Best of our wild blogs: 9 Oct 13

“Forget not our Living Forest” – botanist Joseph Lai unveils an entourage of enthralling forest denizens! Thu 17 Oct 2013: 6.30pm @ NUS LT25
from Otterman speaks

White-bellied sea eagle: grey heron interaction
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Coral Relocation and Oil Slick Response
from Pulau Hantu

Mandai happenings.
from thelivingfossil and What the horseshoe has eaten

Butterflies Galore! : Great Orange Awlet
from Butterflies of Singapore

Hornet nest at Mandai Kechil (thanks Germaine!)
from Otterman speaks

The ASEAN Haze monitoring system & another transboundary problem
from sgbeachbum

WWF risking Sumatran rhinos by releasing camera trap images, says scientist
from Mongabay.com news by Jeremy Hance

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Only take what you need for rubbish disposal

Shirley Chua, Today Online Voices, 9 Oct 13;

The Singapore Environment Council thanks Ms Caslin Lee and Mr Goh Kian Huat for their feedback on our position paper on plastic bags in Singapore.

We share Ms Lee’s concern, in “Free plastic bags from supermarkets do not go to waste” (Oct 5), about hygienic waste disposal. This is why we do not seek to impose a daily charge on plastic bags, nor ban them from being given out at supermarkets.

Our recommendations, based on extensive research, are targeted at reducing wastage arising from taking small bags with low potential for secondary use, or people taking more bags than they need for rubbish disposal, simply because they forgot to bring their own bags.

In scenarios where individuals plan their grocery shopping only on weekends, we agree that it would be difficult to acquire the necessary plastic bags to store rubbish.

A solution could be for consumers to estimate the number needed for rubbish disposal and only take as many free plastic bags and use reusable bags for remaining purchases.

To offset any additional costs, we will work with retailers to provide more incentives to shoppers who bring their own bags for some or all of their purchases.

To address Mr Goh’s concerns, in “Find biodegradable alternatives, but we still need disposable bags” (Oct 7), our recommendations state that supermarkets should not profit from plastic bag charges.

The money would go into a fund to support initiatives by community groups, young entrepreneurs and food and beverage vendors to develop ideas to minimise plastic waste in Singapore, and offer rebates to customers who avoid plastic takeaway containers and bags.

Our recommendation for second-hand reusable bags near cashier counters emphasises that cashiers should offer this option explicitly for non-food items, such as household cleaners and toilet paper.

The use of biodegradable plastic may generate more waste, as it cannot be recycled, unlike high density polyethylene bags. Paper or cloth bags cannot be successfully used as bin liners and would not be a suitable replacement for plastic bags, either.

We will take Ms Lee’s and Mr Goh’s feedback into account for our campaign on this issue.

While the SEC has made every effort to ensure that our recommendations are not too inconvenient to implement, we also believe that everyone can put in small efforts to ensure a clean, safe and sustainable world for future generations.

We welcome feedback via the #lessplasticsg hashtag on Twitter and Facebook and we invite all interested parties to read the entire position paper on sec.org.sg

Shirley Chua
Director of Communications and Outreach,
Singapore Environment Council


The true price of disposable plastic bags
Jonathan Banks, Today Online Voices, 9 Oct 13;

I read with dismay the letter, “Find biodegradable alternatives, but we still need disposable bags” (Oct 7).

Large swathes of our planet are blanketed in plastic, non-degradable rubbish, much of it in the form of plastic bags. The oceans are slowly clogging up with the stuff. In parts of the Pacific Ocean, plastic particles outnumber plankton by 6:1. The damage to marine life is well documented, while ingestion of plastic bags kills an estimated one in two camels in the United Arab Emirates and roughly 100 cattle a day in Uttar Pradesh, India.

There is no need to use plastic bags. I have done without them since 2001. Is it that difficult to remember to carry a bag? People remember to take their keys and wallets when they go shopping.

In Wales, a 10-cent levy on plastic bags reduced their use at supermarkets by up to 96 per cent, and the money went to charity. A growing number of countries have banned them for environmental reasons.

The letter writer thinks that “we should not discourage their usage in the name of the environment while causing inconvenience to ourselves”.

Perhaps those who allowed their plastic bags to find a way into the ocean, resulting in the death last year of a young sperm whale in the Aegean Sea with 100 plastic bags in its stomach, also felt that it was too inconvenient to not use plastic bags.

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Powerful evidence Hong Kong officials just don't care about pollution

Although the mainland could be blamed for the periodic smogs, the city's government has failed in its measures to improve air quality
Tom Holland, South China Morning Post, 9 Oct 13;

Jumping into a taxi outside the South China Morning Post's Causeway Bay offices the other day, Monitor was struck by a wry observation from the cab driver.

