Earth Society's "I Will If You Will" Challenge

This year, Earth Society decided to participate in WWF Earth Hour’s “I Will IF You WILL” Challenge (IWIYW) to encourage everyone to adopt sustainable actions beyond the hour.

[ More info on IWIYW Challenge: http://earthhour.wwf.sg/iwiyw.php ]

This is our “I Will IF You WILL” Challenge:

“Earth Society will commit to conduct 50 FREE Environment talks for schools

and NGOs IF 800 people will commit to support Veggie Thursday or Go

meatless one day a week.”

To View our IWIYW Challenge, pls visit:

http://www.youtube.com/earthhour?x=%2Fchallenges%2F5958

[ Pls close the pop-up window to view the Challenge.

  Pls consider if you would support Veggie Thursday or go Meatless one day a week to support  the cause.

To accept the Challenge, pls click the “Accept this Challenge” Button.

You would need to sign in with your gmail / youtube account to accept

the Challenge.  :>]

For more info on Veggie Thursdays, please visit : www.veggiethursday.sg

Let’s work together to create a sustainable future for everyone.

Earth Hour 2013

WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is organizing Earth Hour, one of the most successful global environmental movement , on 23 Mar (Sat).

Last year, Earth Hour took place in more than 7000 cities and towns across 152 countries with more than 5 million people participating in the event.

This year, WWF invites organizations/ companies/ individuals to switch off light on 23 Mar from 8.30pm to 9.30pm to raise awareness about the need to take action on Climate change.

The official 2013 Earth Hour video is available on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UywrjnOaUE

Apart from Switching off light for 1 hr, WWF also initiates the “I Will If You Will” (IWIYW) Challenge to encourage world citizens to adopt sustainable practice beyond the hour.   http://www.youtube.com/earthhour

IWIYW attracts many government officials, dignitaries, companies, organizations etc to participate in the challenge:

e.g. The Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will ride a bicycle from his house to office on 25 Mar, if 50 buildings in KL will switch off for Earth Hour 2013.

Singapore Marina Bay Sands will raise its air-con by one degree for one day every month of the year, if its top 20 vendors raise their air-con temperatures by one degree. IKEA Singapore will have a free reusable blue bag day if 20,000 pple pledge to use reusable bags instead of plastic bags.

……..

In 2013, WWF organizes various activities in different countries to encourage sustainable development.

In Singapore, WWF holds road shows in various locations to educate the public on how to reduce energy consumption.

http://earthhour.wwf.sg/

WWF Singapore also produces various Earth Hour Action Kits for schools/ companies/NGOs to download.

Earth hour Action Kit: http://earthhour.wwf.sg/action_kits.php

The kit encourages Singaporeans to take 4 key actions to reduce the ecological footprint of Singapore:

1.    Reduce usage of Plastic Bag

2.    Turn up the air-con by 1 degree

3.    Change to LED light bulbs

4.    Take shorter showers

In US, WWF initiate an “Earth Hour City Challenge” movement to encourage cities to take practical measures to prepare for increasing impacts of climate change and promote renewable energy. U.S. cities that participate will receive resources and gain recognition for their efforts to curb carbon pollution and prepare their communities for the harmful consequences of climate change.

US, WWF “Earth Hour City Challenge”:

http://worldwildlife.org/pages/earth-hour-city-challenge

In China, WWF launches a “Green V Week” campaign. The campaign encourages the Chinese population to adopt one green action a day every week to promote sustainable living.

The recommended Green actions are as such:

Mon: Eat More Veggie

(similar to the Meatless Monday campaign that many countries have adopted)

Tues: Use reusable bag

Wed: Don’t Drive

Thurs: Bring your own Chopstick

Fri: Don’t waste food

Sat:  Love the animals

Sun:  Walk out of the house to enjoy the Natural surroundings

中国“地球一小时”活动：《我做绿V客，环保一起来》
http://www.wwfchina.org/wwfpress/presscenter/pressdetail.shtm?id=1447

……

In recent years, there has been growing awareness on the detrimental effects of meat production on the planet. Thus, we can observe that the “eco-conscious people” are becoming more vocal to urge the public to reduce meat consumption to protect the environment.

