Prius c - small package, big savings!

Each year, my business takes a few more steps to further reduce the impact on the planet, within the budget and being mindful of wasting existing resources.

So this year, with a new vehicle becoming a necessary item for business use, I did some research on available options at this time in Australia.

I set out to find a vehicle to be used primarily for city driving with the occasional longer trip, carrying mostly one or two people.  The criteria was for a vehicle that was small, flexible with a hatch shape, extremely fuel efficient for city driving, comfortable for two, but small enough to claim the full range of available inner city parking spots.

As a passionate advocate of our need to reduce the use of oil, I am very aware that burning this valuable resource in transport is reducing its availability for much more important industries in the future, industries such as those producing medicines or food. And – I am also mindful that the cost of fuel is headed in one direction!

After researching available fuel efficient and fully electric options, I chose the Prius c, a petrol electric hybrid small hatch car manufactured by Toyota.  In the longer term, and most likely for the next vehicle purchase, a fully electric vehicle will be higher on the list – but the Prius c ticked all the boxes now.

This model of the Prius is new, just released in Australia this year, and, as I understand on limited supply.  Since taking delivery of mine (the I-tech model) less than a week ago, I have definitely been impressed with my car.

Firstly, before it even left the dealer’s showroom, the Prius c already had downloaded my phone address book, and it seems to have all electronics that we call essential, and certainly makes for a useful and safe driving experience. 

And it is a really clever little car – you start to see how this works after a few days of driving, in that it uses the energy normally wasted when we apply the brakes or slow down, to recharge the battery.   The car’s system works out when it uses battery or when it uses petrol, so I do not have to think about that, and the fuel use will be massively less than the previous car.

The finish is nice, with lots of sections everywhere for all the bits and pieces that are essential to me, especially when the car is also my outbound office.
 

First impressions – for the business person travelling around, mostly on their own, with need to carry standard amounts of displays or stock, the Prius c I-tech is one to add to your list, and definitely one that will reduce your business fuel costs and more importantly, your business carbon footprint.

Pic of my Prius c taken by Mary

To believe climate change or not to believe

At a recent family festive gathering, I was inclined, over a glass of red, to engage with some of those gathered about the issues of limits to growth and climate change. 

As a passionate reader of the climate science literature and a concerned advocate in my normal circles, I was surprised at the lack of understanding and was faced with the challenge that I was a “climate believer”, which is the alternate term used when one is not a “climate denier”. 


 Now this term sits very uncomfortably on my head, as I no longer believe in the cultural myths from my childhood, including those of red chubby men or bunnies in hats or virgin births. As an adult, I choose not to wear this tag of “believer” of any unknown, rather to define my level of understanding or, in the case of the stock market, open heart surgery, or wine making, my lack of understanding. Pondering on this dilemma, I came across the term “Climate Literate” which I now assume. 


 Certainly, I am literate in several areas, although not always a specialist. I am literate in the English language, and literate in skills to run a small business, and somewhat literate in aspects of the solar industry. Over the past five years, I also have read extensively about climate changes on the planet, both the writings of climate scientists as well as those who deny the climate science. 


 In the future, in such social situations, I will refer to myself as “climate literate” and offer to pass information to those who do not yet have such literacy. It is not now a matter of belief, urban myth, or fairy story that we are influencing the climate - although I do accept that science should always be updating the information and revising as new data comes to hand. 


 Knowledge is knowledge at that time, and facts are the best available based on peer reviewed research done under controlled situations. At this time, in 2012, the most accepted knowledge derived from an overwhelming majority of scientists is that the climate is changing rapidly as a result of our actions, and that this carries significant risks. 


 It is about time that we stopped “believing in fairy stories” and that we all seek to become climate literate, learners not believers, planet carers not climate deniers.


Image Decorations taken by Author 

Australia's Fair Share of Carbon Reduction

Today I attended a City of Sydney Business Forum Lunch where Prof Ross Garnaut of the Garnaut Climate Change Review was the guest speaker.

Prof Garnaut spoke about his most recent report and commented that with our resources boom, we have “the best of times” economically to bring in a price on carbon. He commented that inaction would be counterproductive and that Australia needs to do a fair share on a global basis.

While some areas will have a small negative effect, Prof Garnaut also added that some areas of manufacturing could see a positive effect from the introduction of a carbon tax. Innovation, particularly in the energy generation areas, would benefit directly.

He commented that, “the story of carbon pricing will in future be the story of innovation”.

As I see it, any business planning to be part of the future of Australia, should be thinking about this new carbon economy and the important steps to help achieve our “fair share” of the reduction in global emissions.

