Geography in Everyday Life Notes Topic 1-2

🌱 Geography In Everyday Life Thinking Geographically - Topic 1.1 Relationship between people and nature in their neighbourhood What is the relationship between people and nature? Closely related to 2, below] Local communities and nearby nature areas are dependent upon each other. People are dependent on nature: Nature provides air and water > Survival Nature > Spaces for recreation and leisure activities > Bond with family and friends > Maintains humanʼs physical and mental well-being Living Things (e.g. Bees) Pollinate crops > Continuous supply of food Nature areas are also dependent on local communities to thrive: People in neighbourhoods > Tend to health of nature areas > Living things thrive Individuals in local communities > Encourage one another > Enjoy nature areas > Sustainable manner without causing irreversible damage Geography In Everyday Life 1

Local communities and nearby nature areas mutually affect each other benefitting the parties involved. Presence of green spaces and wildlife > Enhance well-being Human activities > Enhance biodiversity E.g. Reforestation activities > Gain enjoyment > Enhance mental health and well-being of people E.g. Reforestation activities > Natural environment enhanced > As more shelter and habitat > Wildlife to thrive How do people and nature bring about benefits to each other? Nature areas benefit people by lowering temperatures, removing pollutants and providing space for recreation Lowering air temperature with the use of vegetation Provides shade > Reduce sunlight reaching the surface Surroundings cooled via evapotranspiration Water that is absorbed by plants through roots > Released into the air as water vapour > Cools the surrounding air Removal of pollutants Photosynthesis > Absorbs carbon dioxide and air pollutants > Releases oxygen Small particles get intercepted > Washed into ground during rain Wetland plants > Trap suspended materials in the water > Improve water quality Provision of recreational spaces Nature areas > Outdoor activities > Reduce stress Direct frequent interactions > Bring health benefits > Reduces severity and occurrence of health problems Community activities that promote the importance of environmental protection Geography In Everyday Life 2

Locals collectively raise awareness about the value of nature areas > Encourage positive behaviour which does not damage nature E.g. Clean-up programmes > Remove pollutants > Restore natural habitats > Provide a healthy environment > Species to thrive What are the disadvantages people and nature bring to each other? Causing soil erosion, damaging vegetation, worsening pollution and disturbing wildlife People to nature] Soil erosion and damage to vegetation Hiking along non-designated trials Cause soil compaction > Prevents rainwater from infiltrating the surface Step on vegetation > Damaged > Affect their growth Worsening pollution (littering) and disturbing wildlife Mistake litter for food > Consume > Get hurt and suffer > May lead to death Feeding wildlife > Changes of habits and behaviours > Human wildlife conflict as wildlife associate food with people Wildlife from nearby nature areas may harm people and environmental protection may limit development Nature to people] Urban Expansion Nature habitats shrink Wildlife venture into urban areas for food or shelter Growing Interest in outdoor recreation More time spent in nature areas Increase frequency of human-wildlife encounters Greening efforts Bring nature back into city Promote human wildlife encounters People may not know how to deal with them > Unintentionally provoke > Attacked Animals fearful > Likelihood to attacks increase when provoked Geography In Everyday Life 3

Due to these limits, environmental protection may be perceived to be limiting development People feel environmental protection of nature is done at the expense of their needs E.g. Construction of CRL Direct route: Cuts through nature reserve > Shortens travel time significantly Skirting route: Longer route but conserve natural environments Done at expense of needs and interests) Thinking Geographically - 1.2 A sense of place in neighbourhoods What is a sense of place? Derived from our experiences with environments and interactions with others Developed when people associate meanings and memories > Reflects r/s ppl have w places Acquiring sense of place Regular and frequent visits Recalls character and features > Create memories Significant events at landmarks or gathering places Easy to spot, recognisable, > Usally symbolic and historical It can feature both negative and positive memories [-] Feature as public symbols > Reflects how people(community) respond to the tragedy > A place where memories of their loved ones are kept [+] Interactions with people at everyday places > Build an attachment to these places > Create memories and meaning Representation of sense of place Communities and locals represent their places > Media > Reflects ideas, memories and significance of the place Geography In Everyday Life 4

Media can come is forms of audio, text, images, still or moving objects Media can also come in different types such as print-based, broadcast- based and internet-based media E.g. The use of #sgmemory on Instagram reflects and represents the memorable experiences of Singaporeans Different expressions in media > Enhance or contradict sense of place Sense of place shapes our identity We respond well the representation that we agree with how we feel about our neighbourhoods New layers of representations are added from new information > Enhance sense of place We act defensively > Others challenges our sense of place > Dismiss these claims Thinking Geographically - Topic 1.3 Relationships between locations in a neighbourhood What is a region? A region has similar characteristics like: Environmental characteristics Geographical location Humans characteristics Spheres of influence of services, events and objects in different parts of the location At the regionʼs boundaries they are less effective What are spatial patterns? Reflect non-random arrangements that are recognisable as shapes, clusters and geometry or repeated and regularoccurrence. Spatial patterns appears as Geography In Everyday Life 5

Geometry and lines such as points and circles E.g. Circle Line Clusters and concentrations Industrial, commercial and housing areas Repeated occurrences at regular intervals Bus stops are spaces apart from one another to serve residents of multiple precincts to enhance convenience and accessibility What are spatial associations? The tendency of two services, events of objects > Located close to one another This provided seamless connections > Benefiting everyday life of people Specify benefit: Convenience? Accessibility? Thinking Geographically - Topic 1.4 Organisations of Neighbourhoods in Singapore What are spatial scales? Extent of an area of which a process and phenomenon takes place Arranged in spatial hierarchies, global, regional, local Southeast Asia located in Asia Singapore located in Southeast Asia Nested areas are smaller ares located in larger areas Recognising spatial scale > Understand how processes affect nature and people Examine spatial scale > Different perspectives What are spatial scales in Singapore Singapore consist of 20 towns Has a town centre Geography In Everyday Life 6

Town centre where there is a commercial and social hub for interactions Usually has shopping malls A town centre may also include an integrated transport hubs Attract others from other towns to visit (malls) Allow seamless connection > Travel elsewhere Business can take advantage of the shorter and cheaper travels What are spatial hierarchies? Residential Unit > Precinct > Neighbourhood > Town Nested areas of different sizes, beginning with a single RU Precincts 400 to 800 residential units Facilities located in close proximity > Convenience Meet Everyday needs E.g. Community gardens, playgrounds, fitne