Green Is Good!

China, the United States, and the Climate Change Challenge

 
I am a subscriber to the WRI's monthly digest.

In the latest edition there is a link to the research they have undertaken on China and the USA.

As the two largest current global emitters of greenhouse gases (GHGs), it is imperative that the United States and China work together to support effective domestic energy and climate change programs and an effective international climate regime. As China’s domestic energy policy has transformed over the last several years to incorporate climate-friendly goals – increased energy efficiency and a greater contribution of non-fossil fuels to its energy mix – this opportunity is already becoming a reality, especially as the United States advances comprehensive climate policy.

READ MORE HERE

If you want to download a copy of the report CLICK HERE

The Business of Sustainability: What It Means to Managers Now

I am currently working my way thru the fall issues of MIT Sloan Management Review.  
This issue is focused on SUSTAINABILITY.

It is a must read as they have published information on their global research.

For example:

How are sustainability pressures altering the competitive landscape, and how are businesses responding? The first annual Business of Sustainability Survey and interview project found answers.

Key Findings

REVISED AGENDA

The survey revealed a strong consensus that sustainability is having — and will continue to have — a material impact on how companies think and act.

• More than 92% of survey respondents said that their company was addressing sustainability.

DOWNTURN?

Sustainability is surviving the downturn.

• Fewer than 25% of survey respondents said that their company had decreased its commitment to sustainability during the downturn.

BUT ACTION LAGS

Although almost all the executives in the survey thought that sustainability would have an impact on their business and were trying to address this topic, the majority also said that their companies were not acting decisively to fully exploit the opportunities and mitigate the risks that sustainability presents.

• The majority of sustainability actions undertaken to date appear to be limited to those necessary to meet regulatory requirements.
• Almost 70% of survey respondents said that their company has not developed a clear business case for sustainability.

The Business Case for Pursuing Sustainability Strategies

 
I have recently come across this very useful video related to the business case for sustainability. If you are in business you should watch this!

About this video: Björn Stigson, President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, moderates the second of four roundtables on day two of the National Energy Summit and International Dialogue. Ahmet Dördüncü, Pierre Gauthier, Kris Gopalakrishnan, and James Quigley participate in "The business case for pursuing sustainability strategies

Please note this video is 57 minutes long!

VIDEO

http://www.compete.org/nes/event_videos/the-business-case-for-pursuing-sustainability-strategies/

 

 

The countdown is on for COP 15 at the UNFCCC in Copenhagen

 

The countdown is on and preparations are well underway for COP 15 at the UNFCCC in Copenhagen.  In recent days we have seen Japan, China and India all commit to ambitious targets.  Australia and the US are both still to gain legislative support for their targets.  UN negotiations are now back underway in Bangkok.  This is the penultimate negotiating session before COP 15 in Copenhagen in December, at which an ambitious and effective international climate change deal is to be clinched.

New Zealand will present its ETS to this meeting!

At a press conference held midway through the Talks in Bangkok (2 Oct), Yvo de Boer spoke of encouraging signals that the Talks can deliver the tools and rules essential to a successful climate change deal in Copenhagen. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE VIDEO

What do you think of the speech? Is it all talk and will there be action!! Let us know your thoughts!

COP15 Copenhagen 7-18 December 2009

All the talk is on the Copenhagen climate chnage talks in December 2009.

What are they?

The sessions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are open to Parties of the Convention and Observer States (Governments), the United Nations System and observer organizations duly admitted by the Conference of the Parties.

Parties: Governments nominate their respective representatives to participate and negotiate at the sessions of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. This may include ministers, negotiators, and those who the Governments consider are necessary to achieve their goals during the sessions. Eg. New Zealand

CMP
The Conference of the Parties (COP) serves as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. This is referred to as the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP).

Conference of the Parties

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the "supreme body" of the Convention, that is, its highest decision-making authority. It is an association of all the countries that are Parties to the Convention.

The COP is responsible for keeping international efforts to address climate change on track. It reviews the implementation of the Convention and examines the commitments of Parties in light of the Convention’s objective, new scientific findings and experience gained in implementing climate change policies. A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories submitted by Parties. Based on this information, the COP assesses the effects of the measures taken by Parties and the progress made in achieving the ultimate objective of the Convention.

I hope this helps?

Proof that supports our claim that sustainability is good for business!

If you have read this BLOG on a regular basis you will know the mantra of "sustainability is good for business" here is some proof that supports this claim.

EurActiv.com, 21 September 2009 - Global revenues from climate-related businesses such as energy efficiency rose by 75% in 2008 to $530 billion and could exceed $2 trillion by 2020, HSBC Global Research estimated on Friday (18 September).

In the 2006 Stern Review on the economics of climate change, climate-related revenues were forecast to climb to $500 billion by 2050.

"We can see that this seemingly huge figure has already been surpassed well ahead of time as more and more businesses adapt their business model," said Joaquim de Lima, global head of quant research for equities at HSBC.

The climate sector has surpassed the size of the global aerospace or defence industry, with the United States, Japan, France, Germany and Spain accounting for 76% of global climate revenues, the report found.

For revenues to rise to $2 trillion, the way energy is generated and used needs to change and continued government support is needed.

The four core investment pillars will be low-carbon energy production, energy efficiency, control of water, waste and pollution and climate finance, the report said.

Energy efficiency recorded the highest investment returns in the year to date at 30%, followed by carbon finance at 24%.

"This is a very significant trend given the substantial share of climate stimulus funds that have been directed at energy efficiency and energy management by governments across the globe," HSBC analysts said.

New Zealand business should take not of the content above. As we go forward into the NZETS it simply makes economic sense to be sustainable in business!

Beehive - Revised ETS balances NZ environment & economy

Beehive - Revised ETS balances NZ environment & economy Shared via AddThis

The NZ Government has made it's announcements on the NZETS - it is now more than ever important for NZ business to get on with its ETS strategy!

We suggest that you take a process improvement angle and look at reductions and efficiencies in:

• water usage
• energy usage
• fuel usage
• fleet mileage
• waste to landfill

The release on Nick Smith web page state:

Features of the revised scheme include:

• Revised entry dates of 1 July 2010 for transport, energy and industrial sectors and 1 January 2015 for agriculture
• A transitional phase until 1 January 2013 with a 50% obligation and $25 fixed price option for the transport, energy and industrial sectors
  
• A production-based industry average approach to allocations for trade exposed, emissions intensive businesses
  
• A phase-out of industry support aligned with trading partners and the Government’s long-term -50 by 2050 emissions reduction target
  
• Incentives for afforestation created by a domestic and international market for carbon credits
  
• Enhanced transitional support for the fishing industry

WE SUGGEST YOU READ THE RELATED DOCUMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED TO GIVE YOU CONTEXT

Look for these at the bottom of the page on the link above.

Milutin Milankovitch the father of climate change research??

I have been undertaking some research for some upcoming seminars I will be conduction on Sustainability, Climate Change and the NZETS.

I must have missed that class at college about the Milankovitch cycles so I thought that the reads of this BLOG may also be interested too??

Milankovich Cycles

 

The Milankovich cycles refers to changes in the earth’s orbit and orientation toward the sun and have long term important bearings on the earth’s climate.

