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Why we need to change

January 27th, 2012

Greenpeace recently commissioned a survey to determine the true cost of coal to South Africa. The survey, done by the University of Pretoria’s Business Enterprises unit, delivered truly shocking results.

More than 90% of the electricity in South Africa is generated by coal powered stations, and Eskom isn’t planning on changing that any time soon. Eskom is currently building two more coal powered stations, Kusile and Medupi, which, on completion will be among the largest in the world. The budget to build these new stations is R385 billion and each will have a life span of 50 years! Even worse is the fact that Kusile will produce up to 37 million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

This has led to South Africa becoming one of the biggest polluters in the world. South Africa is the fifth highest producer of coal, and the sixth highest user in the world.

The other side of the spectrum is even worse. Only 2 GWh (Gigawatt) of South Africa’s 237 000 Gwh is produced from wind power. The fact that they are currently building these two massive stations has also meant that there is no funding  available for the development of renewable energy sources .Eskom is lax in it’s efforts to build more solar and wind powered stations, and that needs to change!

The South African government wants to create 111 000 new jobs in the current energy industry, but this study has found that 149 000 new jobs can be created, if government invested in the renewable energy sector.

Greenpeace also recently published a different report entitled ‘The Advanced Energy [R]evolution: A sustainable energy outlook for South Africa’, in which it outlines key aspects of the renewable energy sector. They state that if government gradually phased out coal power, and invested in sun and wind power, half of South Africa’s energy could come from renewable sources by 2030, thus eliminating the need to build the Kusile power station.

Eskom argues that these stations are necessary in order to provide electricity to the nearly 10 million people living without it, but this is not true. It would take much less time and money to build renewable electricity stations close to areas that need it most, and so doing, be able to provide 10 million people with safe, renewable energy.

The easiest way to petition against the building of these coal stations is at http://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/use-me-more/ . Here you can sign up to the Greenpeace petition to get government to better utilize sun and wind power.

It is up to you to make the change. So sign up, and help protect our beautiful planet.

(This is a post by our intern Kristian Meijer)

(Image by Senor Codo, CC by-SA 2.0, via Flickr)

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Posted in Alternative Energy & Fuel, Carbon Emissions, Climate Control, Environment, Environmental Damage

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Destroying Canada one barrel of oil at a time

January 26th, 2012

In recent years, Canada has gone from being an environmentally focused, human rights concerned country, to an oil focused, petro-state, hell bent on destroying the environment.

This is all thanks to Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. The son of an oil executive, Harper’s political career was supported by the big oil companies, and, as a result of this, became the leader of the conservative party. In 2006, he became the Prime Minister, and this is when things started going south.

Harper has been notorious for ignoring environmental issues and funding big oil companies.

The most recent showing of Canada’s lax stance towards curbing climate change was at last year’s COP17 climate talks in Durban. Their Environment Minister, Peter Kent announced that Canada would be abandoning the legally binding Kyoto Protocol.

Minister Harper has also announced big tax cuts and subsidies for big oil companies, leading to further exasperation of climate change and environmental destruction. In the last decade, the Canadian government has given more than $14 billion worth of subsidies to big oil companies.

Canada’s biggest contribution to climate change comes in the form of tar sands oil deposits. It is a 142, 000 square kilometre area, rich in oil deposits. See why the oil companies promoted Harper? Currently only 602 square kilometres have been unearthed. The tar sands are highly destructive, with as much as four tonnes of soil and forest being removed for every barrel of oil being produced. A picture of the tar sands can be seen on the National Geographic website.

This debacle has sparked outrage from the citizens of Canada, many of whom have expressed that they are against many of these regulations.

It is up to the citizens of a country, especially here in South Africa, to ensure that destructive policies are not passed. If every person stands up to do their part and, if needed, protest against laws favouring polluters like the big oil companies, we can carve out our own future. A better, brighter and cleaner future is only possible with YOUR help.