Glancing at a crowd of shoppers crossing the road, many trundling suitcases behind them, he intoned: "Look at all the tourists. All the tourists, enjoying our pollution."

He had a point.



The Post's office is sited on one of the busiest road junctions in Causeway Bay. With heavy traffic constantly roaring past, tall buildings and an adjacent overpass blocking any breeze, the level of pollution has to be tasted to be believed.

I don't know why harassed sub-editors popping outside for a smoke bother taking their cigarettes. They could achieve the same effect just by standing on the corner and inhaling.

The government insists it is tackling the problem.

In January 2007, then chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen pledged to improve air quality within five years.

Assessing the government's performance can be tricky. The problem is that much of the atmospheric pollution that plagues the city rolls down from the mainland, especially at this time of year when the prevailing winds turn northerly.

Even if the government were to prohibit the burning of coal in the city's power stations (it hasn't) or ban ships in local waters from using dirty bunker fuel (it hasn't), it would still be unable to prevent us from being periodically blanketed with the clouds of smog emitted by the great industrial concentrations of the Pearl River Delta.

This inability gives our officials a convenient smokescreen to hide behind, because although it can't do much about pollution from the mainland, the government is far from powerless when it comes to tackling the homemade sort.

It hasn't even tried. We can tell this by looking at the figures for roadside pollution.

This is the really nasty stuff. Pollution concentrations are inversely proportional to the cube of the distance from the source. So although a factory 80 kilometres away in Dongguan might emit 100,000 times as much pollutants as that bus roaring past you in the street, the bus is doing twice as much damage to your health.

Yet government efforts to reduce roadside emissions range from the farcical to absurd. It has told drivers of parked cars to turn off their engines, a rule even the police ignore. And it has banned smoking at bus stops; perhaps to ensure those waiting are poisoned more effectively by antique bus diesel engines.

As a result, roadside pollution continues to get worse.

The first chart above shows the number of hours each quarter street-level pollution - averaged across the three roadside monitoring stations - is classified as "low" or "medium", compared with the number of hours it is "high", "very high" or "severe".

Despite the government's claims of action, the number of hours pollution levels are acceptable - that is low or medium - is falling, while the amount of time pollution is at harmful levels - high, very high or severe - is on the increase.

The government can't blame the rise on pollution rolling down from the north.

The second chart compares roadside pollution levels with atmospheric readings at nearby stations. The red line shows the number of hours that roadside pollution is at harmful levels while atmospheric pollution is acceptable.

In other words, this chart measures hazardous pollution that we can be sure is homemade. As you can see, nearly seven years after Tsang's pledge to improve air quality, pollution is still getting worse.

At best, we must conclude government policy has been utterly ineffective. At worst, we might conjecture that officials actually like pollution.

Perhaps it recalls the comforting miasma of bureaucratic flatulence that pervades their hermetically sealed offices.

tom.holland@scmp.com

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Energy security must benefit Asia's people and the planet

Noeleen Heyzer says Asia can't sacrifice sustainability for equitable access
Noeleen Heyzer, South China Morning Post, 9 Oct 13;

The world is at a critical juncture. Energy consumption is rising dramatically; total primary energy demand in the Asia-Pacific region alone is expected to nearly double between 2010 and 2030.

How will the region meet this demand? How will we grow in a sustainable way? How can universal energy access be achieved? These are some of the key questions being addressed at the World Energy Congress in Daegu, South Korea, this month.

The world today faces two main energy challenges: providing enough light, warmth and power for every household, while shifting to cleaner energy sources.

Ensuring sustainable energy for all is additionally challenging in Asia and the Pacific - there are still 628 million people in the region without access to electricity, and 1.8 billion still use traditional fuels such as wood, charcoal, agricultural residues and animal waste.

Widespread energy poverty condemns billions to darkness, ill-health and missed opportunities. We must end this inequality, but we need to do so in a way that is smart and sustainable, utilising natural resources, while preserving the integrity of the ecosystems on which we depend.

The Asia-Pacific region also has some of the highest levels of carbon intensity. Our primary energy intensity is among the highest in the world, despite significant reductions in recent decades. This limits national and regional competitiveness - jeopardising employment opportunities and income levels.

The region has some of the largest exporters and importers of fossil fuels, as well as the highest rates of fossil fuel subsidies. The increasing dependency on fossil fuel imports exposes our region to the risks of oil price volatility, and the impacts of climate change.

Rebalancing our energy mix is therefore critical. The countries of our region have one of the fastest growing rates of investment in renewable energy, taking advantage of our ample supplies of solar, hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal and ocean energies. Still, the current energy mix remains mostly fossil fuel-based, especially coal, with renewable resources accounting for only 16 per cent of total electricity production.

