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Physical activities within teens - What SG and other countries are doing to increase the number of youths to hit activity target

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Physical activities within teens - What SG and other countries are doing to increase the number of youths to hit activity target

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(L3): Country

Singapore scored C- for overall physical activity – not quite meeting the global recommendation of at least 60 minutes on average of moderate to vigorous exercise per day.

In 2021 and 2022, KKH launched 24-hour activity guidelines for children and adolescents, as well as infants and pre-schoolers, which aim to encourage healthy lifestyles.

(L4): Global - Finland

Finland has a national research-based programme which promotes physical activity in schools and ensures children remain active throughout the day. More than 90 per cent of Finnish schools are part of the initiative.

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Over half of kids, teens in S'pore do not hit physical activity targets: Study

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Singapore scored C- for overall physical activity in a study of 57 countries. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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(L3) : Country

Article :

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/600-students-in-their-40s-graduate-from-polytechnics-woman-59-moves-from-banking-to-education

Keypoints :

About 25,000 students graduated from polytechnics in 2024, from full-time and part-time diploma courses. 600 graduates were above the age of 40, said the Ministry of Education (MOE).

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600 students in their 40s graduate from polytechnics; woman, 59, moves from banking to education

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The number of graduates in this age group has remained consistent over the past few years, MOE said. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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(L3) : Country

Article:

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/victims-turning-to-the-court-to-stop-harassment-such-as-cyber-bullying-and-doxxing

Keypoints:

In 2023, there were 526 protection orders filed with the Protection from Harassment Court, a slight increase from the 520 such orders filed in 2022.

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Victims turning to the court to stop harassment such as cyber bullying and doxxing

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There were 526 protection orders filed with the Protection from Harassment Court in 2023. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Technology and how it contributes to the rise in scams

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Technology and how it contributes to the rise in scams

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(L3) : Country

Article:

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/victims-have-lost-67m-in-78-reports-of-tech-support-scams-since-january

keypoints :

Victims have lost at least $6.7 million in at least 78 reports of technical support scams since the start of 2024, the police said.

scammers would instruct victims to access websites or download software that would grant scammers remote access to their devices

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Victims have lost $6.7m in 78 reports of tech support scams since start of 2024

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Victims would receive pop-ups on their computers claiming that their devices had been compromised. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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(L3): My country

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/business/alaska-glaciers-may-hit-irreversible-melting-point-sooner-expected-study-finds-4452401

Glaciers in the Juneau Icefield in southeastern Alaska are melting at a faster rate than previously thought and may reach an irreversible tipping point sooner than expected, according to a study published on Tuesday.

As the glacier thins and ice retreats to lower levels and warmer air, this will prevent further glacier regrowth.

In the study, published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers found that the icefield's volume shrank between 2010 and 2020 at twice the yearly rate recorded from 1979 to 2010.

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(L3) My country

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/plastic-bags-supermarkets-sustainable-practices-awareness-4458731

Key highlights: In July 2023, large supermarket chains were required to start charging at least 5 cents for each plastic bag at checkout. Since then, plastic bag usage has decreased drastically. However, there are still parts where plastic bag demand has remained the same, if not increased.

It takes time for mindsets to change, especially since it takes a year for a habit to change. Despite this, Singaporeansare trying to take action to bring their own bags to plan in advance.

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ AI on the Art industry + impacts

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ AI on the Art industry + impacts

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(L4): Global

ARticle: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2023/jan/23/its-the-opposite-of-art-why-illustrators-are-furious-about-ai

Key takeaways :

“As AI continues to advance, there is a risk that it may be able to synthesise images of inappropriate or illegal subjects based on existing content. In response to this, we have swiftly adapted our tools to prohibit the generation of any inappropriate or illegal content, including nude images of children and NSFW material. We are committed to ensuring the responsible and ethical use of our image-generating service.”

1. From the above quote, poses a threat to children ---> because children mau be exposed to explict contend

2. AI image generation has the potential to do away with smaller jobs that up-and-coming artists often rely on to build up portfolios ---> bye bye jobs

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'Woman reading book, under a night sky, dreamy atmosphere," I type into Deep Dream Generator's Text 2 Dream feature. In less than a minute, an image is returned to me showing what I've described. Welcome to the world of AI image generation, where you can create what on the surface looks like top-notch artwork using just a few text prompts, even if in reality your skills don't go beyond drawing stick figures.

AI image generation seems to be everywhere: on TikTok, the popular AI Manga filter shows you what you look like in the Japanese comic style, while people in their droves are using it to create images for everything from company logos to picture books. It's already been used by one major publisher: sci-fi imprint Tor discovered that a cover it had created had used a licensed image created by AI, but decided to go ahead anyway "due to production constraints".