(This is a post by Kristian Meijer)

(Image by sundstrom, via stock.xchng)

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Posted in Climate Control, Environment, Environmental Damage

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5 steps to greening your job

December 21st, 2011

It is not only about thinking green, it is about acting green on an everyday basis. It is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to reversing the negative effects on our environment. There are many little things we can do at home and work to save energy and reduce pollution. Read on about how you can take these steps at work.

1.     Recycle E-waste

Try to avoid throwing electronic items in the trash; even cosmetics contain harmful chemicals which poison the environment. Give your e-waste to someone who can recycle it. Try to use your own coffee mug in the office instead of paper or Styrofoam ones.

2.     Paper vs. Virtual

One of the best ways to be eco-friendly is to use less paper. If you have a computer there is no reason to be wasting paper. You can practice being environmentally friendly by taking notes on your computer instead of writing them on paper. You can also go one step further than printing double-sided; if you preview the page before hitting print you have the option of fitting more content onto one piece of paper by changing font sizes or getting rid of empty spaces.

3.     Commute with others

Car pooling is the perfect way to emit carbon while saving money at the same time. Try to accommodate the people who have the same route as you by using a single vehicle. You can even take turns car pooling. An even better option is to ride your bicycle or use public transportation if you can.

4.     End phantom energy

The population pays millions in extra money each year for unnecessary energy drawn from electronic devices. Turn off your computer when you are not going to use it for a while, and encourage your co-workers to do the same. The monitor alone uses 90% of the power used for running the machine, so if you don’t turn off your computer then at least turn off the monitor.

It is also a good idea to switch off the main plug because that wastes energy too. Try to use LCD monitors as they only use a fraction of the energy that CRT screens use.

5.     Use recycled paper

Save the forests and make a habit of using recycled paper. Print your business cards on recycled paper, only use paper when necessary and print double-sided. You can even get eco-friendly printers that you can use in the office.

Everyone can take these small initiatives to make the world eco-friendly. If you incorporate them into your every day routine then practicing them won’t be a burden anymore.

(Post by Ivelina Dineva)

(Image by ambrozjo, via stock.xchng)

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Posted in Climate Control, Environment, Recycling, Responsible Industry

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SA sets carbon budgets to reduce global warming

October 31st, 2011

The fastest growing agenda with business sectors around the world seems to be “Environmentalism’, often referred to as ‘going green’. As climate change impacts the environment at a drastic pace, so are governments setting increasingly stricter rules on carbon footprints. There seems to be a growing consciousness amongst industrial businesses regarding the abuse wrought on the environment, and if serious action is not taken immediately it will come back to haunt us – badly.

Burning fossil fuels such as gas, coal and oil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Naturally, plants and trees re-absorb the carbon dioxide, however, industrial businesses are burning these fuels at such a rate that plants and trees do not have time to soak up the carbon dioxide. This results in creating large amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which ends up creating global warming. In order to challenge the amount of fossil fuels being burnt, South Africa is one of the many countries that is turning ‘going green’ by reducing carbon footprints.

It was recently announced that heavy carbon-emitting sectors will be given two years to settle their ‘carbon budgets’. This implies that sectors emitting significant amounts of carbon will be required to develop strategies that will encourage low-carbon emissions. The government also plans to form a ‘Climate Change Response Measurement and Evaluation System’ draft which will deal with carbon measurement standards, as well as reporting and verification methods.

Government plans to be involved with these carbon-emitting industries in order to help them develop carbon budgets that are cost-effective but also have sustainable effects for the economy and the sectors involved. South Africa wants to create and preserve jobs whilst making a contribution to the corporate global effort in going green. The effects of these environmental carbon budgets are long-term; it is expected that emissions will only start declining from 2036 onwards. In addition to setting carbon budgets, the National Treasury is considering implementing carbon taxes, emissions trading schemes, incentives and regulatory policy measures. Other tactics to reduce carbon emission include energy efficiency schemes, public works programmes like the ‘Working for Water’ initiative which reduces alien invasion, renewable energy projects, low-carbon transportation plans, waste management and the display of carbon capture and storage.

