Chapter 1: UNSDG? What About It?
- Rakshan Bathri
- May 5, 2024
- 13 min read
Updated: Oct 17, 2024
1.1.1: Who even am I?
omg my first sentence...what should it be??
Helloo everyoneee❗❗
I'm Rakshan and I'm a 2nd year student in Singapore Polytechnic studying for a Diploma in Chemical Engineering.
Q: "what's chemical engineering?"
A: idk just some course that pays good I guess
My hobbies include playing basketball🏀 and also video games!🎮(and procrastinating too but we don't talk about that). Some things I reallyyyy like are spicy foods, ICE LEMON TEAAA😍😍, Bruno Mars music🎵 (It Will Rain 🔛🔝) and also my favourite furry species, DOGS❣
(Oh and I'm also like 1.9m tall and people will say its a good thing but it really isn't when you hit your head on MRT doors😭)
1.1.2: What I Hope to Achieve!
hmmm...what's the aim of my journey?
What am I really hoping for❓
From the homepage, I'm sure that you can tell I'm blogging my "adventures" in the module called Introduction To Chemical Product Design (ICPD). (I call it adventures because every lesson I go to, I'm exploring something new haha get it? ok maybe its a bit cliché :P) What I really am ✨aspiring✨ for from this module is to help the community using the knowledge I gain from this module and contribute towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). Another goal that I have is also to learn some craftmanship skills🛠 so that I can use them in in future modules and especially my Final Year Project (FYP)😵
Q: "but rakshan, how would you know if you accomplished your goals❓"
A: I'm glad you asked❗❗ By week 17/18, I'm hoping to have successfully conceived and pitched a design of a chemical product that addresses the needs of the UNSDGs so that when I enter semester 2, I'll be able to implement & operate it. Its time that I give back to the community❗❗ For my 2nd goal, I would need to pass the tests in the FabLab Module such as the FabLab Laser Cutting Module. (it sounds so cool omg!!)
1.2.1: The World's Largest Lesson?
no its not thermodynamics don't worry
The UNSDGs 🌏
Its finally time for the main segment of the blog❗ Before I begin here's a summary of what the UNSDGs are. (just to refresh your memory 😆) So in 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals which can also be known as Global Goals. The objective of these goals are to: End Poverty💵; Protect The Planet🌍 and lastly, to ensure that all people enjoy Peace & Prosperity✌ by 2030. In my opinion, I really do think that the 17 UNSDGs cover almost everything about sustainability for earth and for mankind. However, there is one thing that is not covered by the UNSDGs and that's sustaining ancient buildings like the wonders of the world and also its culture. There really isn't much info that I can find for this so I'm just going to infer that its not a major issue right now??🤔. (You can read more about the UNSDGs here) Remember what the UNSDGs are now? Okay good❗ I can now tell you about a video that I watched during my ICPD lesson. The video was titled World's Largest Lesson and to summarise it, the video was made to inform us about the introduction of the UNSDGs and also why it is extremely relevant and vital in today's world. (yeah that's basically it) But that video was published 7 years ago in 2017❗❗ (like I didn't even do my PSLE yet!) Q: "but what's so important about the year it was uploaded❓"
A: That's a good question❗ Well, as I said previously, the goals are meant to be achieved by 2030. However, I don't think you've noticed something extremely important. Even though the UNSDGs were adopted 7 years ago, the goals have not been accomplished and major issues like Climate Change have only gotten worse since then❗ This then leads to my main point.
Is accomplishing all the goals by 2030 too ambitious❓
My answer to this is... yes, I really do think that it's too ambitious. Let me go back to an example that I said previously. As you can see on the left, since 2015, the temperature of Singapore has only gotten higher♨ due to Global Warming. Why am I talking about climate change and global warming so much? Because UNSDG 13: Climate Action🌍 focuses on mitigating this and from the data given, it's clearly not going as expected😥...Though it is achievable, but by 2030? No, its impossible. Its not just Climate Change that is an issue but also Poverty, World Hunger etc. These challenges that the world faces cannot be solved in a mere 15 years from when the SDGs were adopted. But lets not be too pessimistic about this issue. Some UNSDGs like UNSDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy (I can't find an emoji for this) and UNSDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation💧 do seem to be doing well in terms of their progress through the use of solar panels and affordable water filters. (you get the point right?)
