Off to Perth tonight for a short break, was looking online for new places and found this - http://www.greenhouseperth.com/food/background/ - great background about the concept and what it hopes to do.
Please read it!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Greenhouse Perth
Off to Perth tonight for a short break, was looking online for new places and found this - http://www.greenhouseperth.com/food/background/ - great background about the concept and what it hopes to do.
Monday, July 26, 2010
On the hunt for... electronics disposal
I find it very difficult to throw stuff away, unless either (i) I know it is being recycled or re-used (of course, I wonder about whether the item makes it to and through the recycling process successfully, but that is another story), or (ii) there is nothing else I can do with it other than throw it away.
I've accumulated a bunch of stuff in the house, notably a fair bit of electronics and the associated peripherals (cables, adaptors, etc). Can someone please tell me the best and most environmentally friendly way to get rid of all this crap?
I've accumulated a bunch of stuff in the house, notably a fair bit of electronics and the associated peripherals (cables, adaptors, etc). Can someone please tell me the best and most environmentally friendly way to get rid of all this crap?
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Public Environmental Policy
Someone asked me - why doesn't the Singapore government do more in the way of incentivising private enterprise to be more environmentally conscious, e.g. by offering tax rebates to energy efficient / green rated buildings (apparently the US does this), or else just outright banning the use of plastic bags.
Am thinking through this and will put my thoughts down once I have them.
Postscript 19 Aug 2010 - Article in the papers today about the HDB conducting a mass tender to replace light bulbs with LED bulbs, some of which will also have motion sensor technology. And in the papers on 18 Aug 2010, an article about how new buildings (though not sure if all over Singapore or only in certain areas like Marina) have to be Platinum Green Mark (Green Mark is a building certification scheme by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore that grades buildings on environmental design and performance, more info at http://www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/green_mark_buildings.html). Not sure there are actually actual fiscal benefits for Green Mark certification though.
Am thinking through this and will put my thoughts down once I have them.
Postscript 19 Aug 2010 - Article in the papers today about the HDB conducting a mass tender to replace light bulbs with LED bulbs, some of which will also have motion sensor technology. And in the papers on 18 Aug 2010, an article about how new buildings (though not sure if all over Singapore or only in certain areas like Marina) have to be Platinum Green Mark (Green Mark is a building certification scheme by the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore that grades buildings on environmental design and performance, more info at http://www.bca.gov.sg/greenmark/green_mark_buildings.html). Not sure there are actually actual fiscal benefits for Green Mark certification though.
Building Design
If you've ever had to renovate a place, you may have realised the inherent flaws and massive massive wastage in building design and renovation.
My 2 big gripes are -
1. Concealed water piping
What happens when concealed water pipes burst or leak? First of all you waste a shit load of time trying to figure out where the leak is. Then, because the pipes are embedded, replacing part of a concealed water pipe isn't really an option. What options is the poor homeowner left with? Running exposed pipes, or else hacking the wall tiles and re-running the concealed piping.
My thoughts - is there a way to use ducts or conduits embedded in the wall, and then to run water pipes in these ducts / conduits?
2. Built in furniture
Built in cupboards, built in wardrobes... the biggest waste because they can't be taken with you when you leave. I saw some beautiful non built-in kitchen cabinets in a food magazine the other day (sadly the brand has slipped my mind and I didn't get a copy of the article) and kind of regretted not using movable furniture for my kitchen.
My thoughts - I think most people will continue to go with built in furniture, since it is pretty common and having something built in probably seems more permanent and consequently "more like home". Only thing I can think of is this - if you are moving into a new place, and there is built in furniture, rather than tearing it all out and replacing it, perhaps you can get away with just replacing the doors and the inside shelves. Alternatively, if you are building a new place, have a think to see whether that piece of furniture absolutely needs to be built it. E.g. a kitchen island could be a free standing type (and maybe bolted to the floor if you feel a need) rather than built it, so you can bring it along with you if / when you move.