 

Astronomer Milutin Milankovitch [1879 – 1958] developed the mathematical formulas upon which these orbital variations are based. He hypothesized that when some parts of the cyclic variations are combined and occur at the same time, they are responsible for major changes to the earth's climate (even ice ages). Milankovitch estimated climatic fluctuations over the last 450,000 years and described cold and warm periods.

 

The Serbian astrophysicist Milutin Milankovitch is best known for developing one of the most significant theories relating Earth motions and long-term climate change. Born in 1879 in the rural village of Dalj (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, today located in Croatia), Milankovitch attended the Vienna Institute of Technology and graduated in 1904 with a doctorate in technical sciences. After a brief stint as the chief engineer for a construction company, he accepted a faculty position in applied mathematics at the University of Belgrade in 1909—a position he held for the remainder of his life.

 

You may have missed this science class at school and may not be aware that  the axis of the earth pointing toward the North Star (Polaris) is at an angle of 23.45° and that the earth is approximately 91-94 million miles from the sun, these facts are not absolute or constant. The interaction between the earth and sun, known as orbital variation, changes and has changed throughout the 4.6 billion year history of our planet.

 

Orbit Variations

 

About every 100,000 years the earth’s orbit around the sun varies from nearly circular to elliptical (elongated). This has an effect on the amount of the suns radiation that strikes the earth. When circular the variations are around 6% between summer and winter. However in an elliptical phase the variation can be 20-30%!

 

You may think that most objects in space that orbit something else move in circles, but that isn't the case. Although some objects follow circular orbits, most orbits are shaped more like "stretched out" circles or ovals. Mathematicians and astronomers call this oval shape an ellipse.

 

The eccentricity of Earth's orbit is very small, so Earth's orbit is nearly circular. Earth's orbital eccentricity is less than 0.02. The orbit of Pluto is the most eccentric of any planet in our Solar System. Pluto's orbital eccentricity is almost 0.25.

 

The Sun is not at the center of an elliptical orbit. It is a little off to one side, at a point called a "focus" of the ellipse. Because of this offset the planet moves closer to and further away from the Sun every orbit. The close point in each orbit is called perihelion. The far away point is called aphelion. If an orbit has a large eccentricity, the difference between the perihelion distance and the aphelion distance will also be large. Earth is only 3% further from the Sun at aphelion than it is at perihelion. Pluto's aphelion distance from the Sun is 66% greater than its perihelion distance.

 

 

 

Axis Tilt

 

 

About every 42,000 years the tilt of the earth’s axis ranges from 21.8 to 24.4 degrees. This tilt determines the angle of solar radiation that hits the earth’s surface.  At present we are around 23.5 degrees.

 

The Earth's axis is tilted from perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic by 23.45°. This tilting is what gives us the four seasons of the year - spring, summer, autumn (fall) and winter. Since the axis is tilted, different parts of the globe are oriented towards the Sun at different times of the year.

 

Summer is warmer than winter (in each hemisphere) because the Sun's rays hit the Earth at a more direct angle during summer than during winter and also because the days are much longer than the nights during the summer. During the winter, the Sun's rays hit the Earth at an extreme angle, and the days are very short. These effects are due to the tilt of the Earth's axis.

 

Orientation

 

About every 22,000 years the orientation of the earth’s axis changes between the Pole star and the Vega star. This determines what time summer and winter occurs!

 

The term "Earth orientation" refers to the direction in space of axes which have been defined on the Earth. It is usually measured using five quantities: two angles which identify the direction of the Earth's rotation axis within the Earth, an angle describing the rotational motion of the Earth, and two angles which characterize the direction of the Earth's rotation axis in space. With these coordinates, the orientation of the Earth in space is fully described.

 

 

Pole Star

 

A pole star is a visible star, especially a prominent one that is approximately aligned with the Earth's axis of rotation; that is, a star whose apparent position is close to one of the celestial poles, and which lies (approximately) directly overhead when viewed from the Earth's North Pole or South Pole. There are potentially both northern and southern pole stars, but whether there is either depends on the current orientation of the Earth's axis, which moves over time (see precession of the equinoxes). The term the Pole Star usually refers to the star Polaris (colloquially referred to as the North Star), which is the current northern pole star.

 

[WRI's EarthTrends Delivered] Climate and Energy Charts and Figures

I recently signed up with the WRI's earth trends service which I have previously mentioned in this BLOG.

I have received my first update and wanted to share one set of data with you.

Global CO2 Emissions Growth in Select Sectors: 2000-2005

Total global emissions grew 12.7% between 2000 and 2005, an average of 2.4% a year. However, individual sectors grew at rates between 40% and near zero percent, and there are substantial differences in sectoral growth rates between developed and developing countries.

This chart shows emissions growth by region in four select sectors: electricity & heat, transport, industry, and building use. Emissions growth in every sector is primarily attributable to developing countries, which now account for the majority of emissions from electricity & heat, as well as industry. However, developed countries still account for a majority of emissions in the transport and building use sectors.

These figures are quite sobering. At a time when there is still lots of debate here in NZ about the implementation of the NZETS these figures show why every country must do something to reduce consumption, resource intensity and the release of CO2e emissions.

The following graph is courtesy of the WRI service.

EU greenhouse gas emissions fell by 1.5% in 2008 - can NZ do the same?

EU greenhouse gas emissions fell by 1.5% in 2008

31 August 2009 - Greenhouse gas emissions in the EU declined for the fourth year running last year, according to preliminary data released by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on Monday. Emissions were down by 1.5% across the bloc and 1.3% in the old EU-15.

This brought EU-27 emissions to 10.7% below 1990 levels, more than halfway to the EU's legally-binding target of a 20% cut by 2020. In the EU-15, emissions in 2008 were 6.2% below 1990 levels. This confirms the region is well on track to reach its Kyoto target, said environment commissioner Stavros Dimas.

But Mr Dimas acknowledged that part of the reduction comes from the economic slowdown, which significantly brought down production levels and related emissions. He urged member states to swiftly implement the EU's climate and energy package to continue this downward trend.

Earlier this year, the European Commission reported a 3% drop in industrial emissions of greenhouse gases in 2008. Analysts primarily attributed the decrease to the recession. Last week, a report showed the world's largest companies are unlikely deliver cuts recommended by scientists.

This is the first time the EEA has published provisional data for the previous year so early. Emissions data for 2007 were only published three months ago. EU emissions fell by 1.2% that year compared to 0.3% in 2006. A final report on the 2008 data will be published in June 2010.

Internationally, ongoing climate negotiations are making slow progress.During a meeting in Bonn in August, the UNFCCC released figures showing pledges made by rich nations would only amount to a 15-21% cut. Governments will continue their discussions at a G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, the US, on 24-25 September.

Japan's Democratic Party, which swept to power on Sunday, has pledged to reduce the country's greenhouse gas emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020. The previous government had proposed an 8% reduction .

What can we learn form what the EU is achieving?

My view is that they took the pain and got an ETS up and running early and now they are reaping the rewards!

Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival - Wellington NZ

MEDIA RELEASE

3 September 2009

THE PROOF THAT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IS GOOD BUSINESS HITS THE BIG SCREEN

An award-winning film showing what is possible when a multi-national company, with operations in New Zealand, commits to a more sustainable path, will open the Wellington season of the Reel Earth Environmental film festival.

So Right, So Smart, described by judges at this year's Reel Earth Awards as 'a truly inspirational film that should be required viewing for all politicians and captains of industry' will screen at the Paramount on 1 October.