My pic 21 June 2011

Act Now and Spread the Word

This week, I attended some of the Sydney Writers festival events, including an evening session in Sydney Town Hall called "You've Been Warned" which was a joint presentation and Q&A by three Authors, Paul Gilding, Naomi Oreskes, and Curt Stager who discussed the issues around climate change and the current political climate where delay and denial are given place.

After the excellent discussions, one of the questions related to what the individual could do to play their part in the changes that are essential and urgent, to at least minimise the impact of a warming planet. The answer that came was good, and pointed to the role that we all have to play in our own communities, but there was no time to elaborate on how.

We all consider these issues when we vote, in choosing what to read, and we listen to others, but that's only part of what we can do. Action is important and that can start anywhere.

We each have a talent, and so that's the first place to start with change. Look at your work, and how that can change. Does you office recycle, or could you suggest lighting improvements? If you are in a trade, how could that change, eg use sustainable paints, or think of your next vehicle in terms of reducing fossil fuel use? Could your factory fit solar panels, or change the hot water system? If you work with others, such as a teacher, or health worker, set an example of how you travel and how you consume.

But most of all, tell others what you are doing and why! Act now, and spread the word. Actions can start small, like turning off devices at night, or taking the bus, or eating less meat. But actions only begin to impact when you tell others, and share what you are doing. A friend recently told me that she only buys wine from her local area, because she knows that it takes so much energy to transport heavy bottles. Each of us can find personal ways to change, and to make a point through individual actions. And speaking about our actions is empowering, and an important part of the process to change the perspective of others in the society.

Global Thinking, Global Citizens

Earlier this month, I presented a talk on Global Thinking, and why Unlearning is the starting point.

The talk referenced the book by Mark Gerzon, Global Citizens, who agues that "our vision of the world is outdated".

We all like to view ourselves as global thinkers, travelling around the planet Earth, aware of other cultures, keeping up to date on what happens in various regions across the world. But no-one has a passport saying “global citizen”. We are all nationals of defined countries, travelling with views of those nations, and thinking in ways that we have learned from our families, our education and faith systems and influenced by our particular domestic politics.

All of us have worldviews that we have created in our minds. These are “simplified narratives” that help us make sense of the world. Our circumstances and education systems teach us to live and think within various borders, such as those defined by Mark Gerzon as “Individual, Tribal, Religious, National, and Corporate”. Mark Gerzon argues that we all live within “a combination of these borders”, and that they prevent us from thinking globally.

Our economic wealth, minerals, food, and water derive from the environment. New economic models that understand that the economy depends on the environment must evolve globally. But first, we will need to pass through an uncomfortable time, an uncertain time, a time of unlearning.

Unlearning opens options. As Jedi Master, Yoda said to Luke Skywalker, who was faced with a task that seemed impossible, “only different in your mind! You must unlearn what you have learned”.

So are you really a global thinker, or are you one who wishes to share their comfortable and non sustainable reality and values, with others?

pic The World ex Flickr by Homies in Heaven

Coal Power revisited

It's easy to dismiss coal fired power production, and to wave a verbal wand to remove it entirely from the planet - but it's not going to happen soon. And "soon" is what we need, so all solutions, including interim and transitional ones, must be on the table.

While we are refining and exploring new ways to power the world, there also needs to be fast and effective solutions for the existing coal fired power industry. Australia has coal - we use it, export it, and profit from it. So it is heartening to see that we also are exploring ways to reduce emissions, and leading this field is the work done by the CO2CRC team in Melbourne who recently reported a breakthrough in CO2 capture.

In late November, I also attended a talk on Capturing Carbon Emissions by USYD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Deanna D'Alessandro, who is pioneering a method to "sponge" carbon emissions, and this, and other initiatives need to be fast tracked.

Another Australian company, MBD Energy are also working on Carbon Capture, using algae for production of algae oil and algae meal.

We may reach a point one day, when the techniques being developed by researchers in the non-trendy areas are essential to removing the excess greenhouse gases STILL being emitted. I am not a fan of putting all eggs in one basket, so we need to encourage our talented people into a variety of areas - wind, solar, geothermal, marine, cogeneration, energy storage, and also into bioengineering and solutions for managing what we continue to do, and have done with coal.

At the same time, I would advocate for a level playing field, where subsidies on sunset industries are replaced by research grants to help them transition, and provide the continuity of supply that is essential for our societies.

Peak What?

