Saturday 2 February 2013

Combined Literature Review


Group Name: Deuterium                                                   Class: S2-03

Members: Shaquille, Wun Juan, Ibrahim

Each year, tons of waste are generated by us, the human race. In Singapore, the waste mostly end up in landfills, such as the Semakau Landfill, buried in the ground or in incinerators where the waste will be burned. Although part of the waste is recycled, prevention is always better than the cure. So with that said, we aim to urge Singaporeans to reduce their waste usage, and make the world a better place.

But first, we should start right in our daily lives. Whether in the office, at school or even at home. “In Singapore, paper is the most common type of waste and about 1.26 million tonnes of paper waste was generated in 2008.(Eugene Tay, 2008). Just with that piece of information, we know that there is already a excessive use of paper here in Singapore. So, we have gathered information on how to reduce the usage of paper. 

1. Avoid printing emails and web pages
2. Print or photocopy of both sides of paper
3. Avoid printing ATM receipts
4. Use cloth instead of paper towels
5. Read the news online

These ways of reducing waste are possible, and are also what we do in our daily lives. So, as long as we implement the steps and ways, we should be able to reduce the usage of paper in Singapore. 

Not only paper, but daily rubbish that we blindly throw away should be reduced. By not creating rubbish, there will be no need to dispose the rubbish. Below are the different ways to avoid creating rubbish. 

1. When shopping, avoid using plastic/paper bags given. Instead, bring your own reusable bags. 

2. Avoid buying bottled water from drink stalls, vending machines etc. Instead, bring your own reusable water bottle from home. 

3. Avoid using disposable items. When going on a picnic or replacing batteries, bring normal cutlery and rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones.

Organisations such as Zerowastesg and the National Environment Agency (NEA), have encouraged Singaporeans to reduce waste since 2008. Now that it is 2013, we have seen significant improvement since then. According to our research, from 2008 to 2011, only 2% of total waste increased but the waste recycled increased by a staggering 117%. (NEA, 2011). This shows that the efforts by the citizens of Singapore has paid off, and now we want to further carry on the great success. This also shows that the few methods are effective even if you are just a student. 

In conclusion, if we really take the effort to practice the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and care enough for the environment, we can make a difference even if that difference is significant, or just a small improvement. A few simple steps can be huge for the environment, so might as well do it for Mother Earth. 

References:

Eugene Tay (December 8, 2008) Eliminate The Excessive Use Of Paper. Retrieved from:

http://www.zerowastesg.com/2008/12/08/eliminate-the-excessive-use-of-paper/

National Environment Agency (2011) Waste Statistics and Overall Recycling. Retrieved from:

http://app2.nea.gov.sg/topics_wastestats.aspx




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