Green. It is everywhere.
Unlike most urbarn cities in the world, I believe that Singapore is the only city that has greenery everywhere. Apart from our nature reserves; trees, bushes and shrubs, intersperse our skyscrappers. However, green is not just represented to us in a physical way. On our way to school via public trains and buses, we see advertisments on the benefits if energy saving. Our neon orange shuttle buses that have 'NUS fights climate change' printed on them, tour around campus to promote their cause. When talking to a friend, I learn of her involvement in a pageant - Miss Earth 2008. It makes me wonder, just what is this pageant about? When asked, my friend herself, couldn't identify the underlying rationale too. These green efforts, are they really effective in communicating the green message?
It is common knowledge that Mother Earth is ailing. Technology benefits mankind but also jeopardises his future. It is the catalyst for the depletion of resources. Especially in the context of Singapore, this rampant depletion would call for the need to outsource for supplies, expected to be available only at marked-up prices. Her economy will suffer. The inevitable outputs following the utilisation of resources also degrade the quality of the environment. In short, we are trading wealth and health for convenience through technology.
If the above is common knowledge, why then do we still have fines (e.g. for littering, for smoking), why then does the Singapore government seek ways to inculcate environmental awareness? Is it because, we, Singaporeans learn in a vacuum? Or are we, Singaporeans over-reliant on technology and naïve to believe that it will somehow, eventually find a solution to sustaining earth? If either possibility is true, how effective are the efforts of the government then? Do Singaporeans really understand the rationale underlying green message?
A survey should be conducted to validate the link between the attitude held by Singaporeans on green issues and environmental trends. It should also allow the identification of the specific attitude most Singaporeans adopt.
Problem statement
The objective of this research study is to determine the effectiveness of the various efforts aimed at sustaining Mother Earth.
Purpose statement
The objective of this report is to identify Singapore's agenda on environmental issues and investigate how Singaporeans respond to it, so as to understand how environmental efforts can be made more effective.
Research question
Is there a co-relation between environmental trends and the perspectives held by Singaporeans on green issues? If this link is valid, which perspectives should and can be corrected? Will these corrections make environmental efforts more effective?
Hypothesis
The quality of environment in Singapore is the outcome of efforts put in by the environmental bodies of Singapore. The effectiveness of these efforts depend largely on her people's perceptions on green issues. These perceptions, if unfavourable to environment, can be corrected if the rationales underlying green efforts are properly conveyed.
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3 comments:
Dear Yilin,
Thanks very much for this effort!
You set up the framework well for discussing your topic in terms of research question, problem statement and so forth. What is missing is the social element. You need to narrow your targeted research population, and if you can somehow include reference to it in the problem statement, so much the better.
Let's talk about this.
The target audience that will be easier to survey will be at NUS.
Was that your question, Yilin?
Hi Brad
Yes, thank you (:
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