Some examples from WWF Earth Hour/ IWIYW are:

1. Green School Bali (Indonesia) Grade 7 students will organize a Green School community beach clean up, if 1000 people will go without fast food for one month. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzPQi7-JKc

2.Treehugger's Food and Wine writer Jerry James Stone promises to go vegan for a whole month if 1000 people do the same for a week. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nLcp0PPmBY

3. In 2012, Nadya Hutagalung (WWF Singapore and Earth Hour Ambassador) challenged 6 of her husband’s friends to go vegetarian for 1 month. Her husband, in turn, challenge 60 of her twitter followers to go vegetarian for 1 month and he will cycle from his house to the Earth Hour event.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy0Y4-sRomc

4. In 2011, Li Bing Bing (China Star and Earth hour Ambassador) promised to eat 100 days of veggie meals in the year to do her part in protecting the environment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD_qVrgvgJY

5. WWF 2013 “Green V Week” campaign encourages the Chinese population to “Eat More Veggies” every Monday.

It’s encouraging to see this less meat/ more veggie trend.

Let’s join in to do our part in protecting the environment. :>

Update on Climate change by Mr Al Gore (2011-2012)

Share some updates on Climate change by Mr Al Gore:

1.Highlight: Al Gore at 24hrs of Reality (2011) [10 mins]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY2sBLKU2x8

In this video, Al Gore explained the "New normal" of “Long periods of Droughts followed by short period of heavy rains”. He also refuted the climate deniers point-by-point.

2. Al Gore's has another updated video in 2012: (44 mins)

http://climaterealityproject.org/video/

[Pls scroll down to watch "Hour 24: New York finale with Al Gore (2012)" Video.

It is up-to-date and expresses the urgency of the situation acutely.]

The following is a summary of the 2012 video:

Record heat events

The world experienced the hottest month in Sep 2012. ( Similar to the hottest month in 2005).

In 2012, NASA director Dr James Hansen and 2 of his colleagues present a powerful statistical evidence of how the Earth is warming up.

Dr James Hansen did a statistical study of the temperature of Earth from 1950 till 2011. He broke up Earth to ‘150 mile sq blocks’ and collected what the temperature has been every where on Earth in every block.

The study shows that:

From 1951 till 1980:

1/3 of the days are cooler than normal, 1/3 of the days are normal, &1/3 hotter than normal.

i.e. 1 day with normal temperature, 1 to 2 days cooler, 1 to 2 days hotter.

In 1980s, everything started to shift. (more hotter days)

From 2001 till 2011, the temp shifted a lot.

Now we have:

1 day with normal temp, 1 day cooler than normal, 4 to 5 days hotter than normal.

(With 1 to 2 days as extremely hot days).

Dr James Hansen also observed that from 1950s to 1980s, Extreme heat events happen on 0.1% of Earth’s surface,  

Now (In 2012) it happens on 10% of Earth’s surface. (That is a 100 times increase.)

…..

US, heat records shows that:

In 1950 – 1999:   1 hot day to 1 cold day,

In 2001 to 2011:  2 hot days to 1 cold day.

In 2012:              10 hot days to 1 cold day !!!

Jul 2012 is the hottest month in US in recorded history.

………

Arctic / Greenland ice melts/ Sea level rise

Arctic ice covers hit the lowest record this year. ( Arctic ice surface area reached a 3.5 million sq km record low in 2012. Arctic ice used to be 8.5 million sq km in the 1980s)

Greenland & Antarctica ice melts affects sea level.

Cities at risk of the sea level rise.

Top 10 cities in danger of sea level rise: (By Population)

Calcutta, Mumbal, Dhaka (Banglah Desh), Ho Chi Minh City, Shang Hai, Bangkok,

Rangoon, Miami, Hai Phong

Top 10 cities in danger of sea level rise: (By Assets at risk: trillions of $US)

Miami, Guangzhou, NY/ New Jersey, Calcutta, Shanghai, Mumbai, Tianjin Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok

…….

Increased ocean temp/ increased water vapor in the air.

For Hurricane Sandy: When Hurricane Sandy turn towards NY, ocean temp is a 5 Deg C (9 Deg F) higher than normal. (Sea Surface temp: SST)

The air now holds more water vapour.

With each additional 1 deg increase in temp, the atmosphere’s capacity to hold water vapor increases by 7%.

Now, there are already 4% more water vapor over the oceans than there was only 30 years ago.

……..

Disasters in 2012

In 2012: 65% of US land has suffered from drought.

Droughts in 2012: Spain/ India/ N & South Korea/ Africa (Senegal)

Floods in 2012:  Pakistan / Beijing Jul./ India/ Taiwan/ N. Korea/ Russia (Jul)

Record drought/ record floods in the same country.

