NUS promotes alternative transport on campus with an eco-route and bicycle trials

For NUS' Climate Action Day this year, National University of Singapore student group NUSSU SAVE is promoting the use of bicycles as alternative transport in campus. Bicycles will be placed at six NUS bus stops for all NUS students and staff to cycle. The cycling trials will be conducted on

• 27 Aug 2012: 3.00pm - 6.00pm and
• 03 Sep 2012: 9.30am - 3.00pm.

The NUS Eco-Route will be unveiled at UTown's Plaza on 3rd September 2012.

See details at studentry.sg.

See also NUSbike on Facebook.

Thanks to Low Pei Yee and Hua Yong for the links on facebook.

Cycling for a Change

ST's Jeanette Wang "pledges to ditch her car for a bicycle to help fight climate change."

"Two wheels for a change," by Jeanette Wang. ST's Homeground, 01 Dec 2009.

Excerpt -

We sit and read about nations and what they are or are not doing to help the situation. But what are each of us doing individually to contribute to positive change?

Sure, I've been making a conscientious effort to reduce, reuse and recycle: Take my own bag to the supermarket, resist printing unnecessary e-mails, collect plastic bottles for recycling.

But what more can I do?

That question led me to my decision to give up my car and commute by bicycle, at least until Christmas. That resolution began today. As I type this there is a bicycle parked in my cubicle and cycling clothing and shoes hanging under my desk.

It's not all about global warming, though. Cutting greenhouse gases can also be a boon to human health by reducing deaths from cancer, strokes and heart disease, according to a report by The Lancet journal published last week.

Walking and cycling more, and driving less are among the easiest ways people can lower the output of CO2 and methane gas that also curb the global disease burden, said the study. Other easy ways: switch to cleaner-burning stoves and reduce meat and dairy consumption.

Link

Follow her blog over the next 24 days as she documents her experiences of bicycle commuting! Some of the comments from readers are helpful too. Link

• "Two Wheels for a Change" (01 Dec 2009) - link
• "The logistics of bicycle commuting" (07 Dec 2009)- link
• "More cyclists, fewer accidents" (15 Dec 2009) - link
• "Ride more, drive less in 2010" (24 Dec 2009) - link

Green Wheelers pre-Climate Conference Ride, 29 Nov 2009

From the GreenWheelers site:

" We hope to encourage more Singaporeans to consider utilizing traveling alternatives that are environmentally-friendly - why should we remain ignorant of OUR Planet’s plea for help and continue polluting the environment with greenhouse gasses with our cars when there are greener alternatives?

Considering the size of Singapore, it should not be a challenge to adopt such alternatives - people in larger nations are now willing to adopt these green traveling habits despite having to travel over long distances.

What is Singapore waiting for?

Perhaps it's the weather, perhaps it's the worry of theft, or perhaps it's just about the hassle of bringing a change of clothes.

In conjunction with the Climate Conference in Copenhagen, G.Wheelers will be organising a public activity on 29 November 2009, a week ahead of the meeting in Denmark.

Come join us the Xtreme SkatePark at East Coast Park at 2 p.m. on Sunday, 29 November 2009, where we will share our cycling and urban skating tips. We want to encourage minimising the usage of motorised vehicles. Be part of this meaningful event!

Link to facebook page.

Go G.Wheelers!

"Singapore committed to cutting carbon emissions"

"Singapore committed to cutting carbon emissions." The Straits Times, 11 Feb 2005.


SINGAPORE has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol but will still work towards lowering carbon emission levels.

A spokesman for the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said yesterday that while Singapore would not be subject to binding reduction targets in carbon dioxide emissions even if it ratified the protocol, it was committed to improving its carbon efficiency - a term used to describe how much carbon a country emits for every dollar of gross domestic product.

'As an export-oriented economy, a large fraction of our total energy (which results in CO2 emissions) is used to produce goods which are exported and not consumed by the local population,' said the spokesman.

He added that Singapore is not ruling out acceding to the Kyoto Protocol, and is studying the implications and timing of such an accession.

Singapore's carbon efficiency is better than that of developed countries like Canada and Australia, and it has plans to improve 1990 levels by 25 per cent in the next seven years.

Initiatives to achieve this include greater use of natural gas to replace oil-fired power plants for generating electricity, promoting energy audits to industry, and the use of public transport.

There are also plans to extend energy labelling for air-conditioners and refrigerators - which tell buyers how energy-efficient the products are - to other household appliances.


Still, environmentalists here said yesterday that they were 'disappointed' that Singapore was one of those countries which did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

'The environmental, social and economic damage that climate change will inflict cannot be addressed reactively and will dwarf any potential economic losses brought on by the ratification of Kyoto,' said Mr Howard Shaw, the executive director of the Singapore Environment Council.

Nature Society president and Nominated Member of Parliament Geh Min suggested aggressive promotion of the use of energy-efficient air-conditioners and fuel-efficient and cleaner vehicles in the form of higher tax rebates, and even cycling as a substitute form of public transport.

Mr Shaw said: 'The area that presents a bigger challenge is within our homes and in nurturing a carbon-conscious society.'