Best of our wild blogs: 31 May 10


Singapore Oil Spill - Tanah Merah Slick - 30May2010
from sgbeachbum

Animals on Changi shore doing well after oil spill
from Half a Bunny and the Salmon of Doubt

Oil spill on Chek Jawa: what's the impact?
from wild shores of singapore

Oil spill update - slick hits Johor (30 May)
from wild shores of singapore

Bacteria aiding breakdown of Gulf oil spill
from The Biology Refugia

Feeling the heat
from The annotated budak

Sad Scene of Sharks @ Semakau
from Where Discovery Begins

Sungei Seletar – Rubbish Galore!
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

Slugs, shrimp and spider
from The annotated budak

End of Life for a Fluttering Jewel
from Macro Photography in Singapore

Whiskered Treeswift nesting
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Raffles MuseumTreasures: Mangrove horseshoe crab
from Lazy Lizard's Tales and velvet worm


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Oil spill off Changi East: Singapore reports

East Coast Beach, Changi Beach clear of oil stains
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid Channel NewsAsia 30 May 10;

SINGAPORE: There's good news on efforts to contain and clean up an oil slick caused by the collision of two vessels in Singapore.

The spill came from the Malaysian-registered tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3, which was carrying nearly 62,000 tonnes of crude when it collided on Tuesday with the MV Waily, a bulk carrier registered in St Vincent and the Grenadines. About 2,500 tonnes of crude leaked from a gash in the double-hulled tanker.

Authorities said on Sunday that the slick, which closed public beaches on Singapore's eastern coastline, has been mostly contained. Waters off East Coast Beach and Changi Beach are now clear of oil stains.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said there are also no oil patches visible at sea. The agency said the petroleum-like smell at both beaches is now hardly detectable.

But work is still underway to clear the 60.4 tonnes of contaminated sand removed from the affected beaches. The contaminated sand will be disposed off at the Semakau Offshore Landfill.

Since Wednesday, nearly 500 workers have been mobilised to clean up the oil on the affected beaches.

Though the situation is improving, NEA said that the two beaches will still be closed pending ongoing checks on the water quality, which is expected to return to normal in a few days.

Till then, the public has been advised to refrain from swimming and engaging in water activities.

But some beach-goers were already having a go. One of them said: "We were looking at the beach and it seems that they have cleared up most of the oil stain, so we thought that it is ok to go back into the water."

"I don't think the water is that bad. The past two days, I have also been sailing. I came back with some oil slick on the board and on the sail....just do some cleaning. I think that will do," said another.

The NEA added that cleaning efforts at the vulnerable natural reserve at Chek Jawa were also almost complete. "At Chek Jawa, 98 percent of cleaning is complete. Only small patches of oil film are visible on the water surface," the agency said.

- CNA/ir

No more oil stains at beaches along Changi and East Coast
Daryl Chin Straits Times 31 May 10;

THE beaches along the East Coast and Changi have been cleared of oil stains and there are no longer oil patches in the waters just off Singapore.

However, last Tuesday's spill has spread farther north to Malaysia.

Although Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) said the beaches have been cleaned up, affected coastal areas remain closed pending ongoing checks on water quality.

'The water quality is expected to take a few days to return to normal. Members of the public are advised to refrain from swimming or engaging in water activities in these areas until further notice,' an NEA spokesman said yesterday.

The agency also noted that it has not detected any toxic chemicals in the air that will pose health risks.

Elsewhere, the cleaning of Chek Jawa, a nature reserve which is home to a diverse ecosystem on Pulau Ubin, is almost complete, with only small patches of oil film visible on the water's surface.

While still open to visitors, the National Parks Board (NParks) has suspended guided walks at the reserve until June13.

Already, 60.4 tonnes of oil contaminated sand bags have been removed from the beaches and disposed of at the Semakau offshore landfill. More will be collected this week.

In a press statement issued yesterday, the Maritime and Port Authority Of Singapore (MPA) said passing ships and aircraft had noticed further patches of oil in Malaysian waters and the shipping lanes to the east of Singapore.

MPA has informed its Malaysian counterparts of this and has offered assistance, it added.

Closer to home, MPA said that several oil patches - each about 50m long - sighted off the SAF Yacht Club facilities at Admiralty Road West had been cleaned up. But the possibility of small isolated patches of oil with debris remained.

Going forward, the agencies involved have said they will continue to monitor the situation closely.

The pollution is the result of a collision between an oil tanker and a bulk carrier last Tuesday morning. As a result, some 2,500 tonnes of oil spilled into the water and caused a 4 sq km slick.

To date, NEA and ship operator AET have mobilised about 500 workers to clean up the oil on affected beaches, including 14 NEA officers who continue to keep an eye on East Coast Park, Changi Beach and Pulau Ubin.

NEA also used the opportunity to conduct a trial last Friday on a new technology for oil contamination clean-up at a jetty along East Coast beach.

Named 'Eco-Blue - Industrial Blend', the plant-derived, water-based, readily biodegradeable solution serves as a clean-up and mitigation agent for use on a wide range of hydrocarbon products.