A comprehensive, long-term understanding of "enhanced energy security" is evolving in the region. This concept moves beyond calculations of supply and demand alone, towards a consideration of multiple aspects, including access, efficiency, renewables, economics, trade and investment, and connectivity.

As early as 2008, member states of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) were developing a regional framework to address these challenges. In a lecture last year in Singapore, I proposed that the region should explore the creation of a game-changing Asian Energy Highway - an integrated regional "smart grid".

These discussions culminated in May. Supported by the Russian Federation, 34 countries met in Vladivostok and adopted a groundbreaking framework that included a five-year plan of action on regional co-operation for enhanced energy security and the sustainable use of energy.

One key area is to develop common infrastructure, and to promote energy policies which accelerate regional economic integration. Energy connectivity is not new to the region; the Asean Power Grid, for example, is one several subregional initiatives that could be linked and expanded under a common vision.

The lesson of this and other initiatives is that co-operation works best when it is based on such a common vision. Our region is committed to shaping the regional energy future we want: one of equity, efficiency and resilience, to benefit our people and our planet.

Dr Noeleen Heyzer is the UN undersecretary general and Escap executive secretary

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Best of our wild blogs: 8 Oct 13

Ladies of The Straits Settlements Tour Report
from a.t.Bukit Brown. Heritage. Habitat. History.

12 Sat ’13 Tan Kheam Hock/ 13 Sunday ’13 Chinese Tour
from a.t.Bukit Brown. Heritage. Habitat. History.

World Monuments Watch 2014!
from a.t.Bukit Brown. Heritage. Habitat. History.

Toilet-trained Wagler's pit viper @ Central Catchment Nature Reserve 04 Oct 2013
from sgbeachbum

Butterflies Galore!: Grass Demon
from Butterflies of Singapore

A posturing pair of Asian koels
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Pasir Ris Greenbelt- cleared in 2 weeks
from My Nature Experiences

Climate Change Challenges in Cities, 18-19 Nov 2013 @ NUS LT32
from The Biodiversity Crew @ NUS

Wed, 16 Oct 2013, 10.00am @ SR1: Alison Wee on “Genetic connectivity of four mangrove species from the Malay Peninsula”
from The Biodiversity Crew @ NUS

Recovering forests 'heal' themselves by speeding up nitrogen fixation
from Mongabay.com news by Mrinalini Erkenswick Watsa

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Rescued macaque nursed back to health and released back to the wild

David Ee, Straits Times, 8 Oct 13;


A long-tailed macaque is seen in a tree after its release at Macritchie reservoir on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2013. The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) found the injured animal with a shattered pelvis at Macritchie reservoir in August. It was operated on and rehabilitated over six weeks before being released. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG



A rescued long-tailed macaque that was rehabilitated has been released back to the wild.

The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) found the injured animal with a shattered pelvis at Macritchie reservoir in August. It was operated on and rehabilitated over six weeks before being released back into the forested area around the reservoir.

This is the first macaque to be attended to by Acres' newly formed macaque response team. Set up last month, the team aims to educate residents living close to the monkeys' forest habitats on how to prevent the monkeys from entering their homes by, for example, storing food away from sight. The team will also has plans to begin a 'behavioural modification' program to keep them away from human territories.

Acres executive director Louis Ng said the team's effort would hopefully show that there are alternative ways to manage the monkey population here other than culling. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) culled about 360 macaques in the first half of this year, about a fifth of their estimated population of 1,800. Complaints to the AVA about monkey nuisance have been growing from 730 in 2011 to 1,460 in the first eight months of this year.


A long-tailed macaque is seen up high in a tree after its release at Macritchie reservoir on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG


(From left) The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) campaign executive Sabrina Jabbar, 23, releases a long-tailed macaque from its cage on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2013, as Acres executive director Louis Ng looks on. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG


The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) campaign executive Sabrina Jabbar, 23, carries a long-tailed macaque in its cage to a spot where the monkey can be released on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG


A long-tailed macaque is seen in a cage before its release into Macritchie reservoir on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG


A rescued long-tailed macaque that was rehabilitated has been released back to the wild. PHOTO: ACRES


First rescued monkey released back into the wild
Long-tailed female macaque found seriously hurt in MacRitchie is first-ever monkey to be rescued and released in Singapore
Siau Ming En, Today Online, 8 Oct 13;


Mia, the long-tailed macaque, was released at the MacRitchie Reservoir Park by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, the first rescue, rehabilitation and release operation of an injured monkey in Singapore on Oct 8, 2013. Photo: Don Wong

SINGAPORE — A rescued long-tailed macaque was released at the MacRitchie Reservoir Park this morning (Oct 8) by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) — the first rescue, rehabilitation and release operation of an injured monkey in Singapore.

About 6 weeks ago, ACRES was alerted to an injured female macaque — known as Mia — at MacRitchie Reservoir Park by members of the public.