……..

Food Availability

Mr Al Gore shows a Food Surpluses and Deficits graph (1965 – 2010)

Food surpluses are found in North America & South America & Aus.

Occasionally, in E Eu & Russia.

Every where else (Europe/ Central Am/ Western Eu/ Asia/ Middle East & Africa) are all in food deficit.

Crops are sensitive to heat conditions.  By end of century, yield of corn can fall 1/3 just from heat stress alone.

…..

Water Availability

Global Water supply: 11% for domestic use, 19% Industrial use, 70% is for agriculture.

We are drawing water from aquifers at an unsustainable rate.

……..

Tropical disease are spreading with climate change. (e.g West Nile virus, Dengue fever are spreading)

……….

Increase in Clean energy policies

We are putting 90 million tons of global warming pollutants out in the air every 24 hrs.

We currently rely on carbon-based fuels for 85% of energy that we used.

In 2010, Renewable energy Investments exceeded those in Fossil Fuels for the first time

(Fossil Fuels: $157 Billion: Renewables: $187 Billion)

We now have a new wind turbine every 30 mins.

……

We have to act now to protect the planet and future generations.

How to feed the world by 2050?

In July – Aug 2012, US experience the worst drought since 1956. 61% of US land area is under moderate to extreme drought condition. 88% of corn & 87% of soya bean crops in US is affected by the drought and world food price for corn shoots up by 55%.

Climate change and extreme weather patterns are now affecting the world’s food supply. “How to feed the world in the next 40 years (with population growth and increased extreme weather events) ?” is a question that we would all be concern about.

In Mar 2012, a report commissioned by Cgiar (a research alliance financed by the United Nations and the World Bank) entitled “Achieving Food Security in the face of Climate change” was released to illustrate the complexity of the problem.

The report states that :

Globally our food system is not sustainable. It does not provide adequate nutrition to everyone on the planet and, at the same time, changes to our climate threaten the future of farming as we know it.

On a planet with sufficient food for all, a billion people go hungry, Another billion over consume, increasing risk from chronic diseases.

 “Business as usual” in our globally interconnected food system will not bring us food security or environmental sustainability.

The food system faces additional pressure as the global population grows to around 9 billion in 2050, as diet shifts towards higher consumption of calories, fats and animal products. Meat consumption is projected to increase from 37kg/person/year in 2009 to over 52kg/person / year by 2050 !           

If our current consumption trends continues, demand for cereals (corn & grains) will increase by 70% by 2050, and will double in many low income countries !!!

[That is really unsustainable !!!]

The report recommends that :

We must seize every opportunity to shift away from inefficient farm practices, supply chains and diet choices towards long-term sustainability, profitability and health. It also calls for better dietary habits in wealthy countries, which have disproportionately and unsustainably high calorie intake.

New York Times : Sustainably Feeding a Changing World (April 6, 2012)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/07/opinion/sustainably-feeding-a-changing-world.html?_r=2

“Achieving Food Security in the face of Climate change” Full report:

http://ccafs.cgiar.org/sites/default/files/assets/docs/climate_food_commission-final-mar2012.pdf

…….

In 2010, a UNEP report “Accessing the Environmental Impacts of Consumption and Production: Priority, Product and Materials” shows that meat production uses a lot of land, food and water resources.

“Agricultural goods, particularly products from animals, which are fed more than half of all world crops, have a huge impact on the planet.

Agricultural production accounts for 70% of the global freshwater consumption and 38% of the total land use. Food production accounts for 19% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and 60% of the phosphorus and nitrogen pollution and 30% of toxic pollution in Europe”

The UNEP Report states that “A Substantial reduction of impacts would only be possible with a substantial worldwide diet change away from animal products.”

[80% of the world’s soya bean, 50% of the world’s corn & 36% of the world’s grains were fed to farmed animals. The world’s crops can actually feed 10 billion people, but MORE than half of it is channeled to feed farmed animals, leaving 1 billion people without enough food to eat.

It takes 2 to 10 kg of plant food to produce 1 kg of meat. It takes 5 to 80 times more water to produce meat than to produce plant food. Meat production places a huge stress on the planet’s food and water resources.]

……..

UNEP 2009 report “The Environmental Food Crisis” shows that if we reduce meat consumption in wealthy nations to 37.4 kg/ capita in 2050, we could free up enough cereal (which is used as animal feed) to feed 1.2 billion people.