The United Nations will hold further talks on carbon emission limits in December in South Africa. Large investors representing more than $20 trillion in assets will be attending the talks, which will deal with setting legally enforceable carbon limits in a way that will prod the level of investment needed to keep temperatures from rising further.

“Individual nations will be in a stronger position to attract private capital to stimulate their economies by implementing clear and credible climate policies,” said Frank Pegan, chair of the Sydney-based Investor Group on Climate Change.

(This is a post by our intern Ivelina Dineva)

(Image by Mackie Drew derivative work: Lbeaumont (FlameV1.png) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

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Posted in Carbon Emissions, Climate Control, Responsible Industry

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Celebrate Green Day (hint: it’s not about the band)

September 22nd, 2011

If you’re one of South Africa’s eco-warriors you may already be familiar with Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), which styles itself as the country’s first and only social enterprise that focuses primarily on environmental and global warming education and awareness. It was established by Jeunesse Park in 1990 and one of its founding patrons was Dame Helen Suzman. As you might gather from the name, it has an arboreal bent. Initially it was called Trees for Africa, but in 2000 Food was added to recognise that food security was just as important to promoting green living among all communities as planting trees.

In the 21 years of its existence it has amassed a number of awards and accolades and has earned international acclaim for its efforts. Drawing on this clout, FTFA has declared 30 September 2011 Green Day.

The aim is to take environmental awareness to the masses, instead of preaching to the converted – which is how Park refers to many green efforts that take place these days.

To maximise Green Day’s chances of success, FTFA has partnered with Global Carbon Exchange (GCX).

Commenting on Green Day, GCX’s marketing manager, Ingrid Mech, said, “We are hoping to mobilise the nation by showing their support for green issues by wearing green on the day, supporting a green cause in their community such as cleaning up a local park, donating to a green cause – or by changing their Facebook profile pictures to show that they are aware of green issues and support Green Day.”

September has a strong eco-focus with a number of “Days” dedicated to eco-themes, including:

  • Arbour Month.
  • Clean up South Africa Week (12 – 17 September).
  • Clean up the World Weekend (17 – 19 September).
  • Car-free Day (22 September).
  • Heritage Day (24 September).
  • Moving Planet Day (moving away from fossil fuels – 24 September).
  • Day of 1000 Trees (24 September).
  • World Rivers Day (25 September).

Some of FTFA’s accolades include:

  • 1995 Winner of the Department of Environmental Affairs Conserva Award.
  • Laureate of the UN Global 500 Role of Honour.
  • 1996 Winner of the President’s Forestry Award.
  • 2001 Winner of the Mail & Guardian Investing in the Future Awards for Trees for Homes.
  • Jeunesse Park has received the International Chevron Conservation Award.
  • 2009 Winner of the Sangonet Best Use of Social Media and Best Website Award.
  • 2010 Winner of UN SEED Award.

Find out more about Food & Trees for Africa.

 
(Image by Curt Smith from Bellevue, WA, USA (Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

 

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Posted in Carbon Emissions, Climate Control, Conservation, Environment, Green Living

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What is needed to save our forests?

February 8th, 2011

Deforestation has been a hot international conservation topic for decades. We’ve all seen the images of swathes of barren land eating into lush green trees, sad stunted trunks and the smoking stacks of wood pulping industries. We’ve heard the stories of endangered species threatened with extinction as their natural habitats shrink. Yet, it’s difficult to associate such total devastation with our daily lives. It’s particularly difficult when you consider our dependence on wood.

We use it to build houses, furniture, make paper and burn it for fuel. It’s a precious natural resource but it’s also a valuable commodity.

