Any points of light, before the lights go out?

The Greens propose a 100% renewable energy scenario for Australia. Is this realistic?

Well, ask the Europeans.

According to the European Climate Foundation Europe can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent. It will thereby reduce its energy bill by 350 billion euros (US$476 billion) per year. All this can be done by 2050 if it acts within five years.

Not bad.

This means the 27-nation European Union will to lower its carbon- dioxide discharges by 20 percent from 1990 levels Pollution is to be reduced by 80 percent to 95 percent in the next forty years.

The Foundation is adamant these goals are realistic. It believes zero-CO2 electricity can be provided as reliably and economically as now.

It is not surprising that energy auditing is the Foundation’s first-line defense strategy. It is being subsidized and practiced in many countries.

Don't be disheartened!

But “overwhelmed” is giving in. While we must be concerned, and act, in our own daily lives to make things better, we must also remember what gets people through hard times: good and helpful communication with each other and Humor. Yes, a good laugh can snap you out of it, give you new courage and inspiration to do those things that make a difference.

Christmas, how we treat each other on Earth as it is in Heaven...

it is a new site offering free animated musical ecards right now but that might not last long as they become a popular destination for people-and-planet-putter-togethers,

Interestingly, Earth Ecards does not confine itself to planet Earth. They have animated some of those amazing NASA Hubble space telescope pictures to allow you to send some pretty unique Christmas and New Year cards.

Enjoy!

Happy new Year! Turning over a new leaf with Earth Ecards.

Early Bird registration for the Bioenergy Australia 2009 conference is open until the end of October.  You can register online at www.bioenergyaustralia.org.
 
Australia’s premier bioenergy conference, Bioenergy Australia 2009 will be held at the Radisson Resort Gold Coast, Queensland from 9 – 10 December 2009 with a Technical Tour on 8 December 2009.

This year’s program will have over 85 presentations covering policies and programs, bioenergy projects and project development case studies and emerging opportunities.  It will also consider many facets of bioenergy, including:
·         Biomass sources and supply aspects
·         Algae and other future feedstocks
·         Heat and power
·         Energy-from-waste
·         Anaerobic digestion and livestock wastes
·         Gasification
·         Pyrolysis bio-oil and sequestration via bio-char
·         First and second generation liquid biofuels
·         Overarching aspects of bioenergy, such as life cycle emissions and sustainability.
 
Maybe you can attend?
 
Contact:
Dr Stephen Schuck
Bioenergy Australia Manager
c/o Stephen Schuck and Associates Pty Ltd
7 Grassmere Road
Killara  NSW  2071
Tel/Fax: (02) 9416 9246
www.bioenergyaustralia.org
 

A number of scientists were interviewed about how they feel about the progress made and expectations for Copenhagen to deliver real and immediate action.

Overall they are struggling to be optimistic. The consequences of insufficient action now are probably unimaginable. What are the consequences of a 2C or 2.5C in your life? Food, water, shelter, the good life. All at risk.

Here are the interviews.

Take care!

As Greenpeace says in its report Working For he Climate – Green Energy Job Creation: As we head towards the Copenhagen Climate Summit, world leaders have the opportunity to stimulate economic recovery while cutting carbon emissions through investing in green jobs in the renewable energy sector.

The jobs that have an environmental benefit can of course be seen as extensions of existing trades like plumbers, electrician and mechanics but when they become applied to low-CO2 generating purssuits and saving energy they are justifiably green jobs. Nothing at all wrong with that.

We must make the change to clean energy if we are to survive on a sustainable planet. Greenpeace’s report Energy (R)evolution says that “the world can achieve a nine-fold increase in its production of renewable energy to avoid catastrophic climate change.” Under this scenario, by 2030, there would be over 8 million jobs in renewable power and energy efficiency. This is over three times the number than would be the case under a business-as-usual approach.

Furthermore this report showed that if we do nothing to change to clean energy we will half a million energy supply jobs disappearing over the time period.

Energy Auditing – A Growing Green Job Sector

Working For The Climate Report here

Did you know that Australia’s energy demand is projected to double by 2020? And the world’s energy consumption will rise by some 44% by 2030?

And energy prices are rising fast – as you know. We used less natural gas for this winter quarter compared to last year and we still paid some 25% more! That’s in Western Australia where we have oodles of natural gas reserves.

