Monthly Archives: November 2010

Climate Change Needs an Image Change

“EARTH G. SPOT” :- Letter from George Papa, Berlin: In May 2010 Fren von Eart wrote a short fiction booklet on Climate Issues. It was (and still is) an experiment. He published it for free on the internet to see what might happen. At the same time he created a project related to the booklet, called ‘Earth G’. The idea behind the project was to get as many ideas as possible from individuals (not professionals like ourselves) as how to solve our environmental problems. Not a cent was spent on this project.

35,000 Hits on the Website but only 6 new ideas

To this day  we have had over 35 000 hits on the German ERDG website .  We didn’t do any advertising of any kind. Obviously people kept emailing the booklet to their friends and so on. The sad thing is, they only got 6 ideas how to solve our climate problems out of at least 35 000 readers. This means that only 0,017% of the readers thought seriously about it. This opened our eyes to the reality of: how interested is Joe Normal on environmental issues? A lot of people we talked to, liked the book and forwarded to others but that was it.

Politicians had no ideas to offer

They enjoyed it like they would enjoy a chocolate bar. The only ones who gave a comment were few politicians from the Green Party and they liked it too. But even they had no actual idea as how this problem could be solved.

We decided to phone other known politicians (all members of Parliament) and ask them. In the majority of cases it went like this:

Q: Mr.XXX (Member of Parliament), what do you think, how can we solve our current environmental issues?
A: I am not in charge of Environmental Issues. Please talk to my colleague, Mr YYY (Member of Parliament). He is in charge of the Environmental Issues.
Q: We would prefer your solution. Our project needs ideas from all normal people out there, not from specialists. Did you ever think about it?
A: About what?
Q: About how we can save our Planet?
A: Of course I did.
Q: And did you come up with a solution?
A: Of course I did.
Q: And that is?
A: Send an email to my Press Spokesman. He will answer your question.
Q: But Sir… We need your ideas not from your Spokesman.
A: What do you mean with my ideas?
Q: Well, for example: I think we could save the Planet if all people ride only bicycles and no cars…or if we all become vegetarians…if we live in smaller houses…if we only produce 100% recyclable products… these kind of ideas we need from you. Do you have one?
A: Sorry I have no time for this.
Q: Do you mean you have no time for saving our Planet?
A: This is stupid. Goodbye.

Follow Apple’s lead to market environmental issues

The first time I saw people queuing to buy the iPhone 4, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Steve Jobs knows how to sell image to consumers. Let’s face it: our society is more interested in knowing what underwear Paris Hilton is wearing today then who is polluting our planet. So maybe we should start thinking how to use Apple’s strategy to help nature. “Green is Cool” has been only mis(used) by politicians so far.

The solar house should be sold like the iPad and iPhone. People don’t care how much it costs or how good it is. Only image counts.
I believe we need a completely new strategy. Apple does not rely on politics to sell their iProducts. The same way we should start building an Image.
The man (or women) who saves the planet.

Smart Marketing not Crusades

Unfortunately the majority of people think of Greenpeace… if you want to save the Planet, you have to get beaten up by police, smashed by water cannons, dragged through the dirt. I respect all people who have gone through this, but it hasn’t helped much. We haven’t won the masses. We need to win the masses. Not through crusades but through smart marketing strategy copied from Redbull, Apple, McDonalds and the rest.

The future “Green Human” will not  be a political being.  For him it will be  a matter of image to save his planet.

Let me know what you think.
Regards from Berlin.
George Papa

AuSES leads Feed In Tarriff Crisis Rally

The efforts by AuSES of being involved and in fact co leading a protest to highlight the hypocrisy and silliness of the NSW Government of feed in tariff policy in NSW and also to heighten awareness of Federal politicians is admirable in this case.

However, a word of caution is appropriate here.  AuSES has the high ground as far as serving the public interest and credibility in dealing with governments over the last 50 years.  That is not to say that they always listen.  On the contrary they often don’t – but they do not see us as the enemy.  Protesting all the time is a bit like ‘crying wolf ‘ in the perceptual mentality of politicians.

To retain this status of getting a respected hearing with governments it should not be a habit that the Society is continually involved in this sort of activity.  There are organizations that have protest as their mode of operation, Green Peace for example.  There is a hazard for the society to become too closely associated with this function, as it will undermine the privileged position AuSES has at the high ground level with governments of the day.

I believe that AuSES needs to retain the intellectual high ground as its prime function of promoting Solar Energy in all its forms in this 21st Century.

From my experience the treachery of governments in the past has been unbearable and although the Society has always made its point, we could have taken to the streets on numerous occasions.  We did not.   This has kept us out of the ‘hate’ limelight shone on detractors of government policy, by politicians.  Staying apolitical and be open for professional quality consultation is most of the time if asked by government, is the best long term strategy in my opinion.  Discretion is the key.

This time well done John Grimes, because ”never say never”!

Garry Baverstock AM

[Current President of AuSES Western Australia]

Director : solar-e.com.

Read the story of the rally:    AuSES Solar Crisis Rally a Success

LEED Funding Grants – innovation concepts

Chief Scientist Lyn Beasely’s LEED Advisory Group recommendations have been given credence by the current WA Government which has  announced the latest round of grant approvals for Low Energy Emissions Developments. The State Government has announced investments of almost $8million in three new low-emissions energy projects in Perth, Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Karratha.

Read the details here

The increase of Federal and State funding for future clean sources of energy is a great initiative because the “do nothing” scenario propagated by the Climate Sceptics is simply going to destroy our world for future generations.  It is great that current WA Government recognizes this and has continue the LEED Funding Scheme.

As they say in cricket and many times in life, ‘playing off the front foot’, is the best way to go.  As time goes on and a realistic price is set on carbon pollution, our work will become even more focused and will result in improved risk management of R&D and commercialisation support programs.

If our society is not researching and developing and exploring potentially viable innovations then our society is not just staying the same.  In relation to other countries we would be going backwards.

I am not at liberty to discuss any details of the assessments or our methods of adjudication but am willing to discuss innovation concepts in a general fashion and what I consider is needed for seeking better more relevant applications.

Garry Baverstock A.M.

How Greenies Became Watermelons…

Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth will play host to a thought-provoking series of free public lectures with Naomi Oreskes, Professor of History & Science Studies, University of California, San Diego, and co-author of the new book Merchants of Doubt: How a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming. In these lectures, Naomi discusses her latest book (co-authored with Erik M. Conway), as she rolls back the rug on a dark corner of the American scientific community, showing how ideology and corporate interests, aided by a too-compliant media, have skewed public understanding of the some of the most pressing issues of our time, including climate change.

oreskes

If you can’t get there, go to http://www.merchantsofdoubt.org The video on the home page is a compelling history of both climate change science and it’s ugly sister, climate change denial. And it answers in a most surprising way ‘how greenies became watermelons’…

Details of the free events are here http://www.asc.asn.au/2010/10/australian-tour-by-naomi-oreskes-author-of-merchants-of-doubt