The UN has declared 2011 to be the International Year of Forests with the intention of raising awareness of the danger of deforestation, as well as the conservation and sustainable development of the forests that we have left.

According to a BBC article, we’ve already made some in-roads into forest conservation as the rate of deforestation has slowed, particularly in Asia, where significant reforestation efforts have been made. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has released a report called State of the World’s Forests, in which they state that gains have been made in China, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Europe and North America but that deforestation still occurs at an alarming rate in Africa and South America. It’s in these areas where the world’s oldest forests live, and where increased focus should be given to preserving the age-old ecologies and biodiversity spheres within them.

It’s for this reason that the FAO is doing its utmost to convince governments and industry players to find ways to make their forests work for them without resorting to chainsaws. They would also like to see locals make better use of the land available, as is happening in East Asia where communities are adopting specially drafted land use plans.

It’s not enough to plant trees where old ones have been felled; man-made forests are not the answer. The old, natural forests need to be encouraged to reclaim their land and this can only happen when man willingly concedes it and ceases to infringe on natural boundaries. This is difficult in areas where agriculture is of prime importance and in rural communities where people depend on wood for fuel. However, forests play a far greater role in the continued survival of these communities than they may be aware of, which is why education programmes are needed to teach them how to proactively conserve the forests while still meeting their needs.

Seeing forests for their holistic value rather than just as sources of oxygen and carbon consumers is vital to ensure their preservation. This is one of the primary criticisms levelled at the UN’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestations and forest Degradation (REDD) plan. According to Conservation International and a number of other forest conservation organisations, to save the forests people have to take into account their immediate benefits to wildlife and the local people.

Something which Asia seems to have got right, and which Africa and South America should try to emulate.

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Posted in Climate Control, Conservation, Environmental Damage, Informative, Responsible Industry, Sustainable

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Once was lost, but now they’re found: Haiti’s vanishing frogs

January 20th, 2011

Amphibians are among of the most threatened species in the world. Now, this may not sound critical, as few people think of frogs, salamanders and toads in a positive light, but according to scientists from Conservation International (CI) and the IUCN Amphibian Specialist Group, the loss of amphibians heralds greater disasters for mankind.

CI’s Amphibian Conservation Specialist Dr. Robin Moore likens amphibians to canaries in a coal mine. He says, “Amphibians are what we call barometer species of our planet’s health … As they disappear, so too do the natural resources people depend upon to survive.”

This is one of the reasons CI launched a global search for “lost frogs” – those that haven’t been seen in over a decade but that are hopefully not extinct. The project took Dr Moore and his partner in the initiative, Dr Blair Hodges from Pennsylvania State University, to the mountains in south-west Haiti. The aim was to find the La Selle Grass Frog. Unfortunately it remained hidden, but the trip was not wasted as they found six other species that have been lost for 20 years.

The species, which are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, are:

  1. Hispaniolan Ventriloquial Frog, which is able to project its call like a ventriloquist.
  2. Mozart’s Frog, named for the audiospectrum of its call which resembles musical notes.
  3. La Hotte Glanded Frog is distinguished by its sapphire-coloured eyes.
  4. Macaya Breast-spot frog is one of the smallest frogs in the world (roughly the size of a grape) and is only found on the peaks of Formon and Macaya at high elevations on the Massif de la Hotte mountain range.
  5. Hispaniolan Crowned Frog gets its name from a row of small protuberances on the back of its head.
  6. Macaya Burrowing Frog has big black eyes and bright orange flashes on the legs. The expedition marked the first record of the species in the area.

Dr Moore says that the discoveries prove that Haiti still has a lot to save. “There are biologically rich pockets intact, despite tremendous environmental pressures. Haiti now has the opportunity to design its reconstruction plans around these pockets, and grow them, so they can more effectively act as natural buffers to climate change and natural disasters.”