According to its supplier Green Clean Dynamics, the blend biodegrades and breaks down the oil progressively within 28 days.

Effects of the spill may linger for years
Grace Chua Straits Times 31 May 10;

SHORE and marine life will feel the impact of last Tuesday's oil spill for some time to come, experts here have said.

The disaster, meanwhile, has galvanised environmentalists and other members of the public into volunteering their time to rescue shore creatures and documenting the spill.

The spill, which tipped some 2,500 tonnes of crude oil into the ocean off Changi East, has slicked creatures such as crabs at East Coast and sea snails at Changi Beach.

The affected beaches - which, besides the Chek Jawa wetlands, are largely reclaimed land - have mostly been cleaned up.

Their shoreline ecosystems harbour life like peanut and acorn worms, sea snails, ghost and hermit crabs, and even a patch of coral at the Tanah Merah seawall.

When oil slicks hit, they prevent corals from getting enough sunlight, cut off oxygen by coating plants and fish gills, and harbour volatile organic compounds that can poison marine life, explained marine biologist Chou Loke Ming.

If most of the oil is removed, the impact from poisons and a lack of oxygen can be reduced, Professor Chou said, but spraying dispersant chemicals can break up the oil into smaller droplets which can sink to the bottom and affect marine life deeper in the sea.

In the longer term, how long will shores take to recover? Marine life may take three to four years, depending on the severity of the impact, Prof Chou said.

Commenting on how long oil from a spill lingers in the environment, climate expert Michael Totten, of international non-governmental organisation Conservation International, said that would depend on the type of oil, location, currents and weather conditions.

For instance, more than 98 tonnes of oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill off Alaska still lingers in the sands of Prince William Sound, as the remote area was hard for clean-up teams to reach.

The recent oil spill has also prodded members of the public into action.

Volunteers from environmental groups like ECO Singapore and the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) have been hard at work cleaning up shores and rescuing animals since Thursday. And ordinary people have visited the affected shores at low tide to document the damage.

Last Friday, some 20 volunteers from Acres and ECO Singapore spent hours at East Coast Park. Oil had seeped into the sand and there was a smell in the air as volunteers dug out oil-covered crabs and shellfish.

The work attracted attention and help from beachgoers, even those who had never heard of the animal-issues or environmental groups.

Miss Jenny Chan, 40, and Miss Joyce Lee, 39, were cycling along a path when they saw Acres' sign calling for volunteers, stopped out of curiosity, and decided to stay and help.

Over the weekend, the same groups were helping out at Pulau Ubin's Chek Jawa shore and Changi Beach, both of which were hit by oil slicks on Friday.

Environmentalists like WildSingapore's Ria Tan have been visiting shores from Changi to East Coast to document the damage and help check for new slicks. Their reports appear on nature blogs, as well as a Facebook page dedicated to the Changi East oil spill.

East Coast, Changi beaches clear of oil stains
Hetty Musfirah Andul Khamid Today Online 31 May 10;

SINGAPORE - The oil slick that closed public beaches on Singapore's eastern coastline, following the collision of two ships on Tuesday, has been mostly contained, according to the authorities.

Cleaning efforts at the vulnerable natural reserve at Chek Jawa were also almost complete.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the waters at East Coast Beach and Changi Beach are now clear of oil stains. There are also no oil patches visible at sea and the petroleum-like smell at both beaches is now hardly detectable.

But work is still underway to clear the 60.4 tonnes of contaminated sand removed from the affected beaches.

The contaminated sand will be disposed of at the Semakau Offshore Landfill.

Nearly 500 workers have been mobilised since Wednesday to clean up the oil on the affected beaches.

Although the situation is improving, the NEA said that the two beaches will remain closed pending results on the water quality, which is expected to return to normal in a few days.

It has advised the public to refrain from swimming and engaging in water activities there.

But some beach-goers MediaCorp spoke to were already having a go.

"We were looking at the beach and it seems that they have cleared up most of the oil stain, so we thought that it is ok to go back into the water," said wind-surfing enthusiast Eddy Chan.

Said wind-surfer, William Loo: "I don't think the water is that bad. Over the past two days, I have also been sailing.

"I came back with some oil on the board and on the sail ... Just do some cleaning. I think that will do."

Some beach-goers were also heading to unaffected areas like Pasir Ris.

The NEA said that 98 per cent of the cleaning at Chek Jawa was complete and that "only small patches of oil film are visible on the water surface".

Although visitors can still go there, guided walks have been suspended for two weeks since May 29 to allow the National Parks Board to better monitor the situation.

The NEA said it will also continue to carry out surveillance at East Coast Park, Changi Beach and Pulau Ubin.

Meanwhile, the damaged vessel has been moved to a Johor anchorage.

The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore said that passing ships and aircraft yesterday observed further patches of oil in Malaysian waters and to the east of Singapore.

MPA's Malaysian counterparts have been informed, and the authority is offering assistance.

Separately, no oil slick was reported in off Changi East, or within the anchorages of Singapore's port waters.