The film presents a good news story at a time when business needs good news stories.

So Right, So Smart tells the story of how, in an epiphanal moment, Ray Anderson, founder of the hugely successful Interface Corporation, realised the implications of his company's way of operating and decided to take a different path. He set about changing their business practices and setting a goal of having no environmental footprint by the year 2020. In the process, he realised that the changes he was making were actually very good for business.

Anderson's philosophy reaches across the company's many international operations, including here in New Zealand.

Managing Director of Interface NZ, Robb Donze, says that the key to making better business practices work is leadership from the top.

'Ray has set the bar very high for the company globally. Interface NZ works hard to lower its own environmental footprint here in New Zealand. All products are certified as climate neutral. Our entire footprint locally is offset through Landcare's carboNZero program.

'We are active members of the NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development and are sponsors of the Green Building Council's Interior Fit Out Tool. We take our leadership position very seriously and continue to show the business case for sustainability by our own example.'

Robb Donze will speak at the screening, giving the audience a chance to hear first hand what worked and what is necessary to successfully implement sustainable business practices in New Zealand.

So Right, So Smart shows how ecologically sound business practices foster better business in general, using examples such as Patagonia and the Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The film features insights from world experts such as David Suzuki, Paul Hawken and Lester Brown.

So Right, So Smart won Best Feature Film at this year's Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival Awards.

The Wellington Season of the Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival is hosted by the Wellington Branch of Forest and Bird and sponsored by Graphic Press.

The Festival runs from the 1 - 15 October and features films on environmental issues and the natural environment. More details are at

www.reelearth.org.nz

Ends

CONTACT - Vicki Connor, Forest and Bird, Wellington Branch, by e-mail until 8 September envirofilms@gmail.com <

mailto:envirofilms@gmail.com

> , after 8 September 027 222 2943

WHAT: So Right, So Smart film screening and talk by Robb Donze, Managing Director Interface NZ

WHEN: Thursday 1 October, 5.30pm (screening at 6pm)

WHERE: The Paramount, Courtenay Place, Wellington.

TICKETS: In advance from the Paramount or by e-mailing envirofilms@gmail.com <

mailto:envirofilms@gmail.com>

Tickets are $20 and include a glass of Yealands wine, an award winning boutique vineyard committed to sustainable viticulture.

Making sustainability work - communities of expertise

 When I cleared my mail box today the latest edition of Idealog magazine was waiting for me.

In this months issue they are promoting the following:

Subscriberswill have a nice, new and generally fresh September-October copy of Idealog in their letterboxes by now. The rest of you will have to huddle at the newsagent Monday onwards, for your copy.

This time around, members of the media will wince uncomfortably at reading Matt Cooney’s story Free Thinking, but there’s plenty more in the rag to feast your eyes on.

I’m looking forward to Matt Suddain’s yarn about the Sony Walkman—yes, it was 30 years ago today when it made that C-90 play—and how it’s changed our world. Then there’s Orion Health that plans to help Barack Obama with his healthcare reforms, four dancing women, corporate sabotage, a new advice column from Lance Wiggs and a magazine typically full of creative ideas and business thinking.

But wait—there’s more, and we’re not talking infomercials either. Folded inside Idealog you’ll find a copy of Celsias. It’s our new eco-news magazine, featuring stories like the new venture that former Bendon baron Stefan Preston has launched with one-time joya teacher Jyoti Morningstar; plus, it’s asking quarrelsome questions like ‘Is Sustainability Dead?’ Well, is it? Read for yourself, and head over to www.celsias.co.nz to get an idea of what the magazine’s all about (hint: it’s not all about the magazine).

I had a read of the sections on Sustainability and decided to register with Celsias.

Celsias state that sustainability is not a spectator sport!

I commend any initiative to raise the profile of sustainability. The only way we collectively will make a difference is by our strong networks and it looks like Celsias is a good one to be involved with.

Let me know your thoughts and if you will join?

Making the environment sexy! The Age of Stupid Movie

Did you know that the producer of the movie THE AGE OF STUPID is a kiwi? Lizzie Gillett cut her teeth in Dunedin.

Will this movie be the next Inconvenient Truth?

From my research it looks like they are using some strong facts and information as a basis for the movie.

The Age of Stupidis the new four-year epic from McLibel director Franny Armstrong. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?

I will check the movie out in the next week and post my review. Please post a comment and review if you have seen the movie.

2020 or 2040 what should the target be for NZ

It is interesting times when it comes to the announcement of New Zealand's 2020 and 2040 emission reduction targets.

The Government has strongly rejected the Greenpeace Sign On initiative!

Here is some information that you may find of interest? It is about 2050 targets in the USA.

This is reproduced courtesy of WBCSD and Greenwire

U.S. can cut half its transportation emissions by 2050 -- report

The United States can cut greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in half by 2050 with strategies ranging from cutting speed limits to imposing road pricing, according to a report released today by federal agencies and environmental and industry groups.

Examining about 50 transportation strategies, the report found transportation emissions could be reduced 24 percent by 2050 by acting to change travel behavior and land-use patterns. The emissions reduction hit 47 percent by adding road pricing techniques, ranging from pay-as-you-go insurance to charging Americans for every mile driven.

The report found environmental gains from advances in fuel efficiency would be mostly undermined by increased travel and population, making it important to address the efficiency of the transportation sector by investing in public transit, land-use planning and other low-carbon alternatives.

John Porcari, deputy secretary at the Department of Transportation, said the report shows that lawmakers looking to recast the nation's transportation system to curb emissions and fuel consumption will need to look for combinations of policy changes. "There is no magic bullet," he said. "There is no single strategy that can be pursued to help us turn our corner. We need to look at a number of options."

Transportation accounts for roughly 28 percent of the United States' greenhouse gas emissions, and the sector has been one of the fastest-growing in the past two decades -- representing nearly half of the nation's total increase in greenhouse emissions since 1990.

The sweeping energy and climate measure that the House passed last month, H.R. 2454, would require carbon dioxide emissions to drop 17 percent below 2005 levels and a total of 83 percent by 2050. The study released today finds that making the transportation sector more efficient is critical to meeting those goals.

"We can't get there from here without reducing emissions from transportation," said Colin Peppard, climate and infrastructure policy director for Environmental Defense Fund, one of the groups that commissioned the report.

The report was written by consulting firm Cambridge Systematics. Its sponsors include DOT, the American Public Transportation Association and Shell Oil Co.

MAKES FOR INTERESTING READING!

WRI Report - Emerging Risks: Impacts of Key Environmental Trends in Emerging Asia

Are you on the WRI World Resources Institute emailing list? If not you should be.

Here is one good reason - they send you emails updating you on studies and reports.

Here is one that will be og interest!

Emerging Risks: Impacts of Key Environmental Trends in Emerging Asia

Emerging Risks: Impacts of Key Environmental Trends in Emerging Asia lays the groundwork for analysts to understand environmental issues as financially material, and for companies to see the financial benefits of reducing their environmental impacts.

This report is the first in a series establishing the link between issues like climate change, air pollution, water supply, and natural resource depletion and traditional financial analysis on corporate value and financial strength for companies in six key Asian economies – India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The report lays the groundwork for analysts to understand environmental issues as financially material, and for companies to see the financial benefits of reducing their environmental impacts.

The report is 58 pages and the PDF file is 2.3MB and it is well worth a read!

