Archive for May, 2010
There are a number of worthwhile programmes in progress at the moment which have taken my interest, and I thought I would share some of them with you. While climate change issues seem to have taken a back step to health and taxes in the political arena, it’s nice to see some of these programmes taking place to keep our mind on things we can all be doing.
During May, here in Western Australia, daysofchange.org has been running a very comprehensive multi-channel campaign on broad sustainability changes that everyone can make in their lives both at home and work . One of the things I like about this programme is that it gives you the opportunity to state the actions you are already undertaking, as well as pledge to make new improvements in your life. If you haven’t been to their web site to fill out your profile, it’s not too late!
Another programme starting this week has a more specific focus — International Green IT Awareness Week www.greenitweek.org. This event promises some very practical presentations as well as good resources on the event website. You might like to send a link to your IT Manager.
The web sites both post tips about improvements you can make. Even though the audiences are very different for these programmes, one of the themes you can see on both these web sites is the monitoring of energy consumption. Our Greensense View product is designed specifically to help organisations tackle this issue. We believe this is a great way to drive energy efficiency programmes that save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This weekend I facilitated the first of a two-part workshop series on climate change adaptation in Mundaring. Supported by the EMRC, the Shire of Mundaring is engaging with the community on climate change.
Climate change is a huge issue for local government. While many authorities are developing adaptation plans, this is the first community consultation in Western Australia, at least that I’m aware of.
As part of the workshop, we had Dianne Katscherian from the Department of Health give an excellent presentation on climate change and health in WA. We’ll be incorporating some of her information into our risk assessment framework, for example the need to consider chronic health issues as well death and injury in consequence scales.
During the workshop, I found the discussion and the comments from members of the community quite fascinating. At one one of the tables, we were discussing the prospects for Mundaring in the future based on the climate change scenario we were reviewing. At first the vision for Mundaring in 2070 was seemed quite negative. Just one more dormitory suburb at the end of highway leading out from Perth. A hot and dry place, prone to summer bushfires, with some of natural environment that attracted people to the area irrevocably lost to climate change.
But another participant, when reflecting on how Mundaring had changed in the last 60 years helped me see a more positive vision. He suggested in the past Mundaring had been very self-sufficient with more facilities and amenities in the area so there was less need to travel to Perth. One of the elected members at the workshop described the community in Mundaring as being resilient and used to living with threat of bushfire. I could start to imagine Mundaring in 2070 as a self-sufficient and sustainable community, living in harmony with the changed environment, actively managing the impacts of climate change on their place in Western Australia.
I’m quite excited about the second workshop in two weeks time, when we’ll start work on the action plan. climate change adaptation is one of our climate change consulting services. Please contact us if you’d like help with your climate change strategy.
On Thursday, May 6, Professor Sackett, the Chief Scientist for Australia, presented at the Sir Mark Oliphant CleanTech conference dinner, hosted at the MCG, on the topic of Green Sport.
In referring to some of the great moments in sport she said “with every one of these moments in our sporting history has come emissions of carbon, in the form of CO2 and soot, the same substances that are directly or indirectly risking tennis players fainting at the Australian open as they fight through our hottest summers yet, Olympic athletes to wheeze as they run through poor air quality in Beijing, and contributing to drought in areas where athletes need fields to train.”
Professor Sackett went on to say that “sport is, without a doubt, a crucial part of the Australian cultural fabric” and at Greensense we believe it is an industry that through it’s leadership has the ability to educate and influence a nation to more sustainable living. We are already engaged with the WA Football Commission, Triathlon WA, Perth 2011 and the Drug Aware Pro, some of WA’s leading sporting groups, to help them become leaders in sustainable events and operations. We are working with them on everything from sustainable event management, education and awareness, energy efficient buildings and organising green team initiatives.
The key things Professor Sackett suggested a sporting event must take into account are:
– the greenhouse costs of building the stadium or venue,
– the transportation of tens of thousands of spectators,
– stadium lighting
– and even the cost of old Bob sitting at home watching the game on his voracious plasma TV.
A key suggestion related to transportation as one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions, where encouraging and subsidising public transport would assist in reducing the number of cars on the road and CO2 in the air. Another key area is development in sustainable architecture. According to research conducted by CSIRO, energy use in buildings accounts for 26 per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions.
We’re already working with some of Western Australian’s top sporting events to help make sport more sustainable, including the Perth 2011 Sailing Regatta, Drug Aware Pro, TriWA and the Bussleton Half-Ironman, and, the Western Australian Football Commission.
We’re passionate about Sustainable Sport. We’d love to help you make your sport or sporting event more sustainable. You can read more about our sustainable event management services or contact us for more information.
A Negawatt is the opposite of a Megawatt. It’s a unit of energy we didn’t have to generate due to energy efficiency.
Negawatt power is cheaper and greener then wind, solar or tidal power. It’s been estimated that every kilowatt of savings at the plug actually contributes 3 kilowatts of savings in total due to energy losses from generation, distribution and consumption.
According to modelling from the International Energy Association, energy efficiency offers the biggest scope for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. It can contribute more abatement than renewable energy, more than carbon capture and storage and more than nuclear power.
The IEA goes on to say in their report:
Energy-effiency investments in buildings, industry and transport usually have short pay-back periods and negative net abatement costs, as the fuel-cost savings over the lifetime of capital stock often outweigh the additional capital costs of the efficiency measure, even when future savings are discounted.
While the recent name change of the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency probably has more to do with the Government’s backflip on the ETS the focus on energy efficiency is welcome.
Greensense View is one way we are supporting energy efficiency. Contact us, if you’d like to find out more.