My 2 big gripes are -
1. Concealed water piping
What happens when concealed water pipes burst or leak? First of all you waste a shit load of time trying to figure out where the leak is. Then, because the pipes are embedded, replacing part of a concealed water pipe isn't really an option. What options is the poor homeowner left with? Running exposed pipes, or else hacking the wall tiles and re-running the concealed piping.
My thoughts - is there a way to use ducts or conduits embedded in the wall, and then to run water pipes in these ducts / conduits?
2. Built in furniture
Built in cupboards, built in wardrobes... the biggest waste because they can't be taken with you when you leave. I saw some beautiful non built-in kitchen cabinets in a food magazine the other day (sadly the brand has slipped my mind and I didn't get a copy of the article) and kind of regretted not using movable furniture for my kitchen.
My thoughts - I think most people will continue to go with built in furniture, since it is pretty common and having something built in probably seems more permanent and consequently "more like home". Only thing I can think of is this - if you are moving into a new place, and there is built in furniture, rather than tearing it all out and replacing it, perhaps you can get away with just replacing the doors and the inside shelves. Alternatively, if you are building a new place, have a think to see whether that piece of furniture absolutely needs to be built it. E.g. a kitchen island could be a free standing type (and maybe bolted to the floor if you feel a need) rather than built it, so you can bring it along with you if / when you move.
Postscript - found the beautiful non built-in kitchen cabinets, unfortunately they are by Bulthaup and probably a tad expensive for most homeowners. Food for thought nonetheless.
Drycleaners
Picked up a load of dry cleaning today, and am finally getting round to write this long overdue post.
Its always amazed me how much plastic bags / plastic / waste in general is involved in the drycleaning process. Just using my drycleaner as an example - first up, clothes are wrapped in a transparent plastic bag to protect them (some drycleaners go so far as to make sure there aren't more than say 2 clothing items per transparent bag). Second, there're the hangers - I make it a point to return these to the drycleaners, though I'm sure a lot of people don't. Third - When my laundry is delivered to me (the cleaner is just round the corner from the office), the pieces come bagged in a big white plastic bag, and I've only just recently succeeded in convincing the lady at the shop that she is capable of delivering to me without using this white plastic bag.
Takeaways?
- Return those hangers.
- Try and reduce as much plastic usage as possible.
- Try and dryclean as little as possible. I'm making it a point to find just regular cotton trousers that I can wash myself at home, and save drycleaning for essentials like suits and ties.
Its always amazed me how much plastic bags / plastic / waste in general is involved in the drycleaning process. Just using my drycleaner as an example - first up, clothes are wrapped in a transparent plastic bag to protect them (some drycleaners go so far as to make sure there aren't more than say 2 clothing items per transparent bag). Second, there're the hangers - I make it a point to return these to the drycleaners, though I'm sure a lot of people don't. Third - When my laundry is delivered to me (the cleaner is just round the corner from the office), the pieces come bagged in a big white plastic bag, and I've only just recently succeeded in convincing the lady at the shop that she is capable of delivering to me without using this white plastic bag.
Takeaways?
- Return those hangers.
- Try and reduce as much plastic usage as possible.
- Try and dryclean as little as possible. I'm making it a point to find just regular cotton trousers that I can wash myself at home, and save drycleaning for essentials like suits and ties.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Diving... Again
I've just come back from a dive trip to Bali.
It frustrates me that so many developing countries (particularly those in South East Asia) that have been blessed with beautiful dive sites do not have basic environmental preservation guidelines in place, let alone waste management controls.
Diving and dive resorts take a huge toll on reef ecosystems. Testament to this? Even sites like the Great Barrier Reef, while very well managed, are still affected. I've dived the Great Barrier before, and during the trip, a bunch of people who were holidaying on the same island and who had dived there many years before, told us the coral and reef life are totally different today.
I think the dive industry and the hospitality industry built around it are probably too far down the road for diving to be banned or severely limited, and diving is likely to remain a largely accessible sport. Of course, it will continue to be more accessible in countries that do not have proper environment protection guidelines in place, where it is consequently cheaper for dive operators and hotels to operate.
So what should we do? Obviously countries need to get their act together and come up with proper policies, but this is not the right medium to achieve that effectively.
