This evening I took my ego into my own hands and attempted to network.....
To say that at various times I felt I was in a parallel universe does not do the experience the justice it deserves. The theme of the evening was sustainability and therefore to behold not one, but two people, being escorted from the venue was a little surreal.
I did learn about a very cool whole system design concept for growing tomatoes but didn't really know what to think when one of the participants was interested in the product but ideologically opposed to the retailer.
Taking inspiration from the two marketing PhDs I befriended, I really need to work out where I am going to position myself in this unusual job market.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
What I have learnt in my holidays
Well, the results are in and I have very successfully navigated my first semester, exams and all, which is both a source of relief and pride.
Despite perhaps rather foolishly enrolling in a winter school subject to simultaneously learn about the dark arts of project management and fast forward this learning adventure, I have continued in my spare time to marvel at the strong reactions change evokes. Having spent part of my holidays donating a small fortune to my dentist to repair teeth grinding damage, self-inflicted unconsciously worrying about small stuff, I know I'm not immune to adverse reactions to change.
The Australian Government has announced that from 1 July 2012, there will be a price levied against the 500 largest producers of carbon dioxide equivalents released to the atmosphere. I genuinely think they would have got a more positive reaction by announcing they were going to wipe Australia off the map with a series of nuclear tests, such has been the vehement outpouring of angst by a large number of Australians.
It probably pays to put the political climate here in Oz in context. As alluded to in Vote 1 - Thermal Comfort, after the last federal election, neither of the two major parties received enough of the primary vote to form government in their own right, resulting in a "hung parliament". It was an ugly campaign and an inconclusive outcome. The reality for Australians is that the major party which was prepared to negotiate with the minor Greens party and a number of independent members formed a government. Like all negotiations, there are concessions so we have had some unusual outcomes including very specific poker machine reform and the speeding up of an emissions trading scheme which (ironically) both major parties had previously threatened but been unable to deliver. There are numerous other political issues clouding the debate but I'll encourage you to research those yourself and come to your own conclusions.
Thanks to the good folk at the Australian Bureau of Statistics I can highlight the following information;
"In 2007, 18.75 tonnes of CO2 were emitted for every Australian, compared with an OECD country average of 10.97 tonnes per person. Many large economies, including Japan (9.68 tonnes/person) and the United Kingdom (8.6 tonnes/person), had significantly lower per capita CO2 emissions than Australia in 2007. Of the OECD countries, only Luxembourg (22.35 tonnes/person) and the United States (19.1 tonnes/person) had higher per capita CO2 emissions than Australia".
There is a compelling case that as good Global citizens we need to make some fundamental changes to the way we operate our country and invest in alternative technologies and industry over the long term for lasting global benefit.
What has been so disappointing has been the lack of public discussion about the multitude of options and positive changes that can be made. You would think from the current national debate we are the smartest and most efficient users of energy on the planet so there will only be additional costs and penalties and nothing to gain from new technology and ways of thinking. There appears to be more focus on price increases than using less by being smarter, more efficient or seeking alternatives. That after all folks, is the entire point...
The fear of change appears to be the biggest threat to planet!
Despite perhaps rather foolishly enrolling in a winter school subject to simultaneously learn about the dark arts of project management and fast forward this learning adventure, I have continued in my spare time to marvel at the strong reactions change evokes. Having spent part of my holidays donating a small fortune to my dentist to repair teeth grinding damage, self-inflicted unconsciously worrying about small stuff, I know I'm not immune to adverse reactions to change.
The Australian Government has announced that from 1 July 2012, there will be a price levied against the 500 largest producers of carbon dioxide equivalents released to the atmosphere. I genuinely think they would have got a more positive reaction by announcing they were going to wipe Australia off the map with a series of nuclear tests, such has been the vehement outpouring of angst by a large number of Australians.
It probably pays to put the political climate here in Oz in context. As alluded to in Vote 1 - Thermal Comfort, after the last federal election, neither of the two major parties received enough of the primary vote to form government in their own right, resulting in a "hung parliament". It was an ugly campaign and an inconclusive outcome. The reality for Australians is that the major party which was prepared to negotiate with the minor Greens party and a number of independent members formed a government. Like all negotiations, there are concessions so we have had some unusual outcomes including very specific poker machine reform and the speeding up of an emissions trading scheme which (ironically) both major parties had previously threatened but been unable to deliver. There are numerous other political issues clouding the debate but I'll encourage you to research those yourself and come to your own conclusions.
Thanks to the good folk at the Australian Bureau of Statistics I can highlight the following information;
"In 2007, 18.75 tonnes of CO2 were emitted for every Australian, compared with an OECD country average of 10.97 tonnes per person. Many large economies, including Japan (9.68 tonnes/person) and the United Kingdom (8.6 tonnes/person), had significantly lower per capita CO2 emissions than Australia in 2007. Of the OECD countries, only Luxembourg (22.35 tonnes/person) and the United States (19.1 tonnes/person) had higher per capita CO2 emissions than Australia".
There is a compelling case that as good Global citizens we need to make some fundamental changes to the way we operate our country and invest in alternative technologies and industry over the long term for lasting global benefit.