To summarise what I said just incase you have a short attention span😵 (just like me fr), achieving ALL the 17 goals by 2030 is too ambitious but SOME goals still can be accomplished. So, we all have to do our part in contributing to the UNSDGs. This can be done by honestly very simple things like recycling and by cutting down plastic usage. (This contributes to UNSDG 12 btw so it really is that easy)
1.2.2: Trip to the National Museum
dinosaur bones? nope, plastic!
Oooo what did I see❓
On 24 April 2024, I went on a learning journey to the Plastic: Remaking Our World exhibition in the National Museum🏛. The purpose of the learning journey was to learn about how plastic is used in chemical products🌡 as well as our daily life👜. Honestly, I really thought that I wouldn't enjoy the trip or that I would find it boring🥱. (because who likes to stare at an object??) But, I thought wrong❗ Before I even entered the exhibition, I was already stunned by some mesmerising uh...some things on the ceiling that swing in a pendulum motion. (it was satisfying okay? don't judge me)
Moving on to what I saw at the exhibition itself, I was greeted by an "indoor house🏡" (it was like an IKEA replica) and in that house it just showed us some common items that can and cannot be recycled♻ (just to teach us a few tips on recycling). But what I remember the most from that house was the things that you can make from recycled material! Look at that carabiner at the picture on top, doesn't it look like its 💰branded💰? (fashion designers should actually take note)
Moving on to the plastic part of the exhibition, I was first introduced to the concept of Microplastics. Microplastics well, from the name, are just plastic pieces that are small and is common forms of trash that is disposed🚮. (this is just a generalisation btw) However, these microplastics are non-biodegradable😲.
Q: "so what if its non-biodegradable❓"
A: Plastics in general are non-biodegradable. What this means is that it can't just be disposed like eggshells which can be broken down by natural means such as through fungi🍄. The plastics have to be transported to Semakau Landfill so that it can be transported again to a Waste-To-Energy (WTE) plant.
You might be wondering, "If its going to become energy for us, what's so bad about it?" To answer that question, these plants, even though they generate energy for us, they also generate greenhouse gases as plastic is made from petroleum⛽ and petroleum generates carbon dioxide❗ Not only that, this process takes a long time⌛, as a result, the landfill is expected to get filled up by 2035. So, in general plastic is bad💢, and we use and throw away a lot of plastic, so we reallyyy need to do something about it❗❗
Q: "ok so I just have to not use those single-use plastic bags right?" A: Well, yes and no. Not using plastic bags is good🙌 as they are a huge contributor to plastic waste. However, its not just plastic bags that contribute to the waste...That mouse🖱 your using to scroll through this blog? Plastic. The keyboard⌨ you see in front of you? Plastic. The screen💻 your looking at? Plastic. The toys🧸 you used to play with as a kid? Plastic. The plate you eat on when you buy Japanese Cheese Egg Omelette Curry Rice🍛, menu number 2 for $4.30 at FC1? Plastic. (im hungry now)
A lot of objects that we use is made out of plastic. Do you ever wonder why❓ This was actually covered in the exhibition so let me tell you❗❗ Plastic is lightweight, durable, corrosion resistant, versatile and has many other convenient properties. (no wonder its so widely used)
these are all made of plastic!
As I was walking, one exhibit had caught my eye👁. It was this art piece that you can see on the left and I think a picture speaks a thousand words.
Throughout the whole exhibition I was only learning about the downsides of plastic. However, plastic is extremely vital in some industries especially in healthcare👨⚕️ Without plastic in this industry, the ability to provide effective medical care would really be compromised. Why❓ Syringes, Blood Bags, IV Tubes, Prosthetics, Gloves, Scrubs... There's so many things that are made of plastic! Like without plastic, every time you go to a polyclinic or hospital you'll probably be seeing doctors wearing those plague outfits with that that bird-looking mask. (if I saw that IRL, ill prolly be afraid to go to the clinic ngl)
My main takeaway from this exhibition is that plastic has its pros and cons.