Rather, I'd like to appeal to the dive population out there. After all, I believe environmentally responsible diving is no different from general environmental consciousness. Its all about awareness, education. Talk to your dive buddies, make them more aware of what they do and the impact it has. Don't support dive operators who are obviously just out to make a quick buck and who leave big dents in the environent in the process. And so forth.
Have a think about some of the main things that happen during a dive that could affect the environment, reef, and marine life. And make a mental note to try and stop these things, and to get your buddies to stop doing them too. My list -
- Gasoline from boat (sadly, not a whole lot you can do about this)
- Plastic wrappers and packaging, e.g. from mineral water bottles, packed lunches, etc that are not disposed of properly and get into the sea
- Related to the above point, a lack of bins
- Sunscreen: hurts when it gets in the eye doesn't it? Imagine how much it must hurt sea life
- Antifog for dive masks (just use spit)
- Cigarettes
- Bad divers who kick and damage coral (yes get trained properly and if not, don't go too close to the reef)
- Dive gear breaking down: e.g. plastic bits breaking off, etc
It frustrates me that so many developing countries (particularly those in South East Asia) that have been blessed with beautiful dive sites do not have basic environmental preservation guidelines in place, let alone waste management controls.
Diving and dive resorts take a huge toll on reef ecosystems. Testament to this? Even sites like the Great Barrier Reef, while very well managed, are still affected. I've dived the Great Barrier before, and during the trip, a bunch of people who were holidaying on the same island and who had dived there many years before, told us the coral and reef life are totally different today.
I think the dive industry and the hospitality industry built around it are probably too far down the road for diving to be banned or severely limited, and diving is likely to remain a largely accessible sport. Of course, it will continue to be more accessible in countries that do not have proper environment protection guidelines in place, where it is consequently cheaper for dive operators and hotels to operate.
So what should we do? Obviously countries need to get their act together and come up with proper policies, but this is not the right medium to achieve that effectively.
Rather, I'd like to appeal to the dive population out there. After all, I believe environmentally responsible diving is no different from general environmental consciousness. Its all about awareness, education. Talk to your dive buddies, make them more aware of what they do and the impact it has. Don't support dive operators who are obviously just out to make a quick buck and who leave big dents in the environent in the process. And so forth.
Have a think about some of the main things that happen during a dive that could affect the environment, reef, and marine life. And make a mental note to try and stop these things, and to get your buddies to stop doing them too. My list -
- Gasoline from boat (sadly, not a whole lot you can do about this)
- Plastic wrappers and packaging, e.g. from mineral water bottles, packed lunches, etc that are not disposed of properly and get into the sea
- Related to the above point, a lack of bins
- Sunscreen: hurts when it gets in the eye doesn't it? Imagine how much it must hurt sea life
- Antifog for dive masks (just use spit)
- Cigarettes
- Bad divers who kick and damage coral (yes get trained properly and if not, don't go too close to the reef)
- Dive gear breaking down: e.g. plastic bits breaking off, etc
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Go NSW!
Saw this in the papers yesterday, and managed to find it on the web today:
Link: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/water-issues/nsw-premier-nathan-rees-bans-bottled-water-20090709-ddyh.html
Extract: "NSW Premier Nathan Rees has announced an immediate ban on all departments and agencies buying bottled water, including supplies for water coolers.
It was the first step in a Government campaign to reduce significantly the consumption of bottled water in the community, Mr Rees said.
In a double blow for the bottled water industry, the sleepy Southern Highlands hamlet of Bundanoon voted to ban bottled water, just hours after the NSW Government announced its boycott."
Link: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/water-issues/nsw-premier-nathan-rees-bans-bottled-water-20090709-ddyh.html
Extract: "NSW Premier Nathan Rees has announced an immediate ban on all departments and agencies buying bottled water, including supplies for water coolers.
It was the first step in a Government campaign to reduce significantly the consumption of bottled water in the community, Mr Rees said.
In a double blow for the bottled water industry, the sleepy Southern Highlands hamlet of Bundanoon voted to ban bottled water, just hours after the NSW Government announced its boycott."
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