The biggest players in AI include companies such as MidJourney, Stable Diffusion and Deep Dream Generator (DDG). They're free to use, up to a point, making them attractive to those just wanting to try them out. There's no denying that they're fun, but closer examination of the images they produce shows oddities. The face of the woman in my image has very odd features, and appears to be holding multiple books. The images also have a similarly polished, somewhat kitsch aesthetic. And, while there's an initial thrill at seeing an image appear, there's no creative satisfaction.

'It's nonsense' ... Rob Biddulph in his studio

The implications of AI image generation are far-reaching and could impact everything from film to graphic novels and more. Children's illustrators were quick to raise concerns about the technology on social media. Among them is author and illustrator Rob Biddulph, who says that AI-generated art "is the exact opposite of what I believe art to be. Fundamentally, I have always felt that art is all about translating something that you feel internally into something that exists externally. Whatever form it takes, be it a sculpture, a piece of music, a piece of writing, a performance, or an image, true art is about the creative process much more than it's about the final piece. And simply pressing a button to generate an image is not a creative process."

Beyond creativity, there are deeper issues. An online campaign - #NotoAIArt - has seen artists sharing concerns about the legality of AI image generators, and about how they have the potential to devalue the skill of illustration. To create images from prompts, AI generators rely on databases of already existing art and text. These comprise billions of images that have been scraped from the internet. Among the biggest is the open-source LAION-5B dataset, used by DDG's Text 2 Dream. Kaloyan Chernev, founder of DDG, says that the dataset comprises "largely public domain images sourced from the internet", but many artists and illustrators say that databases will often also include a lot of copyrighted images.

Harry Woodgate, author and illustrator of Grandad's Camper, which won the Waterstones 2022 picturebook prize, says: "These programs rely entirely on the pirated intellectual property of countless working artists, photographers, illustrators and other rights holders." It's a point echoed by illustrator Anoosha Syed: "AI doesn't look at art and create its own. It samples everyone's then mashes it into something else."

The real thing ... Dapo Adeola's debut Hey you!

While prompts to image generators can be very general, they can also ask for an image to be based on the work of another artist, further blurring ethical boundaries. Syed says that this could lead to the creation of images "that are intentionally meant to mimic my style" or that of other artists, without their consent. There is an argument that AI generators work no differently to humans when it comes to being influenced by others' work, but Biddulph says: "A human artist is also adding emotion and nuance into the mix, and memory - specifically, its failings."

He adds: "If I'm making a painting and decide it should be Hockney-esque, I'm not going to trawl the internet for millions of Hockney-esque images, work out exactly what traits makes these images Hockney-esque, then apply them to my picture, systematically and with forensic accuracy. I'm going to think, 'I like the way Hockney juxtaposed blocks of purple, green and ochre in that painting of a field I saw at the National Gallery.' And then I'll attempt to add that into my picture. Inevitably, I'll misremember it, and will probably end up creating something that bears a faint resemblance to something Hockney once painted, but in my own style."

AI doesn't look at art and create its own. It samples everyone's - then mashes it into something else

Syed agrees, saying "another human will never look at an image the exact same way the original artist did. They will never move their hands the way the original artist did. AI doesn't do the same - it can only copy." When a human artist does "mimic a style, or pass off a piece of artwork as their own, it is incredibly frowned upon - and in some cases could be seen as copyright infringement. This is essentially what AI art is doing."

Chernev says he recognises the "complex ethical considerations surrounding the use of non-public domain images and the potential impact on artists whose work is used in the training of AI tools like ours". But there's a more insidious danger: the ability to create images that are potentially illegal. Chernev admits that during the initial launch of Text 2 Dream, people tried to "generate images of nude children, despite the fact that no such images were present in the training dataset".

He adds: "As AI continues to advance, there is a risk that it may be able to synthesise images of inappropriate or illegal subjects based on existing content. In response to this, we have swiftly adapted our tools to prohibit the generation of any inappropriate or illegal content, including nude images of children and NSFW material. We are committed to ensuring the responsible and ethical use of our image-generating service."

Although Chernev says DDG reported the incidents to authorities, as a whole AI image generation is unregulated, something artists are quick to point out. Both Woodgate and Dapo Adeola, who won Illustrator of the Year at the 2022 British book awards, would like to see more regulation. "A welcome first step," says Woodgate, "would be to scrap the UK government's proposed copyright exception, allowing text and data mining for any commercial purpose, and instead advocate for opt-in licence-based models." That way, Woodgate adds, any future databases would be created using voluntary contributions that are properly paid for.

