Investigation of Water Scarcity in Singapore

Investigation of Water Scarcity in Singapore Wong Shuang Qi (Kiki) This study is going to take a close look at the current situation of the fresh water scarcity in Singapore and the governments enforcement on the potential solutions, like desalination or NEwater. The best option to the chronic water issue for increasing or decreasing the water demand and supply would be discussed in this topic and a proposed solution that suggested for the water problem in Singapore is a new technology called NEwater would be mentioned in conclusion. The hypothesis of the entire report is doing the decline of water demand and the climb of water supply at the same time. 1.0 Introduction This scientific research is on the purpose of giving suggestion and solutions on the fresh water scarcity in Singapore. Apparently Singapore is lack of fresh water for the 4 million populations in total, since this country is a small island without any river, there are 14 artificial reservoirs, though.(Christine Lee, Sim Hwee Huang and Chang Chew Hung, 2003) In recent years, Singapore always devotes themselves to improve the technique of NE water, which is a strategy for manufacturing new water. Dragonfly lake is existed for the government official vision of city in the garden. This Gardens lake system is important for integrating ecological processes and function as a living system and capturing the water runoff within the gardens. (Aeration Industries International, 2015) Therefore, both increasing the water supply and decreasing the demand of fresh water is supposed to be the best option of solution to this problem. 2.0 Methodology Choosing the particular country as a respondent for this research is the first step to do. The country with water scarcity problems is the reason of Singapore is chosen. Research on the Singapores fresh water issues and understanding the current situation would be the initial mission that has to complete. After dealing with deciding the best solution, the other information such as where Singapore get their water supply, how they take action to decrease the demand of fresh water and what the governments enforcements are. Majorities of my research were done on the Internet and websites that are selected for this scientific research would more likely to be those with .gov or .edu, which represent academic websites with high reputations. Investigating the different solutions in the same number of websites and from different experts was considered to make sure the fairness of this topic. 3.0 Findings The key fresh water issues in Singapore are known as limited areas for water storage and long-term security of water. Currently, Singapore is concentrated on finding approaches for water supply. Malaysia is the biggest supplier of water supply for 40% to Singapore. (UKessays, 2015)Desalination is an important and potential strategy to expand the availability of water sources, which used to dissolve the salinity of the sea water in order to drink, and it can help to solve the problem because Singapore is a country surrounded by sea. However there are still many factors and effects should be considered seriously such as the first desalination plant was instituted at the cost of S$200 million in 1995, which is really a huge amount of money. NEwater is a three-stage process that built for producing better quality of water from wastewater in order to increase water supply controlled by an organization called Public Utilities Board (PUB). Singapore government also encourages private enterp rises to save water and establish more water-saved plants by factories to deal with the security of water.(Cercilia Tortajada, 2007) There are two figures under that include the statistic which fluctuates after the tariffs of water become more expensive.    Table1, Average Monthly Consumption and Bill of All Taxes       Reference: https://www.cscollege.gov.sg/Knowledge/Ethos/Issue%202%20Apr%202007/Pages/Water-Management-in-Singapore.aspx It is a table which shows the average monthly consumption of household and it has slightly decreased from 1995 to 2004. The monthly bill of all taxes is dropped a bit as well. Figure 1, Domestic Water Consumption Reference: https://www.cscollege.gov.sg/Knowledge/Ethos/Issue%202%20Apr%202007/Pages/Water-Management-in-Singapore.aspx The figure above shows the statistic of water consumption from 1995 to 2005 in Singapore. Obviously, the numbers have a stable decline as the price of water has increased, which means the enforcement of water recycle is successfully worked because people dont want to or cannot afford the expensive tariffs of water. 