The concept of Peak Oil is now well into mainstream communities, or so I thought. Last night I found myself at a function seated next to a well educated, newly retired IT professional, who seemed to be totally unaware of Peak Oil and its implications.

We are in the era of information, and we debate about how much we are told. Certainly, everyone in the group knew about Wiki-Leaks! But not Peak Oil? The media loves sensation, what's happening day by day, and that fills the news.

So how do we focus the important stuff, like Peak Oil, and how can this topic attract attention and compete with the daily dramas?

The end of the era of low cost oil is changing our way of life. Individually and globally, we need to be aware of this massive social transformation and the impact on us all. Understanding Peak Oil is the first step in adapting, by developing new options for travel and transport, and by re -shaping our many other oil dependant areas such as food production. Important issues are on the horizon but they are not on the front page of most newspapers nor on the evening TV news.

It seems, that many of us are just like the eyes in the rock, locked into seeing only what is put in front of us - with no interest in what is the reality.

PIc by Mary /Sculptures by the Sea 2009 Sydney

Sustainably Mobile in Style

At the Clean Energy Expo Asia, a fair chunk of the exhibition floorspace was dedicated to a "Sustainable Mobility Showcase" - very understated name for some rather interesting vehicles including the Tesla Roadster, which would be a very cool way to be "sustainably mobile".

The Roadster body is a carbon fibre creation and the design sets the bar for other cars to achieve, strength and low weight at the same time. This is a premium fully electric sports vehicle which manages up to about 400km range, depending on how you like to drive - to conserve or impress! But I think it would impress at any speed, and if you need to make a statement, then the Tesla Roadster does that and adds the exclamation mark!

I was delighted to finally see a Roadster in the flesh - and I certainly would like to see more "Sustainably Mobile" Roadsters on our Aussie roads.

Pic by Mary at Clean Energy Expo Asia 2010

Small Door, Opening to Asia Pacific

At the same time as Australia and the US are both facing internal opposition to supporting legislation for more Clean Energy uptake, countries like Singapore have ambitious plans to take up the challenge.

At the recent Clean Energy Expo Asia conference and exhibition held in Singapore, I was impressed with the level of commitment for Singapore to become a hub city for showcasing and promoting renewable energy - and one that addresses the issues of energy security and dependance on oil. The conference was developed in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) and there was emphasis on collaboration with key groups in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve outcomes not just for Singapore but for the whole region.

Ministerial support was evident with Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Resouces at the opening ceremony. Dr Ibrahim spoke about the projected job creation of 7,000 jobs by 2015 for Singapore, and how Singapore is planning to attract companies to become a "living laboratory" for sustainable urban solutions.

Over past few decades, I have observed that Singapore undertakes projects with a high degree of focus and determination, so I for one will be watching with great interest to see how Singapore develops their Clean Energy hub. One Australian company that I spoke to at the exhibition saw Singapore as a stepping stone to the Asian markets, and for Aussie technology this may well be a very welcome door to the important Asian markets.

My pic at Clean Energy Expo Asia exhibition opening 2 Nov 2010

Building a low carbon Sydney

Next Monday evening (25 Oct), in Sydney, there will be special update at the Sydney Town Hall with interviewer Tim Flannery and speaker Allan Jones MBE who will report on the progress made in delivering sustainable systems for energy, water and waste for the city.

With a panel of knowledgable and dedicated specialists and business leaders, this is set to be an enlightening evening. To see booking details CLICK HERE.

Nissan Leaf - Emission and Petrol station free!

Helping with All-Energy Australia 2010, I was delighted that 3,000 industry and business people came to see the show in Melbourne on Oct 6&7, and the exhibition space included over 180 exhibitors of clean energy production and associated services, in the areas of solar, wind, bio-energy, geothermal, marine, energy efficiency, storage and measurement.

This year, All-Energy Australia was fortunate to have a Nissan Leaf electric car on display, and this attracted significant attention from businesses and local government. The Nissan Leaf is a 100% electric vehicle, which should go about 160 km on a single charge, certainly more than sufficient to cover my average 150km per week of city driving. And for the once a year, out of town drive, I would happily borrow, rent, or travel by bus. Of course, that will in the future be remedied by fast charge outlets, hopefully located close by a good coffee shop. And I am unlikely to ever need to drive at the top speed of 140km/hr.

I would like be off fossil fuels, but I do enjoy and need a vehicle, and the Nissan Leaf is definitely on my short-list! In my mind's eye, it ranks as a very stylish and electronically cool car. My only gripe is that it will be 2012 before Australia sees the first available Nissan Leaf vehicles, so, in the meantime, I will have to wait and plan where to put my fully wind offset charging outlet.

