Plants and I: A conclusion

Yes, I admit plants aren’t the most impressive living thing around us and there are so many other organisms that are deemed to be cooler/cuter/faster than the non-mobile, green things that we see everywhere. Hence, I do understand when people asked me what is it about plants that fascinated me so much such that I would devote my entire blog talking about plants and their related environmental issues.

I think my interest in plants dated back to the time when we were first exposed to Science, from the moment I learnt that we cannot live without plants, not just because they are our primary producer but also for their vital role in gaseous exchange where they ensure a continuous supply of oxygen in the environment. I mean they straight away stood out from the other organisms didn’t they?

But that’s not all. When I was about 10, my mum decided to hand over the household task of watering the plants to me. I guess that’s when I really developed a liking for the plants (looking at something everyday really do help forge a bond!)

Since then, I have always enjoyed the presence of the trees and plants around me, and would find time to take a walk in a park on my own (when time permits!) Hence, I decided to collaborate with my neighbor (who happens to be a plant-lover as well) to beautify the rubbish chute for my floor. The result turned out better than I thought:

 

Everytime I head home I will spend some time to look at them and they literally can take anything off my mind.

However, I realised that my knowledge of plant and all the other green things aren’t really that extensive. So when I was asked to write a blog about the environment, I immediately knew what I could write about. Through this blog, I have not just gathered more information about the various topics that were discussed but also learn how to put together relevant information to formulate a coherent argument. Often, researching on the different topics have led me to a more in-depth discovery of other related topics that actually broadened my knowledge beyond what I have expected. Although I have to admit that there were times when I really did not want to write a post, but once I started crafting the few sentences of a post, I often get carried away and end up typing a post for several hours.

In this blog, I have covered the main threat faced by our forest (deforestation) and the reason why deforestation occurs. Then I went on to talk about the benefits that our forests and green spaces have given us. Together, these are attempts to convince people to stop deforestation. However, I know that it is difficult to convince people to completely stop deforesting, hence, I talked about the possibility of sustainable development. Such that people understand that economic development can coincide with protection of the environment so that actions will be taken. Lastly, I shared some of my personal stories with plants to show that building a connection with these green organisms are the same as building a connection with any other living things.

To end off, here’s some pictures that I have taken from my last visit to Gardens by the Bay:

Hopefully they can lift your spirits as much as they can lift mine!

 

Thank you for reading my blog 🙂

My Coney Island Experience

2 weeks ago, Coney Island reopened again to visitors (YAY). Saw many of my friends posting on instagram about their visit to the island, and as an environmental studies student, I definitely cannot lose out! I was really excited to visit the place because it has been really long since I last went for a nature walk and also because there has been sightings of a live cow grazing the grass on the island. We did not manage to see it but we did have to avoid stepping on the cow dungs lying around. So there’s definitely a cow somewhere!

It was a pretty hazy day that day, but we went ahead with the walk anyway. We were quite disappointed as we did not spot as many wildlife as we thought we would, especially since the island is a popular stopover for migratory birds (NParks, 2015). However, I was not quite as disappointed as those who were there for the fauna, for I am more interested in the flora.

One of the plant that really caught our attention was this tree:

If you look closely enough, there is a pineapple growing on the tree. BUT WAIT isn’t pineapple supposed to be growing out from the ground, from a leafy plant. So what is this plant? Is it really a pineapple tree? Is it a form of adaptation that pineapples have adopted?

So I went back home to search if pineapples can really grow on trees. And turns out… the plant is not a pineapple tree after all.

This tree (Pandanus tectorius) has many names, including Hala and Screw-pine. But what I think is the most applicable here is the Tourist Pineapple (Marritz, 2013). It probably got its name after many tourists mistook it for a pineapple tree… which means that we are not any better than tourists HAHAHA

This tree is commonly found in the mangrove area and have stilt-like roots (Wildsingapore, 2015). The female plants bear the compound fruit which resembles a pineapple (Wildsingapore, 2015). However, the fruit actually splits into separate pieces called keys when it is ripe (Marritz, 2013). These separate pieces can be eaten, but are usually not eaten except in the times of famines, so the fruit is not likely to be very tasty… (Marritz, 2013).

Here’s some pictures of the plant so do not be confuse the next time you see the Tourist Pineapple!

(Photos from Wild Singapore of the Pandanus tectorius found in Pulau Semaukau)

Next, we also also saw 2 Cycads on the island. Cycads are rare to be found in the wild in Singapore. These 2 cycads were found in Katong but have been shifted by NParks to Coney Island after being affected by the developmental work occurring there (NParks, 2015). They are the only native species that have managed to survive on mainland Singapore. Many Katong trees are also planted around it, to create a similar environment to their previous home (NParks, 2015).