4.0 Discussion According to the findings, Singapore has put their efforts on both increasing the water supply and decreasing the demand of fresh water. If only spend time on one side, it will probably fluctuate the entire economy of the country. In addition, water problem is a chronic existence that occurred from the past to the future. Water supply and demand decreased will definitely be considered as the direction of solution consequently. The whole country all worries about the long-term protection of water. Therefore, they excessively focus on increase water availability, enhance water quality management, and lower the production and management price. Water supply from Malaysia is good but actually it is unreliable and not suitable to be a long-term plan if Malaysia doesnt have sufficient water to use one day. Even though both of NEwater and desalination are based on complex technology and cost much money, NEwater has the advantage of constant existence and improving the quality of water by rem oving the bacteria undoubtedly and desalination has several external factors that may influence its quality and safety. Moreover, if the government keeps making the tariff higher, it will definitely lose many of the consumers and affect the economy badly. As a result, NEwater will be supposed to be the proposed solution to the water scarcity problem.(Cercilia Tortajada, 2007) 5.0 Conclusions and Recommendations The NEwater is successfully worked for improving the quality of drinking water since 2000, and the expert panel also tested its safety in 2002. It can be easily found in the statistic of the treated wastewater amount from 2002 to 2004, which rose up from 1.315 to 1.369 million cubic meters per day.(Cercilia Tortajada, 2007) For the further study on this proposed solution, some other data such as how long the NEwater takes to make 1- cubic- meter water, where the wastewater is from, whether the water will generate some health problems and whether this process will create pollution to the environment can be suggested to support the feasibility of this solution. A limitation that occurred during the research is one of the articles was actually submitted by a student instead of a professional expert. Overall, the future plan of water management in the next couple years in Singapore is a suggested point that used for the further research to understand this topic clearly. References Cecilia Tortajada (2007), Water Management in Singapore, Civil Service College [online]. Available from: https://www.cscollege.gov.sg/Knowledge/Ethos/Issue%202%20Apr%202007/Pages/Water-Management-in-Singapore.aspx [Accessed 13th September 2016] Dealing with Water Scarcity in Singapore: Institutions, Strategies, and Enforcement (2006), Site Resources [online]. Available from: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/Resources/WRM_Singapore_experience_EN.pdf [Accessed 13th September 2016] https://www.ukessays.com/essays/environmental-sciences/the-issues-of-fresh-water-in-singapore-environmental-sciences-essay.php [Accessed 13th September 2016] Christine Lee, Sim Hwee Huang Chang Chew Hung (2003), Water In Singapore, HSSE [online]. Available from: http://www.hsse.nie.edu.sg/webquest/SSCC/water/water%20index.htm Singapore Gardens an Environmental Sustainability Showcase (2016), Aeration Industries International [online]. Available from:   http://www.aireo2.com/case-studies/singapore-gardens-an-environmental-sustainability-showcase/ Reference from: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTEAPREGTOPENVIRONMENT/Resources/WRM_Singapore_experience_EN.pdf

Play It as It Lays

The Victim And The Oppressors Play it as it lays, a novel written by Joan Didion is a great example of how life can overwhelm someone’s emotions. It is a story about an amateur actress whose life has had emotional changing experiences since she was young. Play it as it lays takes us on a journey with this young woman and her incapacitated life. The main character, Maria, finds herself aimlessly engaging in activities reluctantly due to the lack of control she has over her life. Maria’s family is one aspect of life she is detached from. Maria is separated from her husband Carter Lang. Together; they have one child named Kate. The fact that Maria and Carter are separated seems to evoke feelings of helplessness for Maria. She is left alone and resorts to memories for comfort. Feelings of vulnerability and constraint seem to be a reoccurring theme in her life. Maria has no control over Kate. Due to medical conditions from birth, Kate must be under constant medical supervision. Living under medical supervision is what is normal for Kate. As a result, Maria is left feeling dismal because there is nothing she can physically do to help her daughter. Maria has a sense of being in control when she drives the freeways. Maria drives the freeways everyday in the summer, with no intention of arriving anywhere. She can speed up or slow down as she likes and travel any direction she wants. Unless she is driving on the freeway by ten, Maria’s rhythm of the day will be thrown off. One day when she drives past her usual turning point, Maria drives too far and she is thrown of her normal schedule. On the way back from her drive, Maria encounters darkness and traffic. This is uncomfortable for Maria because she cannot drive as she wants and in turn loses her freedom. After that day she stops driving the freeway unless she needs it to get