Adeola agrees, saying the "simplest thing is getting permissions from the artists to use their work" along with a fee. Chernev says DDG does take on board requests from artists who want to be excluded from their system, but the "asking forgiveness, not permission" model is not one that sits well with Adeola, who says seeking permission "should have been the first stage".

In his own style ... an illustration by Rob Biddulph

Although children's book illustration will, say artists, remain largely unaffected, AI image generation has the potential to do away with smaller jobs that up-and-coming artists often rely on to build up portfolios. Syed says that for things such as fan-art, self-published books, logos and family portraits, people may turn to AI. "These clients will usually care more about saving money than the quality of the finished product," she says. "They will prefer to use AI if it means keeping costs low. So a lot of these small jobs will vanish."

The increasing use of AI, says Adeola, will also lead to a devaluing of the work of artists. "For me," he says, "there's already a negative bias towards the creative industry. Something like this reinforces an argument that what we do is easy and we shouldn't be able to earn the money we command." Biddulph goes further. "There's no question that AI-generated art devalues illustration," he says. "People will, of course, begin to think that their 'work' is as valid as that created by someone who has spent a career making art. It's nonsense, of course. I can use my iPhone to take a nice picture of my daughters, but I'm not Irving Penn."

For the moment, AI image generation is largely being used for fun, but Chernev says it's "rapidly approaching a level of sophistication and complexity that will allow it to generate highly realistic and nuanced images. I am convinced AI-generated content has the potential to not only enhance the work of artists and designers, but also to enable the creation of entirely new forms of art and expression."

Artists and illustrators aren't so sure. "AI-generated art has a specific 'look' to it," says Syed. "As time goes on, users will become more attuned to it and start to turn away from it because of its inauthenticity and 'cheapness'. I also think that, in response to AI, we might even see a reemergence and appreciation of traditional media."

What's more, illustrators firmly believe their most honest critics and biggest fans - children and young people - won't be convinced by AI art. "Children's books are highly complex, multimodal forms of communication," says Woodgate. "The kids who read them expect a great deal, not only from the stories and illustrations, but from the people who make them."

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'It's the opposite of art': why illustrators are furious about AI

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AI art generators may provide five minutes of fun for most users, but the blurring of creative and ethical boundaries is leaving many artists raging against the machine

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Social media and its negative impacts

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Social media and its negative impacts

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(L3): My Country

Article :

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/big-read-teenagers-social-media-addiction-cost-mental-health-3647121

Key Highlights:

1. Sucidie related to use of social media ---> social media "normalises" self inflicted harm + extreme inappropreiate contend

2. addiction leading to very violent behaviour ---> 17 year old addcited for 3 years. Pushed mother out of the house becasue she offed the wi-fi

3. the young are extremely vulnurable to be influenced ----> decision-making ability, impulse control and judgement are still being developed, excessive social media use could impact their brain development and potentially lead to long-term cognitive and emotional consequences

4. doom-scrolling ---> lead to addiction issues, as adolescents’ developing brains are particularly vulnerable to impulsive, dopamine-driven feedback loops

5. May lead to other addcictions ---> transference of the addiction from one substance or habit to another, such as alcohol, substances or gambling. This is beacasue addiction is usually a form of maladaptive coping. Until they find healthy coping skills, they are likely to fall into different types of addiction as they experience more stressors in life.

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In May, the United States' top health official issued a warning about the "profound risk of harm" that social media could have on children and adolescents' mental health and well-being

Teenagers and youths interviewed by TODAY speak of how social media addiction has negatively affected their lives and emotions, though most have not stopped using it completely

While studies have drawn correlations between excessive social media use and a negative impact on children and youths' mental health, more research is needed to conclusively establish its causal direction and full effects, say experts

They also told TODAY that social media addiction is currently not recognised as a mental health disorder, which could impede the consistency of its terminology, choice of diagnostic tools used and recommendations on treatment

Ultimately, experts, parents and youths acknowledge that social media exposure is inevitable in this age, adding that it is important to help the young understand how to use social media in moderation and within boundaries

Eventually, with her encouragement, Josiah sought professional help last year through a boxing and group therapy programme organised by youth-based non-profit organisation Impart, after being addicted for almost three years.

The three teenagers' experiences echo the findings of studies around the world on the detrimental impact that social media could have on one's mental health.

TODAY's Big Read had previously reported about youths' chase for "likes" on social media and the dangers it poses.

Last year, Singapore saw its highest number of suicide rates since 2000, with the greatest number of deaths being among young people aged 20 to 29, the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) said in June.

For those aged 10 to 29, suicide remained the leading cause of death for the fourth consecutive year, constituting more than one-third (33.6 per cent) of all deaths within this group. Suicide deaths also rose from 112 in 2021 to 125 in 2022, among this group.

