IPW

2009-07-17T17:48:00.000-07:00

The members of Group 4 are: Denise Tan, Seah Wenfang, Alester Chan, Justin.

Our group is doing this IPW project on MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE EARTH.
We realise that there are many topics we can do research on so to think about our movements to save the Earth. Hence, we decided to zoom in on 2 topics - Earth Hour and Fossil Fuels.

Introduction of Earth Hour:
Earth Hour is created by WWF. Earth Hour is a WWF event and it began in Sydney, Australia in 2007. It is a symbolic event where people around the world are encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour to show their support for action on climate change.

Introduction of Fossil Fuels:
the below graph shows us how greatly we used the Fossil Fuel

third IPW lesson

2009-07-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

Well, today IPW lesson we only have 2 tasks to be done.
1)Must decide how you're presenting your project.
2)Must split your work.

For the first task, our group are obviously presenting in blog format.
For the second task, we have already split our work. In which

Wenfang: Doing research on how people already done to save the Earth.
Denise: Editing the research Wenfang have done. Writing and noting down the things we have done and said today and by posting it in blog.
Justin: Providing us the necessary materials we would be using today.serving as a leader of our group, he has the right to order and offering what our group mates will be doing.
Alester: Organising all the work we have done today.

Summarizing what we have done today...
Today, everyone suggested and gave the reasons what can we do to save Mother Earth.

Below is what our group mates have done...

Denise suggested that we can build more equipments based on solar energy. Some
of those equipments are cars, chargers, stove etc. in the day, we can use solar
energy and in the night, we can use electricity. Her reasons for inventing these
is because we can not only save money because using solar energy is making use
of sunlight. we can also save the earth as we can save petrol because to make
electricity we need to burn petrol and burning produce large amount of gas, soot
which pollutes the air.

Wenfang suggested that instead of using cars, or own vehicles, we can use public
transport like buses or we can make self transport like walking and cycling.
This can not only save our pocket money and can save the Earth as well!! The
reasons she gave are: We wouldn't need to waste money to top-up petrol. However,
making public transport need to waste a penny but, in another view, the money we
spent on public transport can help to save the Earth and the cash we used for
public transport, is not as much as the cash we used for topping up petrol for
ones own vehicle. We, as a part of the Earth, are lacking of oil and petrol is
part of oil. Oil, is part of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are non-biodegradeable.
Moreover, fossil fuels takes a long time to develope.

Alester is focusing on what individuals can do. He suggested by growing more
plants. His reason for growing more plants is that the plants can provide oxygen
for people in the day. In the day, when the sun is blazing, those bigger plants
can serve us as a shade so that the temperature would not be so high.

Justin suggested that we can make more refilable pens so that we can just buy
the ink and not the pen. Since plastics are non-biodegradeable, this can saves
the Earth.

Earth Hour Research

2009-06-30T17:54:00.000-07:00

Earth Hour Research

WWF's Role
WWF created Earth Hour to help show people how they can be part of the climate solution and use that participation to show government that people are taking action for the planet and want that same leadership from local and national governments.
Through Earth Hour WWF can mobilize millions of people as a global city that action is needed now to stop the climate crisis.
As an international conservation organization WWF is uniquely positioned to tackle climate change because we can work with all the necessary players - individuals, business and government - to achieve results.

What is Earth Hour
Earth Hour is a symbolic event where people around the world are encouraged to turn off their lights for one hour to show support for action on climate change. Millions of people around the globe turning off our lights together demonstrates that individual efforts, when taken together, add up make a big difference and can be as easy as a flick of a switch.
Earth Hour is a WWF event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. It was such a huge success that in 2008, millions of people in hundreds of cities in more than 30 countries turned off their lights for Earth Hour. In 2009, more than 4000 cities in 88 countries participated!

Why Participate
Climate change is the most urgent environmental issue facing
our planet and every one of us has a role to play to help stop it. Earth Hour is
an easy and powerful way to send a message that you care about your planet and
want to be part of the climate solution. More importantly, it sends a very
powerful message to government and world leaders that people want the right
policies and regulations put in place that can achieve the meaningful emission
reductions necessary to help fight climate change.

link for the above data

2009-06-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

Fossil Fuels Research

Emissions for 1990 have particular significance, because that is the base year chosen for setting emissions reduction goals. The figure shows that 1990 emissions were significantly lower than any other year in the ’86 – ’96 period, a result of a temporary dip in distillate fuel consumption and a long-term decline in residual fuel use. Emissions increases after 1990 result from a strong increase in use of natural gas in the utility sector and a return to pre-1990 levels in distillate fuel use.

link for the above data

Effects,Causes,Efforts of OZONE DEPLETION

2009-06-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

Effects of Ozone Depletion-research

Every time even a small amount of the ozone layer is lost, more ultraviolet light from the sun can reach the Earth.