Mia was found with a shattered pelvis and serious injuries in her left leg, and was removed on Aug 23 for surgery, a month-long veterinary treatment and rehabilitation.

This is also the first rescue mission led by a new Macaque Rescue Team that was set up by ACRES last month, to respond to conflicts between the macaques and people.

With only two full-time staff on the team, the rescue team currently handles the 24-hour hotline for macaque issues, among other responsibilities.

Mr Louis Ng, the Chief Executive at ACRES said, “Mia’s case highlights the fact that people in Singapore do care about and want to protect monkeys.”


Mia the monkey undergoing rehabilitation. Photo: ACRES


Mia the monkey undergoing rehabilitation. Photo: ACRES


Mia the monkey undergoing rehabilitation. Photo: ACRES


Mia the monkey undergoing rehabilitation. Photo: ACRES


Mia, the long-tailed macaque, was released at the MacRitchie Reservoir Park by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, the first rescue, rehabilitation and release operation of an injured monkey in Singapore on Oct 8, 2013. Photo: Don Wong


Mia, the long-tailed macaque, was released at the MacRitchie Reservoir Park by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, the first rescue, rehabilitation and release operation of an injured monkey in Singapore on Oct 8, 2013. Photo: Don Wong


Mia, the long-tailed macaque, was released at the MacRitchie Reservoir Park by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, the first rescue, rehabilitation and release operation of an injured monkey in Singapore on Oct 8, 2013. Photo: Don Wong


Injured monkey released into the wild after rehabilitation
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society hopes that rehabilitation can be seen as alternative to culling as it embarks on a behavioural modification programme for monkeys so that they stay within their habitats.
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 13;



SINGAPORE: A long-tailed macaque that was rehabilitated was released into the wild on Tuesday.

This is the first case for newly formed macaque rescue team, formed by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES).

ACRES hopes that rehabilitation can be seen as alternative to culling.

The macaque was found at the MacRitichie Reservoir Park in August with a shattered pelvis and serious injuries to its left leg. It took six weeks for this macaque to be nursed back to health.

Known to its rescuers as Mia, it took its first steps back into the wild on Tuesday morning.

Rescuers from ACRES were stationed at the park on Tuesday to keep an eye on her. They will then come back once a week to make sure she is eating and moving well.

It's not clear how the animal sustained its injuries but it was rescued by ACRES after members of the public called its wildlife rescue hotline.

Since the rescue team was set up a month ago, it has responded to some 30 calls - mostly from residents.

The team teaches residents how to prevent animals from entering their homes.

It also hopes to embark on a behavioural modification programme for monkeys so that they stay within their habitats.

This proposal has been submitted to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

A spokesman for AVA said: "We recently received a proposal from ACRES to conduct behavioural modifications on nuisance-causing and aggressive monkeys. AVA is currently studying the feasibility and effectiveness of ACRES' proposal."

Louis Ng, executive director of ACRES, said: "We're not here to protect the monkeys more than the people but we're here to say that both parties must be protected. The solution must be a multi-pronged solution that addresses the residents' and public's concerns, but also addresses the monkeys' welfare."

The rescue team will target areas with bigger monkey populations.

These are areas near the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Bukit Batok Nature Park, MacRitchie Reservoir, Woodlands Waterfront and Lower Peirce Reservoir.

Mr Ng said he hopes to expand the team from its current strength of two to four.

"Just last month, they've undergone training at our sanctuary in Laos about how to restrain the monkeys, how to do behavioural modification, and ultimately how to address this problem, with a solution that is long-term. They now work seven days a week to handle macaque calls to our hotline," he added.

AVA said between January and August this year, it received 1,460 complaints and feedback about monkeys. This is more than last year's 920 cases and 2011's total of 730 cases.

Over 100 of these cases this year were related to monkey aggression, such as monkeys snatching belongings and chasing pedestrians and cyclists, as well as monkeys biting, scratching, and injuring children, the elderly, and pets.

There were also other cases of monkey mischief that posed threats to public safety. For example, the AVA said that in January this year, it received feedback about a monkey that had been repeatedly dislodging glass window panes from a school chapel.

An AVA spokesman said: "AVA cannot take any chances that could compromise the health and safety of Singaporeans. We need to remain vigilant in our animal control efforts.

"To this end, we take a multi-prong approach where we work closely with relevant stakeholders such as government agencies, organisations, town councils, estate managements and animal welfare groups."

The spokesman added that AVA is of the view that sterilisation of monkeys will help to control the population and are working with NParks to study its feasibility as a long-term measure.

The spokesman pointed out that humane euthanasia is a last resort.

"We are also aware that releasing them back into the environment or forests will not resolve issues of monkey aggression, nuisance. As such, monkeys, accustomed to human food, would likely continue to venture out of the forests.

