The newly created BambooStone foundation is holding a series of workshops on bamboo in Byron that will cover harvesting; treating; architecture; and building.
They look really interesting, bamboo is one of the miracle plants that is still under-utilised [...]
A recent study-of-studys. supposedly showed organic food was no more nutritious than chemical-food. At the time it was known that the study was specific to nutrition and ignored contamination from pesticide residue etc, but more information is surfacing on the other flaws in the study-of-studys.
For example ...
The Soil Association in [...]
I've been telling this story for years without realising it came from my friend Mark Albion. Now Free Range Studios (Story of Stuff, Meatrix) have made a short animated film of it.
' [...]I've been wondering whether or not to support the government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) - its inadequate, but isn't something better than nothing ?
This speech by Greens Senator, Christine Milne is worth a read. It really holds up what we could be doing and gives a powerful argument' [...]
The federal government's solar photovoltaic (electricity) rebate came to a sudden end with an announcement on June 9th - there was no notice, and this was the first that the companies working to sell Solar PV knew.
Of course, the writing was on the wall, the government had [...]
As storms batter the North coast of NSW, you have to ask whether its got anything to do with climate change - after all we seem to get 1 in 10 year storms every year now. Winds reached 133km/h on Thursday morning, and significant parts of the region are still [...]
This year's budget and the submission to parliament of the CPRS didn't really have any surprises.
The Green Party rightly criticised it as not being green enough, and even the Chinese got into the criticism.
ABC says that it funnels $4.5b to clean energy, but closer inspection' [...]
Better Place has been promoting the idea of Battery Swapping as a way to get around the range problem with electric cars.
Last week a roll-out starting 2012 was announced.
Earth2Tech has some good photos of the technology.
Papyrus Australia (ASX:PPY) had some coverage recently of a banana harvester it developed and has recently filed patents on. A key input to Papyrus's process of turning banana waste into paper is a supply of banana trunks, which are cut each year after fruiting, and a harvester improves the [...]
I'm just back from a vacation in Bali, while I was there I spent some time talking to people running interesting projects, and as usual its interesting to see the perspective of people working in a totally different environment.
One interesting thread was the use of bamboo - several projects are' [...]
In the budget Rudd announced that the Green Loan program would now be smaller, but interest free see Australian, the problem is still that they have to repaid much faster than the payback time of the improvement (energy efficiency, or renewable energy), but at least they've made the unnecessary energy' [...]
Queensland has set an impressive target on solar hot water, putting together a scheme that provides systems, fully installed to homeowners for $500 ($100 for pensioners)
Its to be hoped its done better than previous efforts, there are some really good people in Queensland government, committed to sustainability, but as [...]
As the financial crisis deepens, it becomes a big question as to whether sustainability programs should be cut. At Natural Innovation we've long believed that sustainability is an opportunity, i.e. that aligning a companies financial bottom line with their ecological and social bottom lines will benefit all three, and its' [...]
Update: This story is now confirmed - or at least partly, Van will join the Council on Environmental Quality, which coordinates President Obama's climate, energy and other environmental policy initiatives with federal agencies. - the NYTIMES has the story) and here is Van's take on it, where [...]
The Age has another story on population based on a new book. This is important because the increase in population is being used as an excuse for the miniscule cuts being targeted for Australia's emissions by 2020.
See the previous article on Australia's high per-capita emissions or my [...]
There are a number of stories around about Carbon Negative cements.
Its an area that is worth paying attention to, as cement production causes about 5% of world CO2 emissions. Novacem's product is based on Magnesium Silicates and supposedly absorbs 0.6 tonnes of carbon per tonne of cement.
For a while now I've been commenting that battery recharge time will be as important as capacity and power-to-weight ratio. This is particularly important for electric bikes and cars where a larger capacity battery also means more weight to carry around.
Toshiba have just announced at [...]
The government has released a new Renewable Energy Target of 20% by 2020. This is a big step forward from the old 2% target, although still a long way from enough to tackle climate change, and a long way below what is achievable.
The Clean Energy Council [...]
Following on from my own analysis of the government's inadequate CPRS, here is the commentary from the Clean Energy Council calling for the need for a Renewable Energy Target since the capped rate is too low to drive investment in renewables, (disclaimer: I'm on the PV Directorate of the [...]
As I mentioned in my recent post on Australia's "Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme", Rudd has taken the unusual step of talking about how good Australia's per-capita cuts are, i.e. using Australia's projected population growth.
Of course this only makes sense if you believe that a growing population is an independent uncontrollable [...]
I attended the Australian federal government's briefing on its "Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme" in Brisbane yesterday.
The one-line summary .... inadequate goals (450ppm); targets that push the burden of meeting the goal onto the next government (5% by 2020) and measures unlikely to even achieve those targets.
The government chose [...]
Over the last year, I've been to "Green Drinks" evenings in San Francisco; Melbourne and Brisbane they were a great way to meet and catch up with and network with like-minded people.