Without plastic we wouldn't be where we are in the world right now. Unfortunately, because of plastic we are at where we are in the world right now too 😥.
This is the plastic and digital age🖥 after all... BUT, there are ways to reduce your plastic usage❗❗
Cutting down the use of those disgusting🤢 and evil👿 singe-use plastic bags and replacing them with reusable, gorgeous and beautiful😻 tote bags is one thing that you can start doing nowww❗ Using metal straws instead of plastic straws? Using a Stanley water bottle instead of a plastic one? Asking for no plastic spoons when you takeaway chicken rice? Bringing your own takeaway box? All of those options help reduce the amount of plastic wastage that YOU produce❗❗ It really is THAT easy, so why don't you start today❓ (be sure to tell your friends and family about this too❗)
1.2.3: The 2 UNSDGs
there's 17 unsdgs but what do I really care about??
UNSDG 13: Climate Action🌏
During lesson, my teammates and I had to select 2 UNSDGs to talk about and discuss its relevancy in Singapore context. It took us a long time to come to an agreement on which 2 to use. (no really, it was supposed to be done during class but we had to do it the next day on a call😬) But after some thoughtful considerations, the 1st one we selected was UNSDG 13❗
Q: "what were some of the reasons you had, to choose this goal instead of others❓"
A: Well first of all, Singapore, a low lying island is vulnerable to the consequences of climate change such as sea level rise🌊. Don't live near the sea? Have you seen news of flash floods occurring inland throughout Singapore❓ That's caused by the higher frequency and intensity of rainfalls, and guess what? That's also caused by climate change. Its not just that actually, when's the last time you complained about Singapore being too hot🥵 (for me it's like a few mins ago) As soon as you step out your house you already feel like you're going to start sweating right? That's caused by climate change too or more specifically Global Warming😨
But why is it so hot?
Look at that fan on top of you, oh and while your looking, look at that Air Conditioner (AC) too. What do they have in common? They use electricity⚡ that is generated from mainly fossil fuels which are burnt🔥 and in turn, produce greenhouse gases. (You see where I'm going with this) To keep ourselves cool, the world becomes hotter. This vicious cycle has been occurring for decades❗ Which is why we chose UNSDG 13: Climate Action.
Wait, you need evidence? Sure here it is.
"Cooling is a big contributor to global warming. Much of the existing cooling equipment uses hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, which are potent greenhouse gases, and use a lot of energy, making them a double burden for climate change." - Mard Raka, Chief of the Energy and Climate Branch of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
UNEP. (2023). Air conditioners fuel the climate crisis. Can nature help? [online] Available at: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/air-conditioners-fuel-climate-crisis-can-nature-help#:~:text=How%20does%20cooling%20contribute%20to.
So what is UNSDG 13?
UNSDG 13 basically focuses on stopping climate change, not just for the nation, but for the whole world🌍. But, for that to be possible, each nation has to come up with its own climate action goals. For example, Singapore has its own climate action goal called, Singapore Green Plan 2030. (you can click on the words to learn more) There are also other aspects to the goal. (but honestly that needs a whole new blog to talk about) So, to briefly summarise it;
Strengthen our endurance and adaptive skills to climate change.
Integrate climate action plans into policies and planning.
Ensure everyone has knowledge about Climate Change mitigation
Put the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change into action.
Promote the awareness of Climate Change worldwide
But what can WE do❓ Well, we can start by increasing the temperature of the AC to at least 25 Degrees Celsius🌡. Something else that we can do is to also start taking more public transport🚌. Both of these methods help to reduce CO2 emissions and fight Climate Change ❗❗
(If your interested to learn more about UNSDG 13 and how else you can do your part, you can click here)
UNSDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
This was the 2nd UNSDG my teammates and I had decided on that were relevant to Singapore.
