Meet the Swiss Solartaxi at Nanyang Technological University (NTU)

The Embassy of Switzerland in Singapore and its platform swissnex Singapore are proud to inform you about the visit of a remarkable fellow citizen, Louis Palmer, a Solartaxi driver. Finally, after having passed through many countries such as India, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia, Louis Palmer is about to arrive in Singapore. On his adventure of circling the world in a car that relies entirely on renewable energies, Mr Palmer will set foot on 5 continents and 50 countries, driving more than 40'000 kilometers. Among others, Louis Palmer will present the Solartaxi and give a presentation on his adventures at the Nanyang Technological University, 25 March 2008.

Swiss Adventurer Mr Louis Palmer started his trip around the world in his solar powered vehicle, the "Solartaxi", on the occasion of the European Sustainable Energy Forum in Lucerne, Switzerland, on 3 July 2007. It took 3 years to build the Solartaxi. The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and three Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences have been involved in its making, integrating top-notch technologies and a flexible steering-wheel that allows the passenger to take control of the vehicle running at a maximum speed of 90 kph, the sustainable way.

Louis Palmer travelled overland from the heart of Switzerland through 18 countries to the Middle East and India. From there he travelled by ship to his next destinations, India and Indonesia , just in time to reach Bali for the Climate Change Conference in early December 2007, where the Solartaxi became a major attraction at the gates of the summit. It served to give an emission-free lift to a great number of participants. Among many were Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Prize winning IPCC, Bianca Jagger, President of the World Future Council, and Michael Bloomberg, City Major of New York.

In order to see the Solartaxi live in Singapore, come to Nanyang Technological University on Tuesday, 25 March 2008. Besides showcasing his car, Mr Palmer will hold a presentation of his endeavours on the road, his intentions and on the vehicle itself. Do not miss the opportunity to get a glimpse on the future of automobiles in the context of sustainability!

Presentation
Location: Classroom 5, Level 1, School of Biological Sciences
Time: 12.30pm – 1.30pm

Exhibition
Location: The Quad

For further questions and enquiries, please refer to www.solartaxi.com or www.swissnexsingapore.org, or call us on +65 6774 9364.

Pulau Semakau

On Saturday, about 50 of us headed off to Pulau Semakau, one of Singapore’s offshore landfill. We started our long journey there at 12.50 pm. At Marina South Pier, we embarked on a 45 min ferry ride to our destination – Sumacau Island. On arrival we headed into the conference room for a talk and video. The video mainly showed the operations of the island. We learnt that Pulau Semakau was created by forming a 7 km bund around two existing island, Semakau and Sakeng. The bund had 2 layers to prevent any leakage into the sea. The area within the bund was divided into cells to be filled. Did you know that our incinerated waste is transported to the island using barges that can carry up to 30 tonnes of incinerated waste daily?

We had the opportunity to observe the many cells that the island was divided into. Some were still in the process of being filled. Our friendly tour guide Mr. Poothaphan drove us along the road where we could compare the already filled cells with the adjacent unfilled one. We were also able to observe the mangrove plants that were planted on the left side of the road to increase the biodiversity of the island.


Upon reaching the southern part of the island, we stopped to enjoy the breathtaking view of the sea. While resting, we had some refreshments and had an opportunity to interact with one another and with our guide. He was very helpful in answering the questions many of us had. We spent quite some time there taking photos or just appreciating the good view. All too soon, it was time for us to leave.


Through this trip, we have gained a deeper appreciation for the efforts taken into processing our waste and also the planning and thought put into Semakau that has led to it becoming a clean, green and beautiful island. We also know that the waste that we throw down our rubbish chute simply does not just disappear, but it is used in the development of our offshore islands. Much thought and care have been put into ensuring that they are disposed off properly without affecting the environment.

At the end of the day, we are reminded of the importance of keeping the environment clean and green all while enjoying ourselves in Sumacau Island.