What has been so disappointing has been the lack of public discussion about the multitude of options and positive changes that can be made. You would think from the current national debate we are the smartest and most efficient users of energy on the planet so there will only be additional costs and penalties and nothing to gain from new technology and ways of thinking. There appears to be more focus on price increases than using less by being smarter, more efficient or seeking alternatives. That after all folks, is the entire point...
The fear of change appears to be the biggest threat to planet!
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Perspectivity - is that a word?
Wandering around the murky, albeit "G" rated, depths of cyberspace, in the name getting educated, I came across a blog discussing the game called Perspectivity. It makes for interesting reading and highlights, amongst other things, that sometimes non-partisan, lashings of common good can be beneficial all round.
Have a look and think...could we make the current debate just a little more civil?
Have a look and think...could we make the current debate just a little more civil?
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Rio de Janerio - a mecca for Peter Allen fans and sustainable optimists alike..
Despite bunking off early in swot vac to check out some of the more obscure World Heritage sites lurking in the wilds of South Australia, I survived the exam which tested my knowledge of The Australian Environmental Bucket list (also see Don't forget to admire the beautiful things).
In the process of memorising large chunks of specific information, with the view to documenting it word perfectly under exam conditions, my review took me back to those heady days when folk were genuinely convinced that Sustainable Development was actually a solution to the world's dilemmas. Enter Rio Declaration 1992, diplomatically hammered out as the outcome from what was known as "The Earth Summit".
Nineteen years on, several summits later, and the planning is well underway for Rio+20 - Earth Summit 2012 by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. There are two main themes - Sustainable Development Governance and the Green Economy. If you've been listening to Australian media of late, you may have interpreted that to mean "the Nanny state will be empowered to drag us back into the caves". For the curious, here's a fine example of the current state of the debate.
How much do you really know about your country's commitments to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (which incorporates the Kyotol Protocol)? How much of your own opinion is influenced by fear of the unknown?
The World Resources Institute, in preparation for Rio+20 has released a Information Note which is well worth considering. After all, one of the key aspects of Sustainable Development is Broad Community Consultation which includes the provision of information. Ask yourself, do you have enough information about the issues that affect you environmentally, socially and economically to make informed decisions?
In the process of memorising large chunks of specific information, with the view to documenting it word perfectly under exam conditions, my review took me back to those heady days when folk were genuinely convinced that Sustainable Development was actually a solution to the world's dilemmas. Enter Rio Declaration 1992, diplomatically hammered out as the outcome from what was known as "The Earth Summit".
Nineteen years on, several summits later, and the planning is well underway for Rio+20 - Earth Summit 2012 by the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. There are two main themes - Sustainable Development Governance and the Green Economy. If you've been listening to Australian media of late, you may have interpreted that to mean "the Nanny state will be empowered to drag us back into the caves". For the curious, here's a fine example of the current state of the debate.
How much do you really know about your country's commitments to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (which incorporates the Kyotol Protocol)? How much of your own opinion is influenced by fear of the unknown?
The World Resources Institute, in preparation for Rio+20 has released a Information Note which is well worth considering. After all, one of the key aspects of Sustainable Development is Broad Community Consultation which includes the provision of information. Ask yourself, do you have enough information about the issues that affect you environmentally, socially and economically to make informed decisions?
Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Biomimicry - watch and learn!
As I revise for the subject that just keeps giving (see earlier posts e.g. All costs are relative) for an exam in a format that just keeps amusing, I was reminded of one of the cooler concepts we covered, biomimicry as part of a series of lectures from the Natural Edge Project.
It's not rocket science and that, my dear friends, is both its attraction and its beauty. The concept is simple - "mimic" solutions in nature to solve challenges in society which could be design, process or business based.
There are three main types of innovation derived from nature;
form - examples include shapes (see Mercedes Benz's avant garde concept vehicle inspired by a box jellyfish) and non-chemical adhesive methods (Gecko tape)
process - examples include cooling systems, filtration (including sewerage treatment) and desalination (fair to say, probably not a reference process in the various desal plants popping up all over Australia at the moment)
ecosystems - examples include feedback loops and symbiotic relationships (and everyone wants one of those..)
(Source: TNEP notes)
In an increasing energy constraint world, one of my favourite observations is that most of the products and services of nature are biotic - that means they occur at ambient temperature, low pressure and in low toxicity conditions. There are, of course, some spectacular exceptions - volcanoes, tidal waves, cyclones and bushfires, but just imagine the reduction in energy if we could make the things we needed at standard temperatures and pressures.
It's not rocket science and that, my dear friends, is both its attraction and its beauty. The concept is simple - "mimic" solutions in nature to solve challenges in society which could be design, process or business based.
There are three main types of innovation derived from nature;
form - examples include shapes (see Mercedes Benz's avant garde concept vehicle inspired by a box jellyfish) and non-chemical adhesive methods (Gecko tape)
process - examples include cooling systems, filtration (including sewerage treatment) and desalination (fair to say, probably not a reference process in the various desal plants popping up all over Australia at the moment)
ecosystems - examples include feedback loops and symbiotic relationships (and everyone wants one of those..)