[ Current meat consumption level in wealthy nations is 80 to 110 kg/ capita. (Singapore’s meat consumption level is 90 kg/ capita) It means we would have to cut our meat consumption by more than half to help in the world’s situation.] 

……..

Recent research also reflects the above recommendation:

Eat Less Meat and Farm Efficiently to Tackle Climate Change, Scientists Say ScienceDaily (June 19, 2012)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120619225934.htm

A Jun 2012 report from University of Exeter, UK, shows that :

To reduce the amount of land needed for farming and leave sufficient land for some bio-energy, We will need to bring down the average global meat consumption from 16.6 per cent to 15 per cent of average daily calorie intake -- about half that of the average western diet.

………..

An Aug report even shows that water scarcity would force the world to adopt a much more veggie/ less meat diet.

Food shortages could force world into vegetarianism, warn scientists  (26 August 2012)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/aug/26/food-shortages-world-vegetarianism?newsfeed=true

The world's population may have to switch almost completely to a vegetarian diet over the next 40 years to avoid catastrophic shortages.

Humans derive about 20% of their protein from animal-based products now, but this may need to drop to just 5% to feed the extra 2 billion people expected to be alive by 2050, according to research by some of the world's leading water scientists.

"There will not be enough water available on current croplands to produce food for the expected 9 billion population in 2050 if we follow current trends and changes towards diets common in western nations," the report by Malik Falkenmark and colleagues at the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) said.

"There will be just enough water if the proportion of animal-based foods is limited to 5% of total calories and considerable regional water deficits can be met by a … reliable system of food trade."

……..

From the above news reports, we know that the wealthy nations would need to cut our meat consumption at least by half to ensure that we have enough food to feed everyone by 2050. The world does not have enough food and water resources to support our current level of meat consumption.

As a first step, we can start by adopting some meatless days to help the planet:
www.veggiethursday.sg
http://www.meatfreemondays.co.uk/

On non-meatless days, it is advisable to follow US Food Pyramid "My Plate" when eating meals. [“My Plate” shows that a meal should consist of 1/4 vegetables, 1/4 fruits, 1/4 grains & 1/4 protein. US government is promoting this diet to reduce obesity and return health to the US citizens.

Check it out at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ ]

Let’s do all we can to ensure that there is enough food for all.

UNEP 2011 Report “Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone"

In Feb 2011, UNEP (UN Environment Program) published a report “Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone"

The report shows that:

The projected rise in global temperatures could be cut in half in coming years if world governments focused on reducing emissions of two harmful pollutants - Black Carbon and ground-level ozone, including Methane - rather than carbon dioxide alone.
The study further shows that a fairly aggressive strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions under current reduction scenarios "does little to mitigate warming over the next 20 to 30 years". With carbon dioxide reductions alone, global temperatures are still projected to rise by more than 2 degrees Celsius by 2050 over pre-industrial levels.
But reducing black carbon and ground-level ozone reductions would delay the warming for another 20 years, until 2070, according to the study.

The following are additional info on the report:

Washinton Post : "Global warming rate could be halved by controlling 2 pollutants, UN study says"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/23/AR2011022306885.html

NASA: "Cleaning the air would limit short-term climate warming"

http://climate.nasa.gov/news/index.cfm?FuseAction=ShowNews&NewsID=482&Print=Yes

Summary of the Articles:

1. Limiting Methane & Black Carbon could reduce ½ the warming that we will otherwise face over the next 40 yrs.   [Reduce 0.5 Deg C of warming]

2. Adopting 16 control measures to reduce Black Carbon, Ground level Ozone and Methane would save 2 million lives a yr and save 50 million tons of crops a year.

16 control measures include:

For black carbon, for example, we looked at the impact that replacing traditional cook stoves with cleaner-burning options, putting particle filters on vehicles, or banning the burning of agricultural waste might have. For ozone, we looked at measures like fixing leaky gas pipes, limiting methane emissions from mines, upgrading wastewater treatment systems, and aerating rice paddies.

3. Limiting Black Carbon, Ground level Ozone and Methane could reduce 2/3 of the warming in the Arctic over the next 50 years.

Adopting the 16 control measures could mitigate about two-thirds of the warming we'll likely otherwise see in the Arctic over the next half-century.

4. Reducing black carbon and ground-level ozone reductions would delay the warming for another 20 years

………..