Isolated patches of oil with debris were sighted in the waters just off the SAF Yacht Club and Changi Naval Base, but were cleaned up.

The MPA said a response craft will remain in place to deal with any oil patch.


Collision between MT Bunga Kelana 3 and MV Waily in the Singapore Strait - Update 7
MPA media release 30 May 10;

Containment and clean up efforts following the collision between the Malaysian-registered tanker, MT Bunga Kelana 3 and the St Vincent and The Grenadines-registered bulk carrier, MV Waily continued for the sixth day.

Efforts to contain and clean-up the oil spill have been positive. As of this afternoon, no oil slick was reported in the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) off Changi East or within the anchorages of Singapore's port waters. The waters around Pulau Tekong, off Chek Jawa and off East Coast Park were also observed to be clear of oil patches.

Isolated patches of oil with debris were sighted today in the waters just outside SAF Yacht Club and Changi Naval Base.The patches were promptly cleaned up. The possibility of small isolated patches of oil with debris surfacing remains. MPA is monitoring our waters closely and response craft remain in place ready to deal with any oil patches.

Efforts at sea today involved the following:
-*No. of craft deployed: 23
-Containment booms:1190metres
-No. of vacuum truck: 1
-No. of harbour buster: 1
-No. of skimmers: 3
-No of seaward personnel deployed: 125

Further patches of oil slick were observed today in Malaysian waters and in the TSS to the east of Singapore by passing ships and aircraft. MPA has informed our Malaysian counterparts of the observations and have offered our assistance in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Oil Spill Combat in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. MPA is closely monitoring the situation carefully.

-Traffic in the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Singapore Strait remains unaffected.

-Members of the public can contact MPA's 24-hour Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325-2489 to report any sighting of oil in our waters or coastlines.

-Further details will be released when available.

MPA says efforts to clean up oil spill show "positive results"
Channel NewsAsia 31 May 10;

SINGAPORE : The Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has said efforts to contain and clean up the oil spill from a collision at sea last Tuesday have shown "positive results".

Waters from Changi Naval Base to East Coast Park are clear of any oil patches.

MPA said that as of Monday, there has not been any report of oil patches in the Singapore Strait south of Changi.

So far, traffic in the Singapore Strait has remained unaffected.

MPA, however, cautioned that there is a possibility of small isolated oil patches with debris surfacing.

It added that it will continue to monitor the waters closely and carry out clean-up work if necessary.

Currently, the various craft involved in the containment and clean-up efforts remain deployed at sea round-the-clock.

MPA said it will continue to work with the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities, in line with the Standard Operating Procedure for Joint Oil Spill Combat in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

It has also offered assistance to the Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts, should it be needed.

The public can contact MPA's 24-hour Marine Safety Control Centre at 6325-2489 to report any sighting of oil slick in Singapore's waters or coastlines.

- CNA/al


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Oil spill off Changi East: Malaysian reports

More crews to clear sludge in Pengerang, Johor
New Straits Times 31 May 10;

KOTA TINGGI: The remaining crude oil sludge on the shores of Pengerang is expected to be cleared by Wednesday.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said more personnel from agencies such as the Environment and Marine departments and private cleaning crews had been deployed to clean up the beaches since Thursday.

The oil spillage followed a collision between Malaysian-registered MT Bunga Kelana 3 tanker with bulk carrier, MV Waily, in Singapore waters last Tuesday.

The impact of the collision caused 2,500 tonnes of crude oil to spill from a gash on the double hauled tanker's port side.

The oil slicks reached the coastal areas here two days later.

Douglas said about eight tonnes of sludge were collected between Thursday and yesterday.

Local fishermen, who were unable to go out to sea following the incident, were helping out and they were paid about RM50 a day.

Uggah orders coastline to be cleared of oil by Wednesday
Austin Camoens, The Star 31 May 10;

KOTA TINGGI: Little progress has been made in containing the oil slick caused after two vessels collided off the coast of Singapore and preventing it from reaching local shores.

And Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas is not happy about it.

He has ordered the polluted coastlines to be cleared within three days.
Blackened beach: Villagers from Pengerang cleaning up oil washed up on their shores recently.

In taking the relevant authorities to task yesterday, he said they should have taken immediate preventive measures to contain the oil spill after the incident which released 2,000 tonnes of crude oil last Monday..

“The oil spill was detected on Monday, but until now there has been very little progress in containment here,” he said during a meeting with officials from various departments including the Kota Tinggi district office, Department of Environment (DOE) and Petroleum Industry of Malaysia Mutual Aid Group (PIMMAG).

Douglas said that in times of emergencies, there should be very little protocol so that swift action can be taken.

He also told officials during the meeting that the standard operating procedures of various agencies needed to be reviewed to ensure that such problems do not arise again.

He added that the ministry would make claims from the vessels’ insurers for funds to help some of the 1,400 fishermen whose livelihood have been affected by the incident.

Later when speaking to reporters, he expressed confidence that the oil pollution problem in the area would be solved soon.

