Damming Our Rivers - An Answer to Renewable Energy?

ENVIRONMENT-CHINA: Dam Plans Open Gates to Tough Choices Ahead By Gordon Ross Dated 25 Feb 2010 (http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50457)

Gordon Ross reported that the construction of a small dam on a tributary to the Nu, just south of the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), is nearly complete". Just for the record, Nu River flows from the Tibetan highlands through China’s western Yunnan province, cutting between two mountain ranges before rushing through Burma into the Andaman Sea. It is home to a third of the country’s Christian ethnic groups and a diverse ecosystem of 7,000 species of plants and 80 rare or endangered animals and fish.
At present, China holds the record of longest dam in the world with the completion of the Three Gorges Dam, which spans the Yangtze in Hubei province. With a total capacity of 22,500 MW, many ponders why does China still need to build more dams. Has greed really eaten up China?
It cannot be argued that hydroelectric dams are a source or renewable energy and many countries, Malaysia included, are aiming to build these dams in a move to offset a county's nett carbon emissions. Unfortunately, this renewable energy is not of natural build-up. Construction of a hydroelectric dams requires a large area of the river and also land if diversion of river is to occur. In short the construction of the dam destroys the biodiversity of the river and the ecosystem which it supports. In general, the biodiversity of the river; the aquatic animals especially migrating animals, plants, microorganisms, the ecosystem in which the river supports and feeds; herbivors, carnivors and human community will lose not only home but also survival.
The only option to save all the biodiversity is to remove the biodiversity to another location, which is almost impossible and too tedious. When a life is removed from its ecosystem, it does not guarantee its survival in the new location. Same goes for the human communities, it is impossible to replace their culture, lifestyle and environment. China government promises hopes to the human communities by relocating them, providing new jobs and homes. The question is: does the human communities have any choice or say in this matter?

Plastic

Plastic, undeniable, plays part of the important role in our lives for years. Almost everything that we used in daily life involved with plastic. But, while we are unconsciously using unlimited plastic, did we ever think of the consequences? Plastic usage brings great harm to the environment especially since it is not biodegradable or maybe took hundred years to bio-degrade. But the chances for plastic to biodegrade is low except that when the plastic is manufactured, they are being modified. Plastic does not only harm the environment,it also killed awfully lot of marine lives. These poor creatures tend to eat the plastic that was found in the sea or by the beach and was killed. These does not only affect the marine mammals, but also animals at the land as well. This shown how serious are the impact of the plastic usage. Even though we are being told about the disadvantages of plastic bags, most of the people still preferring using it. But, right now, our country has started to reduce the plastic bags usage by collaborating with supermarkets and shops and has organize on "NO PLASTIC DAY" on certain day. As what I've seen, some of the supermarkets distribute no plastic on saturday, friday and sunday. For those shoppers who needs plastic bags and doesn't bring their own bags will have to pay extra for the plastic they purchase on the day. This is one good practice in order to reduce plastic usage. Starting with these kind of practices, we can slowly implemented this habits into our lives. Referring to the articles http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/reusablebags.htm, there are some facts about plastic bags that may open our hearts of the value of reusable bags.

Mary-

BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES, AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

BEIJING 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES,

AN ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

Source: (UNEP. Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, An Environmental Review, 2007)

In response China’s rapid economic development, the Government of China has instituted a growing number of environmental initiatives and legislation designed to promote environmental sustainability as part of the country’s ambitious growth strategy. With world attention increasingly on China, the staging of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing has given China an opportunity to showcase its commitment and ability to grow in an environmentally sustainable manner.

The ‘Green Olympics’ initiative

Fulfilling the spirit of Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee (BOCOG) to deliver a ‘Green Olympics’ during the candidature phase in 2000, Beijing had set ambitious environmental goals to show the world its commitment to sustainable development. The project areas range from addressing air and water quality and waste management to including environmental considerations in new infrastructure development.

