amount of tin used in its Milo packaging. Overall, Singapore has a reputation as a clean, green island. But little does the rest of the world know that as individuals, our recycling efforts are plain embarrassing. 

Who actually bothers to recycle? Singaporeans don’t take the initiative to be ‘green’ on a daily basis. A 2003 newspaper study announced that ‘One in three Singaporeans recycle’ but upon further investigation it merely referred to the habit of keeping plastic bags instead of chucking them out. That’s not being green, that’s just being cheap. The article concluded with a quote from Vincent Chan of Graceland Recycling, who suggested that installing recycling chutes in HDB flats would be an ‘ideal solution’. Now it’s 2008 and we’re still relying on the inefficient door-to-door collection available in limited areas. To make matters worse, the collection bags cost recycling companies at least $180,000 a month, and are made out of unrecyclable material. Oh, the irony! 

To be fair, Singapore’s recycling rate has increased from 40 per cent in 2000 to 51 per cent in 2006. The cynic would attribute the increase to recyclable products becoming the trend du jour. Even the fashion industry took a (mild) spanking with Anya Hindmarch’s overhyped ‘I’m Not A Plastic Bag’ paving the way for canvas bags galore. These days, any brand that wants to succeed has to have some ecofriendly aspect but being environmentally conscious shouldn’t be a fad that comes and goes. The National Environment Agency’s warhorse ‘3R’ campaign to ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ still operates, mostly via pamphlets and posters. Come on people, it’s not that tedious carrying your own shopping tote or spending ten minutes a day separating plastic from glass. At the very least, you can lord your efforts over your friends and family. NEA, take note: guilt and eco-righteousness – two surefire ways to get the average Singaporean moving. 
AO 

I don’t care…
because I have no idea how to start being green. 

We know a few ways: 1. Put your groceries in a backpack. 2. At lunchtime, bring your own lunchbox and Tupperware, and while you’re at it, contribute to someone’s livelihood by hosting a Tupperware party. 3. Keep those plastic kopi and teh carriers and reuse them. 4. Buy Nalgenes (reusable water bottles) and refill them instead of indulging in bottles of water (see our Rant). We’re lucky the tap water is clean here – take advantage of it. 5. Buy homegrown food. You could argue that eating organic means you’re not encouraging the use of pesticides, but what’s the use of buying organic lettuce imported from France, air-flown for thousands of miles, when you can buy the same grown closer to home? 6. Vacation wisely. Take two long trips a year instead of six extended weekends – think of all the carbon emissions (and additional airport tax dollars) you could save. Don’t believe us? Go to www.carbonneutral.com and see for yourself. 7. Educate yourself. Is that product really biodegradable, or does it just say biodegradable? Find out at www.ecolabels.org. 8. Reuse those plastic bags as bin liners. In the end, it’s really not that hard to stay eco-friendly – starting is the hardest part. 
Charlene Fang