somewhere. The people involved in Maria’s social life control and deceit her. Maria is easily coerced in to situations. A major example is when a producer named BZ tells Maria he will take her to a party. Although Maria shows signs of hesitance, BZ uses ridicule to make her feel uncomfortable and reply with only, â€Å"I’ll see you at seven-thirty. † (Didion 16) In this situation, Maria is mocked directly and she does nothing to defend herself. Another leading example of oppression is when Carter tells Maria to get an abortion if she wants to keep Kate. Maria subjects her body to dangerous surgery performed by someone she does not know personally because of an ultimatum with Carter. Throughout this whole process Maria is the least in control of her own body. After being insulted, traumatized, and kept distant from her daughter we find Maria is the victim of oppressors in her life. Do you believe she is responsible for what happens to her? Maria’s passive attitude about life effectively leaves her not living energized. So she idly moves though tasks and commands from her family and friends. Work Cited Didion, Joan. Play It As It Lays. New York: Farrar, Staus, Giroux, 2005. Print

Ethical Theories in Business Environment

The Energy Corporation is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing to the community. Our organization is made of 400,000 members as I am a part of the board of directors. One of the directors has asked to address himself as a director of the Energy Corporation to personal potential clients. I have been asked to review this matter. Before giving the rest of the board a review I shall look into the perspectives of philosopher's theories on ethics.The first philosopher I will bring up is Emmanuel Kant. Kant was one of the most influential philosophers of western philosophy. In Cant's perspective, the sole feature that gives an action moral value is not the outcome that is attained by the act, but the cause that is behind the action. So in this case if the director is trying to make himself seem important or his actions benefit him more then the company then Kant wouldn't agree with this decision. His actions should be pure and for the best interest of everyone.When thinking abou t this situation we can discuss Practical Imperative. â€Å"Act to treat humanity, whether yourself or another, as an end-in-itself and never as a means. (Kant). Individuals or groups of people are not to be used unjustifiably in demand to acquire your goals or pursue an edge or unfair benefits. People have rights that shouldn't be violated. In other words Kant would ask, â€Å"Do my actions respect the goals of human beings rather than Just using them for my own purposes? † If not then it's not prohibited. Simply that using others for ones benefit is wrong.If the action is what is seems to be, then Kant would identify it as Hypothetical Imperative. The goal is not based on pure reason but based on desire. For example if someone wants to confident in a class hen they have to study hard. If this director wants to address himself as a director he has to earn that privilege. I believe that Kant would approve this action only if the action was not for the director's benefit in a ny way which seems difficult. A person with a different view will give his perspective on the situation and his view on ethics, this man is John Stuart Mill.John Stuart Mill was the most well-known and influential British moral philosopher of the nineteenth century. Mill concentrates on consequences of actions and not on rights or ethical opinions. Mill is known for his ethical theory of Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is explained by examining the outcomes of actions and comparing those decisions with what would have occurred if some other action had been performed. Mill believes that the measures of an action can evaluate agents not the act that is committed. Mill focuses on the Principle of Utility.Principle of Utility is defined as an action that can be allowable if and only if the consequences of that act are at least as moral as those of any other action existing to that agent. So relating this to the situation the director hasn't done any wrong because he may have the same goa ls as us. According to Mill if no other actions or decisions can be made then there is nothing wrong with the director's request. Mill states that everyone's happiness is taken into account, and given equal weight (SIS). Mill's theory describes that happiness is to be spread amongst many people.It seems that Mill is describing that when someone is making a decision that the decision should bring happiness and if it does then it is right. He believes there is no limitation on consequences. All of the happiness and unhappiness must be taken account in an action no matter how timely it can be. After listening and eating about Mill I believe that he would let the director have his way. For that reason I believe he wouldn't mind because he would think that his decision wouldn't cause unhappiness to others. After all, the director