The Full Report [37 pages] can be found in the following link:

UNEP Feb 2011 Report “Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone”

http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/Integrated%20Assessment%20of%20Black%20Carbon%20low%20res.pdf

…..

Mr Bill Clinton, former US President, spoke about the report in Apr 2011.

He informs that Methane (from Animal Waste and Urban Garbage dumps) takes 12 years to disperse in the atmosphere while CO2 can take 100 years. He mention about the UN Feb 2011 report and informs that making an aggressive effort to reduce Methane & Black Carbon in the atmosphere would buy the world another 20 years to deal with the CO2 issue.

Mr Bill Clinton on Climate change and Methane (4 mins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw8DNf0W27k&list=UUflkkiqtC9JHvnqcXNWFrRA

…..

During Dec 2011 UN Climate Change conference in Durban, Mrs Maneka Gandhi, long time environmental advocate and member of the Indian parliament, also speaks about the importance of reducing Methane to reduce Global Warming:

http://www.examiner.com/article/gandhi-declares-un-cop17-climate-talks-missed-solution-to-global-warming

Maneka Gandhi declares COP17 must deal with Methane: (video) 7 mins

http://www.examiner.com/video/press-conference-with-madame-maneka-gandhi

………..

  

The following is a compiled documentary showing the relation between Animal agriculture and Methane: (5 mins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcjyn2GFJxk

Animal agriculture causes 36% of Global Methane emissions.

Burning forest caused 40% of black carbon emissions.

Thus, to reduce Methane and Black Carbon, we need to reduce animal industry and reduce the burning of forest.

We can help by reducing meat consumption (to reduce animal industry) and supporting measures that protect the forest. (reduce the burning of forest, plant trees etc)

One way to start is by adopting meatless days to help the planet:
www.veggiethursday.sg
http://www.meatfreemondays.co.uk/

Let’s do all we can to help the planet.

Share a Song on World Hunger

In July 2011, Africa experienced the worst drought in 60 years. The drought caused severe food crisis across Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya and threatens the livelihood of 9.5 million people. Tens of thousands of people died from hunger in Southern Somalia. The situation causes UN to declared famine in Southern Africa. (the first time in 30 years.)

In view of the situation, Sami Yusuf, a talented British singer of Iranian origin & UN Celebrity Partner for WFP(World Food Program), composed a beautiful song to raise funds to the UN WFP. The song was titled “Forgotten promises”. It shows humanity singing with one voice in solidarity with the drought victims and renewing pledge to deliver on forgotten promises.
Proceeds generated by the song was donated to the UN World Food Program (WFP)

Share with all the song. “Forgotten promises”- Sami Yusuf:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKV2oeS4vw8

To learn more about the LiveFeed campaign, pls visit www.LiveFeedAfrica.org

UN World Water Day & Global Water Usage

UN World Water Day Website:

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/

United Nation’s World Water Day falls on 22 Mar 2012.

This year’s theme for UN World Water Day is “Water and Food security”. UN is educating the public on the link between water usage and food production. “The world is thirsty because we are hungry”

There are some educational clips (available for download) in the UN website:

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/hungry_thirsty.html

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/allyoueat_en.html

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/animation_101.html

From the clips, UN informs that “A person needs to drink 2 to 4 litres of water a day. BUT we virtually eat 2000 to 5000 litres of water (embedded in our daily food) !

Producing 1 kg of wheat requires 1,500 litres of water, but producing 1kg of beef requires 15,000 litres of water (10 times as much!)  

UNFAO states that “Agriculture accounts for 70% of total water usage”.

& “90% of our total water consumption goes to produce today’s Food. ”  

It takes 1000 times more water to feed the human population then it does to satisfy it’s thirst.”

……..

The UN website also has some materials about water footprint of products.

http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/campaign.html

Under the “Education Material” there is a “Water for Food Wall Chart” which shows how much water is needed to produce various food that we eat.

……..

UN recommends the following: 

“ When a billion people in the world already live in chronic hunger and water resources are under pressure we cannot pretend the problem is ‘elsewhere’. Coping with population growth and ensuring access to nutritious food to everyone call for a series of actions we can all help with:

• follow a healthier, sustainable diet;   (i.e. Eat more vegetables, eat less meat)
• consume less water-intensive products; 
• Reduce food wastage: 30% of the food produced worldwide is never eaten and the water used to produce it is definitively lost!
• produce more food, of better quality, with less water.