In accordance with its bid commitments, BOCOG had taken steps to build sustainable venues, paying particular attention to energy efficiency, use of eco-friendly materials, water conservation, and environmental management and control of building sites. An interesting innovation is the widespread use in the venues of ground, water or air source heat pump systems to provide buildings with heat in winter and air conditioning in summertime. The excellent results achieved by BOCOG and the city of Beijing in phasing out ozone depleting substances (ODS) well ahead of the deadline set at national level had noteworthy. At the end of 2004, ODS, apart from HCFC and HFC (which are still used in the car air conditioning sector), were completely phased out in the city of Beijing, six years ahead of China’s Country Programme deadline, and air conditioning and fire extinguishing systems in the Olympic venues are all ODS-free.

Air quality

Beijing had implemented a number of initiatives program to improve its air quality and reduce its air pollution; for example the relocation and refitting of major heavy polluting industries, to the conversion of coal burning boilers to cleaner fuels and the implementation of vehicle emission standards. Most of these initiatives have benefit the citizens of Beijing long after the Games had closed. However, the extensive use of coal and the growing number of motor vehicles, has contributed to the slow pace of improving air quality. The city’s geographical location exacerbates the problem where the mountain ranges that surround Beijing block air circulation and prevent the dispersion of pollutants and natural cleansing of the air. Particularly worrying are the levels of small particulate matter (PM10) in the atmosphere, which is severely deleterious to public health. Air problem is the high number of dust storms that plague the city, especially during the spring. For example, in the spring of 2006, the city endured 18 dust storms.It is commonly accepted that improving city air quality cannot be achieved in a short period, or even over a period of a few years. However, the Beijing’s initiatives to limit traffic volumes on specific days, it has to be recognized that only long-term planning and the enforcement of measures over time will show significant results.

Transport

The city of Beijing has achieved results both in the area of new transport infrastructure and in renovating the public transportation fleet. New lines on the underground rail network, public transportation hubs have been put into operation to serve ground lines and new roads and bridges constructed to relieve the heavy Beijing traffic. The Municipal Government had also implemented local standards for vehicle emissions equal to Euro I, Euro II and Euro III, to match internationally recognized vehicle emission limits.

Energy and Industry

Beijing’s energy infrastructure have undergoing massive restructuring, with a gradual transition from heavy dependence on coal to cleaner energy sources such as natural gas, as well as geothermal energy and, to a lesser extent, wind energy, improve energy efficiency and air quality. Nonetheless, the city remains heavily reliant on coal, with its associated environmental consequences, ranging from local air pollution to the long-range transport of toxic elements such as mercury. Continuous developments include the adoption of advanced environmental technologies, and the implementation of new pollution standards and an industrial pollution control system. The relocation of Capital Steel and Iron Group to a new more efficient plant outside of Beijing is an example of Beijing’s efforts to reduce industrial pollution within the city’s boundaries.

Water

City administrators have also made significant efforts to save and recycle water resources, which is increasingly important as the city has been affected by years of enduring drought. A variety of water saving schemes and rainwater collection and re-use systems have been designed and implemented in the Olympic Village and several competition venues. Beijing has also made efforts to improve the quality and availability of drinking water, placing the protection of drinking water reservoirs and improving water quality high on the agenda. At the source, water is in compliance with the quality standards set by the World Health Organization but, because of the antiquated distribution network, by the time the water arrives at the consumer’s tap it is not the same quality as when it left the treatment plant. Nonetheless, there remains considerable room for improvement in the drinking water distribution network and in water quality at the user-end.

