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John Doerr on “Greentech”

Written By: - Date published: 2:37 pm, December 17th, 2007 - 21 comments

Another video from TED: “I don’t think we’re going to make it,” John Doerr proclaims, in an emotional talk about climate change and investment. Spurred on by his daughter, who demanded he fix the mess the world is heading for, he and his partners at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers embarked on a greentech world […]

NZ leads the world on climate change in Bali

Written By: - Date published: 10:05 am, December 14th, 2007 - 28 comments

Here’s a clip that aired last night on TV3. It shows NZ leading the world in our response to climate change in Bali. To quote the reporter, New Zealand is “…putting words into action… [announcing] ambitious plans to go carbon neutral”. National on the other hand has no credibility on climate change. They don’t have […]

Bush absent at Bali conference

Written By: - Date published: 5:21 pm, December 12th, 2007 - 4 comments

Al Gore has just accepted his Nobel Peace Prize for advocacy for action on climate change. In his speech he’s lauded Kevin Rudd’s immediate commitment to ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change – he did it only days after assuming office. The move to ratify leaves the United States as the only developed nation […]

Xmas trees & when all that glitters

Written By: - Date published: 1:02 pm, December 11th, 2007 - 11 comments

It was once a matter of personal preference. Now it’s part of the sustainability story. Do you prefer the uniform shape, colour, ease of the plastic fantastic, or was the distinctive aroma of pine sap and rustle of pine needles a defining characteristic of your Xmas experience? Well now there’s the ethical question to add […]

Greencabs – Toyota Prius taxi fleet

Written By: - Date published: 10:06 am, December 11th, 2007 - 7 comments

There’s a new taxi fleet servicing Wellington and (in three days time) Auckland. The vehicles are all Toyota Prius hybrids and the company, Greencabs, also offsets the residual emissions making it, they claim, the country’s first carbon neutral taxi company. They tell me they’re also the cheapest in town – presumably because the fuel consumption […]

Do your part for sustainability

Written By: - Date published: 12:43 pm, December 7th, 2007 - 15 comments

The PM has launched a new website, sustainability.govt.nz challenging citizens to commit to doing one thing to help contribute to a “sustainable nation”.

Australia ends 10-year Kyoto exile

Written By: - Date published: 2:46 pm, December 6th, 2007 - 15 comments

From the Guardian: “Australia yesterday joined the fold of rich countries committed to tackling climate change by signing the Kyoto agreement to limit CO2 emissions, at once distancing itself from the US and ending a 10-year diplomatic exile on the issue.” So where does that leave the US? And as for Mr Key, he’s struggled […]

PopSci award winner: printed solar cells

Written By: - Date published: 2:54 pm, December 5th, 2007 - 5 comments

Popular Science has recently announced its “Grand Award Winner” in the “Green” category: PowerSheet solar cells. ‘Imagine a solar panel without the panel. Just a coating, thin as a layer of paint, that takes light and converts it to electricity… “You’re talking about printing rolls of the stuff—printing it on the roofs of 18-wheeler trailers, […]

Google invests in renewable energy research

Written By: - Date published: 6:15 am, November 29th, 2007 - 12 comments

From the NYT: Google, the Internet company with a seemingly limitless source of revenue, plans to get into the business of finding limitless sources of energy… Google said it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars, part of that to hire engineers and energy experts to investigate alternative energies like solar, geothermal and wind power. […]

Pascal’s Wager on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 8:50 am, November 20th, 2007 - 1 comment

Fortunately we have a government that’s prepared to act on climate change rather than gamble with the future. Nevertheless here’s an interesting take on the importance of a meaningful response to climate change based on everybody’s favourite PHIL101 poser: Pascal’s Wager. He’s also done a follow-up to answer some of the questions and objections that […]

Lawson not bonkers

Written By: - Date published: 8:26 pm, November 15th, 2007 - 10 comments

Esteemed Tory Brit-econ-pop-enviro-guru Nigel Lawson, Lord of Blaby, dad of Nigella, is not bonkers. Lord Blaby (Ed: shurely not? Wot? It is true?), who is visiting New Zealand, allegedly to attend a Business Roundtable party, told TVNZ’s Breakfast that the world could adjust to global warming because people don’t find Singapore too hot to do […]

Roundtable shirks science, embraces aristocrat

Written By: - Date published: 4:26 pm, November 15th, 2007 - 21 comments

The Business Roundtable has invited Nigel Lawson, British Chancellor of the Exchequer under Thatcher, to speak to them on climate change. Inevitably, Lawson is a climate change denier. His message is that climate change is a replacement for communism and mainstream religion. He says people who are concerned about climate change are ‘eco-fundamentalists’ and ‘climate […]

Sharpen up your climate change arguments

Written By: - Date published: 4:22 am, November 14th, 2007 - 3 comments

The BBC has a good roundup of the top 10 climate change denier arguments with rebuttals from scientists who agree with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: that it’s happening, it’s due to us, and the potential damage is serious. Worthwhile reading for those who still find themselves in these kinds of arguments in the […]

Up-Skilling Skilling

Written By: - Date published: 8:35 pm, October 24th, 2007 - 20 comments

The NZ Institute needs to look a bit more closely before leaping into print. The strangest thing about its exhortation that NZ should be a climate change ‘fast follower’ is that is precisely the position we’re in right now. The government has announced its emissions trading scheme. It will be fully up and running by […]

Lights out San Francisco

Written By: - Date published: 2:10 pm, October 24th, 2007 - 4 comments

Lights Out San Francisco is a citywide energy conservation event next scheduled for March 29, 2008. On this night, they invite the entire city of San Francisco to install one compact fluorescent light bulb and turn off all non-essential lighting for one hour. Below are a couple of shots from the event run four days […]

