Posts Tagged ‘climate change’

Details of the Emmisions Trading Scheme (or ET) was announced 15-Dec-08 (eg www.abc.net.au) and are to reduce by 5% carbon emissions of 2000 levels by 2020, or 15% if the rest of the world steps up.  Per capita this is on par with Europe.

With a carbon price of $25 per tonne, electricity is expected to increase by around $4 per week, with a rise in gas prices of around $2.

Some time ago, I wrote that people change for one of three reasons

• They make money
• They lose money
• It’s the law

Whether you are strongly of the view that the government is a whimp, and this is a cop-out, or of the view that climate change caused by humans is a complete furphy, one thing is now going to be fixed in law. The law to start change will be in place.  It may not be high, but it does start to change attitude. A government might even have to raise the levels if Australia is to meet 60% by 2060!

The good news is when you replace your electric or gas hot water system with a solar hot water system, you will now contribute and benefit in 4 ways.

1. You will help Australia meet the ET target.  (Solar Hot water reduces household carbon emissions by 40% - see  electricity savings).
2. The expected rise in energy prices for households will mean you are going to be up for an additional $5 per week ($250 per year.)  This is on top of an expected 15% price increase of electricity this coming year. Put this towards a new solar hot water system.
3. You can give the energy company (and the dirty coal power plants) the finger!  You are not beholden to the major polluters.
4. You pocket the expected $20 a month extra compensation. (If you are on a pensions, family Tax A, then you get 2.5% benefit; with minimal increase in other costs)

As philosophers say all the time: Good things start small.

Find Out Whether You Can Benefit From Solar Hot Water.

You can get an instant quote right now. There are 23 simple questions that lets our online calculator work out the best solution for your situation. That way you know exactly whether you can benefit from solar hot water.

Start with 1. Find System.

When we talked about climate change, a friend of mine once said: People only change for one of three reasons:

1. they make money,
2. they lose money or
3. it is the law.

(money in this context is a general human reward such as ego and/or emotion). Climate change, and our approach to making changes raises some interesting questions.

A Strong Global Climate Pact

“We are entering territory here that humanity has not been in before” Professor Ross Garnaut said to reporters upon his handover of his 620-page report to the Rudd government 30 September 2008. “Failure to deal with climate change now will haunt humanity until the end of time.”

Professor Garnaut then went on to hinge his recommendations on a ’strong global climate pact’, which, if you could pull it off, would enable Australia to make “a 25 per cent cut in emissions by 2020, keeping atmospheric carbon concentration to 450 parts per million (ppm)”.

But he wasn’t hopeful of the world agreeing to this ’strong mitigation deal’: If that proved impossible, Professor Garnaut said, he wanted Australia “to push for a deal for global atmospheric carbon concentration of 550 ppm, which means Australia cutting emissions by 10 per cent by 2020″. And, if no climate deal is forged out of the United Nations process, Australia should “cut emissions by 5 per cent”, Professor Garnaut said.

Consumers Will Wear the Cost

Professor Garnaut then went on to tell us that “Consumers will wear the majority of the cost of an emissions trading scheme, paying more for a range of goods and services as businesses pass on the emissions price.” ‘We (the taxpayers)’ cannot be expected to pay, but ‘We (the consumers)’ are going to have to pay for everything anyway.

Rather than have the government (representing the taxpayers) regulate directly and force the polluters to clean up their act, we have to rely on the market (without any involvement of the consumers, except through their ability to pay) to bring about the required changes. The Treasury modelling, released a couple of weeks ago, says consumers will pay about anther $5 per week electricity, and $2 for gas.

So do you feel happy about this. We, the consumers, pay extra. Why is the government not prepared to implement a raft of measures to complement or speed up this process?

Climate Change Solutions?

The Mckinsey Global Institute has published a detailed review of some simple measures that provide high returns, use existing technology and do not cost the consumer more. It is estimated that 50% of global energy demand from now to 2020 can be met from better energy efficiency using existing technology and will pay for themselves.

Examples include energy efficient appliances, heating, cooling, lighting, and transportation. These really simple measures combine savings to consumers and savings to the environment, but the government appears loath to legislate. McKinsey wrote a paper on The Case for Investing on Energy Productivity (Feb 2008).

