A real nice op-ed in the NyTimes on drlling and environmental benefits.
For better or worse, “drill, baby, drill” is now widely viewed as the cure for what ails. Giving the public what it wants wouldn’t lower gas prices by any meaningful amount. But it would create an opportunity to move public opinion (and huge sums of cash) in the direction of good environmentalism and good economics.
Op-Ed Contributor – Save the Environment – Drill, Baby, Drill – Op-Ed – NYTimes.com.
“Today we are formally inviting anyone who is interested and knowledgeable about ecological issues to join us in creating something that we hope will become a valuable resource for society,” said Jimmy Wales, Co-founder and Chairman of the board, Wikia, Inc. “As the whole notion of ‘going green’ has exploded, so too has the volume of related information floating around out there on the Internet. It has come to a point where, for the average person looking for tips on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, it can be somewhat difficult to know where to start and Wikia Green is looking to be just that place.”
Jimmy Wales Is Going All Green With Wikia Green « La Marguerite
Taking its cue from the Orteig prize, the X Prize Foundation offers large cash prizes for breakthroughs in spaceflight and genomics, and plans to offer more in the fields of education, biology and entrepreneurship. Earlier this year it announced the Progressive Automotive X Prize, which will offer $10m to anyone who can design a marketable car (meaning safe, affordable, road-friendly) that gets 100 miles per gallon. More than 60 teams have entered so far.
This sort of environmental prize is just the beginning. The foundation is developing a whole series of prizes designed to catalyse clean, renewable and cost-effective energy. Combined the value of these prizes could reach as much as $100m. There is already talk of a $10m prize for an alternative jet-fuel.
Don Dodge writes about some of the enterprise softwares launched at TechCrunch50. TC50 helps companies to launch their products to the world and get some expert advice from industry visionaries.
On OpenTrace:
OpenTrace A new environmental infrastructure that aggregates product materials’ information from bottom up and dynamically calculates the environmental impact indicators. Existing indicators are well authenticated, but are complex and static when calculating the environmental impact or load. OpenTrace approaches this problem from a totally different perspective which is simple and free for use. Based on simple and flexible calculation method, it provides many environmental tools to meet users’ needs. You can scan the UPC label on any product and see the environmental impact. OpenTrace also analyzes the supply chain of a product to see the entire environmental impact or carbon footprint.
Problem/Solution - Developer tool for environmental indicators.
Business Model – Unknown
Possible Competitors – CO2Stats
Could be quite useful to rate products from various organzations. With more and more interest in this area there needs be a simpler method to gain information and compare. The website does not have anything yet.
Update: Webware has more details with screenshots. You can also scan the barcodes from a cellphone to get the information. This service can go places.
INDIA’S largest private company Tata Group will pump at least $44.1 million into geothermal energy company Geodynamics.
Brisbane-based Geodynamics yesterday announced a deal to issue 29.4 million shares, equivalent to 11.4 per cent of the company, to Tata Power for $1.50 per share.
This is an important development. TATA in my opinion is one of the most ethical and highly visionary conglomerate in India. With more than $60 B in revenue it is no small company. I am excited to see the increasing trade between India and Australia. There is a potential for both ways – India’s products/money to Australia and Australia’s technology for India’s markets.
Geothermal has a great future, especially in South Australia and hot rocks could turn out to be a major green source of energy in the future.
According to UK and U.S. researchers, it should be possible to fight the global warming effects associated with an increase of dioxide levels by using autonomous cloud-seeding ships to spray salt water into the air. This project would require the deployment of a worldwide fleet of 1,500 unmanned ships to cool the Earth even if the level of carbon dioxide doubled. These 300-tonne ships ‘would be powered by the wind, but would not use conventional sails. Instead they would be fitted with a number of 20 m-high, 2.5 m-diameter cylinders known as Flettner rotors. The researchers estimate that such ships would cost between £1m and £2m each. This translates to a US$2.65 to 5.3 billion total cost for the ships only. Even if this project has its merits, who will finance it? The scientists don’t answer this question. But read more…
1,500 ships to fight climate change? | Emerging Technology Trends | ZDNet.com.
NEW investment is in danger of heading overseas if business continues to look for an escape from the harsh realities of climate change and does not begin a reallocation process of capital towards sustainable investments, says a visiting expert on climate change investment.
James Cameron, co-founder of British-based investment banking group Climate Change Capital, said Australia could “miss the boat” on millions of dollars of investment if the Government accepted Professor Ross Garnaut’s recommendation of a 10% cut in emissions levels by 2020.
Mr Cameron, who will speak at the Australian Super Investment Conference today, told BusinessDay that fund managers, institutional investors and business might look towards Europe if a $20 a tonne carbon price was adopted in Australia.
“If there is a higher carbon price in Europe then investment will go there and thrive there,” he said. “A 10% reduction is still meaningful but it doesn’t compare to the level of commitment that is being put in on other levels at least at the policy level.”
DJSI gave the chip maker top scores for environmental reporting, corporate citizenship/philanthropy, as well as human capital development, corporate governance, code of conduct, and stakeholder engagement. “The world’s leading companies are integrating sustainability considerations into their core business,” noted the report highlighting Intel’s green feats. Licensed in 16 countries with over $6 billion under management, DJSI is the world’s first global indexes tracking the financial performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies.
Intel Named DJSI Leader for 10th Straight Year – GoodCleanTech.
From all the discussion on Ross Garnaut’s suggestion that electricity prices will increase by 40% by 2020, I think there are some really important questions missing.
Answering some of these will give a better way to compare to the 40% number. I will see if I can answer some of them. Any suggestions?
Today I met with Sam Wells. Sam is the MBA Director at the Adelaide Uni and teaches the Sustainability course for MBA students.
A couple of my friends have completed his course and their reviews have been brilliant. It would have been great if I had a similar chance when I did my MBA.
Sam is a very approachable person with a down-to-earth attitude with a great passion for Sustainability and Base of the Pyramid ideas. John O’brien acted as the conduit to help me meet up with Sam.
He gave a long and detailed insight into one his pet projects, Just Peachy which is built on the ideas of creating capital (human, economics, social and environmental) or what he calls common-wealth through collaboration, community and capitalism principles.
I will write about Just Peachy more in the future.
Interestingly, he is the brother of Geoff Wells, a sustainability lecturer at UniSA and a good friend of mine. The world is a small place, especially in Adelaide!
