trip to Pulau Ubin

We went to Pulau Ubin on the 10th of May, it was quite fun :D. Our group found out a lot of useful resources to our project.

1. the waste of pulau ubin

The photo above shows the pollution in pulau ubin. As we found out, there is actuallt a lot of untreated garbage in pulau ubin. This may be caused by the lack of dustbin and the waste management system in pulau ubin is not very good. Hence, in our project, we need to solve this problem to prevent these wastes from harming the environment. Thus, we come up with a solution.

We will create a full Public waste collection System to collect all the refuse. Garbage can and refuse collection points will be distributed all over the island according to population density. After that, we will transfer all the refuse back to mainland to recycle and dissolve.

2.water sources

There are actually small revers in Pulau Ubin. We can make full uses of these water resources when we build our sustainable island. For example, agriculture area could be arranged near the water resources. If necessary, widen the river could also be a way to do small transportation.

3.the choose of location for all the plants

when we cycle around the island, we had decided where to place different plants. For example,

Here would be a goood place for agricultural development. Why? Frstly, the ground is flat. And it is near water resources.

This trip was meaningful. We got to know more facts about pulau ubin and it is very helpful to our project. Last but not least, we had fun there. :D

Saifan (24)

Essay reflection - Solar energy

My essay for the sustainable environment project is about using solar panels to provide energy. In my essay, I tried to justify why solar energy is sustainable:

1. It provides a constant source of energy for Pulau Ubin. Astrophysicists have calculated that the energy from Sun will not run out in billion years, therefore it is certainly a renewable source. Although the sun does not provide energy at night, modern technology enabled us to store energy such as thermal mass systems or phase change materials.

2. It does not harm the environment, unlike fossil fuels powered energy plants because of greenhouse gas emission.

3. Location and cost of maintenance are not problems for solar panels. An average solar panel usually occupies 3-meter square, and can last up to 25 years.

In my essay, I tried to make use the system approach to make various comparisons with other forms of energy and the impact on different spheres (atmosphere, biosphere) of the earth to justify why solar energy is eco friendly and sustainable. The input, output, flow and storage were also mentioned.

Generally, I think I did okay for the essay. It was clear and logical, however Miss Kavi commented that my essay lacked specific examples, which is quite true because I did not do much research on it. More research should have been done to provide real-life examples for the project.

In conclusion, I think it is important to follow the rubrics closely to score well for any essay. Also, you should provide specific examples to illustrate your points.

Nguyen Anh Tuong (21).

trip reflection

On 10 of May, Monday, we had a field trip to Pulau Ubin. This is my second time to go to this island. Last time we went there for OBS, while this time we went there for the geography project of sustainable development. First we went to Changi Point Ferry Terminal to take a boat, where is located behind Changi airport. It is far away from the centre of Singapore. It took around 10 minutes from ferry terminal to get at Pulau Ubin.
As we know, Pulau Ubin is a fantastic place for hikers to explore its primordial beauty. We rent a bicycle after we landed the island. I have not ridden bicycle for a long time. It was quite pleased to ride bicycle on a luxuriant land. There are various trees around the beach. We had a comfortable break at there. Then we rode the bicycle following the main road into the hinterland of Pulau Ubin. The main road in Pulau Ubin is made of blacktop, but it does not mean Pulau Ubin has been urbanised. There are always various trees around the road. The trip with bicycle was quite relaxing and interesting. You would not hear bell ring from the car. You would not see any HDB. Our destination should be Chek Jawa. Chek Jawa is a unique natural area where six major habitats meet and mix. It is located at intertidal area of eastern Pulau Ubin. However, we did not sure whether the route is correct or not, finally we did not get there. However, we still enjoyed the fantastic class outing in Pulau Ubin. We took the boat from Jetty back to Singapore city as the end of the field trip. Zhang Ruizhi(25)

Essay reflection(Wasteeeeeeeeeeee)

My essay is about converting organic waste into compost, a fertiliser that can be used in agriculture. Organic waste is allowed to decompose under a controlled environment in a container. Heat gets trapped in the container and speeds up the decomposition process. The end product is a nutrient rich material similar to soil.

