Today, Zhiyi, Beegim, Eeping met up to do the a2 boards. Chenmin couldn't come because she was stuck at the airport in China due to bad weather.(See? The effects of global warming.) Anyway, we did up the board at Zhiyi's house. Beegim brought home one of the boards so i can only put up photos of the other one. Zhiyi hard at work.....
Caught me taking photos her...
Completed board...
wonder how we got that earth back there?
We had to paint it...reversed!
Close-up shot...
Environmentalist Blogged:12:28 AM
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Something from today's Straits Times...
Environmentalist Blogged:7:24 PM
Seriously, don't do that there are much more better ways than that... although it's better than," My dog ate my homework!"
Yes, thinking about air pollution, it would directly link to the cause of global warming. How so? The gases that pollute the air are also some of the greenhouse gases that we have learnt and gone through here.
I believe everyone of you out there knows that air is made up of 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases.
There are several main types of pollution and well-known effects of pollution which are commonly discussed and now, we will link them together to prove that our diagram makes sense (: .
These include smog, acid rain, the greenhouse effect, and "holes" in the ozone layer known as ozone depletion.Which each of these gases will actually cause serious illness to us.
The two main sources of pollutants in urban areas are transportation and fuel combustion in stationary sources, including residential, commercial, and industrial heating and cooling and coal-burning power plants.
Motor vehicles produce high levels of carbon monoxides (CO) and a major source of hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fuel combustion in stationary sources is the dominant source of sulphur dioxide (SO2).
Carbon Dioxide Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the major pollutants in the atmosphere which also leads to global warming.
Major sources of CO2 are fossil fuels burning and deforestation. Industrial countries account for 65% of CO2 emissions with the United States and Soviet Union responsible for 50%. Less developed countries (LDCs), with 80% of the world's people, are responsible for 35% of CO2 emissions but may contribute 50% by 2020. Hence, we may be more developed, however we ought to be ashamed of harming our earth more than LDCs do. Let us start to save the earth people!
In 1975, 18 thousand million tons of carbon dioxide (equivalent to 5 thousand million tons of carbon) were released into the atmosphere, but the atmosphere showed an increase of only 8 billion tons (equivalent to 2.2 billion tons of carbon".
The ocean waters contain about sixty times more CO2 than the atmosphere. If the equilibrium is disturbed by externally increasing the concentration of CO2 in the air, then the oceans would absorb more and more CO2.
If the oceans can no longer keep pace, then more CO2 will remain into the atmosphere. As water warms, its ability to absorb CO2 is reduced.CO2 is a good transmitter of sunlight, but partially restricts infrared radiation going back from the earth into space.
This produces the so-called greenhouse effect that prevents a drastic cooling of the Earth during the night. Increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere reinforces this effect and is expected to result in a warming of the Earth's surface. Currently carbon dioxide is responsible for 57% of the global warming trend. SEE? THEY LINK TO GLOBAL WARMING. STOP POLLUTION!
N0X - nitric oxide (N0) and nitrogen dioxide (N02) Comes from the burning of biomass and fossil fuels. 30 to 50 million tons per year from human activities, and natural 10 to 20 million tons per year! Average residence time in the atmosphere is days. Has a role in reducing stratospheric ozone.
N20 - nitrous oxide Natural component of the Earth's atmosphere. Important in the greenhouse effect and causes nitrogen loading. Human inputs 6 million tons per year, and 19 million tons per year by nature. Residence time in the atmosphere about 170 years. 1700 (285 parts per billion), 1990 (310 parts per billion), 2030 (340 parts per billion). Comes from nitrogen based fertilizers, deforestation, and biomass burning.
Sulphur and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Sulphur dioxide is produced by combustion of sulphur-containing fuels, such as coal and fuel oils. Also, in the process of producing sulphuric acid and in metallurgical process involving ores that contain sulphur.
Sulphur oxides can injure man, plants and materials.