In a statement yesterday, the DOE said 200 people were involved in the clean-up work at affected shores with 18,911 litres of sludge being collected.

It added that up to 11am yesterday, the affected shores were Tg. Ayam, Sg. Rengit, Sg. Musuh and Sg. Haji Ahmad.

“Cleaning-up work is still ongoing,” it said.


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Singapore Tries to Green Up Its Act

David Fogarty The New York Times 30 May 10;

SINGAPORE — White-gloved hands carefully pack azure-blue solar cells at a vast new plant that Singapore persuaded Renewable Energy Corp. of Norway to build in the city-state.

The plant, worth 2.6 billion Singapore dollars, or $1.85 billion, is the largest of its type in the world, making solar wafers, cells and panels that harness the sun’s energy.

Luring R.E.C. was a major coup and a key element of Singapore’s drive to become a global hub for clean-technology investment, development and education, plus a center for the carbon market.

The clean-technology sector is also part of the government’s efforts to try to gradually shift one of Asia’s most energy-intensive economies onto a greener footing. It also wants to tap a boom in green energy and services in the region.

“We believe that Asia is going to be a huge market for clean-tech products and solutions, and we want to make sure Singapore is plugged into this entire marketplace,” said Goh Chee Kiong, director of clean technology at the government’s Economic Development Board.

The country faces strong competition from Japan and South Korea as well as from China, now the world’s top solar panel maker and the leading market for wind power. India has also sharply increased support for renewable energy and green buildings.

“The rate of urbanization is fastest in Asia. Therefore, it creates a lot of additional burdens on cities, and the need for green solutions is simply accelerating as a result,” Mr. Goh said.

The government wants the clean-technology sector to become a major pillar of the city-state’s booming economy, which is already a regional center for financial services, petrochemicals, semiconductors, education, shipping and aviation. It has rolled out a series of investments, tax sweeteners and other incentives since 2007 to achieve its goal.

This is a well-rehearsed formula that has helped the economy of five million people become one of the richest in the world on a per-capita basis, and one of the most nimble as it competes with rivals like Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The city’s clean-technology sector employs nearly 10,000 people, and the aim is to reach 18,000 people by 2015.

R.E.C.’s plant, which officially opens later this year, already employs 1,200 people and sits on a one-square-kilometer, or 0.4-square-mile, plot of recently reclaimed land in the city’s Tuas industrial area.

“One of our criteria among many reasons for selecting Singapore was the fact there was land available,” said John Andersen Jr., R.E.C.’s executive vice president and group chief operating officer. The size of the Tuas site is all the more remarkable given that Singapore has only 710 square kilometers of land.

R.E.C. received more than 140 proposals from around the world for a next-generation solar production plant. In the end, the availability of skilled labor, tax incentives, government support and Singapore’s investment environment clinched the deal, Mr. Andersen said from Norway.

“One of the things we like about Singapore is that it is well regulated, there is transparency and they have a strong focus on clean technology. You don’t get surprises,” he added.

Government support for research and development was also key. Singapore has set aside $700 million for research and development in the sector. It has announced 200 scholarships for doctoral degrees in clean technology and rolled out clean-technology courses for students to ensure a flow of skilled workers.

The government also has created a solar energy research institute and has announced a 50-hectare, or 125-acre, clean-technology park aimed at creating, testing and commercializing products like energy-efficient buildings, waste treatment and electric vehicles.

Other firms drawn to the country include Vestas, the world’s top wind turbine maker, which has committed to spend $500 million over 10 years to develop a major research center.

Sweeteners, like low trading and taxes, have drawn 30 carbon firms to the city-state. The clean-energy project developer Tricorona of Sweden has set up its global administrative headquarters in Singapore. The German utility E.ON recently moved its clean energy project development team, which works on the creation of tradable carbon emissions offsets, from Malaysia. And Gazprom of Russia chose Singapore as its Asia base for liquefied natural gas and carbon businesses.

“It’s more the quality of life, the efficiency,” said Edgare Kerkwijk, managing director of Asia Green Capital, a renewable energy investment firm based in Singapore. “Singapore has all the support sectors that we need — banks, legal and accounting firms. This is really a hub for Southeast Asia.”

For all its business acumen, the government has been accused of not putting in the same effort to cut the nation’s growing greenhouse gas emissions, which at roughly 12 tons per capita are higher than some European countries’. Singapore is not obliged under U.N. treaties to commit to binding emissions cuts but has pledged, at a minimum, to cut emissions by 11 percent from projected levels by 2020, compared with 2005’s output.

Green groups, like WWF-World Wide Fund for Nature, think the government should be more ambitious by pledging absolute cuts in its carbon emissions, said Amy Ho, managing director of WWF Singapore.

The government, though, says it is doing much more and wants to make the city a testing ground for new technologies. It has already announced programs for electric vehicles, smart and microgrids, as well as installing solar panels on top of public housing projects and parking garages.

“The next phase is making Singapore a living laboratory,” said Mr. Goh. “The idea is for Singapore to be the site of first adoption, the site of demonstration, the site of test-bedding. This is a key selling point.”