(Photo courtesy of Hong Yao)

And lastly, this is a really nice photograph of us after our visit to the island. Meanwhile, let’s wait for this semester to come to an end before we embark on our next adventure 🙂

References:

Marritz, L. (2013). Impressive Tropical Trees from a Visit to Kaua’i | DeepRoot Blog. [online] Deeproot.com. Available at: http://www.deeproot.com/blog/blog-entries/impressive-tropical-trees-from-a-visit-to-kauai [Accessed 27 October 15].

National Parks Board, (2015). Coney Island Park. [Online] Available at: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/news/2015/10/factsheet-1-coney-island-park [Accessed 26 October 15].

Wildsingapore, (2015). Seashore pandan (Pandanus tectorius) on the Shores of Singapore. [Online] Available at: http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/coastal/pandanus/tectorius.htm [Accessed 27 October 15].

Can there be sustainable development?

After discussing about the benefits of our plants and our forests, it is indeed worrying to know that to achieve development, we may have to end up losing all our forests, and all the flora and fauna along with it. Just imagine having to live without a single trace of any other wildlife around us… …

Sustainable development is not a new concept, but despite it being around for quite some time, it still remains as a faraway dream to many.

On my last visit to the library, I chanced upon a book titled “Natural Capital: Valuing the planet“. The title caught my attention because there are elements of the nature and at the same time, of the economy. I immediately thought that the author was not an environmentalist, and was quite sure that I wouldn’t be very please with many of the ideas discussed in the book (just by the use of the word ‘capital’ to describe the resources nature provide, and the idea about putting a value to our planet). Borrowed the book in the end because I thought it would be good to look at sustainable development from a different viewpoint.

However, I was in for a surprise! The author, Dieter Helm is an economist (I was right about this part), but he raised many pertinent and practical ways in which sustainable development can become a reality. In the book, he shows that the common view held by many about how protecting the environment can slow down economic growth is false, and spell out the reason why environment must be at the very core of economic planning. He provided actions to be taken immediately, and actions to be taken in a more gradual manner to restore our natural resources. He used economic terms to appeal to the other economists to consider taking the environment seriously.

Helm’s book left a lasting impression on me, and I recommend it to anyone who truly cares about wanting to reverse the damage that we have already done to the environment. After reading the book, my answer to the question would be a yes. We can have sustainable development, and the future is not as bleak as it seems.

What does it mean to be living in a Garden City?

Since the 1980s, Singapore have been termed as the Garden City (National Parks Board, 2015). But what does living in a Garden City mean for us?

In 1967, the late and then PM, Mr Lee Kuan Yew first introduced the “Garden City” vision to Singaporeans. Back then, Singapore was still a third world country, and the idea of a Garden City was too unrealistic and not pragmatic. However, Mr Lee explained the rationale that making the country clean and green will make Singapore appear organized and attract tourists and foreign investors, bringing about economic development (NLB, 2015). This has made the idea more acceptable and allowed it to achieve greater success.

But, the late Mr Lee was a nature lover. The reason for the greening of the city goes way beyond just economic development. Rather, it is part of his greater plan for Singapore to completely move from a third world country to a first world country. He knew that Singapore will undergo rapid urbanization and the cultivation of greenery will soften the harshness of the metropolis and improve the quality of life (NParks, 2015).

“I have always believed that a blighted urban landscape, a concrete jungle destroys the human spirit. We need the greenery of nature to lift our spirits.” 

– Mr Lee Kuan Yew, 1995

Today, we are able to see greenery all around us, from the trees found along the road to the parks and the park connectors. These greenery not only provide us with a greater amount of oxygen to breathe in, but also bring about many health benefits. Some of the more obvious health benefits include the decrease in likelihood to get obesity and myopia. However, green spaces are also known to play important roles in preventing depression and Type 2 diabetes (Pietilä et al., 2015). Building parks around residential areas have helped promoted more outdoor activities while having infrastructure for safe walking and cycling have allowed people to engage in more physical activities, both contributing to the improvement in public health  (Pietilä et al., 2015). In view of the haze, trees and plants can also help to reduce the risk posed by the haze, by reducing the amount of particulate matter (PM) in the air (Silli et al., 2015). Leaves, especially those that are small, have complex edges and are waxy, are able to trap great amount of PM on its surface (Silli et al., 2015).

For me, living in a Garden City have made me developed an interest for the natural environment. Since young, getting to visit parks to play at the playgrounds and cycle with my siblings and cousins is what excite me the most. Personally, I feel that young children really do like to play outdoors, especially if they have already spent 5 out of the 7 days of their week staying indoors learning new things. However, if parents do not encourage their children to spend more time outdoor and staying active, the excitement of being able to go outdoor will subside as they become increasingly lazy.