At sufficiently high concentrations, sulphur dioxide irritates the upper respiratory tract of human beings because potential effect of sulphur dioxide is to make breathing more difficult by causing the finer air tubes of the lung to constrict.
As emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide from stationary sources are transported long distances by winds, they form secondary pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, nitric acid vapour, and droplets containing solutions of sulphuric acid, sulphate, and nitrate salts.
These chemicals descend to the earth's surface in wet form as rain or snow and in dry form as a gases fog, dew, or solid particles. This is also known as acid deposition or acid rain.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) CFCs are lowering the average concentration of ozone in the stratosphere.
Depending on the type, CFCs stay in the atmosphere from 22 to 111 years! Chlorofluorocarbons move up to the stratosphere gradually over several decades.
Under high energy ultra violet (UV) radiation, they break down and release chlorine atoms, which speed up the breakdown of ozone (O3) into oxygen gas (O2).Chlorofluorocarbons, are greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.
Photochemical air pollution is commonly referred to as "smog".Smog is a contraction of the words smoke and fog, which actually tend to occur in summer.
Smog Smog's unpleasant properties result from the irradiation by sunlight of hydrocarbons caused primarily by unburned gasoline emitted by automobiles and other combustion sources.
Ozone is a gas created by nitrogen dioxide or nitric oxide when exposed to sunlight.
Ozone causes eye irritation, impaired lung function, and damage to trees and crops. Another form of smog is called industrial smog.
This smog is created by burning coal and heavy oil that contain sulphur impurities in power plants, industrial plants, etc...
The smog consists mostly of a mixture of sulphur dioxide and fog. Suspended droplets of sulphuric acid are formed from some of the sulphur dioxide, and a variety of suspended solid particles. Which commonly occurs during the winter in cities such as London, Chicago, Pittsburgh.When these cities burned large amounts of coal and heavy oil without control of the output, like what we always say: no input but all output, large-scale problems were witnessed.
In 1952 London, England, 4,000 people died as a result of this form of fog. Today coal and heavy oil are burned only in large boilers and with reasonably good control or tall smokestacks so that industrial smog is less of a problem. Cities have a tendency to have greater portion of industrialized areas. Industry is the main contributor to air pollution.
Many times factories release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane, and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.
Yes, hope the above information makes sense that actually air pollution is linked to global warming. For the next post, we would be explaining other links that we have drawn in the hideous diagram (but it makes perfect sense!)
Hey readers. We would like to sidetrack a little and tell you guys why did we choose to embark on this particular project. (:
Well, we are really concerned about the news that have also made a wake up call globally. That would be the Cyclone in Myanmar and Sichuan Earthquake. In our posts, we did not focus on one problem that the earth is facing, instead, we explain how they are actually linked to one another.
Therefore, our readers not only would be able to learn only one thing that affected mother earth, but also the other factors. In turn, we could also include and suggest various ideas to save the earth as well. A song to depict what mother earth has done for us all along.
Armies have conquered And fallen in the end Kingdoms have risen Then buried by sand The Earth is our mother She gives and she takes She puts us to sleep In her light we'll awake We'll all be forgotten There's no endless fame But everything we do It's never in vain
We're part of a story, part of a tale We're all on this journey No one's to stay Where ever it's going What is the way?
Forests and deserts Rivers, blue seas Mountains and valleys Nothing here stays While we think we witness We're part of the scene This never-ending story Where will it lead to? The earth is our mother She gives and she takes But she's also a part A part of the tale
We're part of a story, part of a tale We're all on this journey No one is to stay Where is it going What is the way? We're part of a story, part of a tale Sometimes beautiful and sometimes insane No one remembers how it began.
Love dug a canal to supply water power to what he envisioned would be a combination of industrial and residential areas in his community. It was meant to be a dream community. Unfortunately, Love was unable to complete his project.
During the 1920s the canal he dug was turned into a landfill operated by the Hooker Chemical Company.