Reuters

Singapore chases green dollars in clean-tech race
Reuters 31 May 10;

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - White-gloved hands carefully pack azure blue solar cells at a vast new S$2.6 billion ($1.85 billion) plant that Singapore persuaded Norway's Renewable Energy Corp (REC.OL) to build in the city state.

The plant is the world's largest of its type making solar wafers, cells and panels that harness the sun's energy.

Luring REC was a major coup and key element of Singapore's drive to become a global hub for clean-tech investment, development and education and a center for the carbon market.

The clean-tech sector is also part of the government's efforts to try to gradually shift one of Asia's most energy-intensive economies onto a greener footing as well as tap a boom in green energy and services in the region.

"We believe that Asia is going to be a huge market for clean-tech products and solutions and we want to make sure Singapore is plugged into this entire market place," said Goh Chee Kiong, director, clean-tech, at the government's Economic Development Board, or EDB.

The country faces keen competition from Japan and South Korea as well as from China, now the world's top solar panel maker and the leading market for wind power. India has also sharply increased support for renewable energy and green buildings.

"The rate of urbanization is fastest in Asia. Therefore, it creates a lot of additional burdens on cities and the need for green solutions is simply accelerating as a result," Goh said in an interview.

PILLAR

The government wants the clean-tech sector to become a major pillar of the city state's booming economy, which is already a regional center for financial services, petrochemicals, semiconductors, education, shipping and aviation.

It has rolled out a series of investments, tax sweeteners and other incentives since 2007 to achieve its goal.

This is a well-rehearsed formula that has helped the economy of five million people become one of the richest in the world on a per-capita basis, and one of the most nimble as it tries to compete with rivals such as Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The city's clean-tech sector employs nearly 10,000 people and the aim is to reach 18,000 people by 2015.

REC's plant, which officially opens later this year, already employs 1,200 people and sits on a one square km plot of recently reclaimed land in the city's Tuas industrial area.

"One of our criteria among many reasons for selecting Singapore was the fact there was land available," said John Andersen Jr., REC's executive vice president and group COO. The size of the Tuas site is all the more remarkable given Singapore only has 710 sq km of land.

REC received more than 140 proposals from around the world for a next-generation solar production plant. In the end, availability of skilled labor, tax incentives, government support and Singapore's investment environment clinched the deal, Andersen said in an interview from Norway.

"One of the things we like about Singapore is that it is well-regulated, there is transparency and they have a strong focus on clean technology. You don't get surprises," he added.

Government support for research and development was also key.

CARBON HUB

The government has set aside S$700 million to develop R&D in the sector and has announced 200 scholarships for doctoral degrees in clean technology as well as rolled out clean-tech courses for students to ensure a flow of skilled workers.

To boost the sector, the government has created a solar energy research institute. It has also announced a 50-hectare (125-acre) clean-tech park aimed at creating, testing and commercializing products such as energy-efficient buildings, waste treatment and electric vehicles.

Other firms drawn to the country include Vestas (VWS.CO), the world's top wind turbine maker, which has committed to spend S$500 million over 10 years to develop a major R&D center.

Sweeteners, such as low trading and company taxes have drawn 30 carbon firms to the city state. Clean-energy project developer Tricorona (TRIC.ST) of Sweden has set up its global administrative headquarters in Singapore.

German utility E.ON (EONGn.DE) recently moved its clean energy project development team -- whose task is linked to the creation of tradeable carbon emissions offsets -- from Malaysia.

Russia's Gazprom (GAZP.MM) chose Singapore as its Asia base for LNG and carbon business.

"It's more the quality of life, the efficiency. Singapore has all the support sectors that we need -- banks, legal and accounting firms. This is really a hub for Southeast Asia," said Edgare Kerkwijk, managing director of Asia Green Capital, a renewable energy investment firm based in Singapore.

LABORATORY

For all its business acumen, the government has been accused of not putting in the same effort to cut the nation's growing greenhouse gas emissions, which at roughly 12 metric tons per capita are higher than some European countries.

Singapore is not obliged under U.N. treaties to commit to binding emissions cuts but has pledged, at a minimum, to cut emissions by 11 percent from projected levels by 2020 from 2005's output and has rolled out a blueprint.

Green groups, such as WWF, think the government should be more ambitious by pledging absolute cuts in its carbon emissions, said Amy Ho, managing director of WWF Singapore.

The government, though, says it is doing much more and wants to turn the city into a test-bed for new technologies.

It has already announced programs for electric vehicles, smart and micro-grids as well as trialing solar panels on top of public housing estates and carparks in 30 locations.

"The next phase is making Singapore a living laboratory," said EDB's Goh. "The idea is for Singapore to be the site of first adoption, the site of demonstration, the site of test-bedding. This is a key selling point," he said.

(Editing by Anthony Barker)


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Tips on going green in kitchens

North West residents learn to save electricity through energy-efficient appliances, habit change
Liew Hanqing Straits Times 31 May 10;

KITCHENS account for nearly 40 per cent of total energy consumption in some households here - but the organisers of a new community outreach programme are hoping to change this.