Waste

Beijing has made considerable progress in the field of solid waste management. Using the general ‘3-R’ circular economy principles of ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’, Beijing has implemented a systemic approach to managing urban, industrial and hazardous waste, involving improving waste processing in the city, with new processing and disposal facilities for urban and hazardous waste (industrial and medical) being built around the city. Beijing is also working to improve education and awareness among its citizens about the importance of separating waste for recycling and reuse. One of UNEP’s concerns related to the Olympic Games, however, is that there is more emphasis on waste processing than on minimizing waste. Since winning the bid to host the Olympic Games, green coverage in Beijing, defined as the area covered by lawns and the shadow of trees and bushes, has expanded to more than 50 per cent of the city’s area. Beijing has created three different green ecological zones in the mountain, plains and urban areas to create a green shelter for the city. At the end of 2006, the three ecological zones were nearly completed, including a total of 20 natural reserves to protect forests, wild plants and animals, wetlands, and geological formations.

Conclusion

UNEP concluded that Beijing has already achieved many of its bid commitments, for example on waste water treatment, water source protection and waste management, and appears to be well on the way to fulfilling all of them. Beijing’s old or nonexistent infrastructure, rapid development and geographical constraints mean the city still has considerable challenges to overcome, especially in the areas of air and water quality. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the environmental projects developed in Beijing prompted or accelerated by the award of the Olympics represent a long-term positive legacy for the city, both in terms of new infrastructure and implementing new environmental technologies. At the moment, some of these initiatives, such as vehicle emission standards, remain exclusive to Beijing. If the new environmental standards and measures taken in Beijing for the Olympics are adopted countrywide, and help to influence China’s development, the award of the 2008 Olympic Games can be counted, from the environmental point of view, as a success.

population and the environment

Hey guys,


check out this article http://www.populationmedia.org/issues/population/population-and-the-environment/


What do all of you think when you heard of the term "overpopulations" ? For me, when I came across this word, generally I thought of :


1) over crowded / less space to live
2) unemployment
3) increase crime rate
4) lead to environment problems - water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution..etc


In other words, overpopulations does not give any benefits to us...does it?


m@rY..
=)

Traffic Jam vs Global Warming

"Now I used to think that I was cool,
Running around on fossil fuel,
Until I saw what I was doin',
Was driving down the road to ruin."

From the song 'Traffic Jam" by James Taylor

Hi all !

The holidays are over and here we are forced to get back to work, again!

Recently, there's an interesting discussion going on between me and a friend of mine. It's about how to contribute in reducing global warming pollution despite the recent traffic jam that happened during Chinese New Year.

One of the solutions proposed in my previous post (The Heat is Catching Up), suggested that we should not idle in our car as idling wastes money, gas and generates pollution. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more gas and creates more pollution compare to restarting your engine (www.adf.org). Therefore, this suggestion can be applied when we are not in the middle of traffic and we are stopping for quite a long time.

But how can we help to fight global warming in this case?

Referring to the cartoon strip above, they suggested that we should ride our bicycles more and drive less, as there are already too much car on the road and driving any type of car STILL pollutes the environment. However, this method is a bit difficult to put into action in our everyday life due to our very hot weather and lack of suitable bike path. If we choose to cycle, we will also face some challenges such as having to face congested traffic or hilly terrain. These are the challenges that you as an individual have to face, and with some determination, I believe that we can overcome it. But for those who feels that this is very inconvenient, cycling or walking to a nearby shop around the neighborhood during cloudy days may sound more convenient.

Well, after doing some findings, I found some ways in cutting global warming pollution despite the traffic jam that took most of our time spent driving on the road.

Here are the results of my findings:-

1. Always make sure that the tires on your car are properly inflated and the wheels are properly aligned.
2. Keep your vehicle operating in peak performance. Maintenance such as checking the spark plugs, air filters, hoses and belts can reduce the usage of gas.
3. When traveling by car, travel light and pack smart as extra weight in your car increase fuel usage. Instead of putting the luggage on the roof or trunk, place it inside the car to minimize drag force and increase mileage.
4. Drive your car less aggressively because rapid acceleration and braking can reduce mileage and produce more pollutants.
5. If possible, off the air-cond and open the windows when you are driving at slow speed. But opening your windows when you are driving at high speed can decrease the overall efficiency of the vehicle.
6. Carpool or use public transportation whenever possible as this can help to reduce congestion on the road and cut global warming pollution.
7. Buy a hybrid car or a fuel efficient car if you can afford it.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world"

-Mahatma Ghandi-

Well, I guess that's all I have to share!

