Wednesday 28 September 2016

Read Response Draft 2: Sustainability Effort

In the webpage "Sustainability Effort" (n.d.) taken from Gardens by the Bay website reported about the key function of the Gardens as an ecosystem that able to self-sustain in a environment. The ecosystem works by themselves without much maintenance issues to achieve environmental sustainability. These systems comprises the Lake system, the Conservatories and Supertrees. The Lake systems acts as a biotope that accommodates the aquatic animals and plants which later on helps to cleanse the surface run-off as well as the lake itself. Subsequently, the cleansed water is then discharge in Marina Reservoir and also used for irrigation purposes. Besides the Lake systems, the webpage also mentioned about the Conservatories. The two biomes are equipped with advanced technology allowing it to simulate the climate temperature suitable to certain region to accommodate rare plants in Singapore. It also mentioned in webpage further about Supertrees which are equipped with solar planes. These allows the trees to harvest electricity in the day hence reducing the amount of electricity used at night. These environmental efforts can make huge improvements such as reducing the carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Therefore, I agree that this initiative effort should be supported in Singapore.

In 2006, Public Utilities Board (PUB) has launched Active, Beautiful and Clean water programe (ABC water programe) to promote the improtance of water quality and appreciate water resources. As most of the water supply in Singapore are from the local catchment, water quality flowing into the reservoir need to be control to prevent unwanted pollutants. Therefore the water agency in Singapore need to find ways to make the water quality better in the drain, canals and riverbanks before entering the reservoirs. Sustainability is the main idea of PUB as it require less maintenance thus it create a whole new ecosystem in a community. This is mention in PUB webpage (2016) that ABC water programme is introduce to enhance water and life quality by combining the drain, canal and reservoir with the surrounding environment. Hence it transform the garden into an ecosystem that able to self sustain. According to Susdrain (n.d.), UK drainage systems are transformed into a sustainable drainage that allows rain and surface water run-off to cleanse naturally by allowing water to soak in the ground thus filtering unwanted pollutants.

Secondly, this initiative is not only cleansing the water runoff quality but also  Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park( (2014, Section 10)) is a great example of PUB ABC water project which uses a similar concept to Gardens by the bay. This idea was echoed in PUB’s webpage (2006), this programme is to transform all the drains, canals and reservoirs in Singapore into beautiful and clean streams hence bring the community closer to the nature. This environmental sustainability effort can be made into smaller scales such as parks near HDB houses as well as condomium, hospital and also schools. These way sustainability efforts can spread widely across Singapore hence improving the ecosystem as well as the aesthetic of the environment. In the ABC water guideline book (2014, Section 10) suggests that parks such Bishan-Ang Mo Kio park and public hospital like Khoo Teck Puat hospital have benefited from environmental sustainability concept.

Moreover, communities get to enjoy the recreational spaces and conscious about the nature. In additional, these efforts would make Singapore a greener city. Because of this reason, Ministry of Environment and Water Resource has initiated the 1st edition of Active, Beautiful and Clean water guideline (ABC water guidelines) in 2009 which basically to encourage developers in Singapore to adopt ABC Waters design features in their developments. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park is a great example of PUB ABC water project which uses a similar concept to Gardens by the bay however in smaller scale. According to Ramboll, it stated that Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park was reconstructed from the conventional concrete drainage to bioengineered riverbank by incorporating the living plants to act as river walls. These plants are there to function as a filtration system as well as aesthetic of the drainage. Hence, transforming the space to be closer to water and nature.

Apart from Singapore, other countries such as United Kingdom are also implementing a similar concept of sustainable development in their country. According to Susdrain (n.d.), UK drainage systems are transformed into a sustainable drainage that allows rain and surface water run-off to cleanse naturally by allowing water to soak in the ground thus filtering unwanted pollutants. This is similar to the concept that PUB adopted. However, UK project are much larger in scale than Singapore. Thus, the impacts in the ecosystem are obviously noticeable. Examples of problems solved are the reducing the amount of energy and cost to treat rainwater.

In conclusion, these sustainability efforts can bring a good impact to the nature as well as the communities. It is encourage to implement many ideas to improve the ecosystem by making the system self-sustaining. Thus, reducing the problems such as flooding, pollutants and maintaining issues on the environment.
Reference:

ABC guidelines (June 2014, Sction 10) Retrieve from https://www.pub.gov.sg/abcwaters/Documents/ABC_DG_2014.pdf

Channel News Asia (March, 2016) 20 more ABC Waters projects to be completed in next 5 years. Retrieve from http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/20-more-abc-waters/2619600.html

Ramboll Group (2015) Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park. Retrieve from: http://www.ramboll.com/projects/singapore/bishan-park



Sustainability Effort (n.d.) Retrieve from: http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/the-gardens/about-us/sustainability.html 

3 comments:

  1. Hi Ahmad,

    I enjoyed reading your summary and reader response pertaining to the "Sustainability Effort" article from the Gardens by the Bay webpage. I have commented on certain minor issues that I hope it can help and better enhance your overall reader response.