Through Green Kitchens @ North West, about 2,200 households in the North West District were given tips yesterday on how to make their kitchens more environmentally friendly.

The programme, run jointly by the North West Community Development Council (CDC) and the National Environment Agency-North West Regional Office, was launched yesterday by Dr Teo Ho Pin, Mayor of North West District.

He said he hoped that through the programme, residents would learn how to select more energy-efficient appliances, and how to optimise their use.

'For example, many people thaw their food in the microwave. But that may not be the best way,' Dr Teo said. 'A more environmentally friendly option would be to let the food thaw on its own in the sink.'

These simple habit changes, among others, can easily help households shave up to 10 per cent off their monthly utility bills, he added.

The programme, which started in the Sembawang division yesterday, will be introduced progressively to the district's 13 other divisions over the next 18 months.

The initiative is part of North West CDC's 10-year eco plan - Green Living @ North West - which aims to cultivate a green culture within the district.

The eco plan is just one of many green initiatives introduced in recent years. Government agencies, including the Building and Construction Authority, Land Transport Authority, the Housing Board and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, already have various programmes in place to encourage the use of green technologies and reduce energy use.

With the green message in mind, 60 students from National Junior College and Chung Cheng High School (Yishun) went door to door yesterday, armed with information sheets on how households can change their kitchen habits for the better.

Some of the tips include covering pans while cooking to prevent heat loss, and turning off the oven or burner just before food is fully cooked, to allow the remaining heat to continue the cooking process.

Residents were also told how to make sense of 'energy labels' on appliances like refrigerators, which indicate how energy-efficient an appliance is based on the number of ticks - up to a maximum of four - shown on the label.

Woodlands resident Julie Phillips Gracey, 35, a housewife, said she felt the tips were useful and easy to put into practice. 'I learnt that to save energy, you shouldn't overload your refrigerator,' she said.

Another resident, Mr Teh Wei Meng, 42, a jetty supervisor, said the tips were convenient and easy to understand, adding that he planned to select his next refrigerator based on the eco-friendly guidelines.

Ms Emily Tan, the project manager in charge of the programme, said the organisers hope that about 200 households - or a tenth of households visited yesterday - will take up the green tips.

Households that reduce their electricity consumption by at least 10 per cent stand to win prizes, she added. The top-performing household will win $200 worth of NTUC FairPrice shopping vouchers.

'We hope families will participate for the right reasons, not just to win prizes,' Ms Tan said.


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Greening the games

Sporting events around the world are getting more eco-conscious
Grace Chua Straits Times 31 May 10;

THE JP Morgan Corporate Challenge charity run earlier this month raised money for a museum and a children's charity.

And in recycling the plastic bottles for runners' drinks and siting itself near an MRT station, the run also pushed for a third cause: the environment.

In doing so, it joined sports events worldwide which, in recent years, have been trying to shrink their environmental footprint.

For instance, by using hydroelectric power and building energy-efficient stadiums and rinks, this year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver more than halved its carbon dioxide emissions from those at the 2002 games in Salt Lake City.

The upcoming World Cup in South Africa is also going climate-neutral by buying carbon offsets for an estimated 2,171,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.

Since 1994, sustainability has officially been the third pillar of the Olympics, after sport and culture.

Sporting events can have huge environmental impact as throngs of spectators and participants travel to far-flung venues, use energy for heating or cooling - all generating waste in the process.

Environment expert Andrea Collins of the Cardiff University in Wales said there is no standardised method for calculating the environmental costs of an event as carbon footprinting is a new area of research. But, she said, several factors should be taken into account.

Transport to and from events is one - driving a private car emits more carbon dioxide than taking a train or bus.

Here, besides the Youth Olympic Games' public transport schemes, many spectator and mass-participation events such as the Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, the JP Morgan run and last year's Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon, are held at places with ample public transport - near MRT stations, for instance.

Other energy use, such as lighting, should also be factored into an event's carbon footprint.

Organisers of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix use solar panels to offset 135 megawatt-hours of track lighting - enough to power more than 500 four-room HDB flats for a day.

The fuel used in the Grand Prix cars must contain at least 5.75 per cent biomatter, and cars are designed to accept biofuel.

Recycling waste generated at an event is now par for the course, particularly for mass-run events.

Event organiser Tribob, which organises the Sprint Series of short triathlons and races, collects about 3,500 litres of plastic for recycling from each race.

It asks athletes to bring their own water bottles, in addition to distributing water and isotonic drinks along the way.

But given that the sports industry, which topped $1 billion here in 2007, makes significant contributions to the country's coffers, is the environmental impact not justified?

Carbon consultant Willem Christiaens, of Caspervandertak Consulting South- east Asia conceded: 'Carbon emissions are a fact of life. Without carbon emissions there would not be any activities, economic or others.'

But he argued that leisure events should not have a negative impact on the environment. Instead, they should try and reduce their impact as much as possible. Besides, event sponsors would stand to gain commercially and image-wise by tackling climate change.