In 1953, Hooker sold the site to the Niagara Falls Board of Education for $1, with the disclaimer ". . . that the premises above described have been filled . . . to the present grade level thereof with waste products resulting from the manufacturing of chemicals. . . ."
The city built an elementary school on the site. Houses were later added. Over the years, the underground containers filled with approximately 21,000 tons of chemical waste corroded.
In 1977 a record rainfall brought about a tragic consequence: The waste began to leach into people's homes, backyards, and playgrounds.
Love's Canal has been officially associated with high rates of birth defects, miscarriages, and other severe illness resulting from land contamination. In short, he was the culprit in everyone's eyes.
The tragedy of Love Canal is perhaps the most famous incident of chemical waste dumps that are harming people, but it is definitely not the only one. Health effects range from cancer to birth defects. However, the practice of chemical dumping persisted for years in the early twentieth century, in many places, without any thoughts to the possible risks or consequences of these actions.
When the Love Canal leached its deadly contents, the United States began to take notice.
In 1980 Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the first U.S. federal law to address toxic waste dumps. CERCLA, also known as Superfund, is the emergency fund to clean toxic waste dumps when the owners of the dumps are unknown or unable to pay for a necessary cleanup.
While Superfund is helping to clean up many hazardous sites, litigation over liability led to delay and costly legal battles over who pays for cleanups. Another criticism is that Superfund lacks clear standards as to what constitutes a "clean" site.
Across the globe, developing countries have been buying hazardous waste from developed nations, where disposal is more expensive. Historically, there has been little or no law at all to control the disposal of hazardous waste; as the world becomes more of a global community, however, this problem will no doubt haunt future generations.
Isn't the future generations: us?
Give me Liberty. I've Already Got Death.(From a sign displayed by a Love Canal resident, 1978)
Green Sowers solutions: http://www.informaction.org/cgi-bin/gPage.pl?menu=menub.txt&main=funpage_sower_waste.txt&bg=/images/gbground.gif
Environmentalist Blogged:2:29 PM
Hello! All of you must have thought that the substances in polluted water is dirty right? We are all wrong!
Did you know that most of the causes of pollution including sewage and fertilizers contain nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates?
I am reading your minds and all of you might be asking," So how on earth could nutrients POLLUTE?"
Well, take off your puzzling faces and open the memory file in your brains when we tell you all about it.
Nutrients are well, beneficial to the growth of aquatic plants and algae. However, due to the excess levels of the nutrients, it would of course, cause excessive growth of the aquatic plants and algae.
This will clog up our waterways and hence, use up the dissolved oxygen as they decompose and prevent sunlight to enter the deeper waters.
This, in turn, affects the respiration ability of aquatic organisms residing in the waters.
Silt and other suspended solids, such as soil washed off from plowed fields, construction and logging sites, urban areas and eroded river banks entering the water bodies when it rains can also cause pollution.
Just so you know, we have learnt all these in Geography. You might have too. (:
However, you might have not come across this word here, eutrophication. This is a process where water bodies undergo under natural conditions.
Still blur?
It is a process whereby large water bodies turn old over thousands of years and become more productive. *Amazing.*
However, everything has its disadvantages as well, as people make use of its advantages to various cultural activities. Thus, it has greatly hasten this process and beginning to cause water pollution due to increased levels of plant nutrients.
When these sediments enter the water bodies, it affects the productivity of water plants, water depth, lives of aquatic organisms and their environment.
Pollution in the form of organic material enters waterways in many different forms such as sewage, leaves and grass clippings, or as runoff from livestock feedlots and pastures.
When natural bacteria and protozoan(what's this word here?) in the water break down this organic material, they begin to use up the oxygen dissolved in the water. Due to this, fishes and bottom-dwelling animals cannot survive when levels of dissolved oxygen is decreased. When this occurs, it kills aquatic organisms in large numbers which leads to disruptions in the food chain.
Word SOS!
Protozoan:
Protozoa are very small organisms which often live inside larger animals.