Soil organic carbon pools in the northern circumpolar permafrost region

Sometime ago I signed up to receive updates from the Global Carbon Project GCP.

They sent me an email the other day which lead me to some information that you may find interesting.

You may be interested in a new assessment just published on the quantity of organic carbon buried in the permafrost regions of the Northern Hemisphere, a key vulnerability to future climate change.

Please check:

http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/news/SoilOrganicPoolsinPermafrost.html

Press releases:

English: http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSSP458218

Spanish: http://lta.reuters.com/article/topNews/idLTASIE56005N20090701

Chinese: http://cn.reuters.com/article/CNEnvNews/idCNChina-4893620090701?mlt_click=Tertiary+Navigation+CN_36_Static+module+_sec1-priCon-m0_News

The link starts with: The vast amount of carbon stored in the Arctic and boreal regions of the world is more than double that previously estimated, according to a study published this week. The new estimate is over 1.5 trillion tons of frozen carbon, about twice as much carbon as contained in the atmosphere......

READ MORE HERE

So what do you think? Are we as a planet stuffed if more of the permafrost thaws out?

What can we do? Will the meetings in December 2009 sort it out?

The jury is out on this one!

 

 

Oil vs. Sustainability! UAE earmarks $136 mln to fund green energy agency

I have just read an interesting press release:

Reuters, 22 June 2009 - The UAE is ready to spend $136 million to fund the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) if its bid to host the agency's headquarters is successful, a senior official said on Monday.

The world's third-largest oil exporter wants to place itself at the forefront of developments that may shape the future energy industry and hosting IRENA was part of that plan, Sultan al-Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's state-owned green energy initiative Masdar told Reuters in an interview.

"Oil exporting countries can either see renewable energy as a threat or as an opportunity and we know that this is the future so that's why we are committed to IRENA," Jaber said. "If we win, the Abu Dhabi government will fund the agency with $136 million until 2015."

READ MORE .........

The information about the IRENA makes interesting background reading.

Do you think the UAE is the right place for this agency?

We hear a lot about "peak oil" and the end of oil as we know it!

I find it interesting that their is now engagement by oil producers on green energy issues. In my view this raises some challenges about oil ethics and the commitment to find sustainable energy solutions for the generations to come?

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK????

The good oil! NZ Olive oil that is!! (knowing where your food comes from)

Next in the current series of blog posts on food is my very favorite a post about the good oil! OLIVE OIL. New Zealand olive oil. Local olive oil, oil grown and made with tender care in the Wairarapa. (in this photo - an olive picked from the tree by Anne)

I love and use olive oil a lot. I have developed a taste for premium NZ Olive oil.

The other day I met Dr Anne Opie at Moore Wilson's in the city. Anne was tasting oil that she had produced.

I loved it - the oil in question is Trio organic olive oil.

Anne and husband Brian have an olive grove in Greytown. As Anne and I talked it was evident we had a mutual passion for the good oil, food source issues and sustainability. I sent some information to Anne and she invited me over to the Wairarapa to have a tour of her olive grove.

(By the way I left Moor Wilson with a 375ml bottle of Trio oil)

On Saturday 20 June I got to visit the Opie's olive grove to learn more about where my good oil comes from, how it is produced and how it gets to market.

To follow is a photo essay of the tour. (you will note that some friends joined us for this great opportunity)

This is what the olive grove looks like.

There are 500 olive trees on this grove. The 2009 vintage produced a great oil from a small harvest in a difficult growing year. The result was an excellent return rate of 17.8%.

This is Dr Anne Opie (our host) Anne is very passionate about her olives! I found it amazing to meet the person who grows and nurtures the oils and overseas the transformation into world class extra virgin olive oil.

Anne's olives are certified organic. This causes one issue for production. The certified organic oil press is in TeHoro on the Kapiti Coast so the harvested olive has a long drive for pressing.

All of the walking about gave us all an appetite so we all had lunch together as YES WE GOT TO SAMPLE THE 2009 OIL! Together with last years.

 2008 oil on the left, 2009 on the right. As you can see the 2009 oil is very different with a great Green colour and powerful pepper aftertaste. I found the 2009 oil to be fantastic and used it on top of my soup!

We all had an amazing trip and tour. I thought I had a good understanding of the good oil. However post visit I have an enhanced awareness of the different vintages, storage times, types of olives and how much the growers passion can stamp its mark on the final product.

Trio oil is a fine example of grow local and eat local!

A big thank you to Anne and Brian for hosting us!

Knowing where your food comes from!

Yesterday I had the opportunity and pleasure to travel to the Wairarapa to visit Jackie and Tony's niche walnut production.

They live on a property that has a number of walnut trees and as a hobbie they are producing around 200kg of walnuts per season.

They do not produce commercial quantities but enough to share with friends and the local community.

I was amazed at their passion for what they produce and for the quality of their nuts.

We came away with a 1kg bag of nuts and with a better knowledge of how walnuts are produced. By the way these freshly picked and dried nuts taste amazing! Much better than what you get in the supermarket.

To follow are some pictures of the visit.

They also have two pigs

Walnut trees

Walnut in shells on drying rack

 

Jackie (in orange) showing us the tool they use to pick up the walnuts from the ground

Commercial nut cracker!

The final product - Yum

350.org can we all make a difference???

I came across 350.org on twitter the other day.

Dear World,

This is an invitation to help build a movement--to take one day and use it to stop the climate crisis.

On October 24, we will stand together as one planet and call for a fair global climate treaty. United by a common call to action, we'll make it clear: the world needs an international plan that meets the latest science and gets us back to safety.

This movement has just begun, and it needs your help.

I would like to suggest you check this out and see if this is something you want to get involved with?

Please let me know your thoughts? I believe than any activity that raises the profile of global warming and climate change is good. It creates discussion and debate which is a good thing.

Will Mr Chu be the next big player in the global fight for saving the planet?

Mr Chu was chosen by President Obama to head up the Department of energy and be Obama's advise on Climate Change and Sustainability and Energy Issues.

You should check out the Department of Energy's web site as it has some great resources to call on.

Mr Chu is quoted here inNZ today and tells us all to paint the roof of our house white as positive action in the fight for climate change. Do you agree or do you think this is crazy science?

If Mr Chu is going to play a major part in the upcoming meetings in Europe at the end of the year then I suggest you check this guy out.

I am not sure if you can call him a science geek, green guru or not and I have not made up my mind on if this guy can make a difference and get the USA to play a leadership role in the post Kyoto world?

Let me know what you think?

40% cut by 2020? Do you agree and will it work?

Has anyone visited the "Sign On the word needs us" web site yet? If you have I am keen to find out what you think and to see if you signed up and why?

Greenpeace NZ is behind this mainstream attempt to get our Government to engage on a tougher target on New Zealand Greenhouse gas emission reduction target.

From my understanding of this initiative the goal is to get the powers that be to acknowledge that a 40% reduction on 1990 levels by 2020 is better than 50% by 2050. They make some good points and have a range of high profile people endorsing the position.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I think that no matter what your opinions of greenpeace are they are making some noise and generating interest in this issue that under National seems to have been brushed under the carpet.

If you have read this BLOG you will no that the position we have is that the delayed ETS and the economic slow down is not a excuse to do nothing!

Our stance has not changed - GREEN IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS and being sustainable in business is common sense and on so many fronts.