While there are no local studies conclusively linking social media use with suicide, United States research psychologist Jean Twenge argues that there is an indisputable connection between the rise of smartphones and social media and a decline in teen mental health globally.

In May, the US' top health official, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, also issued a stark warning to parents, tech companies and regulators, saying that evidence is growing about how social media use could have a "profound risk of harm" on children and adolescents' mental health and well-being.

While acknowledging the benefits of social media, Dr Murthy noted that it also contains "extreme, inappropriate and harmful content" which could "normalise" self-harm and suicide.

It could also perpetuate body dissatisfaction, eating disorders and depression and expose children to online bullying while they are still undergoing a critical stage in brain development, Dr Murthy warned in his report.

WHY THE YOUNG ARE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE

Children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the effects of social media addiction, experts told TODAY.

Ms Ranjini Veerappan, a certified addiction specialist at Holistic Psychotherapy Centre, said that a child's brain is still maturing and rapidly developing until they are about 25 years old.

As their decision-making ability, impulse control and judgement are still being developed, excessive social media use could impact their brain development and potentially lead to long-term cognitive and emotional consequences, she said.

Given their age, they may also have limited coping skills to manage difficult situations that may arise in the digital world, which could affect their mental health, Ms Veerappan added.

Ms Julianna Pang, an addictions therapist from Visions by Promises, the addictions treatment arm of Promises Healthcare, said research has shown that adolescent brains between the ages of 10 and 19 show an increased sensitivity to social cues and rewards.

"Pre-teens between 10 and 12 are particularly vulnerable to the need for the attention and admiration of others," she added.

Ms Jeanette Houmayune, a professional counsellor and family therapist at Talk Your Heart Out, noted that children and youths' constant comparison of their body image, lifestyle and social life with those of their friends on social media platforms could impact their self-esteem.

"LEFT OUT" IF NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Most of the nine teenagers, aged 13 to 18, whom TODAY spoke to acknowledged that being on social media has affected their mental health in varying ways - from skewing their perceptions of beauty, to reducing their attention span, self-esteem and ability to process emotions.

Only one teenager, 16-year-old Natalie Tan, said that she does not have any social media presence to begin with - though it was not a personal choice, but one mandated by her parents.

"We're all at the age where (with) our hormones and everything, we're very prone to comparing ourselves to other people - in the sense that I already compare myself to others in real life, there's no need for me to compare myself to other people whom I don't even know online," said Natalie.

She added that she had seen how her peers compared themselves to images of "women with perfect bodies" on social media.

While not being on social media has been healthy for her in a way, it does make her feel like she is missing out on some things at times.

Natalie said that a lot of conversation topics discussed by her friends tend to start from things they have seen online.

"Because of that, I don't know what they are talking about, so sometimes I feel a bit left out. I can only sit there and nod, but I have no idea what's going on."

For Nadheeruddin, because he uses social media to "check on what's happening", he worries that he might become "clueless" if he stops using it completely.

Dr Jeremy Sng, a lecturer at Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) School of Social Sciences, said: "Many studies have claimed to find links between social media use and mental health issues, but the causal direction of these studies is actually unclear."

It is important to also consider the study's methodology, as correlation does not always mean causation, he said.

"The effects of social media are very difficult to disentangle, because it's not that we are only using social media.

"We are also doing a lot of other things - we are going to school, we're dealing with family, relationships and all that. So it's difficult to pinpoint that something has happened solely because of social media."

Dr Loh from Promises Healthcare added: "For social media, it has been around for barely past a decade, so we are still trying to understand downstream implications."

Signs of a social media addict

When does social media consumption morph into social media addiction?

To this, Ms Jane Goh, deputy director of creative and youth services at the Singapore Association for Mental Health, said: "As a simple rule of thumb, if you find yourself constantly refreshing your social media applications and chasing validation and likes online, or posting to garner attention, then it could be time to reevaluate your social media habits."

Experts also say that the long hours spent on Instagram, TikTok and the like may not necessarily be a sign of such an addiction. Instead, a good gauge of whether one's social media use has become problematic is when it starts to displace other activities.

"Healthy social media use may look different for each person," said Ms Leong from Sofia Wellness Clinic.

"Before I would call any behaviour an 'addiction', I look at three different factors - tolerance, dependency and dysfunction," she said.

Dr Ong of IMH added that for symptoms to be pathological, it must affect the person's daily functioning, which could include avoiding school, giving up social gatherings, or experiencing mood swings.

"When all these things break down, that is when it's a sign that it's more than just a hobby. It's a sign of an addiction.

"If a young person spends many hours on social media but still makes time to meet friends and have perfect relationships, including doing well in school, eating well and sleeping well, then in the eyes of the person and the clinician, it might not be considered a problem," he said.

