Best of our wild blogs: 8 May 18

"The Untold Story of Sungei Tampines": 8 Jun and 22 Jun
Celebrating Singapore Shores

Read more!

Fledgling ventures aim to make money from cutting food and packaging waste

KELLY NG Today Online 7 May 18;

SINGAPORE — To tackle food waste, Mr Nicholas Lim did not simply spread the word among his friends and family.

In an experiment to see if he could make a viable business out of the problem, he co-founded an online platform that allows individuals, eateries and voluntary welfare organisations to order discounted groceries that would otherwise be thrown away.

TreeDots began operations six months ago and now has about 180 business partners, which obtain discounted groceries from about 30 suppliers.

The items may be slightly defective or approaching their expiry dates, but prices are hugely marked down. For instance, 12 one-litre bottles of olive oil cost S$20, compared with about S$12 per bottle at a supermarket, while a kilogramme of Cavendish bananas can be had at S$1.75, about a third of the price elsewhere.

TreeDots offers free delivery and takes a 10 per cent cut for every successful transaction, said Mr Lim, 26, who co-founded the platform with fellow Singapore Management University graduates Tylor Jong and Lau Jiacai.

About 10 individuals also order TreeDots’ weekly “vege boxes”, which contain up to 14kg of fruits and vegetables that may look “ugly” or are blemished. The boxes’ content varies according to what the suppliers are looking to let go of. Each box costs S$40 and three boxes cost S$115.

Mr Lim said the start-up has generated enough revenue to cover its overhead costs, which includes a refrigerator truck, but the founders are still working unpaid.

“Response has been growing over the months, but still mostly on the business-to-business level…Despite growing interest in the issue of food waste, we still feel the majority of people here are not willing to accept such products,” said Mr Lim.

While eco-businesses selling items such as upcycled bags or bamboo and stainless steel straws are not new to Singapore, the experiences and ability of two fledgling ventures that deal in perishable food items could signal if a broader swathe of local consumers are ready to adopt low-waste habits in a bigger way.

On Saturday (May 5), a 1,200 sq ft grocery store opened in Sembawang Hills estate, targeting patrons keen to shop for daily necessities stripped of the usual packaging. Inspired by a video of a provision shop with the same concept operating somewhere in Europe, UnPackt’s co-founder Florence Tay, 36, is looking to help the average shopper to take small steps to reduce waste in everyday life.

For a start, the store has stocked about 70 types of toiletries, cleaning agents and dried foodstuff like cereal that are stored in self-service dispensers and priced according to weight.

Patrons are free to buy only the amount they want, and the items are a shade cheaper than what they would cost in a supermarket. For instance, UnPackt is selling 100g of raw sugar for S$0.30, the same amount of organic pasta for S$0.70 and, almonds, for S$4.50.

Customers bring their own receptacles or use the jars and containers that Ms Tay has collected, cleaned and sterilised.

UnPackt’s co-founder Jeff Lam, 38, who lives alone, said he used to throw out a lot of unfinished food that had expired and hopes to “debunk the myth that eco-friendly habits are expensive and unsustainable”.

The duo have pumped in about S$100,000 to get the business going and while they see it also playing an advocacy role, they stress the need to be financially sustainable.

“Profitability still has to come in, in order for us to keep running (the store) and prove to the man in the street that this is the one-stop shop for their low-waste lifestyle habits,” said Ms Tay.

GOOD CAUSE, BUT WILL CONSUMERS BITE?

The efforts by TreeDots’ and UnPackt’s founders come amid the growing amount of food and plastic waste generated in Singapore. A waste audit by the National Environment Agency found that over half of food waste generated by households here would not have been trashed had consumers bought the quantities they needed or cooked the right portions.

Meanwhile, packaging waste made up a third of the 1.7 million tonnes of domestic waste generated here last year. About 15 per cent of the packaging waste – or about 83,550 tonnes – is made up of plastic and paper disposables such as single-use plates and take-away food containers.

But the key ingredient determining the reach and sustainability of businesses such as TreeDots and UnPackt could ultimately be their prices, said business experts and observers.

The majority of consumers in Singapore still make their purchases based on prices, they said.

Said Associate Professor Lawrence Loh from the National University of Singapore's School of Business: “At this juncture, consumers are still very sensitive to what hits their pockets. We have not achieved a concerted vision and effort to cut waste. Economics still takes precedence.”