- Jessica Solidau -

The Heat is Catching Up!

Gong Xi Fa Chai,
Xin Nian Kuai Le to all my Chinese friends!






Another celebration has come! It is a starting of the Lunar Year of the Tiger. Oh, and not to forget, today is also a Valentine's Day! So, Happy Double Celebrations to all!!

Well, while we are enjoying the celebrations, please do keep in mind that "the heat is still catching up with us." This time, I'd like to share with you an article written by Derek Markham about the causes and effects of global warming. Even though most of us have already known the causes and the effects, it's still good to have a look at this article. This article had listed the Top 10 causes and effects of global warming, plus, there are pictures in every point he listed! That makes this article more interesting to read. Here's the link http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/06/07/global-warming-effects-and-causes-a-top-10-list/

In our everyday life, we do contribute to global warming, and this will then leads to climate change. Therefore, I would like to call upon all my friends to start making a difference and stop global warming! Let us all hand-in-hand, try to make our world a better place to live.

Here is what we can do:-

1. During this festive season, try to reduce the usage of wrapping paper for your CNY and Valentine's gifts. If you must do so, stay with simple wrapping style.
   
2. Buy products with the least packaging.
3. Bring your own shopping bag. Say NO to plastic bags! Plus, it's another way to shop with style.
   
4. Stop using disposable cutlery, plates and cups for your party or gatherings.
5. Choose local fruits and vegetables as this can help to reduce the amount of energy needed to transport the product to the store.
6. Keep room temperature 25.5 degree celsius when using air-cond. Plus, it can cut 3% off your electric bills.
7. Don't put your electric appliances on stand-by (especially your computer and Astro decoder) as this release carbon dioxide.
8. Un-plug unused electronics because even when electronic devices are turned off, they still use energy.
9. Clean or replace your air-cond filters if necessary.
10. Use compact fluorescent lamp as this use 75% less electricity than tungsten lamp.
11. Take shower instead of bath.
12. Use low-flow showerheads or take shorter showers.
13. Hang your clothes to dry instead of using clothes dryer.
14. Don't idle in your car. Idling wastes money, gas and generates pollution.
15. Reduce the buying and usage of plastic water bottled. Use durable water bottle instead.
16. Pay your bills online. This can reduce the usage of papers and envelopes.
17. Read newspapers online.
18. Use public transportation or car-pool whenever possible.
19. Recycle! Recycle! Recycle!
20. Green your home by planting plants in small pots. This can help to beautify your living space and help to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas.

Together we can make a difference. Let's Fight Global Warming!!







- Jessica Solidau -


Adapted from www.stopglobalwarming.org and www.greenpower.org

Climate Change vs Global Warming

Hi everyone!

I would like to share with you guys an interesting article which explains the differences between climate change and global warming. That article can be found at http://www.grinningplanet.com/2007/01-02/global-warming-vs-climate-change.htm

Well, do you guys know the difference between climate change and global warming? If your answer is yes, then congratulations! Most people usually use both of these terms interchangeably as if it carries the same meaning. Actually, it doesn't! Therefore, we as environmental students should really know how to distinguish these terms.

Basically, global warming refers to the increasing global temperature. It is measured by taking the mean average temperature on the entire surface and compares it over time. Global warming is a part of climate change.

Climate change on the other hand refers to the earth's climate that differs from the expected norm. It refers to not only the temperature, but also the changes in regional conditions such as the amount of precipitation, hours of daylight, air pressure and winds, and also storm events.

So, that's it! I hope you guys can get benefits from the article!

- Jessica Solidau -