is helping the organization in the long run.We all have the same goals and are trying to achieve the same things. Thought we can't predict the consequences of e verything this seems to have minor unhappiness. A decision in this situation needs some moral reasoning. The perfect person for that is Lawrence Goldberg. Lawrence Goldberg born in the state of New York was known for his contribution to the stages of moral reasoning. The stages of moral reasoning consist of 3 levels which are Pre-conventional, Conventional, and Post-conventional. His studies suggest that overtime everyone progresses with their moral reasoning.Though people cannot Jump stages overtime they make their way to the later stages. So according to the studies from Goldberg adults should have a better grasp on moral reasoning. The theories show that adults have gone though some stages and should be able to make better decisions. The level Goldberg believes that society is in is second conventional stages. The first level is an attitude seeking to be approved by others. The second stage is one focused on abiding by the law and responding to the obligations of duty. So thinkin g about all of this in the current situation makes us think critically.If according to Goldberg we abide to our duties then requesting permission address oneself as the director of the organization is connecting to the duties. Goldberg would use his moral reasoning to understand the perspective of everything and find the good in the situation at hand. â€Å"At this level, the individual perceives the maintenance of the expectations of his family, group, or nation as valuable in its own right, regardless of immediate and obvious consequences† (Goldberg). Goldberg would believe that the decisions of each individual member of the board are for the best interest of the organization.Goldberg would allow the director to continue with his request because if the director is in a part of the chart of moral reasoning then his actions must be in the best interests of others. â€Å"Right action tends to be defined in terms of general individual rights and standards that have been critic ally examined and agreed upon by the whole society' (Goldberg). When we make decisions we want to make sure there is a Justice behind them. Maybe applying the Justice theory can help understand the situation. John Rails theory of Justice revolves around two fundamental principles.The first principle promises the right of each person to have the most general basic right agreed with the liberty of others. The second principle states that social and economic positions are to be to everyone's advantage and open to all. The Justice Theory focuses on what it sounds which is not to treat others unfair, the individual rights of others come before cooperate needs. Rails would say that we are in the Original Position. In this Original Position we are self-interested cantonal people that are motivated to select in a knowledgeable and progressive way for whatever seems beneficial for ourselves.Leading to the Difference Principle which is described as â€Å"Social and economic inequalities shou ld be arranged so that they are both, to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged persons, and attached to offices and positions open to all under conditions of equality of opportunity'(Rails). The Difference Principle means that society may start projects that require giving curtain people more power. Though this can only happen if two conditions are met. The first Ewing that the project has to improve the lives for the people who are now worst off.For example raising the standards to live so the less advantaged are better off. Second, access to the advantaged positions is not blocked by discrimination according to immaterial standards. So after discussing the Justice Theory it seems that in certain situations giving power to others is appropriate. In doing this everyone else's rights are not being taken away. In the long run the decision to let the director to continue with his request will indeed benefit the organization in the end. It is in this certain situation that all of the conditions are met. Justice is happiness according to virtue† (Rails).Justice will bring happiness to others and everyone around it. As human beings we all have rights. Rights to life, a right to choose, a right to vote, to work, to be free. Rights are entitlements in which we can perform certain actions. Talking about this is all leading to the Rights Theory. We are all people and we have rights. If others affect our rights then things are unethical and can be illegal. â€Å"Rights structure the form of governments, the content of laws, and the shape of morality as it is currently perceived† (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2014).In accepting our rights we accept our freedoms. Having a right is the ability to determine what others may and or may not do and to exercise authority over certain aspects of situations. The use of authority can be exercised as long as no rights are being