Opinion from a member of e.TEAMM:
However, personally i feel that water pollution not easy to clear once it is polluted as it may be spread to other parts of the world easily since water surrounds the countries we live in. It is pretty dangerous though because it will definitely affect us in someway or another. For example, fishes that die or are caught unknowingly by fishermen nearby would sell them to customers who consume them and become ill. No one would want that right?
Opinion 2 from another member of e.TEAMM:
I will keep this straight! Many people say that, those who start the pollution, must stop it themselves. What's the point of saying that? Although it is true that those who started the trouble, must end it. However, we all share the same mother earth. We step on the same land and look up to admire the same skies.
SO EVERYONE MUST PLAY A PART! We all make a difference.
Have you been wondering why are we feeling warmer and hotter these days? The hot and sultry days are due to the greenhouse gases trapped within the earth's atmosphere causing global warming.
So what is global warming?
Global warming is an increase in the earth's average surface temperature.
Maybe that is why ice-creams melt faster these days. Isn't it? Or do you feel shorter because the water level was actually until your ankle when you stand near the shore but now comes up to your kneecap? Yes, possibly due to rising sea levels.
Why are we facing global warming?
This is because of the greenhouse gases which prevents the heat we are receiving from the space to be bounced back into the space. This is known as greenhouse effect. However, we do need the greenhouse gases so as to keep the earth warm and not cold to an extent that we will have only have ice caps all over.
Unfortunately, too much greenhouse gases could harm our earth by increasing its temperature.
What are the greenhouse gases then?
The major greenhouse gas that takes up 76% of greenhouse gases would be carbon dioxide. Cars also contribute to the carbon dioxide in the air.
Deforestation is also another major factor that is contributing to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Also, fossil fuels that are burnt to provide electricity to our homes and electrical appliances contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide in the air causing a rise in greenhouse effect.
We will give you tips on how to save energy hence saving the amount of fossil fuels burnt in power stations.
Up next would be methane gas which take up 13% of the greenhouse gases. Unlike carbon dioxide, it is highly flammable. Imagine lighting a flame in the air if carbon dioxide was a flammable gas. On the other hand, like carbon dioxide, it is colourless and odourless. Animals such as sheep, cows, goats, camels and buffaloes contribute most to the percentage of methane in the air. Bacteria in their stomach break down the food they take in and convert part of it to methane. When they burp, methane will be released into the atmosphere. Although methane stays in the air for a decade, it traps the heat 20 times more than carbon dioxide. Wow, isn't that a disaster if the animals which produce methane by burping start to burp all at the same time?
Third gas which take up 6% of the greenhouse gases on earth would be nitrous oxide. It is also a colourless gas however possesses a sweet scent. It is commonly used in hospitals for anesthetics purposes so that patients will not feel any pain while surgeons are cutting up their body parts. It is also widely known as laughing gas. HAHAHAHA This gas is naturally released from the bacteria living in soil and from oceans. In addition, fertilizers which give nutrients to the crops are nitrogen based break down in the soil to release nitrous oxide.Unlike methane which would disappear a decade later, nitrous oxide will still stay in our atmosphere a century later.
The last gas which take up 5% of the greenhouse gas would be fluorocarbons. One example would be chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are released by the use of aerosol sprays, foam packaging and solvents in the industries. It is also released through the coolants in refrigerators, air-conditioners, and machinery in various factories. To alleviate the emissions of fluorocarbons, ensure that the leaks are properly fixed in refrigerators and air-conditioners and that the coolant is recycled. During the disposal of these two items, make sure that the coolant is covered properly to prevent the gas to be released into the air.
____________________________________________
Climate change not only affects the ice caps and houses that polar bears live in. Everyone should play a part and be concern about how climate change would affect us in our daily lives. 1) Rise in sea level, 2) Perspiring in the day and at night as well,
3) Increase in food prices from countries we import food from,
4) More diseases would be easily spread around and,
5) Change of weather patterns such as, raining when it is supposed to be sunny.
Tips to fight climate change and conserve energy
hence, save money.