Assoc Prof Loh, who directs the school's Centre for Governance, Institutions & Organisations, said consumers also want to be assured that going “packaging-free” does not compromise hygiene.

Ms Ang Huan Ting, who has ordered six of TreeDots' vegetable boxes since the start of the year, said she finds their price "pretty reasonable considering the quality of the products and door to door delivery".

The 27-year-old civil servant and her husband takes up to two weeks to consume the vegetables.

"The offerings are different each time, and I like the element of surprise... Another reason why I keep subscribing (to the vegetable boxes) is because I find the founders very passionate about their vision to reduce food waste," said Ms Ang.

Dumpster diver Daniel Tay, who leads outings to “rescue” discarded edible produce and started the Freegan in Singapore Facebook page said it may be more difficult for such businesses to stay afloat here, given the cost of rentals and transport.

Mr Jeff Cheong, president of advertising agency Tribal Worldwide Asia, said brands that championing the zero waste culture must be “actively involved in education and outreach to share ideas that ‘normal people’ can do right from their home”.

“From producing content, to holding public talks, to interacting with patrons at their stores, these advocates-cum-businessmen need to invest time to build up the community from the heartlands. Working with young children is key in shaping their minds towards responsible living in the future,” said Mr Cheong.

Other smaller outfits that operate online or as pop-up stores said challenges lie in reaching out to a wider segment of Singaporeans.

Ms Danielle Champagne, who co-founded the Green Collective, a three-month pop-up store in Paya Lebar, said: "We might feel like there is a growth (of people reducing waste) but it could be because of the circles we are in... We don't want to just be preaching to the converted."

Ms Champagne owns Zhai Eco, which sells clothing made of natural fibres like bamboo and linen. Zhai Eco is one of 15 brands found at the pop-up, which offers customers recycled bags only when they request for one.

The Green Collective also holds do-it-yourself workshops, talks and "plant swaps" (sessions to exchange seedlings, seeds or gardening tips).

Others, like online shop The Sustainability Project and pop-up store The Zero Ways hope their wares — which include beeswax wraps and straws made of bamboo or stainless steel — can help Singaporeans adopt more eco-friendly behaviour.

Said Lily Khairunnisa, who started The Zero Ways in January with her family members: "More Singaporeans, especially of the younger generation, are getting more conscious of the waste we produce. We are still quite far from having these practices ingrained in our everyday lives, but it is picking up traction."

The 30-year-old also believes there is strength in numbers. "It takes time... We have seen many other green businesses come up in the last few months. We see one another as collaborators, and I think that would make it easier to spur the movement," she said.

Read more!

Indonesia: LIPI holds wildlife, wild plants survey training

Aubrey Kandelila Fanani Antara 7 May 18;

The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is now conducting rare plants. Among the rare plants in Indonesia is Bintangur (Calophyllum lanigerum). (ANTARA PHOTO/Joko Sulistyo)

Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) offered training on survey methods for wild plants and wildlife on May 7-11 in Cipanas, Cianjur District, West Java, to prevent the extinction of biodiversity traded as a commodity.

As one of the countries ratifying the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the management of trade of wild plants and wildlife in Indonesia is conducted through the provisions of the conventions set forth in several laws and regulations.

"This method is designed to prevent the extinction of plant or animal species due to trade, especially international one. In addition, it is for maintaining a limit on the utilization of species," Deputy of Life Sciences of LIPI Prof. Enny Sudarmonowati stated.

Sudarmonowati said LIPI has been trusted as a scientific authority that provides recommendations to management authorities for the implementation of CITES. The recommendations include establishing a list of types, limiting trade quotas, and licensing restrictions.

As necessitated in government regulations, these recommendations should be based on scientific data and information provided by various parties but obtained by methods recognized by scientific authorities, she explained.

Meanwhile, Head of the Biology Research Center of LIPI Witjaksono noted that LIPI is also responsible for delivering to stakeholders related methods that can be used in data collection for monitoring or surveying population of traded species in natural habitat or for evaluation of production at breeding and cultivation facilities.

"In addition to the method, it is important for parties to improve the identification capabilities of TSL products circulating at home and abroad. One of the most concerned parties to both of these is the officer on the field, the Forest Ecosystem Manager (PEH) involved in granting permits and supervising the distribution of TSL," he stated.