If you run a business then there is NO WAY that you do not want to save money on the bottom line! By taking sustainable business practices and calling them process review and improvements you can save money and become more sustainable. Remember economic sustainability is the name of the game.

So I congratulate greenpeace for raising the awareness of this issue and look forward to you comments on your visits to the sign-on site.

Tax breaks for low emission vehicles - we should follow this initiative

With the debate raging here in NZ today on the delayed implementation of the NZETS it was great to read that the Japanese Government has reduced taxes on low emission vehicles in Japan from 1 April 2009 and there has been a corresponding increase in sales of low emission vehicles.

What do you think of this initiative?

I think it is a great example of Government Policy stimulating growth while encouraging the purchase and use of low emission vehicles! This is an example of transformational sustainability in action.

This is a great initiative that the NZ policy makers should be considering here as well.

To follow is some background to this story from the WBCSD site or CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL STORY.

Japanese carmakers are reporting a sharp rebound in sales in their home market this month after the government cut taxes on lower-emission vehicles.

Toshiyuki Shiga, chief operating officer at Nissan, Japan's third-largest car producer, said Tuesday orders at Nissan's dealerships had risen 30 per cent so far in May compared with a year earlier.

Mr Shiga credited the “eco-car tax break” for the improvement. The tax break came into effect on April 1 and can cut the cost of the most fuel-efficient vehicles by several hundred thousand yen, or several thousand dollars.

If nationwide vehicle sales rise for the full month, it will be the first such increase since last July.

Ecological Intelligence - Goleman has his say

Has anyone purchased or read Daniel Goleman's new book Ecological Intelligence?? I am keen to get a book review going and thought this was a good book to start with?

Please post a comment so that we can all decide if this is worth getting or just getting it from the library to flick thru??

The book was given a profile in the AFRBOSS.COM.AU on April 2009 which I read but it did not inspire me to rush out and get the book.

Sustainability Matters

I have recently come across:

Ray Skinner
Committee Member Sustainability Working Group
Sustainability Matters
"Business achieving a tomorrow for tomorrow's children"
Phone: (09) 443 0773
eMail: 

ray@sustainabilitymatters.co.nz

Web:    http://www.sustainabilitymatters.co.nz

Ray produces a sustainability newsletter that I have found to be excellent. Please email Ray to sign up to the newsletter and tell him I sent you.

Here is some information from the latest newsletter you may find of interest:

The Big Warm Hurting the Pacific

Gareth Morgan Investigates

TV3’s ‘Sunday’ has been following the story of Takuu, a lowlying

remote atoll which is sinking at an alarming rate. Lying

250 km northeast of Bougainville in PNG, Takuu's story

highlights the likely fate of millions of environmental refugees in

years to come. Briar March and Lyn Collie have made a film

about Takuu's plight, and ‘Sunday’ had a sneak preview.

Concurrently economist Gareth Morgan has commissioned his

own research in to our understanding of climate change. In the

programme Gareth discusses the results of his research. ‘This

is all part of the launch publicity for his latest book,

Poles Apart:

The Great Climate Change Debate

– (published 15th May) which

appears to be a cross between a travel book (based on two bike

trips, one to the Arctic and the other to Antarctica: the words

‘lucky bugger’ spring unbidden to mind) and an investigation of

the state of our understanding of climate change. … Jeanette

Fitzsimons is hosting the launch, ….

“Poles Apart

concludes the weight of current evidence favours

human-made climate change. Morgan said the book was

designed to get past emotion and misinformation, such as

views expressed by (MP Rodney) Hide.

“Gareth Morgan couldn't decide whether he believed in climate

change or not, so he hired the best international scientists to

answer his questions and these are his findings. Combined

with anecdotes from his own recent trips to Antarctica and the

Arctic this is something completely unique in books about

climate change - somebody who has approached the topic with

an open mind, somebody who has the resources to explore

such a topic and somebody who has personally investigated all

of the issues.

Book launch:

Jeanette Fitzsimons, MP, Green Party Co-Leader

Where:

Legislative Council Chamber of Parliament, Wgtn

When:

Tuesday, 19th May 2009, 6.00-8.00pm

RSVP:

essential before 13th May, louise@randomhouse.co.nz

More:

•

http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/the-story-takuu-2687185

•

http://hot-topic.co.nz/morning-morgantown

•

www.fishpond.co.nz/product_info.php?ref=1339

s_id=13259974&affiliate_banner_id=1

•

www.greens.org.nz/node/21049

Source:

Editor – courtesy TV3 ‘Sunday’, 3rd May.

Will the Electric Car take off in NZ???

I have been on a few plane trips lately and when you are on-board with no cell phone calls you can chill out, listen to sounds on the ipod or read? On a recent trip between the Gold Coast and Melbourne on Virgin Blue I read the in-flight magazine "Voyeur" May 2009.

There was a cool article on Twitter but the one I like the most was on page 74 and it was about Evan Thornley the CEO of Better Place in Australia.

What Better Place Aussie are up to is the introduction of a nationwide electric car battery refilling system. The point that got me was the innovative way that the are goings to have 1000's of battery exchange stations that will overcome the battery life issue with electric cars.

They are also working with the power companies so that the batteries are recharged with 100% renewable energy such as electricity from wind power.

What I like about this idea is the way innovative thinking has helped overcome the current short-comings of electric cars and they way that the Better Place system is a subscription service and is supporting and encouraging the development of electric cars.

Australia has the advantage of it size geography and population to make a system like this work.

Could this kind of system work in NZ?

1. Would we have the numbers to make it viable?

2. Would it get the support from the current government?

What do you think? I believe that we can learn from systems like this and come up with innovative ways of applying a system like this in New Zealand.

The power is in our hands. We the consumers can demand it and we can also make it happen!

Still no Air pollution in Wellington

Today I walked up Colonial Knob in Porirua City. The Wellington Region had another fine and sunny day with no air pollution!

Check out the photo below for proof!

New Zealand misses out on the Obama climate change forum

It looks like President Obama is putting his money where his mouth is on his climate change election promises.

He has invited 16 major economies to take part in a forum on climate change that looks like the USA's early response to the upcoming meeting in December in Copenhagen.

Australia is on the list but NZ is not so we miss out! FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE FORUM CLICK HERE

The forum which will be held in April to be hosted at the State Department, would likely touch on a range of issues including technology, financing, and emissions trading, a US State Dpt official said.

The guest list includes the European Union and China so it will be interesting to see if this is just another talk fest of if the forum members can come up with something meaningful.

WATCH THIS SPACE?

NZ and Aussie now working together on cliamte change

You may be interested to know that NZ and Australia have agreed on a terms of reference to work together on climate change cooperation initiatives.

This is a strong signal that NZ may follow the Australian lead on the ETS?

More details can be found by CLICKING HERE.

The Aussie Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - Will NZ Follow?

In the last week the Australian's have released more detail on their Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which is being lead by the Department of Climate Change.

With New Zealand about to review its own delay ETS will we follow the Aussies? Here are some key points from the Aussie announcements.

The Aussie Scheme Cap is set at 60% reduction in GHG emissions from 2000 levels by 2050.

All liable entities will be required to report the emissions for which they are liable under the Aussie scheme.

An Australian Climate Change Regulatory Authority is to be established.

In general the Aussie scheme obligations will apply to entities with facilities that emit GHG gases of 25,000 tonnes of CO2e or more per year and to entities that supply certain fuels and synthetic GHG's.