Report on Trip to Tuas South Incineration Plant

On 15th February 2008, Public Education Portfolio of NTU Earthlink organized a trip to Tuas South Incineration plant.
The objective of the event was to educate participants on the incineration process and its significance in sustaining a healthy and clean lifestyle in Singapore. Due to space constraint, Singapore resorts to incineration of its waste which allows a reduction of 90% of volume of refuse.

A Brief Description of Tuas South Incineration Plant(T.S.I.P.)
Tuas South is the forth Incineration plant which was built in year 2000. It is currently the largest refuse incineration plant and can incinerate 3,000 tonnes of refuse per day through its 6 incinerators.
TSIP is a "green" plant, helping to conserve our portable water resources by using industrial water pre-treated by its own water reclamation plant for use in the boilers. The plant will also not consume any of Singapore's present electricity resources. Rather it will generate 80 MW of electricity, 80% of which will be made available for the public to use. Together the four plants supply about 2 % of Singapore's overall electricity consumption.

1235 – Departure from Chinese Heritage Centre
Ms. Grace Ngan, Public Education Officer gave a quick introduction of the trip and what to look forward to.

1255 - Arrival at Tuas South Incineration Centre

1300 - Video presentation of Managing Solid Waste in Singapore
Video highlighted the importance of managing waste and illustrated the whole incineration process.Most of the participants were enlightened that Pulau Semakau will take 30 to 40 years to reclaim. Once complete, it will be an island resort with a golf course and more!

1315 - Presentation by Mr. Ravi,
Mr. Ravi introduced the plant to all the participants, mentioning as stated above in the brief Description. To add, he said that TSIP takes domestic and combustible industrial waste to be incinerated.
Due to the humid Singapore climate, the plant operated 24 hours a day, for 7 days a week. This is to avoid pileup, which could lead to stench and a myriad of diseases.He also covered the incineration process once again and opened the floor for a Q&A session. Participants were clearly engaged and curious, for they brought up various issues regarding the plant and impact on the environment.

1335 - Guided Tour of the Plant
After his presentation, Mr. Ravi started the guided tour of TSIP. Participant were brought to the control room to see first hand how the plant operates. Participants also manage to have a look at the ash pit as they were making their to the control Room.
At the control room, there were various monitors and dashboard for operation purposes. A participant commented that it was like entering a NASA operation centre, like in the movies. Mr. Ravi talked about what happens in the control room and explained on the functions of the huge screens that is used monitor the operation level of the plant and to detect any fault in the system.

1400 - Moved from Control Room to view the Stoker Model
The Stoker Model is the minimized version of the incineration plant. This 3D model clearly illustrates the whole incineration process that takes place in TSIP.

1415 - Refreshments
As a close for the trip, participants were given light refreshments and were able to quench their thirst of curiosity regarding the plant. Mr. Ravi was enthusiastically answering various questions from participants.

1430 - Departure from TSIP
Heavy heartedly, participants boarded the bus to return to NTU. This trip was very knowledgeable and interesting for all.

Nature Walk Get Started!

8.25am… 8.30am… 8.35am… Subconsciously, I kept glancing at my watch in between each bite of my breakfast. In front of me on the table, I had my notes for the day’s guide spread out in an attempt to do some last minute preparation. It was nearing 8.45am - almost time to go. Finishing one final bite of my bun, I made my way quickly towards the Chinese Heritage Centre.

The 26th of January was a rather special day for me, and for many others, I believe. For most of us guides, this was our first official guiding as we had never done any guiding anywhere before. It was no more a trial, but the real thing! For those Earthlinkers and NIE students who came along to support us, this was the first ever guided nature walk around the Yunnan Garden that NTU Earthlink and NIE Green Club co-organized.

It did not take long before the first group set off towards the garden. Soon after I, myself, together with Thai led a second group out too. It was a beautiful morning – the sun was out and no rain clouds were in sight. That was a good sign!
At the start, I was feeling rather nervous as I brought the group towards the garden. Lucky for me, Thai was very well-prepared and broke the ice among the participants by first introducing ourselves and giving everyone a brief history about the Yunnan Garden. It took a while for me to warm up but I soon felt comfortable with my group and everything went on rather smoothly.



