Reflections...

Change is inevitable. It cannot be avoided because of the growing demands for land. Land is an important factor for a strong country and nation because it supports life and any other activites. Land is needed for residence, commercial and industrial activities. Someone has to do something to make a change to create more space and land for businesses and residence. Moreover, the birth rate is increasing rapidly and more babies and newborn are being born everyday. The birth rates are rising and by 2050, the population of the world would be thrice or even four times the birth rates today! This might be a shocking news to behold but this is the truth, its is reality and there must be some courses of action for the rising demand of land. Land is a scarce resource and it should be used be preserved. Therefore, the governement have decided to increase the price per unit area of land. The price mechanism controls the allocation of land uses. Land is very valuable in cities like singapore as competition among different land uses is intense. As a result of the high land value, we usually find activities that can generate high income or profits in the city centre. In this case here, the people who stand to gain are the wealthier people as they can afford the expensive housing and residential estates near the city. The shop owners and shopkeepers in the shopping centres also stand to gain as the residential estates are near to their shops. The residents living near the shops can patronise them conveniently and easily. The governement also stands to gain as the profits are higher so more amount of taxes are paid to them.

For land clearance, there has to be some kind of sacrifice. There are signs of deforestation that can be found in some countries. Its is happen quickly. In 1850, there were nearly 20 million square kilometres of rainforest in the world but by 2005, only 9 to 12 million square kilometrees of rainforests remain. There are people who would stand to gain. The commercial logging companies would earn a lot. Furniture and paper shops and shops selling wood and timber would also gain as their profit would increase when their stocks increase. Cattle ranches would also tend to win as large areas of land are needed for the rearing of cattles. Herds of cattles are raised for beef and exported to many countries. Many species of plants and animals would be at the losing side as clearing the forests will have an impact on them. They would lose their natural habitat and would have nowhere to seek shelter and no food to fill their hunger. People that are responsible for this change would be the selfish humans who wants the land for themselves only. Besides, there would be more global warming and that means life would end faster and thus, all of us would be at the losing end.

For empoldering, the ones at the winning end would be the farmers. They would benefit most from this reclamation plan as they can control the water supply in their farms and didn't have to rely on the rain neither do they have to fight the floodings from the sea. The ones at the losing end are the dyke builders battling endlessly against the enroaching sea.

For draining swamps, those that benefit are the farmers as more land are made for farmland. They also have irrigation from the excess water in the reclaimed land. This way, their crops would have enough water and grow healthier.

For urban land use, the governement and house agents would gain as there are many space to build more buildings and thus, there are more units for people to buy and rent. Thus, their business would naturally increase. The ones at the losing end would be the residents living in HDB flats designed by the government as more land is needed for building other things. Therefore, the buildings are built at such a close range from each other that even a slight tinge of noise could be heard. Would you want to hear your neighbour singing in the middle of the night and affect your sleep? Would you want to hear your neighbours coughing and making disgusting noises when you have your breakfast? Would you want nasty and pungent smells of all sorts to drift in your living or study room when you have guests to entertain and when you are doing your homework? I am very sure that your replies would be negative for all the questions raised. Therefore, there are disadvantages of living near. Of course, there are also advantages. They would be more neighbours to care for you and be on the lookout for you when you are in trouble. If you fall ill and there is nobody at home, your neighbours would be there for you. If you suddenly got kidnapped or robbed, your neighbours would always be on the watch.

Therefore, I have concluded that change is inevitable. Land is scarce and we have to think of ways to improve the situation but although the change cannot be avoidable, we can always make slight modifications and changes to make the situation better. If there is a will, there is always a way! If all of us take a step back and brainstorm to improve the situation by a little, soon, the whole thing would be improving DRASTICALLY!