Initially there will be two types of eligible emissions units in the Aussie scheme - Australian emission units and certain units created under the Kyoto protocol.

A price cap per tonne of carbon is established. The cap is in place from 2010-11 to 2014-15. It will commence at $40 and rise by 5% in real terms each year.

More in-depth information can be found in the link above.

There are some good parts of the Aussie scheme and I would hope that we will copy some of the good points and debate and consider others.

Air NZ seems to be in a position of leadership?

As a regular flyer with Air NZ I have been watching with interest the way Air NZ has been approaching its sustainability platform.

Air NZ have been showing leadership in their operational focus to reduce resource intensity with the recycling programme they run, changes to the way they service the planes at the gate and the reduction in paper with their world leading self check-in system.

Air NZ has also made a big commitment to reducing the GHG footprint of its planes by trialing bio-fuels, new flight plans and putting its entire fleet on a diet to reduce weight.

Air NZ is placed well for the introduction of the revised ETS as well as being ready to cope with regulatory compliance in markets if flies too.

Groups of Air NZ competitors are calling for more action on airline emissions and the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has the final say on global regulations for the airline industry.

The big question for consumers is "Do you buy based on price? Or does an airlines environmental performance affect your final decision? It should be both!!

Weather and Climate are different

I have just read an artice called "NZ storms harbingers of climate change" which focusses on the past years weather extreems in New Zealand.

I hear alot of people talking about the weather and linking what happened last week to climate change. This is mostly along the lines of is was a cold winter! So much for global warming!!

Just a note that there is a difference between the weather and climate! We humans do not have good memories and so our personal observations about the weather are mostly wrong.

Climate is the study of many ears of data and the resulting trends.

cli·mate 

Pronunciation:

\ˈklī-mət\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English climat, from Middle French, from Late Latin climat-, clima, from Greek klimat-, klima inclination, latitude, climate, from klinein to lean — more at lean

Date:

14th century

1: a region of the earth having specified climatic conditions2 a: the average course or condition of the weather at a place usually over a period of years as exhibited by temperature, wind velocity, and precipitation b: the prevailing set of conditions (as of temperature and humidity) indoors <a climate-controlled office>3: the prevailing influence or environmental conditions characterizing a group or period : atmosphere <a climate of fear>

The Aussies are feeling the BURN!

So the Aussie answer to its Kyoto obligations are the introduction of a carbon trading scheme and the goal of reducing emissions by 5% by 2020 - WoW I am totally underwhelmed!!

They have also told us that if other countries do their bit they might take the target up to 15%.

Just so that you know - the Europeans and the United Kingdom have targets from 20% to 35% emission reductions.

Now that the Aussies have played their hand I bet that our new Governments response will be to "have what they are having" !!

The Aussies situation is not an excuse for us to do nothing or to wind back all the work done to date on the NZETS.

We need to be innovative and take our natural resources like the wind, hydro and solar and come up with a 100% renewal energy plan and to get business leaders to agree that doing nothing is not an option.

In the coming weeks the Climate Change Issue and the ETS will be the topic for discussion. I urge you to take part in the debate.

Aussie Carbon Plan - what are they up too?

One reason given to the "hold" placed on the NZ ETS is "lets see what the Aussies are doing"!

But what are they doing?

Well they are doing something which is a lot better than doing nothing!

They have stated that the financial crisis was no reason to delay implementing an Australia-wide carbon trading plan, details of which will be unveiled with interim targets on Dec. 15, Australia's minister for climate change said on Friday.

The minister, Penny Wong, said the government would take the global economic slowdown into account with its plan for carbon trading, but said there was no reason to push back start dates.

New Zealand should follow Australia's lead on this. Our ETS may have been rushed and there may have been some issues to resolve. However I suggest to you that a better option would have been to continue with the ETS implementation and concurrently undertake the review.

Let the posturing begin at Poznan in POLAND

The next step meeting related to the Kyoto Protocol has started at Poznanwith a strong NZ delegation. I read in the newspaper today that the farming industry wants strong negotiations so that they get acknowledgment and possible dispensation for GHG emissions from farming.

So it all begins!! And this is on the back of the review of the NZ ETS.

Is it just me or do you find that at these meetings the focus in on the negative and finding ways to reduce and change obligations?

Would a better approach be to focus on positive outcomes and to reach real and meaningful decisions on the future of the global climate change policy??

With a new US President and a new leader here in NZ it is time for these new leaders to bring everyone together and make positive change.

Conference on Asia Pacific Climate Risk and Adaptation

I have been advised about this upcoming conference in China in May 2009.

The Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) Climate Change Research Center will hold an international and interdisciplinary conference to gather the world’s leading experts on climate impacts and adaptation. These experts will brief policy-makers and decision-makers in Asian Pacific countries on the impacts of climate change and climate variability on societies and on how to apply risk assessment and management and apply adaptation to climate change.

Looks like there are speaking, sponsorship and attendance opportunities.

Green humour from Dilbert

Some green humour courtesy of Dilbert.

Water conservation - where is the leadership?

This morning I listened to a radio add by the Wellington Regional Council related to water quality in the Wellington region. The "catch line" was "only rain is good for the drain"

The focus of the add was to not let contaminants into the water system by putting them down the drain!

I was astounded at the lack of leadership by the council. In my view all rain water should be harvested and used for watering gardens and cleaning vehicles and the like.

The councils web site highlights the need for careful watering of gardens but offers no schemes to encourage rain water harvesting!

Water is a resource we need to manage. Water harvesting can help reduce our water consumption from traditional sources. We all need to do our bit to conserve!

This is the son of Kyoto!

You may not be aware that the next major meeting on climate change happens next year!

On the wires today is information on the UN climate change meeting to be held in Copenhagen next year.

The UN climate talks to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009 will mark the culmination of two years of international talks to agree a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires at the end of 2012. Progress in the negotiations – the latest round of which were held in Accra last month – has been painfully slow, raising questions over the future of the international climate regime, and the global carbon markets.

It is the “most important gathering since the Second World War”, according to Nicholas Stern, author of the influential Stern Review on the economics of climate change.

Speaking yesterday at the Sustainability Leadership Symposium, at Rushlikon near Zurich, Stern said that of “crucial importance” to the climate talks “is where the United States goes in the early months of next year with the daughter or son of Warner-Lieberman”, referring to a bill which reached the floor of the Senate last year, that would have imposed an economy-wide cap on US greenhouse gas emissions and introduced a trading scheme.

He noted that the US political process made the rapid passage of a successor bill unlikely, but it “would be clear if it will make it, and what sort of bill it would be”, in the first half of 2009.

“The next president of the US should meet the president of China in the next six months to see how they would come together, because action on both sides will depend on action on the other side,” he said.

So roll on November!

The positive power of the trees on our environment

Tree Huggers !

We should all be tree huggers or better still tree planters! Planting trees and forests can be a positive action for our environment.

With the emissions trading debate the price of trees the good and the bad of trees has got far to complex. Trees are their own living eco system and they have a positive impact on us all from being a place to sit under to shield us from the sun, a place for birds and insects to nest, something that stops erosion let alone the storage of CO2.

To highlight the topic I have just read at the NBR web site an article called " Greens accused of torpedoing forestry offset deal" check it out.

Who would have thought trees would become such a complex issue?