I think what my essay lacks is the evaluation part. There are many problems with compost and in my essay i merely stated them. I think what i could have done is to evaluate the problems and come up with solutions for it, also the how the problems affects the ecosystem.

For example, one problem with composting is that pests might treat the container as a food source if the container is not sealed properly. In my essay, i merely stated that a rise in the population of pests such as rats and cockroaches might occur if the pests gain access to the organic waste in the container. I could have written down the effects of the rise in population of pests, like the spreading of diseases that the pests carry and also a imbalance in the food chain.

Generally, i feel that my essay is not too bad but it lacks depth. More research could have been done to show the impact of using compost to treat organic waste instead of throwing it away.

Dylan Fu (19)

ESSAY REFLECTION

About 3 weeks ago, Miss Kavi gave us back our essay that we did on sustainable development. I am here to share about my essay content and the knowledge i have gained from it.

My essay is about photovoltaic cells. Photovoltaic is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Thus, it is able to provide energy for mankind to use. Using the input, output, flow and store method, I tried to convey my point that photovoltaic cells is an invention that is sustainable to both the human kind and the environment. i believe that this method was effective in bringing my message across as i was able to explain why and how photovoltic cells is benefitial to us.

However, i feel that i could have improved my essay with the use of diagrams as this could help bring out my point better.

Also, i could have be elaborate on some of my points more clearly as some of my points were quite vague.

That's about it. I feel that i did okay for my essay. Hope you all have learned something useful from your essay

DONAVON(17)

About my essay reflection (Energyyy)

Hey class,

About two weeks ago, we got our essays back and I read the comment given by Ms Kavi. My essay introduces a project idea of generating energy called Energy-from-Waste and evaluates its feasibility and effectiveness. I’m just here to share both the essay’s content and what I’ve learned from it.

Firstly, about the content:

My inspiration is that Energy-from-Waste (EfW) can not only generate energy, but also process waste and thus, save lots of time and money. This is the most However, it involves two topics and can easily go confusing. In the second, third, fourth and fifth paragraph, I write about the input, output, flow and store respectively. Although I intended to show the whole process step by step, it seemed to refer not only one project idea. In this respect, I think that my too-detailed explanation did not focus on the most important idea of the whole process. Since I am doing energy part, I should have written more about how waste is converted to usable energy and eliminate the words describing where the waste comes from and how exhaust is dealt with. That’s what I think how to make my clarification clearer.

In addition, using diagrams or graph is a very effective approach to clearly demonstrate what you are talking about. My project idea is not hard to understand but has a lot of steps. To make sure the readers are well followed, I should use a simple diagram to show the complex processes.

Secondly, about the language:

Since the essay is likely to be professional and convincing, rhetoric questions cannot be used in such kind of essays. Another thing I learned is that when you summarized the research with lots of professional terms, you should generally know the concepts first. If you just intend to make it simple and understandable and guess what the concepts mean, the ideas will be distorted.

OK, I think that’s it! Generally my essay is not so badly done…it’s not good though. Hope you all learn something from your essays, whatever the marks you get.

Lei Peng (20) :D

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT??

HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE "WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?"

THIS ARTICLE IS QUITE IRRELEVANT TO OUR PROJECT AS IT TALKS ABOUT NATIONAL ISSUES ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT AND NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND OTHER WHAT-NOT GOALS WHICH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AIM IN PULAU UBIN

BUT ANYWAY I'LL OMIT THOSE SECTIONS AND PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE PERSPECTIVE TO THIS ARTICLE AND POINT OUT THE SLIGHTLY MORE RELEVANT POINTS...

A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT IS TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE --TO ENSURE THAT IT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE PRESENT WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. THERE ARE FOUR DISTINCT WAYS TO DEFINE SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT, NAMELY: GOALS, INDICATORS, VALUES AND PRACTICE.

