Japan's Economic Growth

We are all aware that Japan is a very developed country nowadays. Japan is one of the leading countries not only in Asia but in the whole world. But the question is, How did Japan able to attain this?

Several years ago, Japan had their rapid increase in their economic growth. Their average economic growth during that 1960s to 1970s is around 7.5%. But this rapid grow leads to different environmental crisis and different diseases, these are the Itai-ita disease, Minamata disease and the Yokkaichi Asthma.

First of all, the Itai-Itai disease or it hurts it hurts disease. This disease is cause of cadmium poisoning. It leads to kidney failure and bone softening. Due to cadmium poisoning, fishes in the river died. The water in the river became contaminated and this is the one being use to irrigate the rice. And because of this, the rice absorbed heavy metals. And people were able to eat these contaminated rice. All of these happened because of the mining companies.

Another disease that arouse in Japan is what we call the Minamata Disease. This disease is cause of Mercury poisoning. During the 1956, it was the Chisso Corporation's chemical factory that releases methyl mercury in the industrial wastewater. This toxic contaminated the Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea. And because the bay and the sea is contaminated, and the very main source of food of people is the water. People were able to ate contaminated sea foods. This disease is much severe than of the Itai-itai disease. It is not only human who are affected in disease, but also the animals. One of the most affected animal is the cat. There even came the dancing cat fever.

Lastly is the Yokkaichi Asthma. This is due to the burning of petroleum and crude oil. This lead to the huge release amount of the sulfur oxide. And because of this, there came severe smog which causes different diseases, some of these are the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema and bronchial asthma. People were not able to sleep at night because of their asthma.

Because of these, Japan decided to focus on their laws regarding economy and environment. People wants a change, they rallied and asked the Government to stop this economic growth. They rather choose to pay high amount to their needs than to have this rapid economic growth. They wants to have economic growth but with consideration to the environment and to the people.

After several years, they have proven that these companies were the main reason of the environmental problem. Because of this, the companies were subjected to pay the damages they have done to the people. Trillions and Billions of money were release because the damage is too big. After these, Japan made solutions were they can have economic growth while protecting the environment. And as of now, I could say that Japan is one of the cleanest country. For I have proven it with myself.

We can see here that they have still maintained the beauty of nature as they have their economic growth. Here it proves that people are the powerful one, they are the one that who rule their country. And it is good to see that Japan accepted all changes for them to improve their lives. Because in the end, they are still the one who will benefit in these changes. Now, Japan is continue to grow and Japan is continue to care for their nature. Everyone follows the rules and regulations, and anyone who had disobeyed their laws will be punish in the right manner and in the right time. I hope that in our very own country, the Philippines, we will be able to have this economic growth and people will have to accept all changes that will benefit both. Changes are made to improve not to destroy, so if we want improvement we must accept all changes that will happen. Let us not look for our own benefit but the benefit of everyone. And if we really want to improve, let us start the change in ourselves.

It's more fun in Candaba

A promotional video for the Candaba.

The Candaba Swamp

Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2014 DBTC

Shell Eco-Marathon aims to promote fuel's efficiency. They help the students be aware of the current environmental issues we are facing. It encourages students to build a car which can reach far places with less fuel consumption. Shell decided to have the event proper here in the Philippines due to the 100th year celebration of Shell Philippines.

For this year competition, our school Don Bosco Technical College decuded to make two different vehicle. First, the Hybrid Electric Vehicle or the HEV. And the other one is the Battery Electric Vehicle or BEV. These two cars has its environmental friendly purposes other than of being fuel efficient vehicles. In the Battery Electric Vehicle, one of the part of it is made up of water hyacinth. This plant is very abundant in our country. As the name implies, it grows in the water which could cause flood because of canal blocking. The students decided to use the made fabric matte out of water hyacinth. With this, it could help reduce the water waste. On the other hand, the Hybrid Prototype Vehicle is a retractable car. This vehicle aims to lessen the space being consumed. We all know that there are lots of vehicles in the world and every day manufacturers continue to make cars. And if vehicles will be retractable then it would consume lesser space not only in the road but also in their parking areas.

I am a cadet for the Hybrid Electric Vehicle, yet I also helped the Battery Electric Vehicle. I together with my co-cadets focused in the making of the vehicle's shell. And here is the step-by-step procedure we made.

Pattern Making:

-At first we printed out the design where the scale is 1:1.

-We connect the papers like a jigsaw puzzle.