(Source: TNEP notes)
In an increasing energy constraint world, one of my favourite observations is that most of the products and services of nature are biotic - that means they occur at ambient temperature, low pressure and in low toxicity conditions. There are, of course, some spectacular exceptions - volcanoes, tidal waves, cyclones and bushfires, but just imagine the reduction in energy if we could make the things we needed at standard temperatures and pressures.
Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Don't forget to admire the beautiful things..
Occasionally I take the advice of my family, much to their amazement. I am currently suppose to be studying for my end of semester exams but after handing in my last two assignments for the semester on Friday decided to take a couple of days away from the books to revel in the Queen's birthday long weekend. Yes, I am aware the Queen of England was born in April and strangely enough tends to celebrate her birthday then. However, June is the descent into winter for these colonies so we have a random winter long weekend in June, blame the Queen and perversely open the Australian ski season, whether or not there is snow on the Australian Alps. Except in WA where they have the Queen's birthday in September and perversely open the Perth Show but, how I have digressed..
In one of the subjects (which will be examined in the near future), we have been learning about the various types of environmental legislation in the various jurisdictions of Australia and how, if at all, it protects the beautiful things we have.
When the lecturer asked for examples of World Heritage areas, RAMSAR wetlands etc., she usually met the correct answer with, yes, you must visit there before you die. So actually, it appears I am about to be examined on the Australian Environmental Bucket List (and the processes for getting the correct Minister to approve any major acts of environmental desecration planned in the near vicinity).
So, in keeping with the theme, over the weekend instead of studying the legislation, we visited some of those sites that the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act aims to protect including The Coorong National Park. We also passed in our travels the World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves and Bool Lagoon.
The strange thing is, at different times of my life, I have lived nearby all of these natural wonders and only ever took visitors there occasionally, never just went to look and admire. Just another little reminder - don't forget to admire the beautiful things while you can...
In one of the subjects (which will be examined in the near future), we have been learning about the various types of environmental legislation in the various jurisdictions of Australia and how, if at all, it protects the beautiful things we have.
When the lecturer asked for examples of World Heritage areas, RAMSAR wetlands etc., she usually met the correct answer with, yes, you must visit there before you die. So actually, it appears I am about to be examined on the Australian Environmental Bucket List (and the processes for getting the correct Minister to approve any major acts of environmental desecration planned in the near vicinity).
So, in keeping with the theme, over the weekend instead of studying the legislation, we visited some of those sites that the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act aims to protect including The Coorong National Park. We also passed in our travels the World Heritage listed Naracoorte Caves and Bool Lagoon.
The strange thing is, at different times of my life, I have lived nearby all of these natural wonders and only ever took visitors there occasionally, never just went to look and admire. Just another little reminder - don't forget to admire the beautiful things while you can...
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Are all alternatives equal?
I live in a quaint jurisdiction of Australia. We have a container deposit recycling scheme and a ban on the use of lightweight plastic bags. Practically that means two things;
(i) you NEVER see a recyclable container lying around as litter because an enterprising collector will have swooped it up and cashed it in, resulting in up to 85% of all eligible containers being recycled AND
(ii) everyone has to bring their own bags to the shops or purchase an alternative to non lightweight plastic.
The shopping bag discussion is worth having. The number of single plastic bag uses has fallen considerably since the introduction of the ban in May 2009. Research findings six months after the introduction found significant changes in behaviour and overall support in the community.
However are all alternatives to single use lightweight plastic bags equally better for the environment?
I was given this link as part of a Lifecycle analysis discussion recently at Uni which got me thinking. It is an old report now (December 2002) on the Environmental impact of plastic bags. On pages 36 and 37 there is a discussion about alternative bags and estimates of both carbon dioxide emissions and embodied energy. It is interesting to note the high impact of paper bags (associated with the processing requirements) and the much lower impact of reusable plastic boxes and the "green bag". The swag style is that associated with Ikea - much larger than the average shopping bag and not always suitable for lugging home the groceries.
Some food for thought this week...
(i) you NEVER see a recyclable container lying around as litter because an enterprising collector will have swooped it up and cashed it in, resulting in up to 85% of all eligible containers being recycled AND
(ii) everyone has to bring their own bags to the shops or purchase an alternative to non lightweight plastic.
The shopping bag discussion is worth having. The number of single plastic bag uses has fallen considerably since the introduction of the ban in May 2009. Research findings six months after the introduction found significant changes in behaviour and overall support in the community.
However are all alternatives to single use lightweight plastic bags equally better for the environment?
I was given this link as part of a Lifecycle analysis discussion recently at Uni which got me thinking. It is an old report now (December 2002) on the Environmental impact of plastic bags. On pages 36 and 37 there is a discussion about alternative bags and estimates of both carbon dioxide emissions and embodied energy. It is interesting to note the high impact of paper bags (associated with the processing requirements) and the much lower impact of reusable plastic boxes and the "green bag". The swag style is that associated with Ikea - much larger than the average shopping bag and not always suitable for lugging home the groceries.
Some food for thought this week...
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