No more trips to the Service Station for fuel - priceless !


Pic by Mary at All-Energy Australia 2010

OPPORTUNITY Knocks

Opportunity knocks once, and if the door isn’t answered, moves on to another door. We all have those moments in our personal histories, where we took on a challenge, or where we sat still, debating whether this opportunity was real, not moving and later regretting.

In 2010, Opportunity is knocking loudly, for the many countries on this planet, that will lead and dominate the future. And we, in Australia (and the US) are still in debate mode.

Thomas L Friedman, quoting Peggy Lui in his New York Times OP-ED, says it all:
“There is really no debate about climate change in China,” said Peggy Liu, chairwoman of the Joint U.S.-China Collaboration on Clean Energy, a nonprofit group working to accelerate the greening of China. “China’s leaders are mostly engineers and scientists, so they don’t waste time questioning scientific data.” The push for green in China, she added, “is a practical discussion on health and wealth. There is no need to emphasize future consequences when people already see, eat and breathe pollution every day.”

And because runaway pollution in China means wasted lives, air, water, ecosystems and money — and wasted money means fewer jobs and more political instability — China’s leaders would never go a year (like we will) without energy legislation mandating new ways to do more with less. It’s a three-for-one shot for them. By becoming more energy efficient per unit of G.D.P., China saves money, takes the lead in the next great global industry and earns credit with the world for mitigating climate change.

So while America’s Republicans turned “climate change” into a four-letter word — J-O-K-E — China’s Communists also turned it into a four-letter word — J-O-B-S.

Do you hear opportunity knocking on your door? Is your business/country in debate mode or are you opening doors to the new energy era?

Climate Change = Opportunity, so fill in the missing letters in your part of the world….
OPPORTUNITY = J-O-?-? .


Pic Ex Flickr OPEN DOOR by yewenyi

Turbine design drawn from Gliders

At a recent AuSES meeting in Sydney, we were treated to an insight into a new design for a medium sized vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) with versions rated at 3.5kW and 10kW. These VAWT’s were designed in Australia by a local company called Radotec . The prototype is being vehicle tested to simulate wind conditions in turbulent environments.

The talk was presented by Radotec’s Managing Director, Walter Radovich. Walter spoke about how the turbine design evolved from the engineers’ knowledge of aerodynamics and glider wings.

As this manufacturing company has engineering design and composites skills, the turbines will be made in Sydney, taking concept to reality locally in Australia.

With electricity prices on the rise, I look forward in the future to driving around Sydney’s windier industrial estates and to seeing these elegant energy producers on factory roofs and in the car parks and wherever the wind resources are sufficient to make these units contribute to business sustainability.

Pic courtesy of Radotec

Population Balance in Australia

Businesses in Australia have done well in recent times, with population growing and more goods and services on demand. But as Dick Smith, in his true blue Aussie entrepreneurial style, is pointing out to us, increasing population is just short term and very hazardous thinking in a world where resources are finite and weather patterns changing.

At some point, locally and globally, we will need to stop this growth and find ways to manage our economies, our businesses, our way of life without the false mantra of continuous population growth. At some point, we will need to say that enough is enough and to challenge those who think only of today and postpone the hard questions that we as a species must face.

We can change our energy systems, we can move to new and more efficient forms of transport, we can live in buildings that produce their own power, but to do all that and to add 3 billion more people to our global home is a challenge far too difficult to contemplate.

Dick Smith has set himself goals in the past and inspired many Australians. Let's hope his Population Puzzle, with its prize incentive, is an inspiration to young Australians, so that we can show the world that there are ways to live in balance with the new no population growth economy.

Energy Efficiency in the drivers seat

Energy Efficiency is always the first step when reviewing your energy plan for the next few years. So if you or your business plans to purchase a new vehicle, then it's not just the initial investment, it's about your fuel and running costs. So Ford's ECOnetic Fiesta turbo diesel is certainly one to consider.

According to all the reviews, the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic is more fuel efficient than a Prius, and considerably less in price. Previously, I wasn't a fan of diesels until the development of the particulate filter to reduce emissions - and that's no longer an issue for most modern diesels. Also, the Fiesta ECOnetic claims to produce less than 100gm/km of CO2 emissions, one of the few cars in Australia which meet this standard.

I was taken for a short ride in one of these last week, and the ECOnetic Fiesta is a zippy 5 door manual hatch, with all the now essential USB and Bluetooth mod cons. But the main benefit is the fuel economy, claimed as 3.7L/100km under test conditions, and that will give you a car that goes the distance.

