4.6 Green Technology and Life

Global Warming, Climate Change and Carbon Footprint

• Rapid progress that disregards the surrounding natural environment intensifies global warming and sudden climate change.
• Daily human activities increase the carbon footprint.
• A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas, namely carbon dioxide, released from human activities such as:
  • vehicle exhaust;
  • open burning; and
  • burning fossil fuels.
• The carbon-footprint diagram links carbon dioxide emissions with water, fume emissions, fuel, electricity, transportation, gas, waste, recycling and carbon offset.
• Applying Green Technology in daily life reduces carbon dioxide released into the environment and thus reduces the carbon footprint.

Role of Individuals

• Save electricity:
  • switch off electrical appliances when not in use;
  • set air conditioners at 24°C–25°C; and
  • choose energy-efficient electrical appliances.
• Reduce waste:
  • minimise paper use and reuse used paper;
  • prepare food according to need to prevent wastage;
  • separate household waste; and
  • practise Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recovery (5R).
• Choose green transportation:
  • walk or cycle;
  • use public transportation or green vehicles; and
  • support renewable and more environmentally friendly fuels.
• Protect agriculture and forests:
  • avoid open burning;
  • turn agricultural waste into compost; and
  • support tree replanting and conservation of forest resources.
• Use renewable energy where applicable to reduce fossil-fuel combustion.
• Collective individual action lowers carbon dioxide emissions, helps address global warming and climate change, and preserves environmental sustainability for future generations.

STEM Awareness Campaign

• Aim: conduct an online awareness campaign on ways to address global warming and climate change.
• Core message:
  • global warming and climate change require serious attention;
  • these phenomena cause extreme effects on Earth; and
  • knowledge of Green Technology must be applied to preserve the environment for future generations.
• Process:
  1. Work in a group to examine the issue.
  2. Find relevant information in scientific magazines or websites.
  3. Design an online awareness campaign for sustainable life on Earth.

Core relationship

Green Technology practices → reduced carbon dioxide emissions → smaller carbon footprint → reduced global warming and climate change → environmental sustainability for future generations.