Mr Mark Rozario, a clinical psychologist at Mind What Matters, added that while the disruption of one's daily routine or schedule can be a clear sign of risk, another signal is if one is also spending more time on social media than initially planned.

"Youths may not identify it themselves, so it could also be their peers, siblings, (or) close ones who point it out," he added.

Regardless, addiction is a progressive illness with increasing severity of symptoms, said Ms Pang of Visions by Promises.

"Instead of focusing on whether or not there is an addiction before seeking help, early intervention is encouraged. In this regard, it would be helpful to look for signs of mood changes, changes in self-care habits, or difficulty in self-regulation when there is an interruption to use," she added.

"EMPOWERING" YOUTHS TO ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES

Since there is no escaping from a rapidly digitalising world, parents, professionals, policymakers and social media companies alike will have to navigate the myriad challenges, alongside children and youths' exposure to, and use of, the various platforms, experts told TODAY.

To protect Singaporeans from harmful online content, Parliament passed a law in November which empowers the authorities to issue directions to online communication services to ensure local users are protected from content such as sexual violence and terrorism.

Providers who fail to comply with these directions could be subjected to fines of up to S$1 million (US$750,000).

To minimise the damage that social media could do to young people, Dr Murthy, the US Surgeon General, said in his report that parents and caregivers can create a family media plan which sets technology boundaries at home, create tech-free zones and report problematic content and activity.

Ms Jane Goh, deputy director of creative and youth services at the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH), said that educating the young on social media use would be the way to go.

"While preventing the use of social media would seem like a simple solution, it would also create a feeling of isolation from their peers, creating a feeling of Fear Of Missing Out (Fomo)," said Ms Goh, echoing the sentiments of youths like Nadheeruddin and Natalie.

Agreeing, Ms Nicole Pang, who is head of mental health care at Impart, said that managing social media use is not solely about limiting the amount of time spent, but in empowering youths to establish their boundaries and make active decisions on the kind of content they would like to engage in or not interact with.

Rebecca's father, Mr Kui Tuck Meng, 62, said: "We are at the age where we need to allow our children to use all these social media for their social interactions, which have their good side, as long as they are able to control its usage and are discerning to access and avoid bad social media postings."

In turn, Rebecca said that teens like herself are still forming their world view and will require some form of guidance.

"Hence, although I think we're capable of managing our social media usage, parents should still check in and remind their children to strike a balance between social media and their offline lives."

Mr Brucely Christopher Edison, who has two sons aged 18 and 20, noted that with mobile phones becoming a necessity, it is hard to control what children use them for.

"For me, I think it's almost virtually impossible to control them, because the moment you give them a phone, it's an open channel and they are able to set up (social media) accounts," said the 49-year-old business-owner.

He added that if parents were aware of what their children did on social media, they would be able to pick up on instances when their children were influenced and "bring them back".

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The Big Read: Teenagers hooked on social media - what's the cost to their mental health?

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SINGAPORE: Fourteen-year-old student Nadheeruddin Tajuddin spends about four to five hours a day on social media, sometimes until the wee hours of the morning, which leaves him waking up the next day feeling "not that great". At times, he even finds himself getting dizzy or sick after consecutive weeks

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(L3): My Country

Article : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/new-social-compact-key-shifts-education-meritocracy-seniors-lawrence-wong-3422931

Key highlights:

"Many feel caught in a rat race from a young age – under pressure to get the best grades, get into what they perceive to be the best schools, so they can get the best university places,"

Redifining sucess ----> want to give Singaporeans who graduate from ITE and polytechnics stronger assurance: That their wages and career prospects will not be too far below their university-going peers

targeted remployment scheme ----> there has been a shift from social assistance to social empowerment.

EXAMPLE : An example is the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which helps lower-income families buy a home of their own. Mr Wong said that Singapore wants to expand this approach to more forms of social support — to provide additional financial help to families who help themselves, such as by staying employed and sending their children to preschool regularly.

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On education, Mr Wong said that he hopes all will be serious about refreshing their mindsets about schools and grades.

"It's not possible to change something that has become so ingrained in our nature by government decree. We must be the change we want to see in our society," he said.

He urged Singaporeans to give themselves and their children more breathing space to discover and develop their talents and to maximise their potential. To this end, Singapore has slayed some sacred cows including PSLE T-scores and replaced streaming with full subject-based banding, he said.

"We hope these moves will go some way to remove the stressors in our education system. But more importantly, we hope they will signal to all in society that we are serious about refreshing our system."

Singapore's refreshed meritocracy must also be a continuous one, with learning opportunities, milestones and ladders at multiple junctures, he said.

"Some other nations aspire to create a welfare society, from cradle to grave. We will aspire to create in Singapore a full-fledged learning society - from cradle to grave."