"In addition, studies have shown that monkeys cannot be easily relocated into a new location where there is a resident troop of monkeys as it may result in the 'newcomers' being driven out or killed.

"Indiscriminate release of aggressive/nuisance-causing wildlife back into the environment merely transfers the problem from one estate to the next. Relocation options are also limited in land-scarce Singapore," she noted.

- CNA/fa

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Lightning information service launched today

New service can be accessed via smartphone app, website or weather hotline
Today Online, 8 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE — The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) launched a lightning information service today (Oct 8). Members of the public can now access information on lightning strikes in Singapore through smartphone applications, the MSS website or the weather information hotline.

The smartphone app, Lightning@SG, is available for both iPhones and Android phones. Some features of the app include customising up to three locations of interest. Users can receive push alerts when lightning is detected within a pre-defined distance of six or eight kilometres from the locations. In addition, users are able to choose the type of lightning and thundery showers forecast for which they would like to receive a push alert.

Lightning information is also available on the MSS website (http://tdy.sg/msslightning), and at the MSS weather information hotline at 6542 7788.

According to the Director-General of MSS, Ms Wong Chin Ling, Singapore has one of the highest rates of lightning activity in the world. “With an average of around 167 thunderstorm days a year, lightning strikes are a potential safety hazard for anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Singapore. Therefore, it is important for the public to be alerted of potential lightning risk when out in the open.”

Professor Liew Ah Choy, Professorial Fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering said that the Lightning Information Service provides excellent information. “The information will benefit and allow many entities, as well as the general public, to make good decisions based on the risk of impending lightning over their areas of interest,” he said.

MSS will also be distributing educational material on lightning safety to schools, community centres and facilities providing outdoor services to further educate the public on the potential lightning risk.


Free real-time lightning service launched
The Meteorological Service Singapore has launched a new free real-time lightning service on multiple platforms.
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE: The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) has launched a new free real-time lightning service on multiple platforms.

It will be available as a mobile app called Lightning@SG, on the MSS website, and through the weather information hotline number.

With the app, smart phone users will be able to customise up to three locations of interest and receive push alerts when lightning is detected within a pre-defined distance of either six kilometres or eight kilometres from their location of interest.

Users will also be able to choose the type of lightning (cloud-to-cloud and/ or cloud-to-ground) and thundery showers forecast that they wish to receive a push alert on.

The lightning information service will be available on the MSS website via a link from the National Environment Agency website.

The website will display a scrolling ticker message when lightning is detected in the selected watch areas.

The public can also call the MSS weather information hotline (6542 7788) for real-time lightning information.

Singapore has one of the highest rates of lightning activity in the world given its location in the tropics.

On average, there are around 167 thunderstorm days a year in Singapore.

MSS says lightning strikes are a potential safety hazard for anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Singapore.

MSS says it is important for the public to be alerted of potential lightning risk when out in the open.

MSS will be distributing educational material on lightning safety precautions to schools, community centres and facilities providing outdoor services.

- CNA/fa


New app provides real-time alerts on lightning danger
Woo Sian Boon, Today Online, 9 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE — The danger of being struck by lightning can come down to a matter of minutes in Singapore, which has one of the highest occurrences of lightning activity in the world.

Now, the public can have real-time lightning information at their fingertips with a free smartphone application called Lightning@SG by the Meteorological Service of Singapore (MSS).

The app, available for iPhone and Android devices, was launched yesterday to help alert the user of potential lightning risks when out in the open. It gathers real-time data through the MSS’ new lightning detection system, which has four lightning detection sensors located in Sembawang, Changi, Ulu Pandan and Choa Chu Kang.

According to media reports, Singapore has an average of 0.35 lightning deaths per million people each year, compared to 0.2 in Britain and 0.6 in the United States, making it one of the lightning capitals of the world.

The months of April, May, October and November are the most lightning-prone because of the intense inter-monsoon weather conditions.

“With an average of around 167 thunderstorm days a year, lightning strikes are a potential safety hazard for anyone engaging in outdoor activities in Singapore. Therefore, it’s important for the public to be alerted of potential lightning risks when out in the open,” said Ms Wong Chin Ling, Director-General of the MSS.

Besides providing real-time lightning information on an interactive map, the Lightning@SG app also displays animated radar images and gives a three-hour forecast of thundery showers. It is also capable of detecting different types of lightning as well as total lightning activity.

One of its features allows users to save up to three locations of interest. Users can zoom in on these locations to view geographical references such as landmarks, public swimming pools and national parks.

The app will also alert users and warn them when lightning is detected or when there is a forecast of thundery showers within six to eight kilometres from their saved locations.

Besides the app, the public can also get lightning information at the MSS website, or call the weather information hotline at 6542 7788.