+ Instead of using the air-conditioner, use the fan instead! Remember to switch off the air-conditioner whenever not in use and while u already have a fan on.
+ Can't live without you air-conditioner due to the hotter days and nights? Sure, why not increase the temperature setting to 25°C. You will feel as comfortable as well.
+ Do not switch any electrical appliances to standby mode. Switch them off as standby would add up to 10% of your electrical bill.
+ Use energy-efficient lamps/compact fluorescent lamps to save energy. Why? They last much longer (up to ten times longer than standard bulbs) and save money as well!
+ Wash your clothes with warm or cold water instead of hot.
+ Implementing our idea of green building for shading outdoor air-conditioning units. It works!
+ Make use of microwave instead of conventional over or stove whenever you can.
+ Also, when preparing a meal in your oven, try to use foods that are cooked at about the same temperature. That way your oven can cook several dishes at the same time.
Our group came out with this particular diagram to show the links between what we are doing ( Going Green ) and what we are facing. Pollution, seemingly the center of attention in the diagram, will be what we are focusing throughout the project by explaining the links between them.
In fact, this diagram is not nonsensical if you study it carefully. However, we would not expect you to understand the linkage between the words without us explaining. We have difficulties coming up with this diagram as well (: and do pardon me for the graphics.
For now, we will start with the one on the far left of the diagram:
Going GREEN
Singapore established this plan of going 'green' to involve all of the fellow citizens to do their part in saving the earth. Going green, in this case, we mean it literally.
Of course, green would mean loads of stuff but what do you see everyday, without fail? Yes, that's right. Trees and plants.
Our Idea
Hence, for our group, we made use of the idea of green building to promote the awareness of going green. Green building is a technology whereby plants are not planted and grown on the ground, instead we do that on walls and roofs.
For this picture above, you can find this if you have been to Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 3.
Green walls sure are beautiful, aren't they?
As for this picture above, it shows the green walls at Hortpark. As for this picture, it is an example of how green roofs look like.
We will talk above various benefits that are relevant to our main idea to save the earth in this project.
Green roofs improve the air quality by absorbing the gaseous pollutants through photosynthesis. This is definitely one of the very good news as Singapore is a bustling city filled with vehicles on the roads of the Central Business District. Inhaling gaseous pollutants would really be a bad idea.
In addition, the gaseous exchange carried out by the leaves during photosynthesis add oxygen into the atmosphere.
Secondly, green roofs also cool the air due to the transpiration of leaves hence reducing the cost of air transfer from hot to cool in air-conditioning. Therefore, this would also alleviate the negative elements in the diagram we came up with as less energy would be used from power stations. Wow, isn't that great?
Although the cool air coming out from the air-conditioners are undeniable, cooling and nice, we should also try to enjoy the same effect produced by transpiration. Who knows, you might find it better. Also, imagine us at the brink of abyss when mother earth collapse because we use too much air-conditioning ( it may happen ).
Green roofs and walls also keep the buildings cool and hence create a micro climate which is beneficial to the climate of a city in the bigger picture.
Not to forget about PART II of Going Green. Here are some ways you could do even at home to help save the earth.
1. When using an oven, minimize door opening while it is in use; it reduces oven temperature by 25 to 30 every time you open the door.
2. Unplug appliances that you do not use occasionally.
3. Learn about alternatives to household cleaning items that do not use hazardous chemicals.
4. Buy the right amount of paint for the job. I am sure you do not want to end gasping for fresh air or hold your breadth before that.
5. Use traps instead of rat and mouse poisons and insect killers. Are you surprised? These pests killers could kill off mother earth as well if we are not careful enough.
6. Use a ceramic coffee mug instead of a disposable cup.
7. Copy and print on both sides of paper. This is a good way to save the paper and trees. Do adopt our 'trees' in our blog if you have the chance.
8. Buy products that you can reuse. So that you would not get tired of buying the same products over and over again!
9. Reuse items like bags and containers when possible. An exemplary campaign would be that of Singapore's 'Use Your Own Bag Day'.