JP Morgan Singapore chief operating officer Annie Carmody-Stephens agreed.

'Events like this are the perfect platform to promote green and other worthy causes - there's an exponential effect as people start thinking actively about other green ideas.'


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Blast fishing troubles Central Sulawesi's fishermen

Antara 30 May 10;

Mamuju, W Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The blast fishing activities in the waters of West Tapalang village, Central Sulawesi, had caused shortages of fish, a fisherman said.

As a result, lots of traditional fishermen, including himself, could no longer get fish easily, Rusdi, the fisherman, said here Saturday.

Rusdi said blast fishing operations in Central Sulawesi waters might have destroyed coral reefs that affected the fish population in the area.

Fishing net fishermen need to go further into the sea to catch fish, he said.

Sharing Rusdi`s deep concern, Isram said fishing net fishermen like himself had actually already warned fishermen using explosives in catching fish.

But they ignored the warnings athough they realized the bad impacts of fishing with explosives on the sustainability of coral reefs and fish resources, which finally caused other fishermen to suffer, he said.

Due to the danger of blast fishing, he called on the police to take stern action the perpetrators.

"If the blast fishing practitioners are left free, I am afraid the impacts will become worse," he said.

The blast fishing activities in various parts of Indonesia, including Central Sulawesi Province, have attracted world attention.

Endowed by nature with more than 50,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, Indonesia has been listed by the United Nations as a nation with the largest coral reef resources in the world, along with Australia and the Philippines.

According to the United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC)`s World Atlas of Coral Reefs (2001), Indonesia had 51,020 square kilometers of coral reefs or 17.95 percent of the world`s coral reefs.

This archipelagic nation topped the list , followed by Australia with 48,460 square kilometers, the Philippines (25,060), France (14,280), Papua New Guinea (13,840), Fiji (10,020), Maldives (8,920), Saudi Arabia (6,660), Marshall Islands (6,110) and India (5,790).

The benefits that Indonesia can get from its coral reefs are obvious because coral reefs are evidently the sources of food and income for a lot of people from fisheries and tourism and also sources of raw materials for medicines.

But the UNEC-WCMC has warned that activities, such as fishing using explosives, are seriously degrading coral reefs in various parts of the world, including in Indonesia.

The UN body`s warning is based on factual information collected over the years. Blast fishing itself has been practiced in Indonesia since World War II.


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Malaysia minister: God made animals for testing

Julia Zappei, Associated Press Google News 31 May 10;

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Malaysian minister defended an Indian company's plans to build an animal testing medicine lab in his state, saying Monday that God created monkeys and rats for experiments to benefit humans.

The plans by India's Vivo BioTech Ltd. to set up a biotechnology center in southern Malacca state has come under fire by activists because it will conduct tests on dogs and primates to make medicines. The activists say Malaysia has no regulations on animal research, which could lead to test subjects being abused.

But Malacca Chief Minister Mohamad Ali Rustam said the lab had received state approval, and animal testing was necessary to make drugs. The project is still in the planning phase.

"God created animals for the benefits of human beings. That's why he created rats and monkeys ... We cannot test on human beings," he told The Associated Press. "This is the way it has to be. God created monkeys, and some have to be tested."

He said Malaysian agencies, such as the wildlife department, could monitor that the animals were not abused and proper procedures followed. He said eating animals could also be seen as cruel, and yet it was widely accepted.

Vivo inked a 450 million ringgit ($141 million) joint-venture deal in January to build the biotechnology center, including laboratories where trial medicines will be tested on animals. Its partners are state government-owned Melaka Biotech Holdings and local firm Vanguard Creative Technologies.

In a joint statement last month, Malaysia's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection and the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments decried the project because Malaysia has no laws protecting the welfare of animals used in experiments.

The group opposed the proposed facility for "both ethical reasons and the lack of scientific validity of using animals in testing."

The groups has submitted a protest letter to the government, urging it to halt the project.

"Malaysia should not open the economy to businesses like this as it promotes cruelty," SPCA official Jacinta Johnson said.

Activists say companies are increasingly outsourcing animal testing to Asia, where regulations are more lax and costs are lower than in the West.

Vivo has said previously it may import beagles from Holland and try to obtain domestic primates for testing.

Last year, a French pharmaceutical research company proposed building an animal testing laboratory in southern Johor state using imported macaques, but the project was suspended amid an outcry from environmental groups.


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Bob Irwin calls for end to dugong kill

Daniel Bateman, The Cairns Post 31 May 10;

CONSERVATION hero Bob Irwin has called upon the Federal Government to implement a moratorium on dugong kills.

The father of the late Steve Irwin says allowing the hunting of a critically endangered species is nonsense, and should be halted, until a committee is put in place to make more informed decisions about traditional hunting.

Irwin’s call follows Friday’s meeting in Cairns of more than 70 traditional owners to discuss sustainable use and future protection of the Great Barrier Reef.