-We put it in the plywood and cut it with a jigsaw cutter.

-We make it stand and fill the lacks with the paper we used.

-We made use of the used Styrofoams to form the pattern.

-Make the surface flat with the use of sandpaper.

-With the use of Glasurit Patty with Hardener, we get the pattern and make it smooth.

-Apply Blue gel coating.

-Put the fiber matte (Grade 450)

-Apply again Blue gel coating.

-Let it cure for a day and add Glasurit Patty with Hardener and make it smooth.

-Add Acrylic Patty and Primer.

-Lastly, make the surface smooth with sandpaper.

Molder Making:

-Cut strips of illustration board. Approximately 1-1.5 in.

-Put the strips in the middle, make it stand with masking tape.

-Put more strips in the flooring. This will help the mold to be remove easily.

-Apply releasing wax 10-15 times.

-Apply Blue gel coating once.

-Put the fiber matte (Grade 600)

-Apply Clear coating.

-With the use of aluminum roller make the fiber matte flat to the surface of the pattern.

-Apply more fiber matte in the corners and curves and add more clear coating.

-Make sure all matte are flat to the surface of the pattern.

-Let it cure for a day.

-Remove the illustration board in the middle.

-Put some modeling clay or simply put masking tape in the middle.

-Repeat the steps from applying wax up to curing.

-Cut pipes into two and make it pointed.

-Drill the middle, where the two mold will connect.

-With the use of a Rubber mallet and the pipes, carefully remove the mold to the pattern.

-With bold and nut connect the two pieces of mold.

-Add masking tape in the middle.

-Put masking tape in the bottom and cut it with a grinder.

Vehicle's Shell with lamination

-Apply clear releasing wax.

-Add more releasing wax 15 times.

-Apply again clear releasing wax.

-Apply clear coating twice. Make sure to apply it very thin.

-Let it cure for a day.

-Carefully place the carbon fiber.

-Add clear coating and make it flat with aluminum roller.

-To make it stiff put Black gel coating.

-Put the fiber matter (Grade 300)

-Put clear coating once and make sure to make it flat with aluminum roller.

-Let it cure for a day.

-Remove it from the mold.

-Make the surface smooth and cut the hallow part of the shell.

Vehicle's Shell through lamination

-Apply clear releasing wax.

-Add more releasing wax 15 times.

-Apply again clear releasing wax.

-Apply Black gel coating.

-Put the fiber matter (Grade 300)

-Put clear coating once and make sure to make it flat with aluminum roller.

-Let it cure for a day.

-Remove it from the mold.

-Make it smooth with sandpaper.

-Clean it with Lacquer Thinner.

-Apply clear coating twice. Make sure to apply it very thin.

-Let it cure for a day.

-Carefully place the carbon fiber.

-Add clear coating and make it flat with aluminum roller.

-Apply clear coating around 10-15 times.

-Make the surface smooth and cut the hallow part of the shell.

Vehicle's Shell finishing

-Make it very smooth with sand paper from grade 120-2000.

-Clean it with dish washing liquid and make it dry.

-Add rubbing compound.

-Add clear releasing wax.

-Add turtle wax.

-Rub the whole surface with a clean cloth until it shines.

The shell making took us around 2 months in making. In the process, we are asked to wear face mask, long sleeves, pants, and shoes. This is for safety reasons. The components of the chemicals we are using are the following.

Blue Gel Coat

-1 liter Polymer 31-006

-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer

-3 tablespoon Blue Toner

-hardener (when applying)

Clear Gel Coat (Mold)

-1 liter Polymer 31-006

-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer

-4 tablespoon Cobalt

-hardener (when applying)

Black Gel Coat

-1 liter Polymer 31-006

-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer

-3 tablespoon Black Toner

-hardener (when applying)

Clear Gel Coat (Shell)

-1 liter Polymer 31-200

-1/4 liter Polystyrene-Monomer

-4 tablespoon Cobalt

-hardener (when applying)

Base from our professor, these chemical are extremely dangerous to our health. That is why, we are required to drink about a liter of water after a work. We were also advised to intake vitamin C to prevent sick. We were also advise to wear gloves because cobalt mixed with hardener is extremely dangerous. It is flammable and could burn the skin.

These are the steps we took in making our vehicles' shell. We had protective gears in the making and now, we are living safely. And we are looking forward for a better making in the better place for the Shell Eco-Marathon Asia 2015.

