Sustainable development Batam

We took an hour ferry ride from Singapore to Batam. Left Singapore at 8am.

Passed by Sentosa 

Reached Batam at 8am too as Indonesia time is one hour behind Singapore time.

Coastal protection at Batam ferry terminal.

Our local tour guide. Learned from him that Batam is a cluster of 329 islands. The plug used in other parts of Indonesia is 2 pins, but in Batam it is 3 pins, similar to Singapore. 

Explored Batam's Pantai Sekoto beachfront area to learn about the mangrove in this area as part of the field study for Geography Symposium 2024. The programme was hosted by a member from Free the Sea – part of the WIK Group and the local volunteers. We looked into the impact of coastal erosion as well as the effects of the loss of this mangrove area. 

The local outreach and education programme get the locals to be aware of the damage of the mangrove ecosystem and the mangrove restoration as well as replanting programme. 

Drag on the screen for a 360 view

You can click on the menu at the bottom to access the 360 degree photos. Similar to the 360 videos, you can drag on the screen for a 360 view.

Learned so much on the efforts to reforest the mangrove from the local community and representative from Free the Sea

There are plans to develop ecotourism here. 

The President planted 3 young plants here

The nursery which the young plants are kept for 3 months. Some of the young mangrove plants will be sold for reforestation or afforestation projects in other parts of Batam. 

Knee-like roots of Bruguiera exposed

Mud lobster mound

Group photo with the volunteers and Wati (extreme left) from Free the Sea

More on the mangrove visit here

https://mangrovegeog.blogspot.com/2024/11/2024-batam-wisata-alam-mangrove-padang.html

After lunch, we visited the Free the Sea office in Panbil Industrial Estate to learn about the Plastic Recycling work that they do.

Free the Sea, a social enterprise, recyles plastic.

What Free the Sea does: 

Preventing ocean plastic

22 collection points in Batam with contributions from individuals as well as 17 companies and hotels donation programme.

Source: Free the sea instagram

Challenges on expanding the programme: Some hotels are not willing to segregate the plastic waste or donate the waste as some have already sold the waste to someone. 

For their collection partners, incentives such as paying higher than market rate for every kg of waste given.

Transforming waste

Recycling collected plastic waste is transformed into FTS recycled materials at the recycling facility

Upcycling material recovery facility repurpise waste, giving it a new life. 

Empowering communities, regenerating nature

Scholarship were given as well as vouchers for necessities such as rice and oil were given.

The company organised clean up (300 volunteers) and health check up for 200 ( informal sector )

Social impacts such as support communities with social benefits

Environmental impacts such as organization of clean up events to raise awareness and lead restoration projects.

Education programme provides necessary skills and foster environmental responsibility

On site monitoring and audits for social and safety compliance.

Support capacity building e.g. sponsor study in Japan waste management 

Waste product which cannot be recycled will have to go to the regulated landfill e.g. around 10%

42 hectares of land for landfill. Coming up soon incinerator in 2 years working with the Chinese.

Dust collectors. The dust from grinding the plastic was also collected. 

Reuse the water to conserve water resources.

WIK has 1000 workers in Batam. WIK originally manufacture small appliances. Started in 1950 in Germany. It is now based in HK. They started the Free the Sea and plastic recycling in Batam in 2013.

Use of solar energy. Heat generated by die casting used in other processing. 

Free at the seas provided training for workers

Met the team from Free the Sea, including the head of Free the Sea, Bahri Beyhan. He gave us a guided tour of the plastic recyling facility.

Evaluating the ecosystem services from the Mangroves at Pantai Setoko 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1z67r99_TiEJgJSI-eWmBo8ryK89Z-rX1/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=117561647208614526159&rtpof=true&sd=true

Discussion and presenting our findings at Harmoni One hotel meeting room.

Thanks to Raymond, our tour coordinator, for the following resources.

