The Global Summit II: Humanity Uniting for a Sustainable Future
Written by Mitra Ardron
Thursday, 29 July 2010 00:24
I'm going to be speaking at the Global Summit in San Francisco (November 8-10) - I'll be talking about our work at Natural Innovation Foundation, and about some of the amazing innovators we are working with.
There is more information on the link above, but if you register using this link, then the summit will make a contribution to Natural Innovation Foundation
Last Updated on Thursday, 29 July 2010 00:38
Blogging again
Written by Mitra Ardron
Thursday, 15 July 2010 02:51
After a long absence from the blogosphere, and a move to Joomla which took a long time, I've started blogging again.
Currently I'm on a trip to India, Indonesia and Australia, checking out innovators that we've been working with, and some other people doing great stuff. I'll post more as individual posts.
Urban Ecological Systems
Since late 2008 I've been helping a team who have developed the first commercially viable integrated organic urban horticulture / aquaculture systems. I've been helping them develop the business and source their first customer. www.urbanecologicalsystems.com
Last Updated on Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:16
Bambuild - bamboo workshops in Byron
Tuesday, 22 September 2009 02:52
The newly created BambooStone foundation is holding a series of workshops on bamboo in Byron that will cover harvesting; treating; architecture; and building.
They look really interesting, bamboo is one of the miracle plants that is still under-utilised largely I believe because of its perception as a "poor-persons" resource.
Check out the full schedule at byronbambuild.posterous.com
The Good Life
Written by Mitra Ardron
Saturday, 08 August 2009 12:11
I've been telling this story for years without realising it came from my friend Mark Albion. Now Free Range Studios (Story of Stuff, Meatrix) have made a short animated film of it.
Last Updated on Thursday, 15 July 2010 01:40
End to Solar Rebate
Tuesday, 16 June 2009 10:28
The federal government's solar photovoltaic (electricity) rebate came to a sudden end with an announcement on June 9th - there was no notice, and this was the first that the companies working to sell Solar PV knew.
Of course, the writing was on the wall, the government had announced the system would be brought to an end, but had promised to keep it going until the expanded Solar Credits (RECS multiplier) scheme came into effect, which was expected around August or September
I haven't seen the official figures, however, I understand that in May there were 30,000 applications for the rebate, that is $240 million in one month for a scheme budgeted at $150m per year, over 5 years!
Eighteen months ago, (November 2007) we launched Beyond Building Energy, with a product priced at $499 (after rebates and RECS), when most competitors were priced at about $5,000. We did this by engineering the business model to a model based on volume.
When putting the model together I believed that there was a market for green products IF the price was right, i.e. the pent-up demand to live a sustainable life is there, but people believe they can't afford to. The demand proved that, in my street 50% of the houses installed solar, in the nearest town (Mullumbimby) it was 10%.
I guessed BBE had up to a year's lead. The rest of the industry said BBE couldn't possibly be able to supply at that rate - but gradually they came around to believe it was possible, and then to copy it. Which is how so many systems were sold last month. In that last month the systems were being sold by several companies (including BBE) for as low as zero, so of course there was no limit to demand.
What now?
The rebate has been replaced by a solar credit scheme, which gives 5x the number of RECS, this works out at about $5,000 for a 1Kw system in this area, but bigger systems are also supported. There are problems with the model, firstly the total support is $4,000 per kw less than currently, and secondly that the RECS price fluctuates, so with the multiplier it could mean a substantial difference in out-of-pocket cost between application and installation. The good thing is that the wait - often a couple of months for DEWHA to first approve the application, and then another delay after installation should be one, since companies can create the RECS themselves.
Each of the competitors is likely to announce new pricing soon. I heard BBE announce on the local radio that they would now supply a 1.5kw system for about $2,500. At current electricity rates this should repay in about 7 years, so its still a good deal, though not as good as before. I don't know if that will be the final price, and there isn't one on BBE's website. The only competitor I've seen pricing for is Rezeko who are pricing at from $2,999 for 1kw. I haven't seen prices on any of the competitors sites yet (e.g. Nickel or AusEnergy)
Tyagarah Sustainable Community Alliance
When I'm in Australia I'm active with the Tyagarah Sustainable Community Alliance which works to protect and enhance the environment and community of Tyagarah, an area between Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads. www.tyagarah.org
Cost Comparison of CFL, Incandescent and LED
Sunday, 27 December 2009 23:58
Based on an idea and spreadsheet I found at mapawatt, I've put together a spreadsheet that tracks the cost curves for Incandescent, CFL and LED so you can see at what point you would break even.
Based on a set of assumptions (that I got from Mapawatt), it shows (at 4 hours/day usage) LED's beat Incandescent after 4 years, but CFL's are better than all of them from year 1, it takes 30 years for LED's to beat CFL's but then need replacing after year 35.
Obviously this depends on assumptions about inflation in electricity prices, so I've added a second tab, where I assume electricity inflates at 7% more than general inflation. This isn't unreasonable, for example NSW in Australia just authorised 60% over next 4 years, but its highly speculative how this will change over the longer term (i.e. over the life of an LED bulb).
Flaws in UK study of nutritional advantages of organic food
Sunday, 16 August 2009 10:17
A recent study-of-studys. supposedly showed organic food was no more nutritious than chemical-food. At the time it was known that the study was specific to nutrition and ignored contamination from pesticide residue etc, but more information is surfacing on the other flaws in the study-of-studys. For example ... The Soil Association in the UK also pointed out yesterday that the FSA left out a more rigorous report commissioned by the European Union that found a range of “nutritionally desirable compounds” like antioxidants, vitamins, and glycosinolates were present in greater amounts in organic crops, while the amount of “nutritionally undesirable compounds” like mycotoxins, glycoalkaloids, cadmium and nickel were present in lower amounts by comparison in organic crops. There is a more detailed article here.
Last Updated on Thursday, 15 July 2010 02:04
Christine Milne speech to the National Press Club on emissions reduction
Monday, 20 July 2009 00:54
I've been wondering whether or not to support the government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) - its inadequate, but isn't something better than nothing ?
This speech by Greens Senator, Christine Milne is worth a read. It really holds up what we could be doing and gives a powerful argument why not to back the CPRS.
Incrementalism is worse than useless in the face of the climate crisis. Just as you can't be a little bit pregnant, you can't stop climate change by doing5% of what is necessary. Or even 25 %. If we trigger tipping points, the heating process will gather its own momentum and there will be nothing we can do to stop it. Doing too little to avoid those tipping points is functionally equivalent to doing nothing.
A video of the speech is available.
Storms - the cost of doing nothing
Sunday, 24 May 2009 08:31
As storms batter the North coast of NSW, you have to ask whether its got anything to do with climate change - after all we seem to get 1 in 10 year storms every year now. Winds reached 133km/h on Thursday morning, and significant parts of the region are still without power.
Insurance companies are starting to re-assess their risk based on climate change, with specific reference to these storms.
As the big polluters complain about costs, and job losses, they neglect of course the cost of doing nothing, and the jobs that will be created in a new green economy.
Since late 2008 I've been helping a team who have developed the first commercially viable integrated organic urban horticulture / aquaculture systems. I've been helping them develop the business and source their first customer. 
When I'm in Australia I'm active with the Tyagarah Sustainable Community Alliance which works to protect and enhance the environment and community of Tyagarah, an area between Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads. 
Based on an idea and spreadsheet I found at