10. Don't use your wood stove or fireplace when air quality is poor.
In the later posts, we would share more ways you could take at home, school or in the office to curb global warming and hence, go green. If you are doing at least 5 of the above, aim to do all ten! More coming up soon.
The Cyclone, destroyed the boats in the Yangon Harbour, detached roofs of buildings and created an inundated city with water level up to the knee with the speed of 150 mile an hour ( 240 km/h ) winds.
As we have promised in the previous post, we will look in depth and explore different natural disasters that have, or had took innocent lives away.
Earthquakes
So who studies them anyway? Seismologists.
What do they use to measure earthquakes then? The Richter magnitude scale.
How does it work? The local magnitude scale ML scale uses a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. The number is obtained by calculating in a logarithmic way.
Hence, do not be surprised to what logarithms are used for. It can be applied in one way or another, somehow.
All of you out there must have heard and did your part to contribute to the Sichuan Earthquake, which occured at 12 May 2008. About 15 million people who lived in the area were affected and around 240, 000 were killed in this earthquake. This particular earthquake was also felt as far as Beijing which is 1, 500km away and Shanghai, 1, 700km away.
Figures state that 69, 134 are pronounced dead which includes 68, 620 in the Sichuan Province as well as 374, 061 injured with 17, 681 missing. These figures proved the earthquake's formidable tremor which took innocent lives away, which we, the normal human beings could not prevent just like that. The Sichuan earthquake also destroyed the houses of 4.8 million citizens. According to PRC's China Seismological Bureau, the Great Sichuan Earthquake measured at 8.0 Ms and 8.3 Mw.
There were also three major aftershocks, which destroyed homes and buildings. One on May 25, measured 6.5 Mw hit the Qingchuan County caused 8 fatalities and a thousand injuries.
The other two happened on May 27, measuring 5.2 Mw at Qingchuan County and 5.7 Mw in Ningqiang of Shanxi Province injured 63 people and led to the destruction of more than 420, 000 homes.
Chen Min _ Zhi Yi _ BeeGim _EePing
We are proudly from Hua Yi Secondary School Together Everyone Achieves Much More! With that, we can get Satisfaction!
You can contact us @: the.teamm@yahoo.com.sg
This blogskin's graphics and concept is solely done by R.wan.F Design. No materials should be taken without permission.
With the help of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Black1e google, notepad, photobucket,blogspot and of cos, blogskin.
With the help of Cursor Mania, e. TEAMM have chosen the desired cursor.
Zhiyi hard at work.....
Caught me taking photos her...
Completed board...
We had to paint it...reversed!
Close-up shot...
Seriously, don't do that there are much more better ways than that... although it's better than," My dog ate my homework!"
Think for our future, even it does not affect us...
Wouldn't that be great? Biofuel...
Yes, thinking about air pollution, it would directly link to the cause of global warming. How so? The gases that pollute the air are also some of the greenhouse gases that we have learnt and gone through here.
credits:http://visual.merriam-webster.com/images/earth/environment/land-pollution.jpg
More pictures on water pollution! :D
We will give you tips on how to save energy hence saving the amount of fossil fuels burnt in power stations.
Bacteria in their stomach break down the food they take in and convert part of it to methane. When they burp, methane will be released into the atmosphere. Although methane stays in the air for a decade, it traps the heat 20 times more than carbon dioxide. Wow, isn't that a disaster if the animals which produce methane by burping start to burp all at the same time? 
To alleviate the emissions of fluorocarbons, ensure that the leaks are properly fixed in refrigerators and air-conditioners and that the coolant is recycled. During the disposal of these two items, make sure that the coolant is covered properly to prevent the gas to be released into the air.
Our group came out with this particular diagram to show the links between what we are doing ( Going Green ) and what we are facing. Pollution, seemingly the center of attention in the diagram, will be what we are focusing throughout the project by explaining the links between them.
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