A way to Zero Waste..

Last December 18, 2013, we had our Zero Waste Christmas Party in Don Bosco Technical College. This celebration targets to have a party where we enjoy as we prevent to harm our mother nature. As of now, we are facing different environmental problems and the key to solve these problems is in our own hands. As a student we can help to be part in solving this and in a celebration we can contribute in solving by targeting a total zero waste party.

I stand as the organizer of this party. We had invited all the Mechanical Engineering Students to become part of this celebration. We invited them not only to have fun but to make them aware of the current situation of our environment.

On that day, since our batch stand as the very organizer of everything. We divided our class and assigned the foods to be brought. We chose pot lock because having foods prepared by us, has the assurance that it has produced with less waste and contains less preservatives or maybe, nothing at all. Our foods for that day were roasted chicken, pancit, rice and lumpiang togue. For our drinks, we have water and buko juice. And lastly, for dessert, homemade gelatin and mais con yelo. We had fun and very satisfied considering our food are healthy and delicious.

After the simple eating celebration. Since everyone were satisfied, we had decided to have our game after some rest. Our games were egg relay, longest line and agawan base. In here, we promote the importance of perspiration. After being satisfied and full, we need to make ourselves fit and healthy.

We know we cannot easily achieve a zero waste Christmas party. That is why we consider this as a way to Zero waste. For us to achieve this, I have brought the plates, spoons, forks, serving spoons, and the juice container. We have coordinated with the school's cafeteria for some more plates. Our cups were made of paper. We bought this because it is an environmental friendly cups. Left over foods were gathered together in a container. All Calamansi seeds were collected. We decided to plant it and make use of the left over foods as a fertilizer. Waste were segregated accordingly and were placed to the garbage can properly. After that event we had cleaned the whole area including the corridor in our place. Currently, our Calamansi seed is now a plant, continue growing and producing seeds. I take care of our Mechanical Engineering plant and hoping to keep it until the end.

Therefore, we have seen that we had fun and help in solving the environmental problems we are facing. We have waste yet it is sure that these waste were properly segregated. It is less than of the usual waste being produced in a celebration. I am sure that we will be able to fully solve our environmental problems if we will be celebrating like what we had. We must all be aware about these problems and probable solutions we can do. And someday, we will be living peacefully and green fully.

The 11th Hour

1.)  Describe some of the emotions you felt during the film. Which aspects of the video had the greatest impact on you and why?

During the film viewing I felt a bit sadness and happiness. First I felt sadness, because most of the scenes or information presented are true. Those are the realities in life. But in the end, they did not stop in giving out problems. They provided probable solutions for it and it is already in our hands to grab the opportunity to save mother earth and help in sustaining it.

The aspect in the video that had the greatest impact to me was the revelation that we humans causes these problems. Technologies are there but it is in our hands to use it properly and wisely. The very reason why these things are happening are not the technologies, but is.

This gave me the greatest impact, because at least in this video, these speakers had the courage to reveal the truth. We are really the main reason, and it seems we gave a problem to ourselves. Strong typhoons or big calamities are not by chance nor by fate. It is because of the things we do in our daily lives.

2.) What information contained in the video new to you?

The part of the video that was new to me is the information that this earth do really have longer life, but earth will not die because of age. It might die because of the continuous increase of  temperature. Every year it rapidly increase and every year new strong calamities approaches us and its main reason is not technology, but us, Human. Earth could survive the very high temperature, but we human will not be able to make it, and we might be the one who will not want to live anymore in this world.

3.) What topics presented in the film would you like to explore further? Do you know what you need to know in order to continue learning about environmental issue? If the answer to tha question is no, how can you find out what you need to know?

I want to explore furthermore with its main topic, Global Warming. Exploring more of its effect in our environment will let the people be aware of the effects of the very little things we do. Because of global warming there are a lot of effects of the things we do, such as deforestation, pollution and misused of the technologies.

Yes, basically what we need to know more are the problems and its main roots. After knowing these things, then it is time to further study the probable solutions. But time moves fast. We need to give rapid solution. If technology helps us to makes things to be done fast. Then let us use it to restore the environment fast. We must be aware, we are already in the 11th hour. It is not only the 11th hour but it is 11:59:59. We are already a very small time remaining.

4.) Discuss the ways that eating locally produced food is an environmental issue. What can individuals do to support the local production and consumption of foods?