NZ Institute turns up the heat

Written By: - Date published: 1:53 pm, October 24th, 2007 - 3 comments

The New Zealand Institute has come out imploring us to be a “fast follower” rather than a leader in the race to reduce greenhouse gases. John Key was predictably on the spot to take the credit, claiming that the Institute was essentially “making the same point I’ve been making around climate change”. Wasn’t the point […]

New hybrid Crown limos announced

Written By: - Date published: 10:42 am, October 23rd, 2007 - 25 comments

In an effort to play an even larger part in the fight against global warming the New Zealand government today announced the purchase of 20 specially produced Toyota Prius Hybrid limousines. These fuel efficient, environmentally friendlier vehicles will gradually replace the current crop of Ministerial vehicles. The car will seat up to ten people and […]

Blog action day: environment

Written By: - Date published: 9:55 am, October 16th, 2007 - 5 comments

It’s environmental blog action day. Bloggers worldwide are being encouraged to post on an environmental issue of importance to them. One issue. One day. Thousands of voices. DPF got in first this morning but I’ve got to admit to being a little disappointed with the content. His post on environment is essentially ‘Colin Espiner says […]

Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize

Written By: - Date published: 12:07 pm, October 13th, 2007 - 5 comments

Gore shared the Nobel prize with the UN climate panel for their for their international work to promote the importance of addressing global warming. This won’t come as good news to the climate change deniers out there, one of whom recently challenged the accuracy of the film in court following the UK government’s decision to […]

Hooten on climate change policy

Written By: - Date published: 4:48 pm, September 28th, 2007 - 2 comments

Here’s one for the books. Matthew Hooten on 9 to Noon this morning: PRESENTER: Ah, right, we better start with climate change policy announcement… How do you think it went, Matthew. HOOTON: Well, I have to say it was probably the most successful policy announcement by a government in a democracy that I’ve ever heard […]

How many Earths do you need?

Written By: - Date published: 11:56 pm, September 26th, 2007 - 2 comments

Here’s an online game that aims to show you what the world would look like if everyone lived like you… The site asks you a series of questions about your lifestyle, and as you play, it will show you how many “Earths” of natural resources it would take to sustain all 6.6 billion humans. if […]

What is this woman doing in Parliament?

Written By: - Date published: 5:00 pm, September 24th, 2007 - 6 comments

Here’s a tip you can take to the bank: if you’re ever worried you’re no good at your job and need some cheering up, you can’t go too far wrong with Heather Roy’s Diary. Of all the dreadful, party-approved pap that streams out of Parliament on a Friday afternoon, Heather’s newsletter is surely the pick […]

CCDA to merge with National caucus

Written By: - Date published: 12:49 pm, September 21st, 2007 - 1 comment

Hi, my name’s Richard Worth and I’m a climate change denier.  I’ve been clean for one day – since yesterday when my Party endorsed the Labour government’s climate change policy – but today I’m back to my old ways. Hat-tip Idoit/Savant from No Right Turn.

English agrees with Labour on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 6:09 pm, September 20th, 2007 - 12 comments

What the hell’s going on? This press release from Bill English today under the heading “Emissions Regime Proposal Looks Sound”: It goes on to say; “National Party Deputy Leader Bill English says the climate change framework announced by the Government today is in line with National’s proposals in this area”. Please, please, does anyone imagine […]

Fleshing out the aspirations

Written By: - Date published: 5:25 pm, September 20th, 2007 - 2 comments

The big political news of the day was the government announcement of an emissions trading scheme. This scheme puts a price on carbon emissions and is intended to incentivise more efficient use of fuel and energy. The trading scheme’s the centrepiece of the climate change policy but there’s a lot around the edges. David Parker […]

National MP Key on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 11:47 am, September 20th, 2007 - Comments Off on National MP Key on climate change

John Key was born in Auckland but moved to Christchurch when a child. He was educated at Burnside High School and then gained a B.Comm from the University of Canterbury. John launched his investment banking career in New Zealand in the mid 80s. After 10 years in the New Zealand market he headed offshore, working […]

National MP English on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, September 20th, 2007 - Comments Off on National MP English on climate change

Bill has been an MP since 1990 when he was elected to the former seat of Wallace in the rural heartland of the south of the South Island. Now renamed Clutha-Southland, the electorate is truly home to Bill English as it encompasses the town of Dipton where he was born in December 1961 and Winton […]

National MP Carter on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, September 20th, 2007 - Comments Off on National MP Carter on climate change

David was born in 1952, and attended St Bede’s College in Christchurch. He is one of six current Members of Parliament who attended St Bede’s College. He completed a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree at Lincoln University before embarking on a farming and business career. David currently farms a 2,500 stock unit farm on Banks […]

National MP Hayes on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 11:46 am, September 20th, 2007 - Comments Off on National MP Hayes on climate change

John has diverse experience of life and a successful career in the foreign service and business. He was concerned about the direction New Zealand was taking and decided to support Don Brash and the National team. He has been campaigning full time for National since October. After a period working as an economist John joined […]

National MP Connell on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 11:45 am, September 20th, 2007 - 1 comment

Brian Connell, 46, is a farmer and former international business consultant. After graduating with a BA in History and Geography from Massey, and studying for a Diploma in Teaching, he became a primary, then a secondary school teacher for several years, following which he joined middle management in State Bank, in Victoria, Australia. Later he […]

Piratical confluence

Written By: - Date published: 1:06 pm, September 19th, 2007 - 2 comments

Arrrrg, the starrrrs must be aligned. Not only is it international talk like a pirate day and a day of significance to Pastafarians worldwide but it’s also the day before the government announces its carbon emission trading scheme. Having not yet seen the scheme the Nats don’t really know what to say as evidenced by […]

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