Q: "why this one? isn't it just about recycling and sustainability❓" A: UNSDG 12 is not just that! You see, Singapore is a small country and we really don't have much natural resources🧱. So, we need to recycle♻ what we have in order to prevent depletion, but also to prevent the accumulation of waste❗
Talking about accumulation of waste, remember what I said about Semakau Landfill filling up by 2035❓ (look at how big that island is, imagine THAT filling up in 2035??) Plastic is not the only thing that fills up the landfill but also clothes and especially FOOD❗❗ Even though we import more than 90% of our food supply, food waste is one of our biggest waste streams🚯. (the irony is actually crazy)
don't believe me? look at this!
Every day in Singapore, we throw away more than 2,000 tonnes — that’s 2 million kilograms — of food. In 2021, we wasted 817 million kilograms of food from F&B premises, hawker centres, schools, households, hotels, malls, markets, and food manufacturers. - SG101
SG101 (2022). #ChallengeAccepted Food Wastage. [online] www.sg101.gov.sg. Available at: https://www.sg101.gov.sg/resources/connexionsg/foodwaste/#:~:text=Every%20day%20in%20Singapore%2C%20we.
So what is UNSDG 12?
So UNSDG 12 focuses on reversing the harm that we inflicted on our planet🌍 but in the environmental aspect. The world has limited resources, and I'm sure that we all know that. However, we are not utilising these resources properly and currently consume more than what our planet can provide❗❗ Just like the previous UNSDG, here's a brief summary of the goal;
Make the 10-year plan for sustainable consumption and production happen.
Responsible use of natural resources.
Half global capita food waste.
Responsible use of chemicals.
Reduce waste generation.
Try to get companies to adopt sustainable practices.
Promote awareness of sustainability and eco-friendly purchases worldwide.
Support developing countries adopt sustainable practices.
How do we help❓ We can help by first throwing away less food (obviously). If you think that the food store vendor serves too much rice, just ask for less rice❗❗ We can also start recycling more❗ Don't know how to recycle? Then dispose recyclable items in the recycling bin❗ (it's really not hard) Both of these methods help to contribute towards UNSDG 12❗
(want to learn how to do your part? you can read more about UNSDG 12 here)
Woah, that's a lot! Don't worry we can now move on to a something else❗
1.2.4: How am I going to contribute?
time for the fun part!
A blessing😇 in disguise❓
its time for the fun part❗❗ Have you ever seen algae grow in ponds like in the picture on the left❓ It makes the pond not as sight worthy right❓ It's as if algae is just a nuisance😥. But NO❗ My teammates and I have done a lot of research on algae and found out about the existence of Algae Bioreactor🤯. (ok a bioreactor is just a more fancy word for a "farm")
Q: "but what's so important about algae and why would you want to make more❓"
A: Before I answer that question, let me tell you a fun-ish fact. Did you know that cattle farming contributes to greenhouse gas emissions because cattle release methane🤢 as a waste gas❓ It's not just a little bit...Millions of tonnes of methane are released each year from cattle farming👨🌾 (i'm referring to my secondary school geography textbook right now)
shocking right? but its true!
Cattle is a major contributor to methane emissions from agriculture, which hit 142 million tons in 2022, triple the amount of those from the oil sector. - International Energy Agency
IEA. (n.d.). Understanding methane emissions – Global Methane Tracker 2023 – Analysis. [online] Available at: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2023/understanding-methane-emissions#abstract.
"but how is the algae bioreactor and the cows related❓" Well you see, when cows consume algae, there is significantly less methane emitted from them❗ So when you have a significantly lesser amount of methane emitted, what does that mean❓ it means that it addresses and contributes to achieving UNSDG 13: Climate Action directly❗❗ Therefore, my teammates and I decided to set this as the final product we want to pitch due to how easily it can contribute towards the UNSDG🙌. By reducing the amount of methane emitted, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions go down and subsequently, less heat is trapped in the atmosphere, hence, fighting global warming and climate change❗❗ Oh and, we need to make a bioreactor for the algae and can't just use the one in ponds as the algae there releases toxins that both harm us and marine life🐟🐟, so yeah, we need to start making algae in a more proper and safe manner. (you can read more about how algae affects cows here)
Hey, guess what? THIS IS THE END❗❗ I'll be posting more blogs soon too❗ BYE BYE👋👋
WOW NICE BLOG!