Great news for people who enjoy spending time in the parks and basking in the sunlight. Singapore is evolving from its vision of a Garden City to a City in the Garden and maybe we will live to see the entire Singapore city nestled in a garden.

An inspiring, aerial view of New York City on our quest to become a City in the Garden:  (click to enlarge)

(Photo courtesy: Sergey Semonov, a Russian photographer)

References:

National Parks Board, (2015). A Special Tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, The Man Behind the Greening of Singapore [Online] Available at: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/about-us/special-tribute-to-mr-lee [Accessed 15 October 15].

NLB, (2015). “Garden city” vision is introduced – Singapore History. [Online] Available at: http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/a7fac49f-9c96-4030-8709-ce160c58d15c#2 [Accessed 14 October 15].

Pietilä, M., Neuvonen, M., Borodulin, K., Korpela, K., Sievänen, T. and Tyrväinen, L. (2015). Relationships between exposure to urban green spaces, physical activity and self-rated health. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 10, pp.44-54.

Silli V., SalVatori E., Manes F. (2015). Removal of airborne particulate matter by vegetation in an urban park: An ecosystem services perspective. Annali Di Botanica, 5, pp. 53-62.

Think fungus are useless? Think again.

Came across a pretty interesting article recently that made me rethink about the worth of the fungi. I mean most people do not think quite highly of the mushroom, do they? What’s with them growing on decomposing matter, looking completely aesthetically unpleasing…

The article talks about a microbe that feed solely on polyurethane, a widely used polymer found in foam insulation, bike seats, garden hoses, spandex fabrics, etc. Polyurethane has long been thought to be non-biodegradable due to its strong chemical bonds, and were expected to languish indefinitely in landfills or become a microplastic pollutant in the ocean.

Until…

The discovery of the plastic-eating fungus (Pestalotiopsis microspora) in the most unexpected place: The Amazon Rainforest. I mean most people may have thought that this must have been a product from a laboratory in the world, carefully modified by scientists to develop plastic-chomping abilities to solve our problem.
However, what I hypothesize is that these fungus have undergone natural selection to have become a population that can survive just by eating plastics (given our amount of plastics used, this is not that surprising isn’t it?)

This really makes me ponder that perhaps the solution to our environmental problem isn’t really all about some great advancement in technology but the return to the more primitive way of living where we look to the nature for solutions to our problems.

Link to the article:
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/12/26/plastic-eating-fungi-could-solve-our-garbage-problem-291694.html

The dilemma – mitigate climate change or reduce starvation

Both are pressing issues of the 21st century, but which one should be given more attention?

The world’s population has been growing ever since the 1950s, and the annual growth rate is still in the positive region, meaning that the population will continue to grow in the 21st century (Worldometer, 2015). With more mouths to feed, more food have to be produced. But what comes at the expense of producing more food?

One of the most direct cause of deforestation is the clearing of land for food production but there is an obvious trade-off between the two.

Converting forested area to farmland for crops and livestock can help to increase food production, but it also means a reduction in the availability of cleaner water, diminishing habitat for wildlife and the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (USGS, 2008).

Data from the WWF (2015) reveals that 46-58 thousand square miles of forest are lost each year, equivalent to a rate of 36 football fields every minute. Continuing at this rate, it is projected that our rainforest could vanish completely in 100 years (Society, 2015). In 2010, the Assistant Director-General of FAO’s Forestry Department said that for the first time, there is clear evidence to show that the rate of deforestation has decreased over the past ten years. However, in 2013 the rate of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has increased again and in 2015, the same happened in the Brazilian forests.

The issue is a complicated one. Should we ignore those who cannot get enough food? Should we produce more genetically modified food and bear with the potential implications that may come along with it? Can we completely stop deforestation from happening? What about countries like Singapore? We are all inhabitants of the Earth. We all have a part to play in solving this global issue. What rights do we have to stop another country from deforesting when we have already cleared almost all our forests for economic development? It seems that it will take us a few more decades to debate and justify our actions, and deforestation will continue to occur.

But wait… what if there is no dilemma at all?

The annual global food production is enough to feed the world’s population. (Worldhunger, 2015)

So why does the problem of starvation still exists?