Conservation International’s Search for Lost Frogs consists of local teams in 19 countries on five continents. Other important discoveries include a Mexican salamander that has been lost for 50 years, a frog from the Ivory Coast that has been lost for 44 years and a frog from Democratic Republic of Congo that has been lost for 32 years.

Find out more about the global search for lost frogs on the Conservation International website.

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Posted in Climate Control, Conservation, Endangered Species

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BP pours salt on the environment’s wounds

January 20th, 2011

If reputation could be denoted by colour, BP’s would be black; like its oil that coated the Gulf of Mexico. It’s one of the most reviled companies in the world and even though it’s managed to survive the last few months without major scandal, the public has not forgotten the devastation caused by arrogance and negligence. But that is of little concern to the British oil company, which has just finalised a deal with a state-owned Russian firm called Rosneft to explore the untapped fuel reserves contained within the Arctic.

BP says it has learnt its lesson very well and that environmental safety will be of paramount importance during the exploration; it cites the fact that included in the deal is the establishment of an Arctic technology centre which will focus on safety, the environment and emergency procedures. But environmentalists aren’t convinced.

Commenting on the deal, Greenpeace spokesperson Ben Stewart said, “The Arctic is the most fragile environment in the world in which to drill for oil and there can be no confirmation yet that BP has learned the lessons for the Gulf of Mexico disaster. Any company that drills for oil in the Arctic forfeits any claim to environmental responsibility. An oil spill in the cold waters of the Arctic would be catastrophic and extremely difficult to deal with.

“BP is the last company that should be operating there.”

The World Wide Find for Nature (WWF) and Friends of the Earth (FoE) have also voiced their disgust with FoE branding BP “environmental villain number one”. The Arctic has great biodiversity, which makes the exploration for oil and gas bad enough, but combine it with nightmarish weather conditions and you’ve got an accident waiting to happen: an accident that would be far more catastrophic than the Gulf of Mexico.

In an interview with The Independent on Sunday, Mike Childs, FoE’s head of climate change, said, “The Arctic should be a no-go for fossil fuel extraction as it’s one of the few pristine environments we have left. It’s very fragile and we should be looking at ways to protect it, not seemingly trying to find ways of wrecking it.”

In the same article Dax Lovegrove, head of business and industry relations at WWF-UK, said, “Oil spill response plans in the Arctic are even less adequate than we saw in the Gulf of Mexico. There is less infrastructure-like equipment to ring-fence oil spills and ships to skim off oil on the surface of the water.”

The move has been welcomed by some who hail BP for putting the Deep Horizon disaster behind them and focusing on new areas and bringing new technology to the industry. But it seems to environmentalists that the company is intent on doing as much harm as possible. Consider its decision to continue with a project in Alberta, Canada, during which it will extract oil from tar sands in a process notorious for its high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

Meanwhile, Russia claims that BP’s handling of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the lessons it has learnt, are the primary reasons it choose the company for its partnership.

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Retrofitting drive heats up China’s icy homes

January 20th, 2011

China is on a mission to reduce its carbon emissions and change the perception that it’s apathetic toward climate change to one that reflects a proactive attitude. In 2006 it came out with a five year plan to reduce its energy intensity, placing municipalities and commercial and industrial sectors under enormous pressure to meet quotas. The intentions have been good, but as is to be expected with such a large-scale undertaking, results have been mixed.

The good

One of the success stories has to do with retrofitting old buildings to make them more energy efficient. This has been particularly important in the north-eastern regions of Japan where cold fronts come courtesy of Siberia’s frozen tundra and temperatures have been known to drop to -40 degrees Celsius. Energy consumption is staggering as homes, flats and businesses have the heating on for at least half the year.

Cities such as Harbin, Qingdao and Lanzhou have taken a layered approach to the problem and are retrofitting residential buildings with five layers of insulation in the walls, insulation for roofs and even better windows in an effort to keep out the cold. Some residents have compared the insulation to a new winter wardrobe and refer to coats and hats when talking about their improved walls and roofs.