Mr Irwin, who was the guest of local dugong campaigner Colin Riddell and a speaker at a Cairns business function, said it did not matter who was killing dugongs and sea turtles, it should be stopped.

"How do we stop it? If our government had the courage, I would like to see a total moratorium on the hunting of dugong until a special committee is put in place to make the right decisions," he said.

"Keeping in mind, though, we’ve also got to take into account that traditional owners in rural and remote areas do rely on dugongs for their food supply, so we need to keep that into account."

At Friday’s Sea Country Partnerships Forum, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority general manager Peter McGinnity expected more Traditional Use of Marine Resources Agreements to be formed after the landmark meeting.

TUMRAs tell how traditional owner groups work with government to manage traditional use activities such as dugong hunting.

Call to protect dugongs
Daniel Bateman, The Cairns Post 29 Apr 10;

COMPLAINTS about illegal fishing nets are falling on deaf ears, with Cairns Regional Council demanding the State Government do more to protect dugongs and turtles.

Councillors yesterday called for a tougher stand against illegal hunters and poachers as Queensland Fisheries revealed only 2 per cent of complaints it received over the past two years about illegal netting across the state resulted in illegal unattended nets being retrieved and destroyed. Most nets were retrieved from Cairns.

Conservationists, traditional owners and the fishing industry agree not enough is being done to prevent dugongs and turtles from being killed in Far North Queensland’s waters.

Vote now: Should tougher penalties be introduced?

Three dugongs were killed after they were trapped in a net off Cairns last Friday.

A fourth dugong trapped in the net and still alive was released back into the water.

The black net appeared to be a fishing net which, given the tide and wind, was presumed to have drifted from the Cairns harbour.

Queensland Fisheries has received 646 complaints about illegal fishing nets since 2008, all relating to size, areas of use and nets not being attended.

During this time, the department has retrieved and destroyed 15 illegal unattended nets, nine of which were found in Cairns.

A Fisheries spokeswoman said not all complaints could be substantiated, as there was not enough detail for each matter to be investigated.

The council passed a motion yesterday that it would write to the State Government requesting more vigorous enforcement of the existing laws in relation to fishing nets, illegal hunters and poachers of dugongs and turtles.

Cr Dr Forsyth said it did not appear enough was being done to prevent the needless deaths.

WWF Australia policy manager Cliff Cobbo said increased capacity was needed in areas such as Cairns to conserve threatened marine species and police activities such as the
illegal harvest of turtles and dugongs.

Traditional owners have the right to hunt dugong through traditional means but netting is banned.

Leichhardt LNP candidate Warren Entsch, who had seized a net used for the illegal capture of dugongs, said there was too much confusion about which authority was responsible for patrolling illegal netting.

"It’s not under the same realm as regulation of recreational fishers," Mr Entsch said.


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New estimate cuts number of global species

University of Melbourne Science Alert 31 May 10;

New calculations reveal that the number of species on Earth is likely to be in the order of several million rather than tens of millions. The findings, from a University of Melbourne-led study, are based on a new method of estimating tropical insect species—the largest and one of the most difficult groups on the planet to study—having significant implications for conservation efforts.

The study’s lead author, Dr Andrew Hamilton from The University of Melbourne’s School of Land and Environment, said he was driven to more accurately calculate species numbers because humans were more certain of the number of stars in our galaxy, than fellow species on their own planet.

“Our understanding of species numbers has been clouded by one group of organisms, tropical arthropods, which include insects, spiders, mites and similar organisms. Estimates for this group have ranged from a few million up to 100 million,” says Dr Hamilton.

Dr Hamilton and a team of international researchers have applied probability modelling techniques (models often used in financial risk estimates) to data from numerous previous studies. They found that there is a 90 per cent chance that there is somewhere between 2 and 7 million tropical arthropod species, with a best estimate of 3.7 million.

With the addition of approximately 50 000 vertebrates (birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles), 400 000 plants and possibly 1.3 million other organisms (mostly microorganisms, but excluding the bacteria for which we know very little about), this leaves us with a best estimate of around 5.5 million species with whom we share planet Earth. Furthermore, the study found that there is less than a 0.001 per cent chance that the often-quoted value of at least 30 million total species is true.

“Our study is significant in this the International Year of Biodiversity, giving us a more realistic starting point for estimating extinction rates—a profound hurdle in conservation biology. Extinction rates are typically estimated through knowing the area of habitat that has been lost, but to know how many species have been lost, we need to know how many were present in the first place. Obviously, if we are starting with less species, we may be worse off than we thought, and also be reducing the complexity of ecosystems even faster,” says Dr Hamilton.

“The findings also mean that in spite of 250 years of taxonomic research, around 70 per cent of arthropods await description.”

“Many scientists have redone the calculations using different values and arrived at wildly different answers. Our work reran the same calculations, which use various inputs, such as the number of beetle species in the canopy of a typical rainforest tree, but accounted for uncertainty relating to these inputs and, therefore, uncertainty in the final estimation how many species there are.”

The study will be published in the current edition of the international journal The American Naturalist.


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