North Brisbane CRAG

This is what 1 ton of CO2 looks like...

2010-01-08T17:00:00.000+10:00

First meeting for 2010

2010-01-04T10:19:00.001+10:00

The first CRAG meeting for 2010 will be on Wednesday, 20 January at 7pm at 2 Broadway Street, Red Hill. Hope to see you all then!

Our PV system

2010-01-03T13:24:00.003+10:00

We had a photovoltaic system installed in November last year, and so far it's all systems go. It's a 1Kw system supplied and installed by eco-Kinetics. Thanks to a deal they had going back in August 2008, total cost was $365 for the system (after rebates) plus about $1,000 for a new switchbox (which also had to be relocated).

On a sunny day, it produces about 6 KwH of electricty. We use an average of not much more than 6 KwH of electricity per day so allowing for cloudy days we should end up with well over half of our electricity usage provided through solar. Energex will pay us 44 cents per KwH that we export to the grid, through the Solar Bonus Scheme. Even with the extra we're paying to have 100% GreenPower, we should get a decent refund off our next bill. It's due in February, so I'll let you know then how we went.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T13:01:00.002+10:00

Welcome to 2010! It'll be a big start to the year for the North Brisbane CRAG, with plenty on the agenda. We'll be doing our first annual tally of members' annual emissions, which will be very interesting - who will have made their target and who will have missed it?!? We will also be working out who will be the beneficiary of the funds that we raise through penalties paid by those who've missed their targets. We are looking to identify a community group on the north side that we can help to reduce their emissions. If you've got any ideas, let me know!

The other big question for the group will be to decide a target for 2010. Do we go for another 20% reduction? Or start to ease back? And how will we be able to reduce emissions while enjoying overseas and interstate holidays? Stay tuned for the answers to all these questions, and more! Or better still, come along to our next meeting...

Update on last meeting

2009-10-07T22:38:00.002+10:00

It's interesting to notice a common theme coming up in the last couple of meetings - flights and offsetting! Flights is the big elephant in the room with carbon reduction. It's the single biggest contributor to our emissions as a group, the easiest one to reduce or eliminate, and the one that no-one wants to give up! It'll be really interesting to see how flights have affected everyone's emissions totals at the end of the year...

So in looking to come up with a least-worst approach (after avoiding and then reducing), we've been looking into offset providers with a view to using the most effective provider available. Steph has found a handy website at http://www.carbonoffsetguide.com.au/ that allows you to search for providers using a number of criteria.

Remember, of course, that not emitting in the first place is far more effective than offsetting!

North Brisbane CRAG at Greenfest

2009-06-11T17:47:00.002+10:00

North Brisbane CRAG enjoyed a speaking slot at Greenfest on 7 June 2009 at Brisbane's Botanic Gardens. Mike and Rowan gave the short and long description of what the CRAG does, took questions from the audience and handed out a quick carbon calculator to explain where the carbon lives in our lifestyles. There was plenty of interest from those assembled so maybe we'll see a few more recruits in coming weeks. Or maybe even a new CRAG begin elsewhere in the city...

Mike at Greenfest

Earth Hour - what is it good for?

2009-04-07T21:32:00.002+10:00

This year's Earth Hour was an amazing success - hundreds of millions of people in over 4,000 towns and cities in 88 countries switched off their lights for an hour in the largest collective action on an environmental issue ever seen.

Earth Hour alone won't save the planet, and no-one connected with it has ever suggested that it will. But Earth Hour is a powerful and valuable part of the strategy for moving the world towards strong action on climate change.

On one level, the symbolism of so many people uniting for a common cause sends an undeniable message that the global community wants its leaders to take action.

Earth Hour also begins a conversation, and this is perhaps its most important aspect especially in a country like Australia. People begin to hear a message about climate change and the need for action. And they begin to see that while one person may not be able to make much of a difference, when one person's action is combined with those of many, many other people a powerful force is set in motion.

Changing the way that a society thinks about how it lives its life cannot happen overnight. The transition has to begin somewhere, and Earth Hour is one of those starting points.

Re-framing the issue

2009-02-28T21:23:00.003+10:00

It's interesting that two people can look at the same event and see it in totally different ways. For two footie fans watching the same game but following different teams, the same series of events can be either an occasion for happiness or despair.

Similarly with reducing carbon emissions. On the one hand, we could view the changes to our lifestyle that we will have to make to reduce our carbon emissions as being about sacrifice, giving things up, regression or inconvenience. And, when you put it like that, it's hardly surprising that people are reluctant to embrace a carbon-light lifestyle!

If you tell people that they will have to give up the plasma TVs that they enjoy watching, that they can't take the overseas holidays that they spend all year hanging out for, or that they have to give up the 4WD that is their pride and joy, they're just going to go "Nuh".

But if you tell people that they have the opportunity to have less stress, work less, be more healthy, reconnect with their communities and support local jobs, living a carbon-light lifestyle becomes a whole different proposition!