In 2011, a man was killed after he was struck by lightning during a fishing trip to Coney Island. Prior to that, a golfer was killed by a lightning strike in 2009 at the Tanah Merah Country Club.

The MSS will also be distributing educational material on lightning safety to schools, community centres, and facilities that provide outdoor services to further educate the public on potential lightning risks. WOO SIAN BOON

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Rising food prices? 7 in 10 Singaporeans are not fazed

Most households here are able to absorb higher food costs, according to global survey on the impact of inflation on spending
Today Online, 8 Oct 13;

SINGAPORE — About seven in 10 consumers in Singapore are relatively unconcerned by looming food inflation as most say they have enough flexibility in their household budget to absorb a price rise, without having to make major spending cuts elsewhere, according to a report by Nielsen released today (Oct 8) .

Those who would adjust their household budgets in response to higher good costs indicated that they would watch out for sales, stock up on regular items and buy in bulk.

According to the Nielsen’s Global Survey of Inflation Impact, 69 per cent of Singaporean respondents said that they were unlikely to make significant spending cuts to cope with rising food prices, well above the global average of 50 per cent.

The majority of respondents in other South-east Asian nations covered in the survey also said they higher food costs would not force them to make major spending cuts elsewhere — the figure was 78 per cent in Thailand, followed by Indonesia (70 per cent), Vietnam (70 per cent), Malaysia (66 per cent) and the Philippines (58 per cent).

Of the Singaporeans queried in the survey who said that they would rethink their household budget, 72 per cent said that they would look to adjust their outlay on out-of-home dining, followed by new clothes and accessories (59 per cent), snack foods (49 per cent) and recreation and entertainment (45 per cent).

Consumers in the other South-east Asian countries also named those four areas they are most likely to cut back on as well.

Food categories most vulnerable during inflationary times include products such as candies, cookies and other sweets, chips and other snack foods, carbonated beverages and alcoholic beverages.

Meanwhile, staples such as meat, poultry, fish, seafood, fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables and dairy products appeared largely immune to consumer cutbacks in the face of rising food prices, Nielsen said.

“As income levels steadily increase throughout the region, many South-east Asian consumers appear to be taking the rising cost of living in their stride,” said Mr Matthew Krepsik, Executive Director of Nielsen’s Marketing Effectiveness Practice in South-east Asia, North Asia and Pacific.

“In order to appeal to a broad range of consumer classes it will be increasingly important for FMCG companies to understand the diversity of consumer demand across the region to accurately gauge purchasing power and the scale of goods and services required to meet the needs of consumers in both developed and developing South-east Asian markets.

“If consumers are required to make trade-offs to extend their food budget, they will shift to core staples, pay more attention to promotions and special offers and look to cut back their spending on non-essential, indulgent and processed foods.”

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Fish cannot scream (and other reasons to protect the reefs)

Dionne Thompson, Straits Times Asia Report, 7 Oct 13;

I came close to losing my life twice while diving – once in the Philippines and the other time in Indonesia – but I’ve never lost my love for the sea and its life-giving bounty of coral reefs.

So, I was very happy to hear that the World Bank has decided to approve a multimillion-dollar project that will come up with clever models to put a value on coral reefs and their related ecosystems (mangroves, for example) that governments can understand and use in policy-making.

The project, which has a modest starting grant of US$4.5 million (S$5.6 million), focuses on Indonesia and the Philippines, where much of the world’s reefs and related ecosystems lie. It is meant to encourage stewardship of these marine resources, which provide not just food security and livelihoods but also natural protection against storms and rising sea levels.

To know the sea is to love it. But too many of us still seem to treat it as a magic larder that can be plundered at will with no consequences. Part of the problem, I feel, is that the destruction is taking place under water, where the damage is not easily visible.

On land, causes for sustainable mining and farming have gained traction, helped along by the sight of devastated rainforests and the cries of animals in distress.

But fish cannot scream. And far greater tracts have been quietly destroyed underwater by a single commercial fishing net than have been lost on land to a roaring forest fire.

Every year, an estimated 130,000 sq km are lost to deforestation.

Every year, 15 million sq km under the sea are raked by bottom trawling, just one of the many types of commercial fishing that damage the sea floor.

To quantify is to begin to understand. Even then, governments face an uphill battle.

At one of the more successful ecological dive resorts I’ve been to in Indonesia, it took years of convincing, and years of enforcing a no-fishing zone (including hiring armed patrols) before local fishermen realised that the exclusion zone actually improved their catches outside of it.

As dive resorts spring up in the region and more young people abandon fishing for diving, the scales are falling off for more local communities.

I’ve talked to dive guides who used to be fishermen and some of their revelations are astonishing. Shockingly, many fishermen cannot swim and therefore cannot see the long-term damage being caused by trawler nets or dynamite fishing, much less understand that reefs and mangroves are the nurseries of the sea and therefore need to thrive.