There are 4 areas that Mckinsey say governments should intervene to give immediate returns:

1. Set energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment
2. Finance energy upgrades in new buildings and renovations
3. Raise corporate standards for energy efficiencies
4. Invest in energy intermediaries

Maybe these will implemented as part of the Emissions Trading Scheme, or maybe the Government will only do a mediocre job and not act on climate change decisive enough.

Our thoughts on climate change went out last week and got picked up by Sue Mikkelsen from the Noosa Journal.

Media Release

Sunshine Coast businesses must provide their own incentives for customers to take climate-friendly actions and not rely solely on governments.

That’s the message from local businessman and Sunshine Coast Environment Council Treasurer Alexander Kohl, who started SolarPay in June to provide solar hot water for people who can’t afford the upfront costs.

“Every household who switches their hot water from electric to solar can prevent up to 3,000 kgs a year of carbon emissions, and save up to $700 a year in costs” he said.

“But even with rebates, getting a solar hot water system is initially expensive, and our research found this was people’s biggest barrier to getting solar hot water”.

SolarPay negotiated with the National Australia Bank to provide finance “so people can get the system now and pay it back with their electricity savings”.

SolarPay does not make a profit on the payment, so Alexander Kohl may not be making the same money as he once did producing events for BMW and Adidas.

The father of two said “I had to change my attitude and realise that sustainable businesses can and do succeed”.

“Taking action as a business is about putting the planet and our future first and leading, not following” Kohl said.

You can find out more about solar hot water, calculate your system costs and rebates and order a system in minutes online with our calculator.

BIO: Alexander Kohl

“My vision is to find solutions that benefit the environment on a large scale AND reward the people directly.

My interest in sustainability has always been with me as the only natural way to operate and think. Some of my defining moments happened during the production of the BMW CleanEnergy World Tour 2002. The final event was held in Johannesburg, South Africa at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. I was blown away by the many companies that actively pursued more than profit.

When I produced the Sustainable Living Festival 2004 in Melbourne, I experienced the passion of volunteers who put in many hours to successfully promote what they believe in.

The biggest blocks to sustainable living seem to be added expense and inconvenience. Individuals bear these while society as a whole is benefitting.

My vision is to find solutions that benefit the environment on a large scale AND reward the people directly. With the collaboration of the right businesses we are now able to do that.

I am grateful for the effort and dedication of all people and organisations who make SolarPay possible. And I look forward to getting one step closer to sustainability, where we live in harmony with nature and each other; and use existing market forces to achieve that.”

Is a solar hot water quote the answer to global warming? Not for everyone, but for many.

“Once you knew what did you do?”

I cannot remember who that quote is from, but it stuck in my mind ever since I heard it.

Man-made global warming is a reality very few people deny today. We all know it is happening, we all know something needs to be done about it. But most people are stuck as to what can be done on a personal level.

Sure, I can go and plant trees as a volunteer. I can turn off lights. I can walk sometimes instead of driving. But reality is that we value convenience and an immediate personal benefit above most other things. I am certainly being driven by these two motivations.

Convenience

Life is very full. So every change in behaviour needs to be convenient in two ways:

1. Making the change
2. Living with the change

Immediate Personal Benefit

With a choice of doing something for the greater good or getting an immediate personal benefit, most people would go for the latter. It is normal and human and ensures our survival as individuals.

So we need solutions that combine:

1. Immediate personal benefit
2. Positive impact on the planet

Solutions to Climate Change

Most proposed solutions do not meet any of these requirements. Many are actually contrary to them.

My goal was to come up with a solution that covered all four areas and I found it in Solar Hot Water

Living with the change is very easy. You do not really notice it (apart from the guilt-free hot showers).

Making the change requires a bit of effort. Finding the right system, finding the right installer, finding the money, understanding the rebates takes a bit of time. Hence the Solarpay service that does all that for you.

Reduced energy bills (savings of $300 to $700 each year) are an immediate personal benefit. And that will continue for the life of the system (20 years or more) and rising with increased electricity prices.

The positive impact on the planet is reduced greenhouse gas emissions (25% of each household or 3,000kg per year).

Once You Knew What Did You Do?

The problem: climate change and global warming

The best solution I could find: solar hot water

The question: What will you do?

1. Take action and get a solar hot water quote now.
   
2. If there are unsurmountable obstacles for you, leave a comment so we can find ways to overcome them.
3. If you have a better solution, please share it so we can all benefit from it (directly and indirectly).