And we cannot wait till “They” do something. Everyone is “They.” Cleaning up our act at home, in our own bacckyard is a powerful act. One thing anyone can do is to have a qualified person do a home energy audit or a commercial energy audit.

All this means is that you get someone to assess where your home or business building is wasting energy and where you can plug the drafty gaps, replace energy-wasting lighting and , insulate your roof, and perhaps your walls.

With the generous renewable energy incentives and weatherization subsidies governments offer there is no excuse.

Plus the home and business energy audits area is a good example of a green job. Perhaps its something for you?

The first council-instigated straw bale social housing project in the UK will be completed by October 2009. The council decided straw bale homes are cheaper to build and have better sustainability compared to brick buildings.

It will build four three-bedroom straw homes in total. These warm and cozy homes (straw bale homes are delightful) will be affordable and improve community sustainability.

Kesteven Council does not stop there. During construction of the new straw homes locals are invited to watch and participate in straw building courses!

So remember North Kesteven as the first point of light in widespread adoption of this most sensible building type. Right for our times.
May there be lots more of it…

Want to know more about straw bale housing? Go here

More information on the Kesteven project here: http://www.greenbuildingpress.co.uk/article.php?category_id=1&article_id=306

After pulling the residential solar PV rebate scheme two weeks early because of an enthusiastic uptake of the scheme (isn’t that what we want?), the federal government has done it again.

This time it’s the $200,000 grant for solar stand-alone power supplies in rural remote communities. Again, the government says money has run out for this scheme. You greedy people have actually taken the government seriously by taking to this scheme like ducks to water (well, there’s another subject…) and now you cannot have it any more.

Bang goes the lid on the cookie jar.

What’s happening?

Like I suggested before: governments think people must go renewable energy, whether or not it gives out rebates. So it feels it won’t need to do this anymore at a time it has no money left. It has just spent its billions on economic stimulus that encourages the very behaviour that got us into this mess.

So, what to do? Don’t rely on government rebates and solar energy grants anymore.

Live sustainably.

Save up to buy that PV solar panel and get that solar hot water panel with a government rebate right now.

Save energy where you can.

Leave the car in the driveway or share it with others.

Grow some vegetables in your backyard.

Be creative.

Alternative energy is not the only way to lower emissions. human behaviour is number one!

What conclusions to draw from this?

First greenhouse gas levels in the Earth’s atmosphere are a direct result of human activity. Second, humanity has it fully in its power to lower greenhouse gas levels globally. Third, it’s a choice between consumerism or living within limits.

Worldwide Dutch company Shell lowered its emissions by 8.5%. Main reason? Oil production problems, notably in Nigeria. A fertilizer company, DSM, was able to lower its emissions by 21% through application of laughing gas removal technology.

Impressive achievements. Promises of being able to live with effects of global warming.

The Dutch Plan Bureau for Environment states that the economic crisis will help The Netherlands meet its Kyoto target. This target is 6% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions relevant to 1990 levels, by 2012. It fears that a 20% reduction by 2020 will be more difficult to achieve.

We might conclude that for the Earth’s sake, the economic crisis should continue. And by the time this crisis is over, we might have had enough of a prod in the back of climate change effects, to start doing things differently.

Like, consuming necessary things, according to real needs. And real needs will be better assessed by living for the common good, rather than for “number one.”

Sources:

http://www.volkskrant.nl/economie/article1246730.ece/Recessie_levert_schonere_lucht_op

Now, a new report has been released that says we are nudging the upper limits to what our global eco system can stand, and remain stable. Greenhouse gas emissions, they say must be reduced or an irreversible climatic shift is imminent.

Who says so? Well, 1,600 scientists met in Copenhagen a few months ago in order to assess the current state of our planet’s health. They have now released a Synthesis Report of this conference and you can download it here

One of its contributors is Professor Steffen from the Australian National university. He says time is running out to implement meaningful cuts in emissions.

“If we want to keep temperatures below two degrees – which is an often quoted guardrail – we pretty much need to see our emissions peak within the next six to 10 years and then drop very quickly after that,” he said.

Will humanity wait for this to happen or will we take the required steps to reduce our emissions?

What changes do you observe in your local environment? Share them here.