How can Governance Intervene towards Sustainable Globalization?

In this week's lecture, Chuthatip Maneepong, posed a challenge for us about how can multinational corporation work with peri-urbanized citizen towards a more sustainable globalization in Thailand? I believe it lies in governance, creating partnership policies with Multinational corporations. I recognize that Thailand as a developing country has a reliance on Multinational corporations from developed countries to provide investments for them to build major infrastructures and to meet essential needs of the citizen. On the other hand, Multinational Corporations from developed countries have the need to invest in Thailand because it has the resources that they are lacking. Therefore, I believe the governance have to act on this mutual reliance to set forth some policy that can sustain their resources to continue the longevity of socio-economic growth in Thailand. This is because Multinational corporations would not take action to help Thailand sustain their resources on their own, as their main concerns are to exploit resources where they are most abundant and in a cost-efficient process to maximize profits.

What can the government do? I believe the government can create a partnership policy whereas, if Multinational Corporation would like to build a manufacturing facility, they would need to fund the building of water and waste management infrastructure for their facility. Secondly, they would need to provide funding for research and development towards resource protection and sustainability. I believe if the policy is in place, it would create a win-win situation for both the governance of Thailand and the multinational corporation. The governance of Thailand would get the funding they need to sustain their resources for the future for both their citizen and to have continued partnership with Multinational corporations. For multinational corporations, they would continue to have longevity of profit from their manufacturing plants as there would be sufficient resources to support them. It decreases the amount of plants they have to shut down due to resource depletion in an area. The long term research and development would help the government in the future to become self-sustaining by creating more energy efficient infrastructures which can preserve and regenerate resources. However, the problem that needs to be considered in a developing country such as Thailand is the fragmented power of local and national governance, which causes administrative incapacity to carry out the policy. This policy maybe unfavourable for Multinational Corporation because it increases their investment cost and decreases their short term profits. If the government can provide better services for these Multinational Corporation in return for their investment, while guaranteeing availability of resources, then longevity of partnership can exist. The key to this negotiation is longevity of resources and social-economic growth.

Reference
http://journals.sfu.ca/jgcee/index.php/jgcee/article/viewArticle/30/9

Ideas for an Asia Century- Creating a new model

In a previous blog, I challenged is the western model the best model for the east such as Asia to achieve a higher standard of living. Asia is at the cross road, as in recent years, they have rapidly developed into a modern nation. They have the knowledge, potential, and resources to build a new model that can integrate sustainable practices, but the choice is theirs in how they define a higher standard of living. The economist group has recently held a conference in Singapore on October 18, 2011 on the topic of the Next Big Idea for an Asian Century. Three finalist was short listed. One finalist, who is an NUS student, described the Next Big Idea is to Redefine our World through words, values we place on what developed means to us. I agree with his insight, in that going into the next century is about redefining perspectives and attitudes individuals have towards the future.

Below is Chua Yuan Cheng's submission, copied from the conference website:

Redefine Our Wo(l)rd

Will it be an Asian Century? Or will it going to be a reflection of the Western world in the 20th century? Times have changed, but our language has not. Words like development, wealth, business, rich and developed continue to demonstrate our reliance on the Western world for ideas. What do those words actually mean?

I believe that it is time for us in Asia to write our own narrative of what our future would be, and not blindly copy the Western growth model of the 19th and 20th centuries. And it must start by redefining the words we use.

What does being developed means to us? Is it the ability to churn out goods like machines and pursuit them blindly? Or does it encompass more? Like the ability for all to access uncontaminated food, air and water; to be happy and carefree in our professional and family lives; to participate freely in society without fear or favour; to be able to enjoy nature and the biodiversity we are bestowed with.

What does being wealthy means? Is it the ability to own many luxury cars, houses and yachts that we may not even use? Or is it the contentment of one to share his love with and contribute to society; to build and sustain meaningful family and community ties; to be good steward of the environment and wildlife?

Ultimately, the end goal affects the process. How does Asia hope to be like in the 22nd century – the soul of our society; the efficiency of our cities; the ability for our descendents to enjoy an undisturbed nature environment, amid the hustle and bustle of city life – is all dependent on how we define our future, and by extension, the path we take. And it starts by redefining our words.