Eating locally produced food becomes an environmental issue when there is an excess of consumption. Since the number of human continuously increase, the number of food that should be consumed do also increases. As we see, over population is one main reason of global warming. Because of over population, this causes to have over consumption and extinction of animals, since we need shelter we are into build it. This causes deforestation, and with deforestation, it will cause flood, soil erosion and lots of other problems. Then it will cause the Global warming which will cause climate change.

This is what we call the chain effect. Basically there are lots of things that human can do. Each human can help the production of foods. This will help increase the food production. This will increase the food to be consumed and will prevent the chain effect to continue.But to prevent it completely we humans, must have Discipline to ourselves. We must prevent over population to prevent over consumption.

An over or less is the start of the problem. And it is our objective to eliminate these things. Everything must be put into equilibrium. Humans must also prevent over consumption of foods People must let the production and excess should be taken, there should be enough for the production to continue. It is like killing all women or men in the world. Killing them will stop increase in population. And extinction will rise. As the video showed about 95% of species had already became extinct. Let us do our very best so that human and the world will not be gone.

5.) Who should see this film and for what purposes? Who might be unreceptive to the ideas in the film and why?

Evey human must watch this film, because what is being discuss here, can affect our own lives. And their awareness to the current situation of the environment will increase. Letting every human watch this fill will help sustain the environment.

Babies seem to be the only people who will be unreceptive in watching these ideas. People who can't understand it due to disabilities is very impossible. People who can't see can hear. People who can't hear can read and see the things being presented. Even children can understood this video. Because, the images presented are not that deep to be understood.

This video do really proves that if we want to do something, nothing is impossible. And because this video wants to give awareness to people. And help sustaining the environment. Then they did everything they can, so that people who will watch this, can understand the message they wanted to give.

6.) Share one issue or item that you wrote on your index card while you were watching the 11th hour.

Very main issue that I have found out, is the Human itself. We are the main problem in everything. If human only knows how to use these technologies, then there should be no problem in this world. There is nothing harmful in this world, we just do not know how to use it properly. It is because, we humans lack something, we lack of discipline to ourselves. We must know that we are the very reason of the things happening in our surroundings. We should start now, and not wait for the time that this problem will continue to increase. This big problem is already enough. Let us solve it together. For we, together us one, will be able to solve this one big problem fast.

7.) As a result of you having seen this film, what, if any, specific actions do you think you will take?

For the current situation, things I could help to sustain the environment, is to do simple things. Such as water conservation, segregation and doing the 3Rs. This is not still enough because most important is to help people be aware of the current situation. I can also teach people how they can help in solving this big problem we have. And lastly, is to become a role model in sustaining the environment. By simply, loving our Mother Nature.

How can you as a student contribute to sustainability?

As a student of Don Bosco Technical College, I can contribute to sustainability by doing such things:

• By starting it in myself, through proper segregation of my trashes and conserving water.
• By keeping our rooms neat and orderly especially in our very own department.
• By promoting the importance of sustainability in this very simple blog.
• By helping and promoting the importance of the 3R. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
• By promoting the importance of segregation of garbage.
• By coordinating with Pusong Resiklo, which is a school organization that supports sustainability. 
• By sharing my knowledge learned, to help and to encourage others support sustainability, not only in our school, but also with others school I have a connection with.
• Lastly, to stand as a good role model in keeping the environment clean.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is a combination of two words. Sustain and ability.

Sustain comes from the Middle English word sustenen. From Anglo-French sustein-, stem of sustenir, From Latin sustinere to hold up, sustain, from sub-, sus- up + tenere to hold. It means to give support or relief to.

Ability is the quality or state of being able to do a certain things, especially in physical, mental or legal power to perform.

Sustain + Ability = Sustainability

Sustainability means the quality or state of being to be able, to hold up, or to give support in a certain thing. There are lots of things that is needed to be sustained. One of these things is our life. We humans do everything we can to sustain our life. But, sustaining our life needs to sustain other things. The environment also needs to be sustained to prolong its life and productivity and having sustained environment, it is an assurance that we can also sustain our life. It is a give and  take relationship. We sustain the life of the environment and the environment will sustain the human life.

Based from wikipedia. The simple definition of sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems.  There are a number of major ways of reducing negative human impact. The first of these is environmental management. This approach is based largely on information gained from earth science, environmental science and conservation biology. The second approach is management of human consumption of resources, which is based largely on information gained from economics. A third more recent approach adds cultural and political concerns into the sustainability matrix.