I thought it would be great to have an evening like this closer to home.
The intention is to open [...]
Humdinger Wind has an interesting alternative to turbines, using the old concept of fluttering belts, as used in the grass-plate trumpet we all knew as kids.
The numbers don't quite seem to add up to me, but its a valuable addition to the three-rotating-blades idea.
This is interesting - I heard Amory Lovins talk about doing pretty much this about 15 or so years ago as a necessary part of the hybrid car, and spoke to some engineers at GM about the electric wheels they were seeing about 3 or 4 years ago but interestingly [...]
This article, by Kevin Wilhelm matches a lot of the thinking at Natural Innovation - i.e. that sustainability, done well improves, rather than detracts from a bottom line.
In these uncertain economic times, companies often gravitate towards budget cuts and to scale back sustainability or “green” programs because of the notion [...]
Whaledreamers - made by friends of mine - is opening in cinemas across Australia.
Its a powerful, true story of a supposedly extinct aboriginal tribe's reconnection with their heritage of calling the whales, and a gathering of indigenous elders from around [...]
The solar rebate continues to attract news coverage, here are a few of the stories...
22 Oct: SMH "Solar power stops prices going through the roof"
With a mention of bulk buying and how cheap it is to get all your power from PV.
22 Oct: SMH Doubts cast [...]
Back in 2004 I blogged about a project by SkySail to add kites to ocean going cargo ships.
Yesterday, the SMH carried a story about a project by Solar Sailor (an Australian company that operates a boat in Sydney) adding fixed aluminum sails with PV onto [...]
The guardian has an interesting story on an upcoming report by the Climate Change Committee.
This committee was setup by an act of parliament to advise the government on the appropriate scale of cuts.
Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, the committee chairman, told the Guardian. "We have to almost [...]
Its been busy on the political front lately - as climate change becomes recognised as more important, the lobbying and jockying has started, and of course political point-scoring.
Firstly there was the Senate enquiry into the Solar Rebate, I made a submission essentially arguing that the main issue [...]
Paul Gilding has written a paper called "Scream Crash Boom 2 - the Great Disruption"
It makes for interesting reading, and I agree with most of both the premises and conclusions.
Paul describes a system which is both Complex and Chaotic. Complex in that [...]
Al Gore made a key speech recently, summarised in the quote:
Today I challenge our nation to commit to producing 100 percent of our electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years
Neal Dikeman has a thoughtful critique of the speech on CleanTechBlog which concludes.
I [...]
We've not been seeking a lot of publicity at Beyond Building, our Solar Neighbourhoods scheme has been so popular that we haven't needed it.
But we couldn't keep it quiet as in the last couple of weeks, after months of dealing with compliance issues, we've started installing [...]
With both the Garnault report and the government's outline of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) now out, the jockying has begun.
[...]Garnaut's report includes a section on Feed-In-Tariffs. Garnaut correctly points out that it should be Gross. Despite the headline on the section it doesn't recommend a value, which is a pity.
Key Point: There is a case for special feed-in tariffs for household electricity generation and co-generation. The case can [...]
The long awaited Garnaut report is now out. For a long time its imminence has been an excuse for the federal government not to act, now it may well be called "one of the inputs" as its recommendations are unlikely to match the preferred action of the government. [...]
Solar Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT's) are what has driven the solar expansion in Europe - especially Germany (and I believe in California). Here in Australia we are way behind the times.
South Australia led the way in creating a FiT that would have no noticable impact, because it was designed so that almost [...]
It looks like the Compressed Air car has finally got close to production. The idea popped up a few years ago, but the performance figures really didn't make it look like a viable alternative that would appeal as broadly as needed to have an impact on the [...]
I was forwarded this post from another blog . Once again it illustrates the need to think outside the box to solve the world's challenges.
Eden Foundation seem to be doing this by introducing alternative food crops to areas where the crops they've depended on [...]
This article is to draw your attention to the twin challenges facing our culture, that of Peak Music, and Global Noise caused by the impact of Cumulative Emissions of Rhythm.
All natural resources reach a peak, and music is not an exception, after approximately half of the talent has been used [...]
There is a controversy building in Queensland around proposals to introduce Feed-In Tariffs.
Why should it be controversial, after all they've worked well in Germany and California to boost demand for solar and other renewables to get the volumes up to where they will be able to compete with Fossil [...]
I heard Ross Garnaut speak at the excellent Solar Cities conference in Adelaide last month, so I wasn't totally surprised when a couple of days later his proposals for Emission Trading in Australia were released.
However there is a huge difference - as we see with Queensland's Feed-In-Tariffs - [...]
This article is to draw your attention to the twin challenges facing our culture, that of Peak Music, and Global Noise caused by the impact of Cumulative Emissions of Rhythm.
All natural resources reach a peak, and music is not an exception, after approximately half of the talent has been used [...]