1)GOALS: THREE SET OF GOALS NEED TO BE EXAMINED: SHORT TERM, TWO-GENERATION GOALS, AND FINALLY, THE LONG TERM GOALS (TWO GENERATIONS AND BEYOND)

2)INDICATORS:HOW IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MEASURED? COMBINING GLOBAL, NATIONAL, AND LOCAL INITIATIVES, THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF EFFORTS TO DEFINE APPROPRIATE INDICATORS AND TO MEASURE THEM--MEASUREMENT OF RELATIVE PROGRESS OT THE LACK OF PROGRESS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

3)VALUES:ANOTHER WAY OF DEFINING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IS THROUGH THE VALUES THAT REPRESENT OR SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. VALUES HAVE MANY MEANINGS--IN GENERAL, THEY ARE EXPRESSIONS OF, OR BELIEFS, IN THE WORTH OF OBJECTS, QUALITIES, OR BEHAVIOURS. THEY OFTEN INVOKE FEELINGS TO DEFINE AND DIRECT US TO FRAME OUR GOALS, ATTITUDES AND STANDARDS AGAINST WHICH INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES CAN BE JUDGED. AS SUCH, THEY OFTEN OVERLAP WITH SUSTAINABILITY GOALS AND INDICATORS.

4)PRACTICE: THIS INCLUDES THE MANY EFFORTS AT DEFINING CONCEPTS, ESTABLISHING GOALS, CREATING INDICATORS, AND ASSERTING VALUES. ALSO, IT INCLUDES DEVELOPING SOCIAL MOVEMENTS, ORGANIZING INSTITUTIONS, CRAFTNG SUSTAINABILITY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND NEGOTIATING THE GRAND COMPROMISE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE PRINCIPALLY CONCERNED WITH NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT.

IN CONLUSION, THE CONCRETE CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ARE AT LEAST AS HETEROGENOUS AND COMPLEX AS THE DIVERSITY OF HUMAN SOCIETIES AND NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS AROUND THE WORLD.

Zan-Yang (23)

hey people! sorry for the late posting :O

i am going to talk about river landform as stated in the post that ailin did (:

so... river landforms?:D

at the Upper course, the landform present are potholes and waterfall.

a) potholes:

it is a depression on the river bed carved our of solid rock.

it is formed by a kind of drilling-action causes by the rock sediments caught in the current and also by the contraction and expansion of water.
they are commonly found below waterfalls or rapids where hydraullic action is a significant process (remember? it's learn in erosion!!)

b) waterfall

A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.

form where the channel slope becomes steeper or is composed of varying bands of soft and hard rock. erosion (occur when the volume or speed of the flow of water increased), hydraulic action and abrasion will cause the water to fall from a higher level to a lower level.

at the middle course, the landforms present are meanders and oxbow lakes.

c) meanders

A meander is formed when the moving water in a river erodes the outer banks and widens its valley. erosion and deposition occurs at the bend of the river. the speed is greater on the outside of the bend therefore erosion occurs on the outside while deposition on the inside.

d) Oxbow lakes

An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake
as the opposite bends erode towards echother, the neck of a meander will get progressively narrower until, during a period ofhigh discharge, the river will cut through to form an oxbow lake.

at the upper course, the landforms present are Floodplains and levees.

e) floodplains

they are mosly flat land bordering a river that is subjected to periodic flooding.
They are formed by the gradually flooding and draining of a river. So, every time a river floods the silt it carries is depositied either sides of its banks, with eventually build up a flat layer of aluvinum, which is a flood plain.

f) levee

When a river carrying sediment overflows it's banks the coarsest sediment is dropped first as the river no longer has the energy to carry it. The coarse material forms a small natural embankment (levee) along the edge of the river channel. The coarse material forms a small natural embankment (levee) along the edge of the river channel. The finer material is carried further away from the river channel across the floodplain and is deposited here. Over time if flooding occurs regularly the levees will become naturally higher.

hope these helps everyone in the understand of river formation :D

and really sorry for the late posting!!

yijin (15) jh403!:D

All about rivers!

SUP 03!

As you all already know, IS2104 this term is about the HYDROSPHERE. As such, we are learning about 2 very important and crucial branches of the hydrosphere, (1) the Hydrological Cycle, and (2) Rivers.

