Portfolio 2

Numerous studies and reports have clearly shown that the percentage of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has soared up over the years. Minimal efforts were made to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases and this is understandable as politicians would argue that in view of matters that are deemed ‘more important’ such as the country’s economy state, environmental issues should be placed aside. It is inevitable for politicians to react in such a way since it is logical to solve the short-term problems first before considering the long-term ones. Moreover, the present effects of global warming are not yet significant enough for people to start worrying the true meaning of it.

Though Singapore has not pledged its commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, the government has step up its actions against global warming. Following up the first Singapore Green Plan (SGP) that was released in 1992, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) launched the SGP 2012 in August 2002. It is a ten-year plan which describes the strategies and programmes that Singapore would adopt in order to maintain a quality living and curb environmental issues while pursuing economic prosperity. Its success is evident with ambient air quality, measured by the PSI, in the "good" range for at least 85% of the days in each of the years between 2003 and 2007 and annual average Particulate Matter 2.5 level fell from 21µg/Nm3 in 2005 to 19µg/Nm3 in 2007.

Looking at the emission from vehicles, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) approved the retrofit of cars for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) usage as an alternative to petrol in 2007 with plans made to open more CNG stations in the future to encourage more people to use CNG. Since natural gas vehicles reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 25% compared to the equivalent petrol vehicles and also reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions to practically zero, this further justify the government’s support in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases.

The above mentioned policies are only two of the many that our government have adopted. Though most of them are not large-scale, they have proved to be successful in improving our Climate Change Performance Index. Singapore may not be a big country, but its efforts would certainly be recognised on the global scale.

Bibliography:
http://www.cng.com.sg/benefits.html
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1370_2008-11-22.html

portfolio 1

Basically, how an engineer is able to “systematically analyze complex information and apply a holistic (systematic) approach in designing solutions" goes down to the education that he have undergone.

Education plays an important part in shaping an undergraduate’s path in becoming an engineer during its course of study. An engineering course would usually encompass modules that expose engineers to many different problems and scenarios and drill them in problem-solving techniques. Furthermore, engineers are allowed to take up modules from different faculties, enriching their education. Taking NUS as an example, graduating with an engineering degree requires one to complete cross-faculty modules, apart from the core modules. In doing so, engineers are exposed to different fields and this would certainly enhance their working capabilities in a wider scope of occupation.

Besides nurturing them in classroom-based education, it is usually mandatory for engineers to participate in laboratory experiments, research and even Industrial-Attachment. These essentially allow engineers to verify what they have learnt and to apply them. Experience gained from these activities would certainly prepare the engineers with the challenges ahead after they enter the workforce. I believe with such a pedagogical approach in its education coupled with the hands-on experience they gained, engineers would naturally have a cut above the rest in terms of analyzing information and holistically designing solutions.

One should also note that advancement in technology has also contributed greatly in aiding engineers to accomplish these tasks. Engineers made use of the power of the internet to facilitate them in gathering and organising information efficiently. Computers also served as great tools in assisting engineers to systematically design solutions.

To sum up, an engineering education weighs significant importance in preparing engineers with its desired skill in “systematically analyzing complex information and applying a holistic (systematic) approach in designing solutions" and technological advancement would definitely improve its efficiency.