2. Use of Natural Resources
Ways people view and use natural resources:
Nature-centred: the physical environment is valuable in itself
Preservation of the physical environment
Human-centred: the physical environment is valuable because something can be obtained from it
Extraction leading to resource depletion and environmental degradation
Sustainable use of natural resources to ensure their continued availability for future generations
Encourage conservation and sustainable practices to reduce the rate of resource extraction and waste (e.g., 4R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle and recover)
Develop technologies to manage environmental footprint (e.g., low-flush toilets, solar farms)
There is a recent debate on the plan to clear the Dover forest for housing development versus conservation.
Where is the Dover forest located?
When did the secondary forest start growing?
Who are the one against clearing the forest for housing development?
Why are they against clearing the forest?
How will the removal of the forest for housing development affect the environment?
The food waste decomposer machine in our school canteen.
Solar panels on top of the D&T block in our school in the middle ground. You can also see the hydroponic greenhouse in the foreground. Technology has allowed cultivation of crops without the need for soil and it helps to save land space!
The installation of 1628 pcs of 530 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar panels on our school rooftop by Sembcorp Solar Singapore was completed in 2020. The solar photovoltaic system, which harnesses the sun's energy for electricity, at peak power, is able to provide electricity for 45 units of 4 room flats for a month!
The floating solar panel at the Singapore Discovery Centre which aim to supply half the energy need of SDC.
The solar farm at Tengeh Reservoir in Tuas, which is to be completed in 2021, could generate enough energy to power about 16,000 four-room Housing Board flats.
It is also expected to reduce carbon emissions by around 32 kilotonnes per year, the equivalent of removing 7,000 cars off Singapore's roads.