violated. Maybe the director is using his authority in his request in speaking with the personal potential client? The director has a right to make his request from his position. No one can take away that right from him. If his request does impact the rights of another person then the request is not allowed and is unethical.Everyone has rights and so does the organization. A person who says to another ‘l have a right to do it' is not saying that it is not wrong to do it. He is claiming that the other has a duty not to interfere† (Razz, 1994). I feel this quote can open doors to the situation. It says that you may have the right to do something which is k but can confuse if the act is wrongful to others. The director does have a right to say he is a director of the organization because he is a human being and its part of his natural rights as a person of the company. Yes it is his right but is it ethically right?It only takes one person to make something ethically or morally wrong. If none of the other directors in the organization have a problem wi th the situation then it can be considered ethically acceptable. All of these theories have a lot of ideas and beliefs. I believe after reading about all of the theories about ethics and moral reasoning it gives insight and enlightenment on many situations in the business community. It is easy to make a quick decision and settle with it. As fast as the decision may be it could be making a mistake even faster. All of these theories force different perspectives.Kant would approve this action only if the action was not for the director's benefit in any ay which could seem difficult. It's one thing if it was a regular business but the fact that the organization is non-profit changes things. It changes people's perspective about the business. Non-profit does what's best for the community. I believe Kant would approve of the request. I believe Mill wouldn't mind this request because he would think that his decision wouldn't cause unhappiness to others. If it did cause any it isn't enough to outweigh the good from it. The directors' request will help the organization in the long run.Goldberg would believe in moral reasoning to guide the road of directors to make the right decisions for the organization. The Justice Theory would allow the request because sometimes it allows an individual power for the greater good. Finally though the Rights Theory everything would be allowed as long as no rights are violated. So after all of the theories I hope that all of you can follow my ideas. I find that the request is for the best of the organization. Ethically the cause behind the request outweighs the bad. We are a non-profit organization and we are made of many people and that is hard to miss.We all have the same goals and ideas or bettering the community. This response describes to everyone why the request should be allowed.

The Chamberlain Kahn Act And Its Effect On Society

Ultimately, the War Department punished 15,520 infected women, whereas none of the male soldiers who patronized these suspected prostitutes were arrested. The women were either jailed, quarantined in barbed wired work camps or with the â€Å"feebleminded,† or sent to reform schools. Ironically, many of the buildings of these reformatories and detention homes had formerly been brothels that were abandoned after the red-light districts were shut down. Prior to 1917, only Indiana state law defined and prohibited prostitution. However, the Chamberlain-Kahn Act had a chilling effect and ten states added prostitution-specific laws in 1918. Consequently, all but a few states added those laws by 1920. However, state prostitution laws again imposed the issue of overbearing governmental power, just like with the Mann Act. Indiana, along with some other states, specifically banned commercialized sex, but the language also included promiscuity or â€Å"indiscriminate sexual intercourse without hire.† Likewise, an Alabama ruling in 1920 came to a similar conclusion that a prostitute was a â€Å"loose woman or strumpet† and that obviously was open to wide interpretation. Additional laws were created with the intention of curbing prostitution, including bans on mixed-sex drinking in saloons and the requirement of an escort for women entering into bars. In the 1920s, it quickly became increasingly unmistakable that the Progressives’ â€Å"Noble Experiment† with the prohibition of alcohol had failed.Show MoreRelatedPublic Health Measures Against Venereal Disease of the Early Twentieth Century2017 Words   |  9 PagesAlso, dancehalls became a popular location for young people, who would engage in sexual activity after meeting in these locations (Lord 426). The first effort to stop the spread of venereal disease was the passing of the Chamberlain-Kahn Act by Congress in July of 1918. This Act established the Division of Venereal Disease under the Public Health Service, and appropriated $2 million to the task of fighting venereal disease. The Public Health Service regarded educational campaigns as their most important