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Could new Singapore tree planting innovation combat global warming?

Stop global warming ‘the Singapore way’: local chapter of Al Gore’s non-profit The Climate Reality Project organized a Climate Picnic on the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris where more than 140 world leaders are expected to attend. (Photo: Bryan Kwa)

By: Bryan Kwa

A new technology developed by a Singapore engineer could see more trees successfully grow, thus helping to reduce the world’s carbon footprint.

Giok P Chua, 63, told Yahoo Singapore his new invention, “Growow”, will ensure carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by increasing the probability of a tree being successfully grown.

“For most of the trees you plant, for out of 100 seeds, only about 5 grow. My system makes sure that if you plant 100 seeds, 100 seeds will grow,” he explained.

Saying trees are overly fed with fertilisers and excessively “rain-fed”, Chua suggests 'micro atmosphere control’ to ensure only the right amounts of water and nutrients are given “so that there is no environmental pollution”.

Chua believes Growow will be able to grow trees even in drought periods. Chua has reached out to partners such as Asian Development Bank and Temasek Polytechnic and aims to launch the technology in February, with the goal of planting one billion trees by 2020.

Chua said this on the sidelines of a Climate Picnic organised by the Singapore chapter of The Climate Reality Project Sunday (Nov 29), on the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris where more than 140 world leaders are expected to attend.

Participants of Climate Picnic SG wore green, brought posters showing their care for Mother Earth, and formed a green heart to send one message: Stop global warming (Photo: Bryan Kwa)

The non-profit project is founded by former US vice president and environmentalist Al Gore. Chua is a climate reality leader who was trained by Gore himself to set up the Singapore chapter.

Chua believes Singapore has some way to go in fighting climate change and proposes its citizens keep a monthly dashboard to track their progress in reducing activities such as excessive consumption and driving.

“If 5 million (people) reduce their energy and food waste consumption by 10 per cent, we can upsize our carbon dioxide commitment easily,” remarked Chua.

Software engineer Rendell Peh, 35, lent his support to the cause by developing, together with his business partners, a carbon footprint calculator that determines a user’s carbon footprint through a series of questions, and compares it with Singapore’s and the world’s averages.

“Personally, I don’t drive, even though I can afford it. I believe driving is a main cause of carbon pollution. Even though it takes a longer time, I prefer to travel by train to reduce my carbon footprint as it is greener – it normally uses electrical energy or diesel energy,” said Peh.

The Climate Picnic was part of the Global Climate March, where activists are planning more than 2,300 climate rallies around the world as the Paris talks commence.

Initially named 'Climate March SG’, the picnic was to be held at the Speaker’s Corner before being shifted to Ben & Jerry’s Dempsey branch to allow foreigners to participate. However, organizers said Ben & Jerry’s franchisor, Unilever Singapore, "rescinded” their booking on the eve of the event, citing “corporate policy”. The event was eventually held at Highgate Condominium, a private residential estate.