A NEW DEFINITION OF SUCCESS

Mr Wong said that as a society, the definitions of success here tend to "converge around material definitions", such as the size of one's paycheck or property.

"How can we shift our lens, and collectively adopt and embrace wider definitions of success?" he asked. "We should strive to be a meritocracy where everyone can be the best possible version of themselves."

Mr Wong said that mindset shifts are necessary but not enough, and the country's economic structures, remuneration and career prospects in various professions must change, so that the wage gap across professions can be narrowed.

"More broadly, we also want to give Singaporeans who graduate from ITE and polytechnics stronger assurance: That their wages and career prospects will not be too far below their university-going peers, and will not be permanently conscribed to be below," he said.

"They don't have to succumb to a paper chase to secure a good salary and a viable career path."

He appealed to all Singaporeans that for a new definition of success to become a reality, consumers must be willing to bear a higher cost for goods and services.

"We must recognise the important work that our fellow citizens undertake to keep our society going, and do our part to uplift and boost their wage prospects," he said.

"All will gain when even the most vulnerable among us become better off. We will become a better people, a more just and more equal society."

TARGETED RE-EMPLOYMENT SCHEME

Mr Wong said that in an uncertain world, Singapore needs to relook its approach to social support so that both the broad middle and the vulnerable can meet their needs in life and will not be left behind.

For the vulnerable, there has been a shift from social assistance to social empowerment, he said.

"We want not only to help people to tide through difficulty, but also to boost their sense of drive and purpose, and strengthen their sense of agency and ownership over their own circumstances."

An example is the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, which helps lower-income families buy a home of their own. Mr Wong said that Singapore wants to expand this approach to more forms of social support - to provide additional financial help to families who help themselves, such as by staying employed and sending their children to preschool regularly.

"The more a family takes ownership of their goals, the more we will help you to reach even higher - a mutually reinforcing, virtuous circle," he said.

For people with disabilities, Mr Wong promised to do more to alleviate the impediments they face, reduce the financial burden on parents of children attending special education schools and care centres and enable them to contribute to society.

"The onus is on all of us to find ways to affirm the dignity of our differently-abled fellow citizens and enable them to realise their full potential," he said.

For all Singaporeans, he promised that the government will continue to deliver on the basic needs of housing, education and healthcare.

The government will consider doing more to support displaced workers, he said, through a targeted re-employment scheme that will reduce the strain on them to make ends meet, while still encouraging them to continue with training and job search.

"We intend to make this shift in our social strategy so every Singaporean can be confident: in this harsh, unpredictable world, we will have your back, and we will support you. We will cheer you on, so you can strive to achieve, do your best, and bounce back stronger," said Mr Wong.

CARING FOR SENIORS, COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY

With one in four Singaporeans above 65 by 2030, another urgent need is to care for the growing number of seniors in a sustainable way.

Healthier SG is one such scheme to shift from treating illnesses to promoting health, thus reducing the need for medical care and hospitalisation.

To help seniors age in place, Singapore will also invest in its infrastructure to build more community care apartments, expand the network of active ageing centres, improve access to home-based care services and work with community partners to prevent loneliness and social isolation, he said.

The government will also study how to enhance the Central Provident Fund (CPF) system to better meet retirement needs.

Mr Wong said that the new social compact should also be less about the individual and more about collective responsibility.

"A social compact is not just about what government will do for the people; it is also about what Singaporeans will do for one another ... It is about all of us coming together, to forge a society of opportunities and assurance for all."

One way to realise this is to nurture a broader culture of philanthropy and volunteerism, he said. Another way is to create more opportunities for Singaporeans to partner the government and one another in policymaking and co-creation.

"Becoming the best home is also very much about the intangibles - among them, embracing a more holistic way of life. Be it working out flexible work arrangements; treating ourselves and one another with greater kindness and compassion; knowing that good mental health is a key part of good health overall; or creating a conducive environment for Singaporeans to start and nurture families," he said.

While the government has made some moves, such as increasing paternity leave, it will consider what more Singapore can do, said Mr Wong.

"Our refreshed social compact will be our compass for the road ahead. Forward Singapore is a bold agenda, and it depends on all of us to realise. Though we will not see change overnight, we can each start to embrace the new social compact today."

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Singapore concept of meritocracy too narrow, need to refresh mindset on schools and grades: DPM Wong

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On education, Mr Wong said that he hopes all will be serious about refreshing their mindsets about schools and grades. "It's not possible to change something that has become so ingrained in our nature by government decree. We must be the change we want to see in our society," he said.

