Since moving fulltime to NIMONIK, I am now a guest writer here at ÉEM, so my posts may be less frequent. 

Just came across an interesting visualization of CO2, "that displays the daily average of CO2 concentration through a chemical reaction in which chalk particles are formed, which in turn changes the opacity of water encapsulated in plastic tubes. The "Statlab" installation samples air direct from a local area, so that the differences in water clarity creates an analogue graph in which the difference in the amount of chalk particles per tank is a global measure for the fluctuating CO2 concentration within one 1 week."

The lab has lot's of other great installations, so be check out their site. 

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Here is a new presentation by Al Gore at the annual TED Conference. He makes the case that the climate crisis is worse than our most conservative estimates and then calls for dramatic action not seen since the race to the moon.

A large part of the laziness can be attributed to cheap oil, free water and abundant natural resources. People and their economies change only when the price point forces them to. Oil at 100$ has led many Americans to look at their SUVs in a new light. However, it is going to take much more than fuel efficient SUVs to turn the situation around.

Green technology may be a large part of the solution to America's current economic woes. An interesting article in Harper's outlined the possibility of America pumping tons of cash into green tech to boost the economy to compensate for the recent collapse of the housing bubble. Massive investment in clean technology would allow America to create knowledge intensive jobs and reduce their dependance on foreign oil.

America could launch a new "space race" towards sustainability. It would mobilize a population and place them at the center of the world stage. The original space race started with the shocking launch of the soviet satellite, Sputnik and led to a massive push towards technology and unimaginable dreams, it was a time when anything seemed possible. The offshoots of that effort created much of today's economy - computers, networks, and modern day communication. We shall see if McCain, Obama or Clinton can launch a country towards sustainability as JFK launched the world towards the moon.

 

A great video from Al Gore's foundation has proposed to do just that.

 

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Last week, the Harper government rolled out its climate plan which includes a number of regulatory initiatives that would introduce a carbon emissions trading market, including a carbon offset system. Companies in certain regulated industries would be required to reduce emissions per unit by at least 18 per cent by 2010. Even oilsands operators would be forced to implement carbon capture and storage technologies by 2012. The plan also calls for a ban on the construction of new "dirty" coal-fired plants.

Few expect that the new regulatory framework will push Canada anywhere close to meeting its Kyoto obligations. But as André Pratt in La Presse argues, never has the federal government so seriously introduced a plan to curb GHGs. Further evidence that climate resistant governments are slowly beginning to turn a corner is the almost "cheery " reaction from Alberta's recently reelected conservatives.

It might be early days yet to succumb to optimism, but could events somewhat beyond Canada's control have anything to do with Canada's new attitude?

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Of all the sustainability issues our there, I feel housing is at the top of the list. Not just because housing consumes large amounts of energy and materials, but also because it has a compounding effect on our lifestyles.

There is a strong tendancy for people who live in healthy homes to lead healthier lives and demand healthier policies from government. In the near future, I hope our government will incorporate sustainability factors into the building code. William McDonough and Amory Lovins, two great sustainability leaders, have spoken out about the possibilities in the housing sector.

McDonough gives a great (short) talk about his vision of housing

And Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute talks (1.5 hours) here:

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I just came across an interesting website that claims to offer two sides to the global warming debate. That's right, there is still a debate going on. Website found at http://climatedebatedaily.com/

As an engineer, I think it is very important to constantly question and revisit science to ensure it stands the test of time. Global Warming science is among the most complex (and controversial) scientific studies around and it is still relativly new, so a logical, scientific debate is definitly good. 

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A new study to analyze the economic value of biodiversity has been commissioned by the EU. More info here. This is an important step, and has largely been inspired by the Success of the Stern Commission, which analyzed the economic impacts of climate change.

While greenhouse gases and climate change have been at the forefront of the sustainability mouvement, it is important to recognize that it is not the only issue. Diversity of plant and animal life on the planet has been in rapid decline since the begining of industrialization (and even before then). We are losing species which may have many tangible benifits such as cures for diseases and many intangible benefits such as the support of local communities, farming and other natural activities upon which we all rely. A recent example is the (largely) inexplicable collapse of bee hives this past year .

Hopefully this important study will inspire citizens and corporations to take action against the loss of biodiversity.

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A great talk was given at the recent TED Conference with regards to the future of geo-engineering. David Keith: A surprising idea for "solving" climate change . The talk raises important questions of not wether or not we should do geoengineering, but rather makes the argument that we should at least study it.

A particularly convincing argument is the rise of China and the likelyhood that they (or another country) may unilaterally do geoengineering. With such a risk, we must eveluate the benifits and risks that geo-engineering poses.

We must also create a international treaty to bind countries to a series of protocols, not unlike the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Such a treaty will help countries work together and reduce the risk of unilateral action.

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