LIPI as an institution that stores a collection of flora, fauna, and microbes of Indonesia and is a national reference for users along with playing a role in the collection and integration of data on natural resources.

Hence, the LIPI is tasked with providing a means to integrate national data and information from different sources of data providers through a portal that facilitates the interoperability of Indonesia`s databases known as the Indonesia Biodiversity Information Facility (InaBIF).

InaBIF is part of the international network of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) aimed at providing information on biodiversity to the audience. At the national level, InaBIF can facilitate the mapping of the rich biodiversity in the regions, providing an overview of the information gap, and assisting decision-making in terms of action priorities for biodiversity protection.

Editor: Bambang Purwanto

Read more!

Tourism's carbon impact three times larger than estimated

Matt McGrath BBC 7 May 18;

A new study says global tourism accounts for 8% of carbon emissions, around three times greater than previous estimates.

The new assessment is bigger because it includes emissions from travel, plus the full life-cycle of carbon in tourists' food, hotels and shopping.

Driving the increase are visitors from affluent countries who travel to other wealthy destinations.

The US tops the rankings followed by China, Germany and India.

Tourism is a huge and booming global industry worth over $7 trillion, and employs one in ten workers around the world. It's growing at around 4% per annum.

Previous estimates of the impact of all this travel on carbon suggested that tourism accounted for 2.5-3% of emissions.

However in what is claimed to be the most comprehensive assessment to date, this new study examines the global carbon flows between 160 countries between 2009 and 2013. It shows that the total is closer to 8% of the global figure.

As well as air travel, the authors say they have included an analysis of the energy needed to support the tourism system, including all the food, beverage, infrastructure construction and maintenance as well as the retail services that tourists enjoy.

"It definitely is eye opening," Dr Arunima Malik from the University of Sydney, who's the lead author of the study, told BBC News.

"We looked at really detailed information about tourism expenditure, including consumables such as food from eating out and souvenirs. We looked at the trade between different countries and also at greenhouse gas emissions data to come up with a comprehensive figure for the global carbon footprint for tourism."

The researchers also looked at the impacts in both the countries where tourists came from and where they travelled. They found that the most important element was relatively well off people from affluent countries travelling to other well to do destinations.

In the leading countries, US, China, Germany and India, much of the travel was domestic.

Travellers from Canada, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark exert a much higher carbon footprint elsewhere than in their own countries.

When richer people travel they tend to spend more on higher carbon transportation, food and pursuits says Dr Malik.

"If you have visitors from high income countries then they typically spend heavily on air travel, on shopping and hospitality where they go to. But if the travellers are from low income countries then they spend more on public transport and unprocessed food, the spending patterns are different for the different economies they come from."

When measuring per capita emissions, small island destinations such as the Maldives, Cyprus and the Seychelles emerge as the leading lights. In these countries tourism is responsible for up to 80% of their annual emissions.

"The small island states are in a difficult position because we like travelling to these locations and those small island states very much rely on tourist income but they are also at the same time vulnerable to the effects of rising seas and climate change," said Dr Malik.

Demand for international tourism is also being seen in emerging countries like Brazil, India, China and Mexico, highlighting a fundamental problem - wealth.

The report underlines the fact that when people earn more than $40,000 per annum, their carbon footprint from tourism increase 13% for every 10% rise in income. The consumption of tourism does "not appear to satiate as incomes grow," the report says.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has welcomed the research but doesn't accept that the industry's efforts to cut carbon have been a flop.

"It would be unfair to say that the industry is not doing anything," said Rochelle Turner, director of research at WTTC.

"We've seen a growing number of hotels, airports and tour operators that have all become carbon neutral so there is a momentum."

Experts say that offsetting, where tourists spend money on planting trees to mitigate their carbon footprint will have to increase, despite reservations about its effectiveness.

Awareness is also the key. The WTTC say that the recent water crisis in Cape Town has also helped people recognise that changes in climate can impact resources like water.

"There is a real need for people to recognise what their impact is in a destination," said Rochelle Turner, "and how much water, waste and energy you should be using compared to the local population."

"All of this will empower tourists to make better decisions and only through those better decisions that we'll be able to tackle the issue of climate change."