This 1 minute video - entitled Metaphormosis asks whether we, like the caterpillar, will devour our environment before changing into something beautiful
[...]I like this one-minute inspiration from Van Jones and his pitch not to leave anyone behind as we deal with Climate Change
[...]
One of my investments just paid off, it was to a business called Fotu Levi. First the numbers - Amount invested, $25; Period of investment: 1 year; ROI 0%; Satisfaction: 100%.
I made the investment through www.kiva.org, who match investors - of a variety of [...]
This video is worth watching, it sets a vision for a sustainable city in a desert - its got some impressive goals, and one that sets a line that other city-scale developments would do well to match.
[...]In one of the other posts I refered to the case being made for Zero Emissions. The article I was refering to is in New Scientist, but I'll post it below in case it expires.
From a business perspective you have to start asking the question, "What is the [...]
Salon has an article that asks when solar power makes sense, quoting papers by Wheeler and Borenstein. "figuring out the carbon dioxide price point at which a particular renewable source of energy becomes cost-competitive with a fossil-fuel energy source is critical. If it's $600 per ton, forget about it. [...]
I've been quiet lately because I've had my head down in a new startup.
We are called Beyond Building, and are tackling the issue of the affordability of Green Building and Renewable Energy. In essence we don't believe that sustainability will scale until people stop asking the question "Can I [...]
The other day, while sharing a coffee (chai in my case) at the market, Alok, a normally progressive friend, put the case that Australia, because of its long distances, and coal-based energy needed a high carbon budget.
Every country makes an argument that it needs more of the world's share [...]
Pretty much every industry these days has to start looking at the sustainability implications of their industry, and competitors are starting to use this as a differentiating factor ... this one from the Action Sports Industry.
I've attached their brochure (oops will do when my blog gets fixed), it would [...]
by Kathleen Battke & Declan Kennedy
Innovative education for sustainability, peace and development – that is the thematic core of the projects that the first finalists – three women and two men – worked on in order to [...]
The "documentary" Great Global Warming Swindle aired this week. I'm still waiting to see it, but the interviews with its director were enough to convince me it was rubbish.
Unfortunately this comes at a bad time, just when everyone had got into line about finally doing something - or at [...]
I just received an interesting call from Origin Energy
I had filled in the form on Origin Energy's website about switching to their green power, basically based on their 100% claim on the website, and that I had heard their products were the "best" green power on the market. [...]
The article I wrote below appeared in the May 2007 issue of Ethical Investor.
But after attending the 3rd Cleantech shindig. Mitra Ardron thinks the best deals are getting away.
Most pitch-fest presentations were strong and interesting; particularly MicroFlow, Anzode’s Zinc and Biopower.
Last month’s 3rd AustralAsian Cleantech Forum brought about 230 [...]
There is a good summary of the PM's task force's recommendations, and a comparison of these with the state schemes on the site of Blake Dawson Waldron lawyers.
In key aspects the proposals from the States are better for the environment, and I believe better for business as they provide [...]
The Prime Ministers Climate Change Task force reported yesterday.
Essentially it reported what everyone expected, i.e. it admits that we can't deny that climate change exists, and is important but it tells Howard, "don't do too much, and not without more study, and don't set any targets, and don't do it [...]
This report by Worldwatch, and the Travis Bradford of the Prometheus Institute has an interesting look at the growth in supply, and reduction in cost, of Solar Photovoltaic.
(via greenleap)
The solar industry is poised for a rapid decline in costs that will make it a mainstream power option in the next [...]
From: Doctors for the Environment Australia via GreenLeap
By Professor Peter Newman, Murdoch University
1 May 2007
Carbon neutral is becoming the policy for innovative companies, individuals and even football teams. Can it be applied to a country? What would it mean for Australia?
I have recently returned from [...]
Zelfo - (which I'm a director of) had some recent publicity on TV news, when they presented a bowl made out of council's waste paper to the mayor.
Nice publicity (though don't rely on the facts in the dialogue, after all its TV!)
[...]
Kevin Rudd has just done what what John Howard has failed to do for years - convince many environmentalists not to support Labor at the coming federal election.
By ending Labor's "No New Uranium Mines" policy he has opened up Australia to the toxic waste that mining causes and to [...]
I posted this in response in a Care2 forum to the common question from the non-scientist as to whether you can really run a car on water. Since I've been asked this question I thought I'd post it here as well.
Can a car run on water?
Its a good question, [...]
Some of the biggest polluters - the US, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia (and presumably Australia) flexed a lot of muscle to water down the recent IPCC report. In particular to the crucial "summary for policy makers" which is all that most non-climate scientists are likely to read.
Kevin Grandia has [...]
I recently corresponded with the staff of our local federal Labor MP about Labor's lack of a climate change policy, and my decision as a result of it to neither preference Labor nor Liberals at the recent state election.
I've attached the correspondance ...
[...]
This is an interesting out-of-the-box idea, how much of a letter can you remove without impairing legibility. In the process you save ink.