There is some research that suggests that all is too late and that we might as well stuff our faces with our favourite seafood. Fish populations have been declining and for some species of trout, cod and anchovy, the numbers are thought to have dwindled to dangerously low levels.

There may be some truth to that. Since I started diving 10 years ago, I noticed that repeat visits to the same dive sites have yielded fewer sightings of shark – the presence of the apex predator being an important indicator of reef health – and that diversity in reef life has shrunk.

But there is also much more research out there that suggests that it is not too late at all.

We can all do our bit to support life in the sea. Boycott seafood caught by bottom trawling and other equally damaging methods. Or avoid eating the bluefin tuna and other endangered species to give their numbers a chance to recover. Or even, learn to dive and see for ourselves why life in the sea is worth protecting so very much.

sokling@sph.com.sg

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Plastic bags: A matter of who would be paying

Kim Khoo Guat Seok, Today Online Voices, 8 Oct 13;

I agree that “Free plastic bags from supermarkets do not go to waste” (Oct 5).

I have been reusing plastic bags from all my shopping, including groceries, for 40 years now, and so did my parents before that, mostly for use as trash bags, with the cleaner ones saved for packing household stuff.

Using a plastic bag is an effective and cheap method of disposing trash. Any other method of containing solid, semi-liquid or liquid trash may bring about more water usage, to clean up spills.

My sister, though, lives in a country where supermarkets and malls do not give out plastic bags on certain days of the week. She has to buy trash bags to make up the shortfall.

While the purpose is to reduce the use of plastic bags, in Singapore it is a matter of who would be paying for the bags, and this would be a bigger burden for the lower-income. The environmental crusade would be better served by educating and persuading the latter to reuse.

This is the way to really reduce wastage. Throwing away a plastic bag is inevitable after usage, so it is a matter of not discarding it prematurely for the sake of the environment.

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Malaysia: River clean-up remedies

A river will be clean only if nothing fouls it up in the first place.
Jaron Keng, The Star, 8 Oct 13;

VARIOUS initiatives, from installing trash traps along rivers to building river water treatment plants, have been carried out to spruce up Sungai Klang under the River of Life project but two major sources of pollution – sullage and stormwater runoffs – are not getting much-needed attention.

The Federal Government has allocated RM4bil for the River of Life (ROL) project. It began last year and different parcels are in various stages of completion, all of which are to raise the river water quality from the current Class III and Class IV (not suitable for body contact) to Class IIB (suitable for body contact and recreational usage) by year 2020.

The project area covers Sungai Klang from its upstream until its confluence with Sungai Kerayong, as well as its tributaries, the Gombak, Batu, Bunus, Jinjang and Kerayong rivers – altogether totalling 110km. The clean-up effort will target pollution sources in Kuala Lumpur and the municipalities of Selayang and Ampang Jaya.

The past 30 years have seen billions of ringgit spent on numerous projects to revive Sungai Klang, yet, the river remain as murky as ever. Hence, scepticism has arose on whether the project can succeed in improving the water quality. However, according to the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, past attempts to clean up the Klang River systems have been in an ad hoc manner by different agencies and municipalities, and lacked ministerial-level co-ordination and follow-up monitoring.

The ROL consists of these key initiatives:

> Upgrade sewerage facilities and set up regional sewerage treatment plants.

> Install wastewater treatment plants at five wet markets to decrease rubbish and pollutants.

> Install gross pollutant traps at main drains to prevent litter, silt and grease from entering rivers.

> Use retention ponds to remove pollutants from sewage and sullage.

> Reduce pollution from squatters.

> Implement the Drainage and Stormwater Management Masterplan to upgrade drainage systems.

> A study on water quality improvement and hydrological assessment for Sungai Klang.

> Prevent river pollution originating from: erosion from urban development; restaurants, workshops and other commercial outlets; industrial effluent; and rubbish disposal.

Though comprehensive and relevant in cleaning rivers in the Klang Valley, most of the initiatives involve maintenance work, which is always not a priority in Malaysia. Missing from the list of initiatives is the control of sullage and runoff outflows to river. Gross pollutant traps can only trap solid waste and are not effective in removing other pollutants.

Likewise, the proposed wastewater treatment plants for five wet markets will not significantly reduce pollutants as there are too many sources of sullage and rubbish.

Sullage includes liquid waste discharged from baths, lavatories, laundries or sinks but excludes faecal water and urine. Sullage and stormwater runoffs are major pollution sources to water bodies in Malaysia. Sullage, specially from eateries, is a major problem.

Under the ROL, the installation of 20 communal grease traps in Ampang Jaya, 26 units in Kuala Lumpur and 20 units in Selayang are insufficient based on the large number of eateries in these municipalities and the practice of washing dishes beside drains at many restaurants. This “silent” pollution activity contributes significantly to river pollution.