The study is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 7 May 18

Focus Group discussion on haze for parents with young kids
PM.Haze

Life History of the Cabbage White
Butterflies of Singapore

Sagor Catfish (Hexanematichthys sagor) @ Yishun Dam
Monday Morgue

Read more!

Ban on feeding of wild animals and birds in the works

SIAU MING EN Today Online 6 May 18;

The release of wildlife could also be regulated, but the committee studying this will first have to determine the scope of the Act given that several fishes and marine wildlife are excluded from the current definition of animals.

This was one of the issues raised at the first public consultation held at the Singapore Sustainability Academy on Friday (May 4), which was attended by more than 80 members of the public.

Mr Ng, who is MP for Nee Soon GRC, will be tabling a Private Member’s Bill in Parliament to propose changes to the Act. He also chairs the 17-member Wild Animal Legislation Review Committee set up to look into this. The committee includes members from the Nature Photographic Society (Singapore), the National University of Singapore’s law faculty, and the Singapore Pest Management Association.

“We really need to align (the Act) with all other animal legislations that we currently have, the rest have been reviewed and amended… (this Act) really is quite outdated,” said Mr Ng, who is also the founder of wildlife rescue group Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).

Amendments to another animal legislation, the Animals and Birds Act, were passed in 2014, for instance, and was also introduced as a private member’s bill. Under the current Wild Animals and Birds Act, it is an offence for any person to kill, take or keep any wild animal or bird.

Among the 10 tentative proposed amendments are suggestions to ban the feeding of wild animals throughout Singapore. Currently, such feeding is only banned in the nature reserves and parks under the Parks and Trees Act.

Others include regulating the release of all wild animals, with exceptions made for government agencies and organisations such as Acres whenever they see the need to release these animals back into the wild.

Beyond the act of killing, taking and keeping these wild animals and birds, one of the suggestions was to criminalise the harassment of such wildlife. They are also proposing a Code of Conduct to spell out what constitutes as harassment.

The use of nets, traps and similar equipment should be regulated too, said the committee.

They are also calling for provisions for “citizen empowerment against offenders”, which is similar to how the National Environment Agency’s community volunteers are given enforcement powers to issue warnings and summonses.

Other suggestions include raising the penalties under the Act, and introducing tiered penalties for first and repeated offenders, for instance. Currently, the penalty is set at maximum fine of S$1,000, and the forfeiture of the wild animal or bird.

At last week’s session, several participants asked if species such as bees, crabs, fish, and other marine wildlife would be covered under the Act. One participant pointed out that many marine wildlife are invertebrates, and they “completely fall through” the Act while another said the definition would not cover the fish and crabs often released for religious reasons.

The Act states that wild animals and birds include all species of animals and birds of a wild nature, but excludes domestic dogs and cats, horses, cattle, sheep, goats, domestic pigs, poultry, and ducks. Under the Interpretation Act – which defines certain terms and expressions used in written law – an animal “includes bird, reptile, fish and every kind of vertebrate animal and the young”.

This means invertebrates such as insects and the endangered horseshoe crabs are excluded. Amending the definition in the Wild Animals and Birds Act would also have implications on other sections in the Act as well, noted Mr Ng.

“The trapping of animals, (for instance), you can’t really stop someone from trapping say, a cockroach,” he said.

But the committee will look into the possibility of including some species of invertebrates – such as the fish and crabs that are often released during Vesak Day – in the relevant section to regulate the release of such wildlife.

Other issues raised during the consultation session included whether the amendments could cover the accidental escape of captive wildlife, which was not intentionally released but could also affect the environment. Another participant pointed out that it should similarly be an offence for individuals or organisations who facilitate the release of wildlife such as through the sale of these animals.

The committee plans to gather more feedback from the public through an online questionnaire that will be posted within one or two weeks. Closed door consultation sessions will also be held with the relevant stakeholders, including those from religious groups. All feedback will be taken into account before the committee drafts the Bill, and puts it up for consultation again.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 6 May 18

Night Walk At Lower Peirce Reservior (04 May 2018)
Beetles@SG BLOG

The forest that will be making way for the “Forest Town”
The Long and Winding Road

Read more!

Father in famous Bishan otter family dies

Channel NewsAsia 5 May 18;

SINGAPORE: The father of the famous Bishan otter family died on Saturday (May 5) afternoon in Boon Keng, veteran otter enthusiast Jeffrey Teo told Channel NewsAsia.