The real reason lies in the harmful economic systems that we have. Countries are allowed to purchase food at any amount as long as they are able to pay for it. This then creates the problem of over-consumption in some countries and malnourishment in others. Meanwhile, forests continue to be cleared, in the name of food production, when actually we really do not need more land for food production. I would say that this is a great example of imperfect information. In economics, the solution for imperfect information is simple – provide information. Hence, the solution to stopping deforestation is also simple – make information of food known. Be it the information on the right amount of food to consume for individuals, to information on the amount of food needed for each country’s population. Of course, with the various political and social problems that exist in our complex world, the solution may not be so simple after all. However, resolving these conflicts will still be much simpler than having to think through the ethical issues and consequences involved to make a decision on which should be the right course of action to do.

While the solution mentioned above involve actions taken by the government, individuals should not feel that they are powerless and, hence, disconnect themselves from the issue.

“Trees are the green lungs of the Earth”. This phrase goes beyond the mere explanation of how trees, like lungs, help us in gaseous exchange. Rather, it is implying that we will not be able to survive without the forest, like how we cannot survive with our lungs. In this sense, deforestation draws parallel to smoking, where we know its direct harmful impacts on us but yet continue to engage with it. Put it this way, does it make it easier for you to say no to deforestation acts? Is there something that you can do? 

References:

Fao.org, (2015). FAO – News Article: World deforestation decreases, but remains alarming in many countries. [online] Available at: http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/40893/icode/ [Accessed 29 September 15].

Society, N. (2015). Deforestation Facts, Deforestation Information, Effects of Deforestation – National Geographic. [online] National Geographic. Available at: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/ [Accessed 30 September 15].

Worldhunger.org, (2015). 2015 World Hunger and Poverty Facts and Statistics by WHES. [online] Available at: http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm#Does_the_world_produce_enough_food_to_feed_everyone [Accessed 30 Sep 15].

Worldometers.info, (2015). World Population Clock: 7.3 Billion People (2015) – Worldometers. [Online] Available at: http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ [Accessed 29  September 15].

World Wildlife Fund, (2015). Deforestation | Threats | WWF. [Online] Available at: http://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation [Accessed 30 September 15].

United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, (2008). Carbon Sequestration to Mitigate Climate Change (pp. 1-4).

But… why is Indonesia deforesting and what should we do?

After writing the previous post, I was talking to some of my friends after class about the haze problem, and it suddenly occurred to me that the reason behind deforestation in Indonesia has not been explicitly mentioned, and hence, many of us are clueless about what we can do to help improve the situation. My non-environmental studies friends have also been telling me how I should be doing more to improve the haze situation. Some even jokingly told me to go to Indonesia and persuade the government to take greater actions and stop companies from burning down any more trees. Obviously, I have neither the power or time to do that. But what I think I can do is to write a blog post about it to raise greater awareness!

Hence, I have been diligently looking for more information to find out why Indonesia have been engaging in deforestation practices and I am lucky to chance upon a blog post from a fellow Singaporeans discussing about the haze. Several points were brought up which I thought was pretty relevant so I will be putting them here.

Two weeks ago, I mentioned that Singaporeans are displeased about the haze problem, which we shouldn’t be, because we are actually part of the reason the haze problem is persisting. However, he raised a pertinent point to explain why Singaporeans should be unhappy; that we are largely upset because of the lack of action taken by the Indonesian government to solve the problem.

http://refocusing.blogspot.sg/2013/06/what-singapore-and-malaysia-must-do-to.html

The illegal burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations is a recurrent problem in Indonesia.

Yet, there seems to be little or no incentive for the Indonesian government to clamp down on the illegal burning of forests, (and they) often blamed (this) on (the) poor farmers, (as this way) to clear land (is cheap) for palm oil plantations (and) Indonesia wants to increase palm oil production.

Moreover, an official of Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry reportedly alleged that Malaysian and Singapore palm oil companies that had invested in Indonesia might be responsible for starting the fires in Riau.  He has conveniently ignored the fact (that) the primary responsibility for taking legal and enforcement action against (these companies) lies (within the responsibility of) Indonesia as these companies have violated Indonesian laws within Indonesian jurisdiction.

While the Indonesia government has been apathetic about the haze issue, the Singapore government is not about to give it a break. Just today, the Straits Times reported that NEA has served legal papers to the largest paper firm in Indonesia, Asia Pulp and Paper, to question about its approach taken to cease the forest burning practice in Indonesia (Lee, 2015).

From the above, we can see quite clearly that Indonesia has been clearing their forests for palm oil plantations as this could generate a huge amount of revenue for Indonesia, resulting in a lack of motivation for the Indonesia government to stop forest clearing practices.

So are we really completely helpless? Or is there something we can do?

The blog post did provide solutions to the problem. However, the solution was a tad disappointing. In the post it was mentioned that:

People in Singapore and Malaysia should boycott all Indonesian goods, regardless whether or not they are produced by the plantation companies involved in the illegal burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations.