My group looking up at the flowers of the Yellow Saraca. The tree has many flowers growing out of almost everywhere on its branches and even its trunk.



Jackson and his group walking through the garden. (We found out later that the participants in his group were actually present for another event organized by the Chinese Heritage Centre. So in the end, they soon left, leaving the guides alone. I believe they had an enjoyable time though, while it lasted.)

After a short tour around the Yunnan Garden, we made our way back into the Chinese Heritage Centre for the second segment of the day – to see the NanTah Pictorial Exhibition located on the second level of the building. As the exhibition room was rather small, not all groups could fit in all at once. However, the problem was easily solved by taking turns and every group was able to have their go and no one missed anything.



Yongxiang telling his group about the history of NanTah. Everyone was listening attentively!

As the last attraction of the day, all of us played a photo-hunting game, the guides together with the participants. Each group was given a few pictures and we were supposed to find out where the photo was taken, hurry to the spot, and take a group picture there. I am sure everyone had fun playing this game, running around trying to find the exact location.



One of the photos my group took for the game. We were hoping that our interesting photos would score us more points!



We were not the overall winner but really, everyone was a winner then because all of us “won” ourselves some food from the game.
The day’s event soon came to an end. It was quite a good experience for me. I hoped everyone else had a great time that day too!



Smile, everyone, for a job well done!

Chek Jawa!

Last Sunday, a group of 40 NTU students went to Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin. The eventful day started with waiting for the bus for around 45 minutes. When the group finally reached Pulau Ubin, it was already 1045am! Nevertheless, two interesting ice breaking games ensued.
The first game involved protecting an egg using recyclable materials, after which the whole art piece (with the poor egg hidden within the creation) was thrown onto the ground. The group whose egg did not break won the game. I hope the game made an impact on the undergrads about the usefulness of recyclable materials as much as the throw did on some of the eggs.

Throwing the protected egg...


The second game was a three legged race in which the group which filled 2 cups with the most marbles and water respectively wins. It was a tiring but exhilarating race in the ruthless late morning sun.

Simultaneous with the three legged race… hello doggie… (I WANT YOUR FOOD!! *woof)




After lunch, we set off for Chek Jawa in a total of 4 vans. Chek Jawa is situated at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin. Chek Jawa escaped reclamation and preserved its natural state, hence enabling us and many other groups to visit its rich marine life today. We first made our way to House number 1 after a bumpy van ride. The house is so named because it is a house, and its address is number 1.

My guide then took my group to a board walk just beside House number 1. We spent quite some time there marveling at a whole ‘field’ of sea grass, weeds, trapped fishes, crabs, their molts and anemones. Something which I found particularly exotic was the self sacrificing nature of the male fiddler crabs. The males have an extra long pincer which is red in colour while females are a (relatively) boring shade of grey. This is so that birds prey on the males which are easier to spot instead of the females as the latter are rarer. How touching…

We then headed to another boardwalk which led us to the mud flats. There, we saw most of the marine life. It was amazing! We saw hermit crabs, tube worms, sea cucumbers, sand dollars, bristling worms, sea stars, two mantis shrimps, a moon snail, a nudibranch, a catfish and a carpet anemone.


You only see some of the hermit crab here. When you see a beautiful shell on the beach, don’t bring it home! It is the home of hermit crabs though they may not be in when you visit them.



See the tubes poking up from the ground? Those belong to the tubeworms. *shivers (I don’t like worms…)


The slimy and cute sea cucumber. It’s rather shy, it contracts and appears smaller when in human hands.


The Ferrari Seastar in action. It flips itself over very fast hence its name.


The nudibranch.