References:
http://www.economistconferences.asia/event/banyan-ideas-asian-century

Creating new models toward Environmental Sustainability

In this week’s lecture, Christopher Tobias ends his presentation with a quote that struck a strong cord with my outlook on change.

You never change anything by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete. -- Buckminster Fuller

In my design course, I learned that when designing products, we shouldn’t design to change peoples’ behaviours, but design to enhance their behaviours.  This is because people have their own set of mental models that they use to understand the world and when their model is disregarded, they would have troubles using the product and would be dissatisfied with the change. Rather, we can create a new model that demonstrates a better model of doing things. At the same time, they can still achieve the same goal.

Through my travels in Asia, I found many great models, at a micro-scale, of household products that I have not seen in North America. These models enhance the old ways products are designed,  they are more resource efficient and can allow the user to complete the same goal with greater satisfaction. 

Figure 1. Toilet

While staying at a hotel in Japan, I found a toilet that had a sink directly above the water tank. I thought this was a clever model of using water. Water can have multiple levels of usage, rather than a one-time use. The water from the tank can be used for washing hands and then reused to flush the toilet. On the left of figure 1 is a typical North American toilet that I have in my home and they use 3-5 gallons per flush and the water is only used to flush the toilet.

Figure 2. Hot Water Tank and Tankless Hot Water System

                When I was at my relative’s home in Hong Kong, I had to flip a switch to boil water before I can take a shower. However, at home, I take hot water for granted. It is always available whenever I adjust my facet for hot water. Though, I do not realize that the hot water tank in my home reheats the same water 24 hours a day even though I may not be using hot water at the moment. The model on the right is a tankless hot water heater that is used commonly in Asia and Europe.  This model demonstrates a more efficient way of using energy only when there is an immediate need. Therefore, energy resources are maximized.

                  

Figure 3. Wall Socket

                Currently in Singapore, every wall socket in my residence has a built-in switch. The switch on the outlet is used to prevent vampire power, which is the constant flow of electricity in a plug that is left in a wall socket even though it is not in use. This example provides us with a new model of looking at electricity and how it can be lost even in situations where we least expected. It provides us with the opportunity to create better models that eliminates the unnecessary lost of energy to better manage our energy resources.

References:

http://inhabitat.com/dual-flush-toilet-is-a-sink-and-greywater-system-in-one

http://www.ecosmarthome.ca/tankless-hot-water-systems.php

http://jeb1.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/product-pros-and-cons-tankless-water-heaters-vs-conventional-storage-tanks/

http://www.moreinspiration.com/article/942-electrical-outlet-with-a-switch

Factors in Sustainability

Tackling the issues of sustainability is definitely one that takes in account many factors. Our guest lecturer Christopher Tobias, from Singapore National Environment Agency, discussed a few relevant topics in global issues (resource depletion, biodiversity loss, security & conflict, and climate change) and trends (environmental change, power shift, and urbanism, etc.). With all these problems, there are many opportunities for us to make a change. However, in parallel to what was presented in lecture, we need to reflect on factors that are preventing change to create sustainable practices that would have more appeal and impact on the public. Not only should we take in account the issues and trends at the global scale, we need to delve deeper into human behaviors and attitudes that are preventing the adoption of sustainable practices. Economics is one major factor that drives the way human behaves. Another is our short-term perspective of the world, the “will it affect us in our lifetime” attitude. The law of economizing states that people tend to maximize gains for a given cost, and minimizing costs for a given gain.  Everyone around the world is aiming towards a higher standard of living and they are willing to weigh out other costs to achieve it. The east has been looking towards the west as the model of a higher standard of living throughout history, but is the west the best model of a higher standard of level? Could we produce the same results of greater life span, economic wealth, and such through integrating sustainable practices? We often undermine the principle of scarcity, that resources are limited. This is because we have an attitude that our actions would not create an immediate effect on us and we would not witness it in our lifespan. Therefore, I believe bringing about sustainability is about addressing global issues, as well as bringing awareness to individuals of their actions. Both global and micro scale factors need to be considered in implementing sustainable practices.