Sunny Sunday and all is well

We have had a fine and sunny Sunday here in Wellington. Spring seems just around the corner.

As it was fine all of our neighbours got outside and used the fine weather to do the lawns. I observed that all of the lawn moving was with motor mowers burning fossil fuels.

So I felt quite smug using my electric motor mower and my electric weed eater!

Then I wash the car and was not so smug because the water I used from from the tap was great drinking water used for washing the car! No grey water used here! My house has no rain water collection or grey water recycling and it is only just over 3 years old.

It got me thinking that rather than hand wash my car I should take it to the car wash where they use load suds detergents and recycle all of the grey water.

You would have thought that doing chores would make you think so much?

There is no water crisis in Aussie?? Yeah Right!!

I have been a little remiss in updating the BLOG as I have been traveling in Australia in the past two weeks.

It has been enlightening to find out that Aussie is a land of contrasts when it comes to sustainability issues and water conservation.

In the big east coast cities there is a drastic lack of potable water. There are water restrictions in place lake levels are very low and this is before summer has started!

In Brisbane they have had major bush fires already! The guy on TV from the fire service blamed the rain they had had recently!! The rain generated growth in scrub and grass and a s this drys out it becomes fuel for the fires!

In Far North Queensland where they have a rainy season the locals claim "there is no water crisis mate" we get lots of rain here! Trouble is I could see no active signs of them collecting all of the rain water to use to water gardens, water the sugar cane or to wash their cars.

The fact is is the Aussie is a dry country and they are in permanent drought in a lot of regions they don't get enough rain fall!

I get back to NZ and see that with all the snow we have had that the southern storage lakes are not full either! But we don't have a power crisis!! Yeah right!

Green Pen - Biodergadable Trial #1 28 June 2008

As promised I have placed a Lecce Green Pen using Mater-Bi in my garden.

The aim of this trial is to see if as promised in the marketing material that the pen starts its composting process in 90 days! So target date is around the end of September 2008.

Watch this BLOG and I will keep you posted.

The above photo was taken today Sat 28 June 2008 in Wellington New Zealand.

Will someone please turn out the light!

We are told that we are in the middle of a power crisis. But it does not seem that this has sunk in the business and building owners in Wellington.

I am a proud Wellingtonian but we are letting the side down!

I am working in Auckland this week and when I went out for my run this morning I was amazed at the number of buildings in Auckland CBD that had no lights on! Even the Sky tower only has its navigation lights on! Well done Auckland.

Wellington we need to do better. Each night the Wellington skyline is ablaze with buildings with full lighting on! We need to do better.

All it takes is some leadership and for someone to turn the lights out!

A green life - can you live a green life?

If you are a regular reader of this BLOG you will know that in previous BLOG posts we have given easy to follow practicable tips that enable you to understand green issues and how you can make changes that will make you greener and more sustainable.

Our message must be catching on?

In todays NZ Herald there are two stories that caught my eye. The first one is called THE GREEN TESTand is all about how Wena Harawira, Maori Television journalist is making behavioural changes and being more green. Check out the article for some good and easy examples on how you can make changes to your daily life that make you more sustainable and green.

The second article is called LIVE SIMPLY and is about how a simple life can lead to being more green.

The interesting part of this story is that it highlights Project litefoot. This project is a helpful web resource where NZ celebrities are making their own statements about going green and being more sustainable. It is worth a look too.

We do go on about it, however, being green and sustainable is a journey and not a destination and it is all about small  personal changes in behivours that lead to transformational change.

CFL light bulbs - a bright idea

Lots of debate this week on the compact fluorescent light-bulb(CFL)!!

We should all undertake a lighting audit in our offices and homes. All it takes is to note the number of light bulbs in each room and enter this information into a spread sheet.

Once you have a base point then undertake some research and investigate the best alternative eco-friendly lighting options for your particular circumstances.

It is that simple.

The NZ Government wants to cut lighting energy consumption by 20 per cent by 2015 and from late next year incandescent lightbulbs will be banished.

So lets all start the process now!

Petrol Price, Pain and Politics

I have just attended the monthly meeting of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Wellington

The meeting was the first pre-election transport forum.

 

As you can imagine in election year there was a lot of electioneering by the speakers, the usual political party babble, and some interesting points of view.

A key issue for me was the consensus by all the parties about the need for a national transport strategy and the good work that has happened in the last 6-8 years on increasing New Zealand's transport infrastructure.. Apart from that each party has a different point of view ranging from build more roads, decrease GST on petrol sales, build rail capability, finish the Auckland ring road, start transmission gully and use more hybrid vehicles!

Other key themes covered included: peak oil, climate change, road safety, infrastructure, roading, rail, age of the NZ vehicle fleet, carbon neutral, public transport, vehicle fuel efficiency, the cost of congestion, and the impacts of transport on the economic performance of New Zealand.

This is all on a day when it has been suggested that the cost of petrol in New Zealand

is targeted to rise to $2.50 per litre for 91 octane within 3 months! It has been suggested that this cost increase will be in part due to a weakening of the NZ dollar and well as the global price of oil which only knows one way at that is UP!

Without doubt transport and the price of fuel is going to be a major election issue. I encourage you to all to attend briefings from the political parties so you can make a wise choice of which party you will support and how you will use your electorate and party votes come election time.

Please remember that the price of fuel will not come down. The days of cheap fuel are long gone!

You may be thinking what can I do to say money and fuel. Here are a few tips that might help?

• Don’t use your car / vehicle
• What alternatives to the car do you have?
• For commuting take the bus or the train, cycle or walk
• For taking the kids to school – start a walking school bus
• For commuting – car pool
• For leisure – walk more, relearn riding a bike

At the end of the day the less you use your vehicle, the less kilometres you travel, the less fuel you use and the more you save money and the environment.

Carbon Trading and Carbon Credits

We often get asked to help our clients understand the basics of carbon trading and carbon credits.

The information to follow may help you?

Emitters of carbon will need to purchase carbon credits. As carbon is emitted, the credits that a business holds/processes will need to be surrendered, effectively “paying” for the greenhouse gasses produced.

What is the ETS

Under an ETS, prices are established for units to emit greenhouse gases. It is hoped that these prices influence decisions by producers, consumers and investors, in their decision making around the reduction of emissions and to look at viable alternatives.

Put more simply, essentially, if you create emissions, say by using fossil fuels by driving your car e.g. petroleum, it costs you units (so called carbon credits). If you create a carbon sink (plant trees) that then soak up carbon emissions, you create credit units that can be traded.

How does it affect us?

Broadly speaking, it is intended that the scheme will alter the cost structure of good and services supplied in NZ through the operation of a “cap and trade” model. Under the model the Government will place a cap on the greenhouse cases certain industries can produce.

Costs

Depending on which group you listen too there are a number of varied positions on the cost of the emission trading scheme.

There is no doubt that there will be a cost to business of capping New Zealand's emissions and the development of the ETS. Some of the increased costs will be passed onto customers and consumers.

The Emissions Trading Group commissioned Infometrics economist Adolf Stroombergen (October 2007) to analyse the impact of an Emissions Trading Scheme on emission levels, economic growth and other economic indicators.

Infometrics’ report concludes that during the period between 2008 and 2012, the impact of New Zealand meeting its commitments under the Kyoto Protocol on a number of economic indicators is likely to be around 0.0 to 0.3 percent impact on GDP. 