Some background information about Free the Sea

https://www.freethesea.com/

WIK Group is the bigger organisation that funds and runs Free the Sea 

https://www.wik-group.com/

Climate action 101

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13YsUH1lIob9vIdfDcCRNOrJfDK7_hsB1/view?usp=drivesdk

Recommendation of similar organisations in Singapore Plastic Recycling in Singapore 

https://www.semula-asia.com/

Sustainable Eduaction such as urban farming https://www.metrofarm.com.sg/sustainable-education/

Ecofield trip to Malaysia by Green Sproutz Singapore.

Source: Green Sproutz Singapore Facebook page

Geography symposium 2024

Love the Geography symposium as the fraternity came together to share good practices.  Learning of geography allows students to see the world through the geographical lens, developing observation skills, analysing trends, and understanding world issues.

So honoured to hear from the Keynote speaker, Mrs Margaret Roberts, author of Geography through enquiry.

Last attended her workshop on geographical inquiry in 2010. The workshop influenced me in putting up questions with the photos or videos with the link to the source on my geographical issues update (olevelgeog.blogspot.com) rather than just information on the blog. It is essential to sparkle the students' curiosity and this will get them started to think more deeply into the issues and ask more questions.

https://geogshare.blogspot.com/2012/06/geographical-inquiry-june-2010.html?m=1

Definitely intrigued by the use of fertile questions and would definitely like to develop that in my classes. Love what her granddaughter has created.

As part of enquiry based learning, it is important to sparkle curiosity and ask questions. 

https://www.geogalot.com/

Session 1 Workshop 1.2 

How can the study of tourism nurture students to be sustainability-minded global citizens?

Presented by Cheri Nur Aini, Anis Fazerina Mohamad Ibrahim, Filzah Nadiah Zainal Abidin, Josephine Mary Saminathan and David Chin from Presbyterian High School

Love how the team worked towards getting the students to be more engaged and deepen their understanding via role play using circle time on the topic of Sustainable Tourism.

A great way to integrate 21CC learning. 

Session 2: Workshop 2.1 

Geography through Enquiry: How can Climate Change Mitigation be Investigated in the Geography classroom?

Presented by Ms Margaret Roberts

The workshop addressed the following questions:

How can we spark curiosity and get students involved?

What is the evidence on the future potential of different mitigation options? (using data from COP28)

What are the social, economic, environmental and political challenges and implications of some of the mitigation options? (reference to specific case studies)

In this workshop, participants will be actively engaged, using and evaluating classroom activities. Although the activities aim to increase knowledge and understanding of climate change mitigation, they can be adapted and applied to other topics in the syllabus and their associated resources.

The activities, as well as using an inquiry approach, are designed to develop 21st century competencies, including collaborative team work, communication and presentation skills, critical thinking and futures thinking as global citizens.

Getting the participants/students to ask more questions based on assessment given question (fertile question)

Highlighting the pros and cons on the article given.

When students are more involved in the construction of knowledge, it stays longer in them.

Knowledge construction occurs when learners actively build their understanding of a topic or concept through exploration, reflection, and interaction. It involves constructing meaning from the information and experiences gained through learning activities.

https://sites.google.com/moe.edu.sg/gem/geography-symposium-2024/concurrent-sessions?authuser=0

Keynote speaker Professor TC Chang

Critical thinking and Adaptive thinking.

Not just as recipient of knowledge but active agent of knowledge.

Not seen as storehouse and universal as global. 

Provincialiaatiom taking in unique place, people and context.

Diverse urban solution should provincialise urban geography.

Alternative approaches.

Voices from within provincialised.

Geoffrey Wall presented with North America oriented solutions SWAT in Bali.

Power not from government impacting the environment but on spiritual and non-human aspects.

Increasingly Endoenize

Each Pillar has a few SDGs attached. Our green plan is uniquely Singaporean. A model which is hybrid best practice of model North but tailored to the local uniqueness. 

Sustainable tourism and indigenous. Guardianship vs management.

SDG economic growth is emphasized.

Research not only on the indigenous people but driven by the indigenous people.

Materials https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1GtEpeRyQ1GiJKOpPoEaBP1AmodjQLn63

Programme 
https://sites.google.com/moe.edu.sg/gem/geography-symposium-2024/concurrent-sessions?authuser=0