Also, people in Singapore and Malaysia should boycott Indonesia as a travel destination.

While these solutions may be drastic enough to urge the Indonesia government to take actions, we all know how it is quite impossible for this to happen. Indonesia is one of our top ten trading partner (Lim, 2013). To simply stop importing from Indonesia would mean that we have to look for alternative sources to get our products from, which is highly unlikely given the short time span.

However, what I think would be more plausible would be to stop purchasing oil palm related products. Palm oil is not just present in cooking oil, it can also be found in soap, lipsticks and processed food. The non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the Western countries have already informed the Europeans and Americans to stop purchasing items that contain palm oil to help improve the air condition in our region (Brooks, 2015). If the countries not affected by the haze have taken actions to help us, there should be ways in which we can take to help ourselves.

In fact, we as individual, can start making a difference today, by simply:

1. Buying products that do not contain palm oil or only buying products that contain palm oil obtained using green measures.
2. Taking part in the 28 days palm oil challenge at PalmOilChallenge.com to learn tips about consumption that will reduce harm to the environment and the habitats of animals.
3. Spreading the news on your social media platforms to create greater awareness.

In this way, we should be able to make the haze go away and put an end to our misery and discomfort.

References:

Brooks, E.J. (2015). To resolve haze woes, boycott palm oil products. The Straits Times. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/forum/letters-in-print/to-resolve-haze-woes-boycott-palm-oil-products [Accessed 26 September 15].

Lee, M. (2015). Indonesia’s biggest paper firm back in the spotlight. The Straits Times. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesias-biggest-paper-firm-back-in-the-spotlight [Accessed 27 September 15].

Lim, R. (2013). Singapore’s Merchandise Trade Performance, 2003 – 2012. Statistics Singapore Newsletter. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.singstat.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/publications/publications_and_papers/international_trade/ssnmar13-pg8-13.pdf [Accessed 26 September 15].

Who should we blame?

The haze is everywhere. We can see it, we can smell it and we are breathing in the pollutants every single second.

Every year when the haze comes, we lament about Indonesia’s deforestation practice. Yet, did we ever stop to ponder if the haze problem could possibly be a result of our own doings?

A few weeks ago, the discussion in class about our true ecological footprint has indeed allowed me to see a clearer picture of how the world is interconnected. For a country such as Singapore where our consumption level far exceeds what our country’s biocapacity can sustain, it is natural for us to import goods from elsewhere to meet our current consumption level (WWF, 2012). When we import goods from other countries, especially the less developed countries, we actually bring to them more environmental problems (Harris,2014).
From the diagram, it is clear that Singapore’s consumption and waste emission levels are far higher than that of Indonesia. While we get to enjoy the high consumption level, Indonesia have to bear with the degradation of their environment and an even higher amount of pollutants in their air. So when we complain about Indonesia’s irresponsible behaviors, are we indirectly calling ourselves irresponsible?

What I really wanted to highlight in this post is the selfish nature of humans. Be it Singapore’s careless consumption or Indonesia’s land clearing behavior to earn more revenue, they are all evidences of how humans tend to act according to our own benefits. Deforestation is just one of the many detrimental activities that we carry out. Many a times, we modify land forms and exploit ecosystems so as to fulfill our own selfish goals meanwhile harming the one and only home that we reside in.

When will we ever stop ourselves from committing more foolish acts? By then will it actually be too late?

References:
WWF. (2012). Ecological footprint and investment in natural capital in asia and the pacific. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/images/article_uploads/ecological-footprint-asia-pacific-2012-final.pdf. [Accessed 18 September 15].

Jonathan M. Harris. (2004). Trade and the environment. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.ase.tufts.edu/gdae/education_materials/modules/Trade_and_the_Environment.pdf. [Accessed 19 September 15].

Farewell to the Forest: A short film by Unilever

A short but thought-provoking video on the topic of deforestation which I will be talking about in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!

Hello!

Welcome to my blog – save the greeneries! We should all know by now how alarming a rate forests are being deforested, how the green lungs in cities are being replaced by commercial buildings and how humans have exploited trees and plants beneficial to them.

In this blog we will explore the various benefits of our green friends and see for ourselves why we should be the defenders of these friends who are pretty much helpless when it comes to defending themselves.

Stay with me as we delve deeper and deeper into the less told stories of the plants and trees, and start developing a connection with them. After all, biodiversity is about the variety of the different types of life found on earth. Plants and fungi which are such a major group should not be neglected.

Here is a video showing how plants, like all living organisms, respond to pain too!