Cycling or walking to work, for example, means less time spent in traffic jams, less money spent on running a car, the possibility of exercising by walking to work and being to spend more time with your family. This might mean moving house or changing jobs, but look at the benefits that are available.

So it's worth remembering that focusing on the positives isn't about blind optimism - it's about seeing what's already there if we only choose to look at it in a certain way!

Offsetting - in a nutshell

2009-02-21T16:18:00.002+10:00

Offsetting carbon emissions is a topic that gets a lot of attention, so I thought I would provide a quick overview of what offsetting is about and what some of the issues are.

The idea behind offsetting is that if you do something that results in CO2 being put into the atmosphere (taking a flight, for example), you can pay a company to take some action that results in an equal amount of carbon dioxide being either not emitted or being taken out of the atmosphere. In theory, the company's action neutralises your emissions and your flight is carbon neutral.

To give an example, if you take a flight is responsible for emitting one ton of CO2, you could pay a company to plant trees that will take one ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere. Or, the company could invest your money in a source of renewable energy that will be used instead of an energy source that will emit CO2 - hydroelectric instead of coal-fired, for example.

There are a few issues to be aware of with offsetting:

Your action is still responsible for emitting CO2 - there is a view that it is better to prevent the CO2 from getting into the atmosphere in the first place (by not taking the action) than to try to "get rid" of it later. Prevention could be seen to be better than cure.
There is no guarantee that paying money to a company will lead to a reduction in CO2. The CO2 is not automatically erased from the atmosphere. Whether there is a reduction in CO2 depends on how effectively the company uses your money.
Trees grow slowly, require constant management and can release their CO2 if they die or are burnt. In can take up to 30 years for a tree to grow large enough to remove one ton of CO2 from the atmosphere. While this is happening, the ton of CO2 that you emitted is contributing to global warming.
Some offsetting companies invest your money in projects that develop renewable energy. You would need to be sure that the project will be replacing an existing, greenhouse gas emitting facility. Sometimes, money is invested in renewable energy sources that have to be built anyway - because of government requirements for example.

On the plus side for offsetting, if the emissions are going to happen anyway then investing in a reliable, effective offsetting project is better than doing nothing. The more money that is invested in new renewable energy projects the sooner renewable energy will become cheaper and more widely available.

My own view is that it is better to do what you can to avoid causing the emissions in the first place. If you absolutely can't avoid causing the emissions, then offset them with a reliable offsetting company. Climate Friendly is one of the better Australian offsetting companies.

Finally, check out the Cheat Neutral video for a humorous explanation of why offsetting is often seen as a second-best option.

First meeting for 2009

2009-02-10T19:24:00.002+10:00

Monday night was the first North Brisbane CRAG meeting for 2009. It was fantastic to have 9 people there! Everyone had great ideas, and it was exciting to take the first concrete steps twards setting up the framework for reducing our emissions.

In a nutshell, we agreed that members will aim to reduce the carbon emissions by 20% from 2008 levels. Members who don't achieve their target will have the choice of donating time to an environmental charity or making a financial payment (which will go towards emissions reduction measures for an as yet undecided recipient). We will decide the level of the donation/payment next month.

We also had great discussions about the new ClimateSmart program, offsetting, useful books and solar hot water rebates.

The next meeting will be on a date to be advised in March - hopefully see you all then!

2009 - A big year

2009-02-02T21:14:00.002+10:00

2009 is shaping up to be an exciting, and in fact critical, year for climate change! On the exciting front, Earth Hour is set to be a huge event this year - up to 1 billion people around the world will be participating in the single biggest environmental action on the planet! Register your participation NOW at www.earthhour.org.

By way of declaring a vested interest, I am organising Earth Hour in Queensland!

Also, the groundswell of interest in and awareness of climate change and what it will take to prevent it reaching dangerous levels is growing. New events, forums and lectures about reducing carbon emissions seem to be happening every day. It's inspiring to see so many people getting involved and taking action!

On the critical front, the conference in Copenhagen at the end of the year will set the targets for global action to reduce CO2 emissions post-Kyoto. It is so important that world leaders realise that they have a mandate from their citizens to take strong, decisive and courageous action. And the only way that they will get that mandate is if we give it to them!

For the CRAG, I'm looking forward to continuing to develop how we want the group to work and what goals we want to set this year. The first meeting for the year is on 9 February at 2 Broadway Street, Red Hill, 7pm - 8.30pm. Hope to see you there!

The Federal Government's emissions targets

2008-12-17T20:57:00.002+10:00

On 15 December 2008, the Australian Government announced its emissions reduction targets - an unconditional commitment to a 5% reduction in CO2 emissions from 2000 levels by 2020, with a commitment of up to a 15% reduction if other developed countries agreed to similar cuts.

Emission reductions of even 15% will not be enough to prevent dangerous climate change. At that level it is quite possible that within our lifetimes we will see the Greenland and West Antarctic icesheets melt (leading to sea level rise measured in metres), the death of the Great Barrier Reef and the displacement of tens of millions of people.