The member of the group OtterWatch said the creature died at around 2.30pm surrounded by "otterers", who sat a "comfortable distance" away.

"Two attempts were made to trap and treat him by ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society) and WRS (Wildlife Reserves Singapore) this morning, but he managed to slip away," said Mr Teo. "We made the decision to call off the trapping at about 10am so that he could rest in peace.

"Could sense his life was fading away so we decided to accompany him at his side instead."

The animal's carcass was taken to Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Mr Teo said.

An account of the otter's last moments was posted on the OtterWatch Facebook page. He was estimated to be more than seven years old.


"At about 2.30pm, Bishan Dad came out from the holt, found a comfortable spot and lay down. It was a peaceful afternoon, with occasional water splashing sound caused by boats passing by ... His life faded away at 2.40pm. R.I.P," the post read.

The Bishan otter family was first spotted at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in 2014. The initial family of five gained national attention in 2015, when the National Parks Board posted photos and videos of them on their Facebook page.

The family had grown to 16 strong by 2017.

Mr Teo added: "He brought so much learning on smooth-coated otter behaviour which we applied other otter families in Singapore, and shared with rest of the world."

Dad of Bishan otter family dies, otter watchers mourn his loss
Lydia Lam Straits Times 5 May 18;

SINGAPORE - An otter believed to be the father of the friendly Bishan otter family died on Saturday (May 5), surrounded by otter watchers, Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) officers and those who have followed his journey since 2014.

Veteran otter watcher and member of the Otter Working Group Jeffery Teo told The Straits Times that the smooth-coated otter had been observed to be sickly for about a week. His energy levels were low and blood was spotted in his stool.

The Otter Working Group is a volunteer group set up with several government agencies including the National Parks Board, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority and PUB in 2016.

On Saturday, more than 10 otter watchers gathered from 6am to track the otter.

They had been unsure that it was the Bishan dad, as they affectionately term the creature, but confirmed on Friday that it was him.

They did so by noting his unique markings, the relative position of the individual in the group, his size and behaviour, National University of Singapore (NUS) biology lecturer N. Sivasothi, who heads OtterWatch, told ST.

After being left behind by his family, the otter trailed sluggishly behind them before stopping under a wooden bridge along the Kallang River.

Although the Otter Working Group had planned to trap and treat the otter, they decided against it as they could see that his health was failing.

"We could see that his life was fading," said Mr Teo. "We stayed behind so that at least he's being accompanied in his last journey, and also to make sure his carcass wasn't eaten by other animals."

At around 2.40pm, the otter breathed his last. He had been around seven to eight years old, Mr Teo said.

"A lot of people cried," he said. Wildlife Reserves Singapore received the carcass and will perform a post-mortem on it. After that, the carcass may be preserved as a wet museum specimen at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum.

Bishan dad with his two youngest children in February 2018. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/OTTERWATCH
Mr Sivasothi, who has studied the mammals since 1994, said otters in the wild can live for about eight years, while those in captivity can survive for up to 14 years.

He said the otter watching community was saddened by the death.

"He's been followed since 2014," said Mr Sivasothi. "This otter is quite unusual. He's very successful in how he led the family and that's why they managed to stay intact in such a large group. We know this from zoos - not every parent is good. An adult which is a very good parent is prized in a captive collection."

This brings the number of otters in the Bishan family to 14. The future of the family is uncertain, and both Mr Teo and Mr Sivasothi were unsure on whether the mother would take a new mate.

"It will be the first time we will be able to clearly observe how this turns out," said Mr Sivasothi.

He said the Bishan dad was "quite indifferent to otter watchers" and not shy, allowing them to view many aspects of his behaviour up close.

"I think this is the most intimate interaction between an otter brood and a whole community of otter watchers in the world," he said. "I think that's why they all feel the loss so strongly. But they understand - these are things that happen in a natural life cycle."

Acres deputy chief executive officer Kalai Vanan told ST that three Acres officers were present.

"It's very unfortunate and sad indeed that he died," he said. "For now, we would need to find out the probable cause of death so that we can be better prepared if there is a similar scenario in the future."

Read more!

3 deaths linked to 'largest' dengue cluster of 2018 at Jurong West

Channel NewsAsia 5 May 18;

SINGAPORE: Three people have died and 60 dengue cases have been reported in a dengue cluster at Jurong West, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (May 5).