    1. The summary represents a good overview of the article overall. However, it lacks quotation of key words which makes it quite difficult for a reader to immediately capture its important key points. The opening address of the summary can also be phrased better to justify the importance of the message in the article.

    2. There is a very good and clear transition from the summary to your reader response. The immediate use of a reference to link it to the summary shows a very smooth flow into your reader response. After which, you did a good link back to your stand and the article itself.

    3. The reader response that you have, does makes sense to me. However, there are too many reference examples back to back. Maybe after each reference example, you can elaborate more and link it back to the article and its purpose?


    Regards,
    Dayn

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  2. 1st comments

    1) In the webpage "Sustainability Effort" (n.d.) taken from Gardens by the Bay website reported about the key function of the Gardens as an ecosystem that able to self-sustain in a environment.
    >>> (citation convention)
    The webpage "Sustainability Effort" (n.d.) taken from the Gardens by the Bay website reported about the key function of the Gardens as an ecosystem that is able to self-sustain in the built environment. (note the changes I suggest)

    2) The ecosystem works by themselves >>> a singular ecosystem, or plural?

    3) much maintenance issues >>> (wrong word: if the noun can be counted, use 'many' to modify it) many maintenance issues

    4) These systems comprises >>> ?

    5) the aquatic animals and plants which later on helps ... >>> (subject verb agreement)

    6) is then discharge >>> (wrong verb form)

    7) It also mentioned in webpage >>> It is also mentioned on the webpage

    8) about Supertrees which are equipped with solar planes. >>> punctuation? planes?

    9) These allows >>> (subject verb disagreement)

    10) These environmental efforts can make huge improvements such as reducing the carbon emissions in the atmosphere. >>> This is a very broad statement. Keep your focus on sustainability in the Gardens.

    11) Therefore, I agree that this initiative effort should be supported in Singapore. >>> Your thesis? Can we dispute your agreement? Not really.

    12) In 2006, Public Utilities Board (PUB) has launched.... >>> (verb tense)

    13) Active, Beautiful and Clean water programe >>> Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Programme

    see https://www.ies.org.sg/professional/registry/abc/ABCWaters_Potong-Pasir_IES_Case%20Study%20slides.pdf

    14) to promote the improtance of water quality and appreciate water resources. >>> (lack of parallel structures)
    to promote the importance of water quality and appreciation of water resources.

    15) the water supply ... are ... / water quality flowing into the reservoir need / the water agency in Singapore need / it transform >>> (subject verb disagreement)

    16) before entering the reservoirs. >>> Who or what is entering? Make the subject known...

    17) Sustainability is the main idea of PUB as it require less maintenance thus it create a whole new ecosystem in a community. >>> (run on sentence)

    18) This is mention in PUB webpage (2016) ... >>> It is mentioned in PUB webpage (2016) that ...

    19) is introduce >>> ?

    20) that able >>> ?

    21) According to Susdrain (n.d.), UK drainage systems are transformed into a sustainable drainage that allows rain and surface water run-off to cleanse naturally by allowing water to soak in the ground thus filtering unwanted pollutants. >>> so? How is this quote connected to the idea in the preceding sentence. Explain.

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  3. Comments, part 2

    22) This idea was echoed in PUB’s webpage (2006), this programme is to transform all the drains, canals and reservoirs in Singapore into beautiful and clean streams hence bring the community closer to the nature. >>> (run on sentence)

    23) These way sustainability efforts can spread widely across Singapore hence improving the ecosystem as well as the aesthetic of the environment.
    >>>
    In this way sustainability efforts can spread widely across Singapore, improving the ecosystem as well as the aesthetics of the environment.

    24) In the ABC water guideline book (2014, Section 10) suggests .... >>>
    What is the subject of this sentence? The "book"? No, that is the object of the preposition "in". So this sentence has no apparent subject.

    25) communities get to enjoy the recreational spaces and conscious about the nature. >>>
    (lack of parallel structure) to enjoy X (spaces) and Y (conscious)... but 'conscious' is not a noun

    26) In additional, >>> in addition

    27) Ministry of Environment and Water Resource has initiated ... in 2009 >>> (wrong verb tense)

    28) which basically to encourage >>> (noun) subject + (tensed verb) predicate?
    which encourages

    29) According to Ramboll, it stated... >>> (incorrect citation convention)

    30) Hence, transforming the space to be closer to water and nature. >>> (fragment)

    31) The last two paragraphs you must do on your own.

    Ahmad, For this essay you have done very good secondary research. You have lots of good ideas. What you are lacking is language use accuracy and content organizational focus.
    An effective thesis is missing in action. I search for that (a guiding statement which acts as a map for the direction of your essay), but I don't find one until the very last paragraph: ...these sustainability efforts can bring a good impact to the nature as well as the communities.

    Please look at the information on the suggested websites related to thesis statements, and then look at how an outline should functionally represent the way your supporting ideas act to bolster your thesis. You've got idea, man, but you don't have an organizational structure.

    Let's work on this.

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