Define

-Studying the problem & solution-

THE PROBLEM :

The rise of air pollution and lack of sustainable energy in Malaysia

Our group ended up choosing this problem to study and find the best solution to it because it is one of the biggest problem our country is facing nowadays. Especially during the global pandemic of COVID-19, these problems would worsen the situation. What exactly are the source of this problems that causes our country to face this kinds of situations?

Types of Sources

There are four main types of air pollution sources in our country :

mobile sources – such as cars, buses, planes, trucks, and trains
stationary sources – such as power plants, oil refineries, industrial facilities, and factories
area sources – such as agricultural areas, cities, and wood burning fireplaces
natural sources – such as wind-blown dust, wildfires

After knowing the sources of air pollution in Malaysia, we studied how different countries in the world overcome this problem :

After watching a few Youtube videos on how other countries overcame this problem, we learned that they are embracing green energy, public transportation, and environmentalism as keys to urban sustainability. If it gets to net zero emissions, it could provide a roadmap for green cities worldwide. 2/3 of the world's carbon emissions come from cities, and with many countries in the developing world undergoing urbanization at the same time as economic development, urban sustainable development is an issue of high importance.

SOLUTION : the 'Green City' concept

After studying and finding more information as to why our country are facing problems such as pollution, we ended up finding a grand solution to this problem that is implementing the 'Green City' concept into every city in our country. So what exactly is the 'Green City' concept?

According to what we have learned about this concept : -

The Green City is a city that is “in balance with nature,” where all forms of nature from living organisms to their habitats are highly significant components of the urban form and part of green infrastructure. In a Green City, all forms of nature are respected, maintained, and extended for the benefit of city residents. Urban nature is seen as an ideal provider of services, and a key concept for city development.

Urban green infrastructure can be understood as a network of all urban natural elements—either close to nature or designed green space can be a planning relevant category. The concept of urban green infrastructure is thus exemplary for strategic and integrated planning, protection, development, and management of urban nature. This requires citywide, district-based and object-based spatial concepts.

A bubble diagram used to visualize the Green City concept

So by applying this concept in our country, environmental problems that we encounter daily in our country would be decreased and in the long run is able to be solved. There are four main rules our group has decided to implement in our country in order to build it to be a Green City.

RULE 1

Planting of Greenery In The City

The terms “urban greenery” and “green space” all refer to urban design elements meant for recreation or improving a neighborhood’s aesthetic appeal — trees and other plants in parks, sidewalks or elsewhere; public plazas, schoolyards and playgrounds; and public lands covered with trees, shrubs and grass. Such projects can also function as “green infrastructure,” helping mitigate the urban heat island effect, filtering air and reducing runoff.

We think that, our country today as you can see does not really have that much greenery in the city area. So we hope to see it in the future integrating greenery as part of its infrastructure to help cool down the the temperature in the city and also as a way to seize global warming activity.

Kuala Lumpur 2020 :

Kuala Lumpur as a Green City :

RULE 2

Renewable Energy as The Main Source of Energy

It is a vital matter to understand the causes of air pollution in our country, Malaysia, in order to start rescuing the earth and restraining the pollution take place once again.

Knowing that fossil fuels is a non-renewable, people still keep burning fossil fuels to generate energy and electricity for the sake of their properties.

When fossil fuels are releasing the harmful carbon particles to the air, it results in the imbalance of carbon levels in the earth. The imminent result is temperatures rising and making organisms unable to live longer due to polluted conditions.

Graphs we found while trying to study the energy consumption in Malaysia proves that our country mostly depends on non-renewable energy and we can see carbon dioxide emission sky rocketing in the year 2018.

RULE 3

Eco - Transport

The yearly hike in the number of vehicles clogging up city roads has resulted in a pressing need for the adoption of more green transport initiatives in Malaysia.

Currently, about 90 percent of vehicles in Malaysia are fossil-fuelled and land transport is known to be among the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.

This situation warrants more aggressive mobilisation of measures to facilitate the transition from fossil fuels to green energy such as biofuels and energy harnessed from renewable sources such as solar, hydro and wind.

Malaysia was ranked with the highest air pollution index number at 266 on 18th September 2019.

RULE 4

Recycling Of Garbage

Recycling reduces the need to grow, harvest or extract new raw materials from the Earth.

That in turn lessens the harmful disruption and damage being done to the natural world: fewer forests cut down, rivers diverted, wild animals harmed or displaced, and less pollution of water, soil and air.

And of course if our plastic waste isn't safely put in the recycling, it can be blown or washed into rivers and seas and end up hundreds or thousands of miles away, polluting coastlines and waterways and becoming a problem for everyone.

WHY?

Why should we integrate the 'Green City' concept in our country?

This enthusiasm for “green cities” stands in stark contrast to traditional views about nature as the antithesis of culture, and so having no place in the city. The traditional view was that the only ecosystems worthy of protection were to be found beyond the city, in national parks and wilderness areas.

We embrace the new agenda wholeheartedly, but also believe it’s important not to focus solely on instrumental measures like canopy cover targets to reduce heat stress. We should not forget about experiential encounters.

Active interactions with nature in the spaces of everyday life are vital for advancing a form of environmental stewardship that will persist beyond individual.

Don't you wish to see nature and urbanization grow together in our country?

Why become a green and sustainable country?

To ensure a viable future, the city must take a leadership role and address the impacts on the environment by urbanization and a growing populace. These impacts include air and water pollution, climate change and habitat loss.

PROBLEM STATEMENT :

PROBLEM :

Malaysia - a country that is developing in the economy and industrial field in this time of globalization giving benefits to tons of its people but what about the environment? Our group has studied a problem that is the rise of air pollution and lack of sustainable energy in Malaysia. How exactly do we plan on solving this problem?

ACTIONABLE PROBLEM STATEMENT :

Finding solutions to Malaysia’s air pollution and lack of use of sustainable energy problems requires solutions at its core that is development of its cities. Our group has learned about different ways how other countries are able to solve these types of problems in their country. With that, we have came up with a solution that is to integrate the 'Green City' concept in every city in our country.

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