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Urbanisation and its negative impacts

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Urbanisation and its negative impacts

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(L4): Global

Article: https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/60941

Key Highlight:

over 13 million hectares of forest land are converted to agriculture, urban land use, and industrial forestry annually. (deforestation!!!)

leaky sewer lines and septic systems as well as the lack of sanitation systems contribute significant amounts of nutrients and organic contaminants (pollution!!!)

Ecologically, these stressors and contaminants significantly affect aquatic flora and fauna. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to biodiversity. (Endangerment!!!)

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US Forest Service Research and Development

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Abstract

At the beginning of the 21st century more than 50% of the world's population lived in cities. By 2050, this percentage will exceed 60%, with the majority of growth occurring in Asia and Africa. As of 2020 there are 31 megacities, cities whose population exceeds 10 million, and 987 smaller cities whose populations are greater than 500 thousand but less than 5 million in the world. By 2030 there will be more than 41 megacities and 1290 smaller cities. However, not all cities are growing. In fact, shrinking cities, those whose populations are declining, occur throughout the world. Factors contributing to population decline include changes in the economy, low fertility rates, and catastrophic events. Population growth places extraordinary demand for natural resources and exceptional stress on natural systems. For example, over 13 million hectares of forest land are converted to agriculture, urban land use, and industrial forestry annually. This deforestation significantly affects both hydrologic systems and territorial habitats. Hydrologically, urbanization creates a condition called urban stream syndrome. The increase in storm runoff, caused by urbanization through the addition of impervious surfaces, alters stream flow, morphology, temperature, and water quantity and quality. In addition, leaky sewer lines and septic systems as well as the lack of sanitation systems contribute significant amounts of nutrients and organic contaminants such as pharmaceuticals, caffeine, and detergents. Ecologically, these stressors and contaminants significantly affect aquatic flora and fauna. Habitat loss is the greatest threat to biodiversity. Urbanization not only destroys and fragments habitats but also alters the environment itself. For example, deforestation and fragmentation of forest lands lead to the degradation and loss of forest interior habitat as well as creating forest edge habitat. These changes shift species composition and abundance from urban avoiders to urban dwellers. In addition, roads and other urban features isolate populations causing local extinctions, limit dispersal among populations, increase mortality rates, and aid in the movement of invasive species. Cities often have higher ambient temperatures than rural areas, a phenomenon called the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect alters precipitation patterns, increases ozone production (especially during the summer), modifies biogeochemical processes, and causes stresses on humans and native species. The negative effect of the expansion and urbanization itself can be minimized through proper planning and design. Planning with nature is not new but it has only recently been recognized that human survival is predicated on coexisting with biodiversity and native communities. How and if cities apply recommendations for sustainability depends entirely on the people themselves.

Keywords

urbanization, megacities, hydrology, deforestation, urban heat island, planning

Citation

Zipperer, Wayne C.; Northrop, Robert; Andreu, Michael. 2020. Urban development and environmental degradation. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science. Retrieved 01 Sep. 2020. https://oxfordre.com/environmentalscience/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.001.0001/acrefore-9780199389414-e-97.

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Urban development and environmental degradation | US Forest Service Research and Development

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At the beginning of the 21st century more than 50% of the world's population lived in cities. By 2050, this percentage will exceed 60%, with the majority of growth occurring in Asia and Africa. As of 2020 there are 31 megacities, cities whose population exceeds 10 million, and 987 smaller cities whose populations are greater than 500 thousand but less than 5 million in the world.

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Smart Cities and its postive impacts on environment

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Smart Cities and its postive impacts on environment

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(L4): Global

Article: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/smart-cities/

Key highlights : Microgrid Gas Meter wirelessly send power usage rates to help cut down wasted energy use.

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Image

Photograph by Gado Reportage

Since humans began living in cities more than 6,000 years ago, they've had to address the same problems: sanitation, crime, congestion, tax collection, maintenance of public facilities, and emergency services. In addition, important technological innovations require infrastructure: the electric grid; telephone and cell-phone networks; internet (including fiber optic and cable networks); hot and cold running water; water and waste treatment; garbage and recycling removal; public parks and recreation facilities; rail, light rail, and automotive streets, roads, thoroughfares, and rights-of-way.

Today, cities are getting "smarter" to provide for improved delivery and quality of services through continuous monitoring of residents and infrastructure, and relatively instantaneous communication of suboptimal performance. To a large extent, this requires heavy reliance on automation, connectivity to the internet, and what is referred to as the "Internet of Things (IoT)." (Internet of Things refers to connecting devices to the internet that can be controlled or can be used to send control information).

A smart city, then, is a city in which a suite of sensors (typically hundreds or thousands) is deployed to collect electronic data from and about people and infrastructure so as to improve efficiency and quality of life. Residents and city workers, in turn, may be provided with apps that allow them to access city services, receive and issue reports of outages, accidents, and crimes, pay taxes, fees, and the like. In the smart city, energy efficiency and sustainability are emphasized.

