Stop releasing balloons, stop killing the defenceless

Posted to Letters to Editor, Monash Weekly 3/4/2011
Stop releasing balloons, stop killing the defenceless

On Saturday, 2 April 2011, many balloons were released at St Kilda to mark the autism week. This also marks the death of many defenceless animals and marine lives. Why?

These people are no different from many who release hundreds of balloons in "celebrating life" (for the deceased) events at funerals.

It is important to understand that once the helium gas has escaped from the balloons, they will fall into the rivers, streams, paddocks, etc. and pollute the environment and suffocate birds, small animals and marine lives.

Stop releasing balloons, stop pollution NOW!

Climate change / Global warming

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 31/1/2011
Title: Climate Change / Global Warming

Our life span is not that long, so we don't really know whether this is a regular phenomenon.

One thing I am sure of, Earth / ocean warming is due to the trillions of joules of Sun energy pouring onto the Earth each day, which is absorbed by the ocean.

Don't let idiots spread the rumours that the dinosaur's farts, shits or burps emitted enough carbon dioxide or methane gas to cause atmospheric pollution resulting in Ice Age!

We have to accept the fact the temperatures will rise with time, and we must learn to adapt to the environmental changes. If we fail to recognise the importance of living with prevalent conditions, we will experience the same consequence as what had happened to the dinosaurs. On the contrary, if we are smart, we will live forever more like the insects.

Think about it, before the next raindrop falls

Posted to Letters to the Editor, Monash Weekly 30/1/2011
Think about it, before the next raindrop falls

Many new residential blocks are small, and the house, drive way and garage occupy most of the land, leaving very little room for plants.

Although earlier subdivided land sizes are bigger, many people have turned the non build-up areas into rock gardens or concreted outdoor area due to busy life style. Rain is not absorbed, and goes down to the drain literally.

With fewer plants, absorption of carbon dioxide is reduced, and in the meantime, emission of oxygen is reduced as well.

Ban external heaters outside cafes

Posted to Your News, Waverley Leader on 25/11/2009 at 2:35 AM
Ban external heaters outside cafes
http://waverley-leader.whereilive.com.au/your-news/story/ban-external-heaters-outside-cafes/

The outdoor heaters mounted on the “ceiling” or on a stand are wasteful of valuable energy. A lot of the heat is loss to heating up space not to the benefit of the customers and the pockets of the busines owners. At times, heaters are not turned off even when there were no customers. Let’s be serious about protecting our environment and slowly down climate change, ban the use of outdoor heaters. Customers should wear the proper clothing, and don’t be an idiot to eat in the cold!

City Alfresco Style Dining

Posted to Your News, Waverley Leader on 10/5/2009
City Alfresco Style Dining
http://waverley-leader.whereilive.com.au/your-news/story/city-alfreco-style-dining/

Many cafes extend their trading floor space to the side walk. The furniture occupies area, thus narrowing the walk way. On very busy sunny days, this hinders free flow of pedestrian traffic, and may post a safety problem.

While the side-walk Alfresco-style dining may give the city a touch of European atmosphere, the negatives may outweigh the positive. Most diners are considerate, but some leave unsightly mess of used bags, bottles, containers and cigarette butts.

Side-walk diners, like many people, are concerned about the air quality they breathe, and yet they are quite contented to sit next to busy roads where unhealthy exhaust fumes are continuously emitting from motor vehicles. If the diners are smokers, they will suck in double dose of carcinogens – the tar and the exhaust particles.

Diners who choose to dine outside on very cold days should wear appropriate attire instead of using external gas heaters installed by the business owners. Most of the heat is wasted in warming up the open air, and only small proportion benefits the diners. Such inconsideration reflects on the naivety and hypocrisy of the diners on climate change and global warming argument.

I would like to call upon all authorities to ban the use of external heating devices, unless for emergency purposes, in the name of energy conservation, climate change minimisation and being a good global citizen.