Energy efficiency is not just about turning off your lights and computers. The biggest saving for you and the planet may be in your choice of car. And with fuel prices likely to roller-coaster at any time, the right choice is not just better for the environment, it's also better for your budget and your business.

My pic of Ford Fiesta ECOnetic at Enviro 2010

Zero Emission Street Sweeper

At Enviro 2010 in Melbourne this week, I was quite fascinated by the Tennant Green Machines (TM) 500ZE Electric Street Sweeper, which was on display.

We are moving towards a world where the rising cost of energy, and especially conventional transport fuels, will play an increasing part of our overall cost of doing everyday tasks, such as cleaning our streets. This innovative little unit, so I am told, will run for 8 hours on one charge, and with zero emissions during the operation of the vehicle. With a bonus of being almost silent, I guess the downside is you just won't hear it coming - so watch out behind you, there well may be a 500ZE cleaning up the footpath behind you.

My Pic 500ZE, July 22 at Enviro 2010.

The Baton is passed..

This week the world learned of the sudden death of Stephen Schneider, Stanford University Climate Scientist, and passionate advocate for global change. Stephen travelled the world, speaking out, sharing research and debunking theories that had no scientific basis. He also encouraged other scientists to speak about their work, their observations and the potential implications.

I met Stephen on several of his visits to Australia, and was inspired by his enthusiasm for life, and always amused by his humour and witty commentary. He was a man whose physical strength was failing, but his personal energy and passion was still strong and felt by everyone who met him.

There will need to be more than one emerging climate scientist to pick up his baton, so if that's you, then go for it, it's now passed to you..

Image cropped from Original Standford University News 2006

Sydney's New Distributed Energy Plan

Sydney City has ambitious plans, led by tri and cogeneration specialist Allan Jones, formerly of Woking and London.

At our July monthly ATA meeting in Sydney, Allan spoke about his successes and his new role to help reduce Sydney's greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030. Allan ranks as one of my heroes and to have him here, in my home town, is just excellent.

Australia is highly urbanised, and with the majority of people now living in cities, I recommend watching Allan's progress at the City of Sydney over the next few years, and let's share and learn from local successes that will drive energy innovation globally.

View Allan's page here. and my previous blog entry on Allan.

Charge Up in Sydney

Leading the way, with support from the Sydney City Council, my home town Sydney, now has its first commercial electric charging point. And while this particular pole, managed by ChargePoint, is for the exclusive use of GoGet car share group, it is hoped that over time, more of these will appear in Australian cities for the use of electric car owners and car share groups.

And with green power being supplied to the charging posts, that means driving is powered by wind and sun.

Organisations such as the Alternative Technology Association, now have some members actively seeking to convert their cars to electric. Many others like myself are awaiting the manufactured fully electric cars which are expected to start arriving in Australia in 2011.

As a typical Sydney driver, 95% of my driving is for trips less than 50 km, and living centrally, I use a car only three times a week. So bring on the electric cars, electric charging posts, and car sharing which are all definitely part of my low carbon future!!

Pic of CarCharging in Glebe by Mary in Glebe 25 May 2010

My Earth, Your Earth, Future Eaarth?

At this time of year, Sydney has this wonderful writers festival where authors come to discuss and be interviewed about their most recent works, and so I ventured out yesterday to see Bill McKibben, environmental campaigner, co-founder of 350.org and author of several books, including his most recent work Eaarth.

Actually, Bill spoke less about "making a life on a tough new planet" which is the theme of his book, and more about the social changes that are happening and the inequalities of a changing environment, where the greatest impacts are often on those who live the lowest carbon intense lifestyles. Bill spoke about needing new metaphors to help everyone get their heads around what is happening, and about developing a new framework for understanding the world.

And with all the buzz of the renewable industries, it is sobering to revisit why these changes are so important and so urgent, and to commend those like Bill who become involved and take on the daunting task of setting global goals and campaigning for our Earth/Eaarth which he does with his group 350.org.

We can all only speculate what lies ahead for us in the next few decades - what we do know is that we need to consider the big picture, and to re-think how we can share one unique and beautiful planet. As someone once said, "if we rented the earth like an apartment, then we are in definite danger of loosing our deposit bond". But unlike an apartment, we have no where else to go.. so let's clean up the place, stop digging up the floorboards, work out how to limit the size of our global group, and discover new ways to share this earth-dwelling that work for everyone, not just a privileged few. And just maybe, we could rediscover ourselves in the process.

Pic of Bill McKibben taken by Mary 23 May 2010