Smart Transportation

A variety of "smart transportation" systems can be implemented in a smart city. For example, smart cities may implement a smart traffic flow management system, which can combine a central control system with controls for traffic lights and sensors for detecting delays or the amount of traffic at particular intersections. The control system can adjust the timing of the lights based on the amount of traffic and how well that traffic is flowing. Some systems can adjust timing, for example, for buses or emergency vehicles as well. Further, some systems may monitor conditions (or receive reports of conditions) on main highways and major roads and adjust timing on major roads and alternate routes to compensate.

Smart toll roads may also be provisioned. For example, sensors may be installed that detect when a car passes a toll plaza and deduct the toll from a user account. In addition, a variable toll may be assessed based on traffic conditions. For example, express toll lanes may be implemented that monitor traffic and charge a greater amount based on the amount of usage of the lane.

In addition, cities, or parts of cities, may be provided with a smart parking-meter network. Parking meters may, for example, be equipped with sensors or other monitors that communicate with a central server and a user app to advise when a parking spot is available and guide a driver to it. Such meters may be able to automatically charge a parker for using the spot and advise the user and, potentially, law enforcement when the meter time has expired.

A more complicated new technology being proposed for smart cities is autonomous (driverless) vehicles. In addition to user-owned and operated vehicles, use of electric, autonomous vehicles in a ride-share system has been proposed. Such autonomous vehicles could communicate with one another to execute maneuvers (such as lane changes, etc.) more rapidly and in a smaller space. In particular, vehicles could be "platooned," i.e., driven much closer together in coordination than is possible (or desirable) with human drivers. In proposals in which the vehicles are electric vehicles, wireless charging stations could be provided on roadways. When a vehicle stops at a stoplight, for example, it could pick up a bit of a charge.

Smart Energy

The goal of any electric grid is to provide enough power when needed (with efficiency) and minimize downtime and damage when faults occur.

One method for dealing with this is through the use of smart meters, which are digital. Electric meters can be used to replace the old, mechanical meters that require personnel to "read" the meter once a month. They can provide more timely monitoring of a particular customer's usage and communicate wirelessly, so that no one needs to enter a backyard. Smart meters may also allow the utility to identify a source of a power outage more rapidly.

In addition, control of the house's electricity can be handled easily from a centralized location, without requiring a utility crew to go out to turn it on or off. Smart meters can also allow for differential rate provisioning. That is, a consumer can be charged more for higher usage during peak hours (and because the user has more timely access to his or her electric use, may be able to adjust that use accordingly).

In addition, some utilities have proposed the use of microgrids. These are groups of interconnected loads and sources that typically connect to the wider grid but can also be disconnected to operate autonomously as an "island." Such microgrids can function as backups if there is a failure in the larger grid, but also can operate more efficiently.

Even such mundane features of urban life as streetlights may come to be networked as part of the smart city. Some cities, for example, are replacing old streetlights with those using more efficient light-emitting diodes, or LEDs. These new streetlights can also support cameras and other sensors for monitoring crowds or high-traffic areas. Sensors can even be installed to monitor pollutants.

Privacy Concerns

With the proliferation of sensors and data monitoring over many aspects of people's lives, smart cities have raised concerns over privacy and data security. In this regard, the highest security possible should be expected, though it should be noted that anything connected to the internet is susceptible to being hacked.

Director

Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

Author

National Geographic Society

Production Managers

Gina Borgia, National Geographic Society

Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Society

Program Specialists

Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society, National Geographic Society

Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

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Smart cities promise that with increasing connectedness, city services and quality of life can be improved.

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Technology affecting Singaporeans

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｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ Technology affecting Singaporeans

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(L3): My country

Article:

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-society-technology-change-survey-4191971

Key highlights: Many believe that technology is changing too quickly and in some ways does not benefit them. Most of these people also believe that technology developments and innovations increases the risks of hackers and scam via technology advancements.

(L3): My country

Forum:

https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-push-to-use-technology-should-not-make-things-more-difficult-for-users

Key highlights: Technologies becoming user-unfriendly for those who are less tech-savvy, especially elderly citizens who are less educated or who might not have the ability or the hardware to successfully navigate QR codes, create PDFs, upload documents or use e-services without help.

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Over half in Singapore say society, technology changing too fast, and in ways that don’t benefit them: Survey

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SINGAPORE: More than half of people here believe that society and technology are changing too quickly and in ways that do not benefit them, a survey has found. More than one in four (28 per cent) of Singapore respondents also believe innovation is poorly managed, while 24 per cent say it