As a country with high rainfall, Malaysia uses a sewer system with a segregated drainage and sewerage system. The drainage system is for stormwater (rainwater) discharges while the sewerage system is for wastewater discharges and treatment. This differs from the combined sewer system in other countries, where stormwater and wastewater are mixed in huge sewer tunnels connected to wastewater treatment plants. The combined sewer system is not practised here as the high rainfall can lead to sewerage overflow. The “open drain” approach, which eases the direct discharge of sullage into stormwater drains, is widely adopted here due to the local high precipitation.

Sullage, being a type of wastewater, should be discharged to a sewer line and channelled to a sewage treatment plant. However, in Malaysia, sullage is directly discharged into drains. Stormwater runoffs should flow to a retention pond, constructed wetlands or an infiltration basin which, besides serving as natural treatment facilities, can control flood and downstream erosion. Rapid development in the Klang Valley has resulted in more impermeable ground which causes more urban runoffs. Runoffs from wet markets, hawker areas and car wash shops end up in drains which flow into rivers.

Although the concentration of pollutants in sullage is not as high as sewage, the flow rate is much higher, resulting in higher pollution loading in rivers. According to a study by Dr Azni Idris of Universiti Putra Malaysia, the annual loading of sullage is higher than that of sewage in rivers at urban areas.

Under the ROL project, more trash rakes, trash screens and floating booms are being placed along rivers and in flood detention ponds. Also, gross pollutant traps are installed in major drains but these only remove litter, debris, coarse sediment and grease from stormwater and cannot improve the water quality. Similarly, grease traps in restaurants, which serve to capture oil and grease, cannot eliminate or reduce the pollution level of sullage.

Enforcement of relevant rules and regulations on sullage discharge is the fundamental solution to sullage management. The Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 forbids unauthorised connection of drains into public canals or streams; discharges from toilets and trade effluent into canals, streams, ponds or drains; and discharges of blood, brine, swill, noxious liquid or other offensive or filthy matter into public places. Pollution prevention or “source control” is the only pragmatic approach in preventing river pollution. Instead of spending billions of ringgit on river or lake rehabilitation and remediation, why don’t we do source control? Strong public awareness is essential for this. The public needs to understand the appropriate function of our open stormwater drains.

Both structural and non-structural measures have to be adopted to achieve the objectives of the ROL project. “River cleaning” is not a comprehensive solution without pollution prevention as pollution will continue after the cleaning.

To improve the river water quality to Class IIA, seven strategies are proposed:

> Identify the sources of runoffs (stormwater, sullage, sewage treatment plant effluent, wastewater from markets and slaughterhouses) in the Klang Valley and their outflow points.

> Prevent runoffs from entering rivers by diverting them to nearby constructed wetlands or retention ponds.

> Introduce more retention ponds or constructed wetlands to contain and treat all runoffs biologically.

> Monitor rivers in upstream areas (especially forest clearing at watersheds) and install sediment traps to prevent eroded sediments from entering rivers.

> Enforce regulations and penalise offenders who discharge sullage into drains. Prohibit restaurant operators from washing dishes at back lanes and beside drains.

> Review the existing Interim National Water Quality Standard which is based on only six parameters, namely biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, pH, ammoniacal nitrogen and suspended solids. Introduce water quality assessments that include bio-indicator parameters such as Index of Biotic Integrity (IBI, which assesses the biological integrity of a habitat using samples of living organisms).

> Incorporate pollution loading as part of effluent discharge standards. The current standard only gauge the pollution level with “concentration (mg/l)”. Introduce standards for urban runoff quality with pollution loading as a parameter.

* Jaron Keng is a waste management consultant and secretary of Persatuan Rakan Alam Sekitar Hijau dan Biru.

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Malaysia: Lack of basic facilities to keep forest rangers going

Ivan Loh & Manjit Kaur, The Star, 8 Oct 13;

THE unavailability of basic amenities and the failure to establish the services of forest rangers have led to poor management in 16 recreational forests in Perak.

The Auditor-General’s report revealed that facilities were left abandoned and unused.

There are 16 recreational forests in the state that had been developed in stages by the State Forestry Department between 2010 and last year.

A total of RM3.45mil was allocated to the department for the purpose of recreational forest management and eco-tourism from the Forest Development Fund.

It suggested that the department ensure adequate facilities were available with proper maintenance. It also said there was a need to enhance cleanliness monitoring.

The report also said there had been 125 cases of breach of conditions on land use in both the Kampar and Kerian districts.

It recommended that the related authorities, including the Land and Mines Department, to work together with the local authorities and the Agriculture Department to detect and take action against any breach of the conditions on land use.

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