According to Harbin officials (cited in a National Geographic article), the retrofitting drive will increase energy efficiency by as much as 50%.

The bad

The retrofitting drive has received some criticism for the almost negligent manner in which some people think it has been implemented. There have been complaints of poor construction and inferior construction materials. There have also been safety concerns, particularly with regard to flammability.

Other problems include energy pricing systems. Residents are typically charged a flat rate based on the size of their home or flat and not on the actual amount of energy used. This leads to a lot of wastage as people leave the heating on just because they can.

There are also few incentives for people and businesses to save energy and subsidies barely merit a mention.

The future

According to Mark Levine, head of the China Energy Group at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the country needs a structural change in the economy. But China is reluctant to take drastic action in this regard in case it derails their development drive, which has gained significant momentum over the past decade or so and helped the country become a super power.

There is also the fact that China needs to develop to accommodate its growing population, especially as urbanisation increases.

In addition to an economic overhaul, the Chinese government also needs to come up with a comprehensive plan to address energy consumption, as opposed to setting vague (and ambitious) targets. It also needs to provide its people with reasons to change. Unless change starts from the top and comes from within it’s unlikely that a positive attitude will filter down to the masses.

(image by FloNight (Sydney Poore) and Russell Poore, via Wikimedia Commons)

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It’s Noah’s Ark but not as we know it

January 17th, 2011

In the movie 2012 (roundly criticised

By Rene Ehrhardt, via Wikimedia Commons

by scientists for being wildly unrealistic), the world as we know it ends in a great flood and people only survive by virtue of giant

arks – in the same vein as Noah’s famous vessel but infinitely

more advanced. Old Noah has done more than inspire

Hollywood; he has also provided the basic idea from which other great minds have leapt, such as Russian architect Alexander Remizov, who has designed an eco-friendly dome capable of withstanding biblical floods.

Remizov’s dome, unimaginatively called “The Ark” is designed to be constructed in a very short period of time (under six months), uses eco-friendly materials and is entirely self-sustaining. It can be built for life on land or on water and is capable of withstanding earthquakes and tornados.

Remizov designed the dome with one of his colleagues, Lev Britvin, in connection with the International Union of Architects’ Disaster Relief programme. In line with the principles of the union’s “Architecture and Renewable Energy Sources” programme, the Ark doesn’t require external support systems, can be constructed quickly in adverse climate conditions and its construction has minimal impact on the environment.

The Ark is built from wood, steel, high-tech plastic, and solar panels and can be scaled to accommodate between 50 and 10 000 people. Instead of glass, Remizov uses a high-tech durable and self-cleaning foil, which is transparent so that indoor plants can grow. An indoor jungle will help establish a microclimate, while energy will be generated from the sun and wind.

In an email interview with the Star, Remizov said, “I like the idea of creating an independent-from-power-networks building that can be constructed in the most beautiful places, including the water surface, while respecting the environment. The building (would have an) organised community which has everything necessary for its prosperity and growth.”

Remizov is currently in discussions with investors and the Russian Council of Sustainable Buildings, to bring his vision to life.

Other ideas for futuristic, self-sustaining biospheres include:

Lilypad, a floating ecopolis is designed by Vincent Callebaut Architects as an “auto-sufficient amphibious city”. It is based on the capable design of the lily pads found in the Amazon River basin and incorporates all aspects of eco-living to achieve a “positive energetic balance with zero carbon emission”. It will be able to accommodate up to 50 000 people.

The Magic Mountains designed by the CEBO/Chongqing University architect team is a series of green buildings in the business district in Chongqing, China which are built to mimic the surrounding mountainous landscape. The unique design is not simply for aesthetics but will also optimise the passive heating and cooling system and reduce energy consumption. The Magic Mountains are effectively a self-contained city in which only walking and cycling will be permitted.

For more futuristic eco-buildings visit Design Swan.

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