Every time 1% of the ozone layer is depleted, 2% more UV-B is able to reach the surface of the planet. UV-B increase is one of the most harmful consequences of ozone depletion because it can cause skin cancer.

The EPA estimates that 60 million Americans born by the year 2075 will get skin cancer because of ozone depletion. About one million of these people will die.

In addition to cancer, some research shows that a decreased ozone layer will increase rates of malaria and other infectious diseases. According to the EPA, 17 million more cases of cataracts can also be expected.

The environment will also be negatively affected by ozone depletion. The life cycles of plants will change, disrupting the food chain. Effects on animals will also be severe, and are very difficult to foresee.

The planet's climate could also be affected by depletion of the ozone layer. Wind patterns could change, resulting in climatic changes throughout the world
link for the above data

Causes of Ozone Depletion research

Ozone depletion occurs when the natural balance between the production and destruction of stratospheric ozone is tipped in favour of destruction. Although natural phenomena can cause temporary ozone loss, chlorine and bromine released from man-made compounds such as CFCs are now accepted as the main cause of this depletion.

Chlorofluorocarbons are not "washed" back to Earth by rain or destroyed in reactions with other chemicals. They simply do not break down in the lower atmosphere and they can remain in the atmosphere from 20 to 120 years or more. As a consequence of their relative stability, CFCs are instead transported into the stratosphere where they are eventually broken down by ultraviolet (UV) rays from the Sun, releasing free chlorine. The chlorine becomes actively involved in the process of destruction of ozone.
link for the above data

International,National,Individual Efforts of Ozone Depletion-research

On 19 December, 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16
September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, in Canada. The EPA recently said, Because of the measures under the Protocol emissions of ozone-depleting substances are already falling. The good news is that the natural ozone-depleting process will heal the ozone layer in about 50 years.
link for the above data

Under the auspices of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Governments of the world, including the United States have cooperatively taken action to stop ozone depletion with the "The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer", signed in 1987.
link for the above data

Ozone depletion is a burning problem these days. If the layer of ozone is destroyed, there will be lots of problems like skin cancers and genetic diseases.
How to stop this?
1) less use of CFC - chlorofluorocarbons. They are used in hair sprays, compressors of refrigerators etc.
2) decrease level of CO2
3)Use public transportation. Can reduce CFC.
4) Stop the open burning.
link for the above data

international efforts,national efforts,individual efforts

2009-06-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

International Efforts to Stop Global Warming-research

"All cities with shared goals must be engaged, empowered and resourced so that cities can work together to deliver on greenhouse-gas reduction targets and stop climate change," Seoul Mayor Oh Se Hoon said

The United Nations will host the meeting of about 180 countries in Copenhagen to negotiate a successor to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Half of the world's population lives in cities and the figure is expected to grow to 70 percent by 2050. Cities consume 75 percent of the world's energy and produce nearly 80 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions, according to the group.
link for the above data

Kyoto Protocol Said to Harm Effort to Stop Global Warming--But There Is Something Better
Marco Verweij, senior research fellow at the Max Planck Project Group on Common Goods, Bonn, urges abandonment of the Kyoto project and its replacement with a crash program to develop cheap renewable energy technologies.

"A better solution comes from the realization that climate change will only be prevented if we develop energy sources that do not cause global warming, and that are cheaper than fossil fuels."
link for the above data

National Efforts to Stop Global Warming-research

The US, with 5% of the world's population, uses 27% of the natural resources; while only recycling 10-15% of our wastes.

Anyone who truly thinks about it will realize that we are in real trouble in terms of our energy problems and global warming. The greenhouse gases that we have produced are already having a significant impact on the natural environment. We have to quit producing them as quickly as possible. This will not be easy because we already have hundreds of millions of automobiles that almost no one wants to give up; and we produce 50% of our electricity from coal plants that the power companies don't want to shut down. So, we have to come together as a country and figure out the best ways to prevent global warming and to make a complete transition to renewable energy as rapidly as we can.

Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: a Roadmap for US Energy Policy, by Arjun Makhijani, sets out a goal and recommendations for completely eliminating C02 emissions in the US by 2050.
link for the above data

Resource availability -wind (slide 11)
􀂄Wind ~ 3 times US electricity generation –commercial now; no barrier to 15% of generation (0.7 percent today)
􀂄Each of the top six states more than all nuclear generation. (North Dakota, Texas, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska). Nuclear generation about 750 billion kWh

Desirable technologies (slide 23)
To reduce land area needed for biofuels:
􀂄Electrolytic hydrogen production from wind-generated electricity
􀂄Direct production of hydrogen using solar energy (e.g., thermalcracking of water)
􀂄Distributed hydrogen production and use infrastructure
􀂄Larger increases in efficiency
􀂄Can reduce area needed for biofuels to ~2 to 3% of U.S. land area

Water considerations –electricity sector (slide 24)
􀂄Today’s thermal power plants: 20 million gallons per day consumption for cooling tower, 1000 MW plant full capacity
􀂄Once through water consumption is lower but water in take requirements are higher
􀂄Over one trillion gallons per year (about 4.5 million acre-feet) of fresh water(rivers, lakes) consumed by fossil fuel and nuclear plants
􀂄Other water pollution is also created, e.g. from mining and refining of fossil and nuclear fuels
􀂄Solar PV and wind electricity require essentially no water –a major benefit

Air and water pollution considerations (slide 25 )
A renewable energy system would
􀂄Greatly reduce urban air pollution
􀂄Greatly reduce acid rain
􀂄Greatly reduce mercury and heavy metal pollution
􀂄Greatly reduce further radioactively contaminated sites due to oil production
􀂄Eliminate further nuclear related water pollution
􀂄Greatly reduce respiratory diseases
link for the above data

Individual Efforts to Stop Global Warming-research

1. Use a Clean Detergent, i.e. a low-phosphate or phosphate-free one.
2. lower the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees.
3. call local utilities and agencies to discover resource saving services (like energy audits)
4. use latex-based paints instead of oil-based ones & properly dispose of used paint
5. maintain to reduce fuel consumption; recycle when possible
6. use energy efficient appliances
7. don't let the faucet run
8. use unleaded gasoline
9. avoid products made from or containing CFC's
10. strategies for improving fuel efficiency in automobiles
11. use rechargeable batteries
12. reduce use of paper and plastic bags
13. proper lawn care to reduce water and pesticide use
14. don't use styrofoam
15. avoid chemical flea collars
16. adjust toilet tank to reduce water use
17. use a low-flow showerhead
18. Recycle Motor Oil
19. use compact fluorescent bulbs
20. recycle newspapers
21. Recycle Glass
22. recycle aluminiun
23. choose products with less packaging/recyclable packaging
24. Use Cloth Diapers, instead of disposable ones
25. Reduce waste at office
26. Help Protect the Rainforests, support organizations, avoid tropical hardwoods
27. insulate homes properly to minimize energy waste
28. Prevent Pests Naturally, use alternatives to chemical pesticides
29. dispose hazardous wastes properly
30. Drive Less
31. Stay Involved, support environmental organizations
32. combine strategies to reduce consumption of disposal products in the kitchen or use environmentally benign ones
link for the above data

1. Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
2. Do not leave appliances on standby
3. Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
4. Move your fridge and freezer
5. Cover your pots while cooking
6. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
7. Take a shower instead of a bath
8. Use less hot water
9.Buy fresh foods
link for the above data

2009-05-01T18:57:00.000-07:00

As a group, we think that some videos would be good.
So, we sat down in front of the computers and start searching for some videos that would help.

@ Yahoo! Video

this is really long..so if u want to forward, go ahead..

however, u are recommanded not to

5 Easy Ways To Help Save The Planet @ Yahoo! Video

meeting up

2009-04-29T23:30:00.000-07:00

Today we meet up to discuss about the movements to save the Earth.
and this is what we suggest and agree on

Road Divider as Tree/Bush.
We realise that most of the road divider is make up of cement. Hence, we thought of this idea of using the trees/bushes to replace them.
DISADVANTAGE(S): The trees/bushes must have limited height. If the trees are tall, when there is lightning, it would strike the tree and hence, the tree would fall. Therefore, the fallen tree would obstruct the road causing traffic jam.

Ban certain Plastic Products/ Buy Plastic Bags if you need one
Reasons: Making Plastic need oil, oil is a fossil fuels. Plastic takes a long time to decompose. Burning of plastic is polluting the air and the air of burning plastic is poisonous.

Usage of Solar Energy and Electricity.
Solar Energy is a energy which make use of Sunlight.
Therefore, when the sun set or when the sky is dark, the Solar Energy will convert to Electricity (burning of Fossils Fuels). So that we still have electricity to use.
REASONS: Burning less Fossils Fuels.

2009-04-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

In conclusion, we must all save natural resources before there is not enough for our next generation. If we don't start conserving the natural resources, one day humans will extinct. Day by day, our resources are getting lesser. If we continue, one day we will run out of resources such as oil, coal, fossil fuels, coal mine.