The cluster at Jurong West Street 91 and 92 is largest dengue cluster thus far this year. All of the cases are residents in the area, authorities said.

As of Friday, MOH and NEA have been notified of three dengue-related deaths associated with the cluster.

A 68-year-old woman died on Apr 13 while she was overseas. A 41-year-old man was admitted to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital last Sunday. His condition deteriorated and he passed away on Thursday.

The third fatality is a 63-year-old woman who was admitted to NTFGH on Tuesday. She also died on Thursday. All three are Singaporeans.

"MOH and NEA wish to express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. We are currently investigating the factors that may have contributed to the severe cases in the cluster," the authorities said.

PREVENTION MEASURES TAKEN

A total of 117 breeding habitats have been detected in the area since Apr 3 after checks by its officers, NEA said. Most, or 82 of these, were found in common mosquito larvae habitats such as flower bowls, flower vases, fountains, pails, and dish drying trays, around or in residents' homes.

Another 35 habitats were found in common areas such as ground puddles, gully traps and scupper drains. There was no construction-related mosquito breeding found.

NEA has sprayed insecticides in the common corridors and in residents’ homes and put up dengue cluster alert banners and posters around the estate.

It is also working with members of the community from Jurong West Street 91 to conduct house visits to create awareness, remind residents to take precautions and distribute insect repellent.

Those showing symptoms suggestive of dengue should see a doctor early, authorities added.

"Early diagnosis can facilitate better case management, and persons with dengue can also help prevent further transmission by applying repellent regularly so that mosquitoes do not bite and pick up the virus from them," MOH and NEA said.

The symptoms include the sudden onset of fever for two to seven days, severe headaches with pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, skin rashes, nausea and vomiting, and bleeding from the nose or gums or easy bruising in the skin.

Source: CNA/hm


5 more dengue cases found in Jurong West
Channel NewsAsia 8 May 18;

SINGAPORE: Five more cases of dengue have been found in the last three days in a Jurong West cluster where three dengue-linked deaths have been reported.

In the National Environment Agency's (NEA) latest update on Monday (May 7), the number of dengue cases in the cluster stands at 65, five more than the 60 reported on Saturday.

Eighty cases were found in the whole of Singapore in the last week, from Apr 29 to May 5, a jump from the 56 reported the week before.

However, the number of cases is still low compared to previous years.

The dengue cluster at Jurong West Street 91 and 92 is the largest thus far this year, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and NEA earlier said.

A total of 877 dengue cases have been reported since the beginning of this year and there are six active clusters listed on the NEA website.

Besides Jurong West, other high-risk clusters with more than 10 cases include one at Bedok North Street 3 where there have been 37 cases, and one at Cashew Crescent/Chestnut Drive in Bukit Panjang, where 17 cases have been reported.

The three other clusters are in the areas of Balestier Road, Elliot Road and Gangsa Road.

NEA and MOH have asked residents to help prevent the spread of the mosquito-borne virus by keeping their environment free of breeding habitats for the insects.

Read more!

Households consuming 17% more electricity than a decade ago

Tan Si Hui Channel NewsAsia 5 May 18;

SINGAPORE: Four in five Singapore households are motivated to save energy if they can save money, according to a 2017 National Environment Agency (NEA) study released on Saturday (May 5).

But households may not practise energy-saving actions if they are perceived to be inconvenient.

These findings were released in conjunction with the launch of the second edition of the Energy-Saving Challenge, which aims to encourage energy-saving practices.

This year’s challenge was launched by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli, and Mayor of North West District Teo Ho Pin, at Northpoint City.

According to NEA's press release, households consumed about 7,295 Gwh of electricity, which is up by about 17 per cent from 2007 levels. This is equivalent to each household in Singapore spending an average of about S$1,000 per year on electricity consumption.

In a survey, which metered the electricity consumption of 550 households for a week in 2017, NEA found that air-conditioners (24 per cent), refrigerators (17 per cent) and water heaters (11 per cent) accounted for most of the electricity consumption in a typical home. Others included lamps, fans and television sets.

The survey also revealed that more households in 2017 compared to 2012 were practising actions such as choosing energy-efficient appliances and setting their air-conditioners to 25 degrees Celsius or higher.

However, fewer households switched off appliances after use or opted to use a fan instead of the air-conditioner.

