powering our way to extinction

Most references to biodiversity are in relation to how we are reducing plant diversity by taking over habitats either by expanding the built environment or by extending agricultural areas. What is rarely considered is the role of humans as animals (technically 'megafauna') within the ecosystem. An article published in the August 12 edition of PNAS presents a fascinating argument about the risks of population collapse (ours and other megafauna) in the context of energy and climate change.

The creation of biomass, whether as plants or animals, depends on energy flow through ecosystems, and the source of that energy is the sun. Until the industrial revolution, humans relied on solar energy directly, just as other species do - then we extended our ability to grow as a population by drawing from stored energy sources: wood, coal, oil and natural gas. So our current population growth trajectory depends on finite energy reserves. People have written before about the limits to growth - notably the Club of Rome - and their estimates of the limits of earth's carrying capacity have been shown to be inaccurate. But this new analysis approaches the issue from a different angle: the trade-off of biomass among megafauna.

fossil fuel-free community planned in the US of A

Geos in Arvada, Colorado, plans to be the first community in America to be self-sufficient in energy, using solar and geothermal sources. What I like about this plan is that it recognises that the layout of the street grid has a strong influence on how buildings are arranged to make maximum use of the sun. This is one of the big challenges in reducing energy demand particularly for housing in colder climates. Traditional street grids pay zero attention to energy issues, and that has to change. [via Stacked Tall]

solar-powered water treatment

At least one third of the population in developing countries has no access to safe drinking water. The lack of adequate water supply and sanitation facilities causes a serious health hazard and exposes many to the risk of water-borne diseases. And believe it or not, there is a low-cost, low-tech way to treat and disinfect water in small quantities. [via Sociolingo's Africa]

for men only

You may have heard of waterless urinals, and at least one manufacturer is making the lowly urinal even greener. Soybean urinals from Waterless Co. are made from approximately 30 percent soybean resin, which is a naturally sustainable resource.

Africa's unfulfilled potential

There could be more than three thousand clean energy projects producing a combined 170 gigawatts in Sub-Saharan Africa. That's more than twice the region’s current installed capacity. Instead, the region has a dismal 1.4% share of the 3,700 projects in the UNFCCC pipeline, as of September 1. According to a new World Bank report, "the achievable avoidance of future greenhouse gas emissions would total about 740 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, more than the region’s current annual greenhouse gas emissions (680 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent)."

And for those who think it's not worth the cost premium of installing clean power generation, consider the status quo. According to World Bank energy specialist Reynold Duncan, it is estimated that the cost of load-shedding to the economies of Sub-Saharan Africa, as a result of the current energy infrastructure challenges, is about 2% of gross domestic product. Doing nothing costs more than Sir Nicholas Stern's estimate that it would take 1% of global GDP to address the challenges of global warming.

the disaster that isn't

South Africa is already paying the price of climate change, and it's not just Rooibos farmers who are having to adapt by changing agricultural practices. It's also the government itself, which up to now has been bailing out farmers who suffer from drought. The Cape Times [subscription required] reported yesterday:

The national Department of Agriculture has warned farmers in the central Karoo that with the onset of climate change, drought "may no longer be regarded as a disaster" and has called on farmers to adapt to increasingly variable and possibly drier conditions rather than relying on department funds to bail them out.

[...]

In March, the provincial Department of Agriculture asked the national department for R37 million in drought relief.

Sounds like funds will be drying up as what was once considered abnormal weather is now commonplace. Peter Johnston of UCT's Climate Systems Analysis Group says western South Africa's climate has already been "highly variable" but droughts will be expected more often. National Department of Agriculture spokesperson Priscilla Tsotso Sehoole has acknowledged this, and says "the response should not only focus on funds".

ecocabs popping up everywhere

Pedal-powered EcoCabs (and variations on the theme) are operating in a number of cities around the world, but what I find really exciting is that in places like Toronto they are providing free door-to-door transport, paid for entirely by corporate sponsors whose brands adorn the vehicles.

Toronto City Council paved the way for other Canadian cities to welcome the EcoCab program by choosing to support the initiative and recognizing the value it brings to both Torontonians and the environment. In keeping with the city's commitment, Toronto licensing officials have allowed the EcoCab vehicles to operate without the standard licenses normally associated with taxis, pedicabs or rickshaws.

And for shifting your products around the city, here's the cargo bike, built to carry up to 180 kg in its 1,400-litre cargo space.

construction waste needs serious attention

Construction waste makes up a much larger proportion of landfill than household rubbish.

The [UK] government, it seems, has woken up to the construction waste problem. Last April, the Environment Agency mandated site waste management plans for construction projects in England worth more than £300,000, in which, from the pre-construction stage onwards, firms must declare waste materials and how they will be disposed of. The agency says this will cut 100m tonnes of waste annually.

Most recycling in South Africa only happens when there is a financial incentive - whether it's people living on the streets picking through household refuse bins for material to sell to recycling depots, or Ross Demolition salvaging doors and windows to sell to home renovators, or Cape Brick manufacturing bricks from crushed building rubble. It's time to up the ante and increase the cost of dumping to landfill sites. But the Brighton & Hove Wood Recycling Project in Britain illustrates that there's a lot of education needed to turn things around in the construction industry.

commute by bike

The annual Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour is now open for entries. Which means... time to get back on the road. The office where I work has just been renovated, with a new shower included, so I have no excuse not to cycle to work. Other than the bad patch of weather we're having. And just in time, Grist offers some tips on the cyclist's commute. Great for anyone who is thinking of taking the plunge for the first time.