Those circular disc-like objects are the sand dollars. They are actually alive and the tracks you see are evidence of their movements. Sand dollars are actually the mermaids’ and mermen’s currency too.
I found the Chek Jawa trip educational and an eye opener. My knowledge of marine life is very limited, so I learnt quite a lot from this trip! I also hope that through experiencing marine life first hand, the participants learn to appreciate them more and do their part in saving nature.
For more photos of the other marine life, please visit http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/ff263/earthlink0708/Chek%20Jawa%20231207/?start=0

Nature Walk @ NTU: Yunnan Gardens Recce

With the intention of starting a nature walk in NTU next year, we conducted our very first recce session last Friday. The purpose of this nature walk is to introduce to NTU staff and students the types of flora and fauna (mostly flora though) that can be found on our garden campus, to increase awareness and in the process nature appreciation. Yunnan gardens was chosen as our first location to start the nature walk, partly due to its high concentration of flora in a designated area, and also its links to NTU history and culture.

Dr Shawn Lum kindly agreed to come down and conduct this recce cum guided walk for us. A total of about 10 people turned up for the walk, a myriad of people from various nationalities (China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia, India, Singapore), but with the common interest to learn more about the biodiversity on campus and to share it with fellow students and staff as nature guides.



Among the trees that we saw was a saga tree. As we found out from Dr Lum, the red seeds of the saga tree are sometimes collected and given during Valentine's day as a representation of love.


Moving on, near the replica gate to Nan Tah, were two majestic trees, a Banyan tree (in the middle) and a Sea Almond (on the right). The actual Nan Tah gate is actually still standing, somewhere in Jurong West. In the past, between the actual gate and where NTU now stands was all rubber, and students had to walk through the rubber plantations to get to class.


We also found a few cycads planted in the garden. These trees have been around since ancient times, and are non-flowering (compared to similar looking, but much larger, palms, which do flower).


Below a Trumpet tree,

we found saplings of Brown Heart, Sea Almond, etc. Knowing that these trees normally do not disperse their seeds too far from the parent tree, the logical explanation was that there were bats that took the fruits from the other trees, returned to the Trumpet tree to eat it, and dropped the seeds onto the grass below, where the saplings germinated.


The seed of the Brown Heart looks like this (when dried)


We also found a few Kapok trees. Kapok is a cotton-like fluff that is found in the fruit, but is not strong enough to be made into thread. It was commonly used as fill in pillows/bolsters in the past.


There was also a rather big Hop tree, with distinctive purple flowers covering the whole canopy of the tree. These flowers were in fact individual buds.



We found a woody fungus growing out from the grass. It was pretty interesting as the fungus seems to have grown around the grass, with a few blades actually sticking out of the fungus itself.


Near the end of our walk, we reached a Yellow Saraca tree, with a whole gathering of Birds' Nest Fern below it. Very few flowers were in bloom at this time of year though.


Dr Lum indeed gave us alot of information during the short recce, too much to remember for one time. However, over the subsequent training sessions in December with more walks around the garden to familiarise ourselves with the flora and fauna there, we will slowly gather enough knowledge to be able to share our garden campus with others.

Student Leader Briefing (By Zhiyang)

From 25th to 27th September 2007, we presented environmentally-friendly guidelines to all Student Leaders of NTU. The purpose of this is to spread environmental awareness to the student population through the influence of the student leaders. The guidelines highlight green practices that are practicable for application by the Committees of all Clubs, Societies and Halls. Basically, the guidelines cover eco-friendly practices for common activities like meetings, events, camps and publicity. We have also proposed the idea of appointing a Green Ambassador for each main committee so as to better facilitate the incorporation of green practices in each club’s activities.
Thus far, we would not have achieved so much without the support of the NTU Administration. Particularly in this academic year (07/08), the NTU Administration has become more proactive in pursuing environmental initiatives. As a result, Earthlink is able to install recycling bins in all Halls and “green publicity” can been done on a larger scale. We look forward to further collaboration with the Administration and other student organizations of NTU to create a Green Culture on campus.