Task 4 : Global warming

1. The solutions to the problems of global warming are to replace the furnace and the filters in the air-conditioner so as to save the amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Also, we can buy electrical appliances that have the energy efficiency label. This will greatly help to reduce energy used. Leaving appliances on standby is also very energy consuming, thus, we switch off any appliances like the television when we are not watching them. You may also replace the normal light bulbs that we use at home with the compact-fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). These CFLs use only about 60% of the normal light bulb, thus , saving about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide emission per year.

2. Singaporeans can help by keeping their air-condition temperature to 25 degrees as that will help to slow down global warming. This can be shown from the fact that the lower the temperature of the air-condition, the more energy it will take, and thus emitting more carbon dioxide. Singaporeans can also take the public transport instead of cars as cars emits lots of carbon dioxide and speed up global warming. This can be shown from “. Most come from the combustion of fossil fuels in cars, factories and electricity production.” This explained that by taking public transport, Singaporeans are slowing down global warming and saving the earth.

3. HCI can use solar energy instead of normal energy. Solar energy obtain its energy from the sun. Thus, it emits much less carbon dioxide than the normal way of producing energy. This will ensure that the students know that their school runs on environmental friendly energy. The students can also view the making of solar panels so that they know what is powering their school and learn to protect our planet. This concept of protecting the planet will then be rooted to their mind.

Extension activity

I feel that environmental studies should be made a mandatory part of the science curriculum. Global warming is happening all around the world and is in fact speeding up due to the great emission of carbon dioxide by mankind. Thus, it is definitely important that students should learn to protect the environment. This can be done easily through the curriculum as students spend most of their time in school. Other than in their homes, school is the next thing that shapes their character and mindset. Therefore, whatever that is ingrained in their minds in school can never be erased off easily. Thus, by making environmental studies a mandatory part of the science curriculum, the concept of protecting the environment will be easily ingrained in their minds. The students will know that they have to play a part in protecting the environment and this mindset will stay in their minds forever. Also, there will be an element of grades when it is made a mandatory part of the science curriculum. Thus, the “practical” students and parents will be really eager to learn about environmental studies. They will start to remember all the ways to protect the environment to get good grades. Although this method will not ensure that there will be long–term benefits, some methods of protecting the environment will get into the students or even, the parents’ mind permanently. Thus, some of the students will apply it when they grow up and set as good examples to their children or the next generation. This would greatly help to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from Singapore and slow down global warming. Also, by letting Singapore students learn about the environment, it enables them to be more all-rounded and not just memorizing and studying the mandatory subjects like science, math and languages. This will open up their mindset to a more all rounded learning, which will benefit them when they go out to the workforce, which requires a much more flexible mindset than that in the past. The points above have shown that by making environmental studies a mandatory part of the science curriculum, it not only helps to protect our environment, it also helps Singaporean students when they enter the workforce.