Much of the Government's economic modelling is based on a carbon price of $15 a tonne, whereas the international price is already more than double that.

Carbon Trading and Carbon Credits

The carbon trading market is based around Kyoto-related and voluntary carbon credits. The compliance market is obligations based and requires the reporting of emissions from designated activities, and the surrender of Kyoto compliant carbon credits.

The voluntary market is driven by reputational drivers, and the marketing of projects that lead to VER’s – Verified Emissions Reduction units. This also links to the measurement of carbon footprints and the use of the GHG protocol and ISO reporting standards.

Carbon credits may be Kyoto units or voluntary carbon credits.

Kyoto units are created from Government-approved projects that have been allocated assigned amount units or AAUs and from clean development mechanism (CDM) projects validated through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Voluntary carbon credits are produced outside the regulatory framework and are often created through community projects. These credits may have additional ecological and social value.

We hope this helps with your understanding of carbon trading and carbon credits?

"Peak Water" bigger than peak oil - Water the new "black gold"?

We have been watching the emerging trends of water conservation with interest.

The global response to the growing lack of potable water has global leaders and Governments scratching their collective heads.

Measures taken so far include:

Meeting the Water and Sanitation Targets of the Millennium Development Goals

As recent as 27 May 2008 the following information has been published:

EurActiv.com, 27 May 2008 - The challenge posed by current high oil prices is nothing compared to what lies ahead amid dwindling supply and growing demand for a far more basic commodity - water, warns a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor.

"We once assumed that water is free, air is free and power is cheap. The latter is clearly no longer true and we are increasingly realising the truth about water," argued MIT Sloan School of Management Professor Sarah Slaughter in a May 2008 paper.

As at 4 June 2008 in the NZ Heraldan article focused on the slashing of water usage in the Auckland Region is discussed.

This article states:

Water usage in the Auckland region should be reduced by 15 per cent by 2025, a draft plan has recommended.

The reduction on the present water demand of 330 litres a day per person should be achieved despite population growth.

The report says a further 10 per cent saving could be achieved by treating and recycling water that had been used and substituting drinking water use with other sources, such as stormwater collected in rain tanks, grey water, bore water for industrial and external use and /or treated wastewater.

One of New Zealand's biggest polluters of water is the Diary industry! On one hand they state that if water taxes are imposed they will claim an offset against the water they collect from there land.

However they has been no discussion on the pollutants that get mixed with the water collected! Such as dioxin and toxins from sprays and fertilisers, animal droppings and such like.

They point we are making is that New Zealand is no different that any other country.

Remember we have record low levels in own lake systems, the potential for power shortages and recent droughts.

We should all be deeply worried about the future of our water.

Beginers guide to Bio fuels - the sustainable option?

We often get asked about the good and bad points related to bio fuels. To follow is a beginers guide to help you out.  

 

Bio-fuels

• What options do we have to use biofuels
• What is the difference between ethanol and other bio fuels such as bio-diesel
• Can our vehicles run on biofuels
• How much can we save on fuel costs

 

Biofuels

Biofuel is a generic term for fuels that can be produced from or are made up of a renewable material of plant or animal origin. Often they are substitutes or partial substitutes for fossil or mineral fuels. Biofuels used in transport are typically bioethanol which is used as a petrol substitute and biodiesel which is used as a diesel substitute. These are the biofuels that are most likely to be used in New Zealand in the medium term. Biofuels have the major advantage of not contributing to overall greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Biodiesel can be produced from any vegetable oil or animal fat and used as a substitute or partial substitute for mineral diesel. To produce biodiesel, these fats or oils are chemically converted to esters that have properties similar to mineral diesel. Biodiesel is often blended with mineral diesel and blends of up to 5 percent in mineral diesel are suitable for use in diesel engines without modification. Higher blends may be used in dedicated fleets.

 

Bioethanol is an alcohol made from sugar, starch and products containing sugars and starches, through a process of fermentation and distilling, and used as a substitute or partial substitute for petrol. Bioethanol has properties that are similar to petrol so it is often blended with petrol. Bioethanol is likely to be introduced as a low level blend i.e.  3 to 5 percent in some petrol, although the current maximum level allowed is 10 percent. Higher blends may be used in dedicated fleets.

 

So why then is the NZ Government pushing Bio Fuels?

 

The Ministry of Transport’s web site tells us the following:

 

The government is committed to the use of renewable transport fuels to reduce environmental impacts of the use of fossil fuels, and to reduce New Zealand's dependence on imported transport fuels.

The government is developing and introducing a bio fuels sales obligation for the sale and use of bio fuel blends in New Zealand. The aim is to ensure that oil companies selling petrol or diesel must also sell a small amount of bio fuels. It would be up to the oil companies to determine which combination of bio fuels and which blend levels to use, and where to market them.

 

The big issue facing the Government is the position of the oil companies in NZ and the stance they take on the introduction of bio fuels. Already we have seen the debate on the cost of storage and the need to replace many holding tanks with double skinned storage tanks and the potential take up of the use of bio fuels and the types of vehicles that can run effectively on bio fuels, to name a few.

 

The Government has introduced a sales weighted target and as you would expect the major oil companies have their own opinions on these targets.

Another issue is the ability for the current fleet, which is a mix of new cars and second hand Japanese imports being able to safely operate on the Ethanol blends of E3%, E5%, E8% and E10% blends.

 

Most Japanese second-hand used imports are built to the Japanese domestic standard and these vehicles are not manufactured to cope with an E5 blend or higher.

 

The biofuels sales obligation will require companies that sell petrol or diesel in New Zealand to also sell biofuel.  The amount will be set as a percentage of total combined petrol and diesel sales per year, measured in petajoules, based on the volumetric energy content of each fuel, as follows:

	Year 1 2008 (part year)1	Year 2 2009	Year 3 2010	Year 4 2011	Year 5 2012 onwards2
Obligation: percentage of previous years sales	0.53 percent	1.06 percent	1.67 percent	3.35 percent	3.40 percent
Approximate petajoules3	0.83	2.22	3.55	7.18	7.25

 

New Zealand companies leading the way on research

 

Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation has set itself the objective to be the first company in the world to economically produce biofuel from wild algae harvested from open-air environments, to market it, and meet the challenge of increasing demand.

 

Founded in 2005, Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation (ABC) Limited is committed to developing a means to produce a new biofuel from algae, and passionate about providing solutions to challenges of diminishing energy supplies. The company strives to become a dominant player in renewable energy and associated technologies.

 

ABC harvests algae directly from the settling ponds of standard Effluent Management (EM) Systems and other nutrient-rich water. The process can be used in many industries that produce a waste stream, including the transport, dairy, meat and paper industries.

 

The two-step process firstly optimises the ponds' productive capacity, and secondly, determines the most efficient and economic way of harvesting the pond algae. Algae are provided with full opportunity to exploit the nutrients available in the settling ponds, thereby cleaning up the water. The algae are then harvested to remove the remaining contaminant. A last stage of bio-remediation, still in development, will ensure that the water discharge from the process exceeds acceptable quality standards.

 

The water and sludge treatment process is an elegant clean-up and management service to councils responsible for sewerage treatment systems while also generating a low-cost feedstock for conversion to fuel.

 

The result is an algae-based extract that will ultimately be converted to an alternative fuel source. ABC has established that the company is likely to be able to produce, at commercial scale, a viable biofuel.