Environment Lens

1.     What do you think are the components of an ecosystem?  (see notes on Ecosystem)

2.     What kind of ecosystems/habitats do you think there are in Singapore? What makes an ecosystem? ( Get them to think beyond their usual responses)**

e.g. Forest (different kinds- lowland vs coastal hill vs swamp forest vs secondary forests); Urban vs natural (Parkland, Buildings, Roadsides) Land vs Water (Freshwater: Streams, Canals, Reservoirs vs Marine: Coral reefs, Inter-tidal, Mangroves)

3. What do you think makes an ecosystem function better? What makes it balanced/not balanced?

Do more members in the network make it stronger or weaker? (can talk more about Biodiversity and its importance)

4. What are some challenges to an ecosystem?

a. Biodiversity Disruption/ Loss due to loss of natural habitats or prevailing conditions or introduction of invasive alien species.

b. How does invasive species affect an ecosystem? 

c. What are natural habitats/conditions affected by?

Urbanization

Can we have both nature and urban together?

How do we benefit from the presence of nature in our urban settings? (Reducing stress, therapeutic, Economic benefits, fresher air, etc. )

Do you think biophilia exist? (part of human nature is to be with nature and there’s emotional connection to all of nature)

How do you think you can design a living environment to be good for you and ecological systems?

Why is it important to conserve our environment?

How do you think we can help to conserve our environment?

Climate Change 

What effects of climate change affect the natural habitats the most?

1.     Do you think there’s more greenery or less greenery in Singapore compared to the past? What about in comparison to other cities or countries you have visited?

2.     Why do you think Singapore has placed so much emphasis on greening?

3.     We used to aim to be a City in a Garden. Recently, it was changed to City in Nature? What do you think are some areas Singapore can work on to make this a reality?

4.     Where we are now is considered a Nature Way. Look around carefully, why do you think this is a nature way and how does it serve its purpose?

• Now with this food web/ ecosystem drawing, replace it with the people in our group, what functions do they serve? Why are they important to the watch?

• Imagine our course as an ecosystem, how would you replace what we have into the ecosystem drawing. What do you think we can do to make our ecosystem thrive?

• What diversity is present in our watch? What are the strengths and weaknesses that you bring to our ecosystem?

• What is the Greenhouse Effect?

• Sun send out solar radiation (heat).

• Earth absorbs most of it and reflect some back into space. Our atmosphere which contains Greenhouse Gases (e.g. Carbon Dioxide CO2, methane, Nitrous Oxides, etc.) traps some of these heat and warms the Earth. This is known as the Greenhouse Effect. 

• Human activities release CO2

• Fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burnt to produce electricity, in the process releasing CO2.

• Cars, planes and vehicles burn fuel and produce CO2.

• Forests are cut down due to agriculture, urbanisation and resource extraction to meet the demands of population growth. This means fewer plants to remove CO2 from the air. 

• In the last 150 years, CO2 in the atmosphere has increased from 280 parts per million to 400 ppm. The average global temperature has increased by 0.8 degrees. 

• What is the Greenhouse Effect?

• Sun send out solar radiation (heat).

• Earth absorbs most of it and reflect some back into space. Our atmosphere which contains Greenhouse Gases (e.g. Carbon Dioxide CO2, methane, Nitrous Oxides, etc.) traps some of these heat and warms the Earth. This is known as the Greenhouse Effect. 

• Human activities release CO2

• Fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burnt to produce electricity, in the process releasing CO2.

• Cars, planes and vehicles burn fuel and produce CO2.

• Forests are cut down due to agriculture, urbanisation and resource extraction to meet the demands of population growth. This means fewer plants to remove CO2 from the air. 

• In the last 150 years, CO2 in the atmosphere has increased from 280 parts per million to 400 ppm. The average global temperature has increased by 0.8 degrees. 

• Individual actions add up and contribute. One person helping is one part save. ** 

• Use less electricity: bulk of emissions come from producing electricity

• Eat more vegetables and less beef and milk

• Share and encourage your household to do the same

• 70% of Singapore's coastline is protected with structures such as sea walls and rock slopes. 

• What made this place special to this person?/ Why do you think this place is special to the people here?

• Do you have a special place? Why is it special?/ What is the strongest memory you have related to a particular place?

• How has the place changed? Do you like how it looks now or you prefer how it was? Why?

• What does Heritage mean to you? Please give some examples*

• Why do you think heritage is important? Why should we care about our heritage?

• How does it help us to know about our past?

• How do you think decisions are made to preserve heritage? Who is heritage preserve for?

• What do you think is the best way to preserve heritage?

• How can you help in the preservation or participate in this process?

• What can you learn from Singapore's Water Story?

  • 1. Disability is our greatest opportunity: Water is our highest policy priority that affected our defence and economy. Over the years, because of its priority, we have overcome the challenge and has transformed a scarce resource to a key strength in expertise in water governance.

    2. Long term planning: Water is factor in land-use planning, separating residential from industrial estates. The entire island has separate systems for the collection of rainwater and used water. Continued investment in water technology and keeping abreast with global development allowed water recycling to happen at a cost effective stage.

    3. Frugal use of resources: Creating a mindset of not taking water for granted. The older generation had to go through severe drought and prolonged water rationing just before independence. And one of the reasons the British surrendered was due to our low water supplies. This psyche of water scarcity helped to ensure that water related policies was understood and accepted.

    4. Building capacity one step at a time: Our water story tracked our country’s economic development from survival to sustainable economic development. Economic growth and infrastructural development are mutually reinforcing. We were able to explore alternative sources such as desalination because we had the means to do so. 

•  After understanding about heritage, what would you answer if someone ask you what is your heritage?

• What will be your legacy, what will be the heritage you leave behind?

• Which parts of yourself are you preserving, which parts do you want to change? How will you do so?

• Which part of your life is worth preserving as heritage for your children?

• What new questions do you have about yourself ?

• What part of your heritage are you particularly proud?

• How does knowing your heritage help you in life/ know where to go from here?

• What can you do to help preserve your community’s heritage?

• 1 in 3 people do not have access to safe drinking water

• 2 out of 5 do not have a basic hand-washing facility

• About 10% of the global population still practice open defecation

• More info here

• Unsafe water is responsible for 1.2 million deaths each year.

• 6% of deaths in low-income countries are the result of unsafe water sources.

• 666 million (9% of the world) does not have access to an improved water source.

• 2.1 billion (29% of the world) do not have access to safe drinking water.

• At least basic drinking water represents an improved source within 30 minutes’ round trip to collect water (6.5 billion people)

• 'limited' constitutes an improved water source more than a 30 minute round-trip away (260 million people)

• 'unimproved' is one that by the nature of its construction does not adequately protect the source from outside contamination (420 million people)

• 'surface' is that from surface water sources (160 million)

• Read more here

• Heritage is intrinsic and emotional.

• It is a product of family, of culture, of values, of nationality.

• By saying we’re Singaporean we have ascribe a specific heritag - everything to do with Singapore's history culture values food landscape – to our identity.

• Because it’s intrinsic, it’s emotional so when we witness a loss we are outraged or saddened. We feel like we have lost a part of our family, a part of us.

• It is timeless and unique. It has to do with the past but not only. That would be history.

• What we do in the present with what has been left to us from the past, so generations in the future may still be able to enjoy it.

• It is a process, of inheriting. There is something to inherit and someone who will inherit it.

• What do we preserve and for what/who are we preserving it for.

• Heritage is unique. What we decide to leave our children are things unique to us as a family or individual. We are leaving a bit of ourselves. We all can be and are an expert in heritage. Our heritage.

<<Akan Datang>>