If the government will not commit to taking decisive, inspiring action then we must. Personally reducing our carbon emissions as much as possible and encouraging others to do the same is the best response to the government's disappointing action.

So ride your bike, switch to green power and ask your friends and family to join the North Brisbane CRAG!

Australians' average emissions

2008-12-11T20:12:00.002+10:00

Interesting to see how CRAG members stack up to the Australian average for CO2 emissions. We ranged from 2.6 tons to 14.5 tons, largely depending on how far people had flown in the year - amazing what a difference a long-haul flight can make! (and watch this space for ideas for carbon-friendly holidays).

According to the University of Sydney's Centre for Integrated Sustainability Analysis, the average Australian is responsible for 2.4 tons of CO2-e from car travel, 3.3 tons from home energy use and 0.75 tons from air travel, for a toal of 6.45 tons of CO2-e.

[CO2-e stands for CO2 equivalent, which is the combined global warming effect of CO2 and the other greenhouse gases (methane, for example).]

First meeting of the North Brisbane CRAG

2008-12-11T20:04:00.003+10:00

We are up and running! Our first meeting was held on Monday the 8th, with 7 enthusiastic people getting together to eat almond M&Ms, estimate their 2008 emissions and talk about the way forward. Quite a few people who wanted to come couldn't make it, and their support is greatly appreciated!

The discussion was wide-ranging, as we talked about ideas for caps on emissions, how to approach fees for exceeding the cap and a host of other issues. The big revelation from estimating our 2008 emissions was how much air travel blows your carbon budget! Local holidays are definitely the way to go for the carbon-concerned.

The next meeting will be in February, and it would be great to see a host of new faces. Let's aim big and go for 30 members by the next meeting!

Carbon-neutrally yours

Omar

Why even reduce your carbon in the first place?

2008-12-02T21:37:00.002+10:00

Put simply, it goes like this:

Carbon dioxide (and other gases) in the earth's atmosphere trap heat from the sun, warming the planet in a similar way to a greenhouse traps heat and warms the plants inside.

Up to a point this greenhouse effect is a good thing - without it the earth would be too cold to support human life.

However, if too much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases get into the atmosphere, the earth's temperature keeps increasing to a point (which we have now reached) where the climate and weather patterns of the planet are affected. Most of these effects (like more droughts, and fiercer storms) are detrimental to humans. The greater the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the more extreme the effects.

Carbon dioxide gets into the atmosphere in a number of ways, but since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s, a lot of that has come from burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil. When these fuels are burnt, they release carbon dioxide.

In Australia, burning fossil fuels to produce electricity and to power motor vehicles and aircraft are two of the leading contributors to the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. By reducing the amount of electricity that we use, and by reducing our use of cars and air travel, we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that we put into the atmosphere.

It will take a concerted, inspired global effort to reduce fossil fuel use if we are to reverse global warming, but it can be done!

First meeting of North Brisbane CRAG!

2008-11-23T11:48:00.004+10:00

So to get things kicked off, we'll be having our first meeting on Monday 8 December 2008 from 7-9 at 2 Broadway Street, Red Hill.

The agenda will be fairly simple - estimating carbon emissions for 2008; finding out more about CRAGs and how they work; and talking about how we want to do things. We won't make any binding decisions or commitments - just start the conversation going!

RSVP to nb.crag@gmail.com or 0413 664369.

About the North Brisbane CRAG

2008-11-23T10:01:00.001+10:00

About us

The North Brisbane CRAG is still in its infancy! The first meeting will be held in mid-December at Red Hill, with a view to starting discussions about how the CRAG will work, chatting about carbon-reduction ideas and estimating people's emissions for 2008.

The CRAG will kick off proper in 2009, with emissions being calculated from January to December. I'd hope to have monthly meetings, starting from late-January/early-February 2009 once I'm back from a carbon ration-busting trip to the Middle East!

Why join?

To give yourself a concrete target for reducing your CO2 emissions, and to benefit from the support and ideas that you can get from a group. It can be a hard slog when you're trying to go green all by yourself, so why not make things a bit easier. Plus, the more the merrier - we aim to make reducing our carbon footprints fun, too!

Get in touch

If you're interested in joining, you can get in touch with me (Omar) at NB.CRAG@gmail.com or on 0413 664369 - I'd be more than happy to answer any questions that you have!

CRAGs - The basics

2008-11-23T09:51:00.000+10:00

What is a CRAG?

A CRAG (Carbon Reduction Action Group) is a group of people who have decided to get together and voluntarily limit the amount of carbon dioxide that they emit. CRAGs are a great way to motivate, support and inspire people to take action to reduce their CO2 emissions.

For more about CRAGs visit http://www.carbonequity.info/crags/index.html.

How does a CRAG work?

At the start of each year, members of the CRAG agree on a cap on each member's CO2 emissions for that year (for example, 4 tons of CO2 per year). Members then calculate their CO2 emissions from private motor vehicle use, household energy use and private air travel. Members who exceed their cap pay an amount agreed in advance (5 cents per kilogram, for example). Simple!