Marie has done a post on the hydrological cycle already, so today I am going to give you a recap, and list the main points on what we learnt about rivers, to make your future studying easier. (:

Firstly, there are 4 different parts of the river.

Secondly, rivers have 2 main functions:

1. Transport water

2. Transport load (sediments)

The velocity of the river flow affects the amount, and size of particles being transported. A river with a high velocity tends to disturb and transport large particles, while a river with low velocity does not disturb sediment on the river bed, and tends to deposit sediments

Thirdly, there are 3 stages of rivers:

1. Youthful ( upper course)

2. Mature (middle course)

3. Old (lower course)

The 3 courses of rivers are quite distinct. Here are their unique traits:

	Upper course (youthful)	Middle course (mature)	Lower Course (old)
Gradient	Steepest	Not as steep	Gentle
Velocity	Highest	Not as high	Low
River channel	Small, narrow, rough, shallow	Wider, deeper	Widest, deepest
River valley	Deep, narrow, steep-sided (V- shaped)	More open V-shape, wider floor	Wide, flat-bottomed
Erosion	Mainly vertical (lateral negligible)	More lateral (less vertical) > form meanders	Lateral erosion on concave banks (vertical almost stopped)
Main work	Overcome friction in rough channel	Some deposition, some erosion	Deposition
Examples (occurrences)	Appalachian mountains, Himalayans	River Nile, Sebaskachu River, River Taff, River Thames	Ganges, Nile, Euphrates
Landforms	Waterfalls, rapids Canyons, arches, gorges, plunge pools	Meanders, oxbow lakes	Floodplains, levees, oxbow lakes, deltas

Rivers alter landscape through erosion and deposition, creating many different landforms. To note,
Erosion = removal of material
Deposition = depositing material

So yup, there you go, the main points about rivers. Yi Jin will go through more about erosion, deposition, and river landforms in the next post!

P/s. Try to distinguish the different types and courses of rivers when you see them in Pulau Ubin! (:

♥, Ai Lin (14)

____________________________________________________

By the way, do you know that the drainage patterns of rivers are also affected by plate tectonics? (Converging and diverging plate boundaries stuff we learnt last year.) So cool right? Visit http://blue.utb.edu/paullgj/geol1403/lectures/river_systems.html to find out more! :D

River channel proccesses

Hello everyone

this is the summary for what we have learnt so far about the river channel processes.

I have organized it into a clearer manner for us to easily catch the idea

Basic ideas:

· High velocity results in high kinetic energy which allows the sediment being disturbed and the larger the quantity and the size of particles that can be transported

· Low velocity will result in the opposite way

Erosion	Transportation	Deposition
It is the picking up and removal of material · Corrosion: particles of rock carried by the river at the bed · Hydraulic action: high speed water at waterfall or flood produce air bubbles which may burst and send out shockwaves which increases erosion · Solution: carbon dioxide increases erosion by reacting with limestone	Types of material transported · Dissolved: invisible chemical dissolved in the water · Suspended: sediment that is whisked up by the water · Bed load: material is too heavy to be suspended, bounced and rolled along the river bed	When the speed of flow drops, particles deposit. Usually at river banks or where the river enters the sea due to great friction

The main factor controls transportation, erosion and deposition is the speed of the river. The relationship between the velocity and the size of the particles are shown in the Hjulstrom curve

1. Critical erosion velocity is the velocity required to pick up a particle of a give size (entrainment). The larger the particle, the greater the velocity needed to pick it up. One exception is the fine clay-size particles which require surprisingly high velocities because they have a tendency to stick to together. The particles requiring the lowest velocity to move are sand-sized particles. Erosion is above this point

2. Conversely, critical deposition velocity is the velocities where the small particles are dropped. It is more logical as the velocity falls, successively smaller particles are dropped. The area below this line indicates when deposition will occur.

3. The gap in between shows the ability to hold and suspend particles even if the velocity falls below that which is required to pick them up in the first place. It represents the process of transportation.

ANH(22)