“This is why we designated 2018 as the Year of Climate Action - to raise the level of national consciousness on the need to take climate action for a sustainable Singapore,” said Mr Masagos.

“This year’s Energy-Saving Challenge will continue to encourage households to practise simple energy saving habits, and at the same time, emphasise how these positive actions will reduce our carbon footprint.”

The 2018 edition of the Energy-Saving Challenge encourages the practice of three simple energy-saving tips: switching off appliances after use, setting the temperature of air-conditioners at 25 degrees Celsius or higher and choosing energy-efficient appliances that have more ticks.

Under the Challenge, participating households must reduce their electricity use by 1 per cent or more during the Challenge period from May to August to stand a chance to win one of 700 prizes worth more than S$60,000.

Registration for the Challenge is now open and interested households can sign up at www.cgs.sg.

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 5 May 18

14 May (Mon): "Ocean's 18" talks for Pint of Science
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

Kusu shores closed after asbestos found
wild shores of singapore

Read more!

Asbestos found on Kusu Island; lagoon and beach areas to be closed till Oct

CYNTHIA CHOO Today Online 4 May 18;

SINGAPORE — Traces of asbestos, a hazardous material, have been discovered on Kusu Island, the authorities said on Friday (May 4) after a similar discovery on St John's Island over a week ago.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said it would conduct surveys for asbestos on other publicly accessible islands around Singapore, but declared Lazarus Island, Pulau Seringat and Kias Island to be free of the hazardous material thus far.



Asbestos is a potentially toxic mineral that could cause lung cancer and other illnesses if its fibres are inhaled over a prolonged period. It was once commonly used in building materials, but has since been banned in Singapore and other developed countries due to concerns about health risks.

In a statement, the SLA said that it would be closing off the affected areas on Kusu Island - a lagoon and parts of the beach - until October this year for workers to remove the asbestos.

Popular sites like the Da Bo Gong (Tua Pek Kong) temple, wishing well, tortoise sanctuary, a temporary hawker centre and the jetty will remain open to public as asbestos was not discovered there.

The daily ferry services to the island, about 5.6km south of Singapore, are unaffected as well, SLA added.

It did not disclose how much asbestos was discovered on Kusu Island, beyond saying the hazardous material was discovered in "pieces of debris".

On April 23, SLA announced that it was sealing off the recreational areas on St John's Island until the middle of next year following the discovery of debris containing asbestos.

Meanwhile, survey work on Pulau Hantu is expected to be completed by next week.

"If asbestos is found, SLA will undertake the necessary removal works and implement similar precautionary measures to safeguard public safety," the authority said.


Asbestos found around lagoon, beach areas on Kusu Island
Channel NewsAsia 4 May 18;

SINGAPORE: Pieces of debris containing asbestos have been discovered around the lagoon and beach areas on Kusu Island, the Singapore Land Authority said on Friday (May 4).


Public access to the affected areas have been cordoned off and will remain closed until removal works are completed, SLA said, adding that it aims to do this by October.

Asbestos was not detected at the Da Bo Gong (Tua Pek Kong) temple, wishing well, tortoise sanctuary, temporary hawker centre, and jetty. These areas will remain open to visitors.

The regular scheduled daily ferry services to Kusu Island will also continue.

The announcement follows the discovery of asbestos on St John’s Island last month. Asbestos removal works on St John’s Island are ongoing.

After the discovery on St John’s Island, the SLA worked with relevant agencies to conduct further asbestos surveys on islands open to the general public as a precautionary measure, it said.

No debris containing asbestos was found on Lazarus Island, Pulau Seringat and Kias Island, SLA said.

The asbestos survey work for Pulau Hantu will be completed by next week. If asbestos is found, SLA will undertake the necessary removal works and implement similar precautionary measures to safeguard public safety, it said.

The agency noted that asbestos has been banned in Singapore since 1989 due to concerns over health risks, following similar moves by other developed countries.

Nevertheless, the asbestos materials in old buildings are unlikely to pose any health risk as long as they remain in good condition and are not disturbed, it added.

Asbestos-related diseases such as asbestosis occur mainly in people with many years of continued exposure to high levels of asbestos, and this is commonly work-related, SLA said.

It added that the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease for people with incidental exposure, including visitors to affected islands, is low.

Source: CNA/aj

Read more!