[LINK] Global Warming Is Irreversible, Study Says

Tom Worthington Tom.Worthington at tomw.net.au
Mon Feb 2 18:23:06 AEDT 2009


At 09:13 PM 30/01/2009, Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
><brd>If global warming is irreversible, maybe we should stop tinkering with
>irreverent/irrelevant suggestions and start looking at survival 
>strategies.</brd>

DON'T PANIC!

It would seem a little early to write off the planet before we have 
tried some relatively simple, cheap and easy measures to reduce CO2 
emissions. I am off to Old Parliament House this morning (by bus) for 
a meeting convened by the Environment Department on what to put in 
the National Strategy for Energy Efficiency  agreed by the  Council 
of Australian Governments (COAG) 
<http://www.coag.gov.au/coag_meeting_outcomes/2008-10-02/index.cfm#climate>.

The Climate Group claim it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas 
emissions by 15% thorough ICT alone. This is not by any very radical 
measures, just things like efficient computers and using them to make 
buildings, transport and power systems more efficient. I have set my 
first class of Green ICT students the task to work out how to do that 
for their organisations and save money at the same time 
<http://tomw.net.au/moodle/course/view.php?id=11>. I think this is 
quite feasable.

If other professions, such as in building and transport, were able to 
find another 35% of savings, this would allow us to have much the 
same lifestyle and reduce emissions by 50% by 2020. If the scientists 
think we need more cuts, that might cost money and take lifestyle changes.

A global recession in some ways is an idea time to deal with climate 
change. Many of the greenhouse gas reduction measures require 
training people to work better. By funding such training the 
government would boost the economy. From a national point of view if 
people are trained to more efficiently use imported equipment, 
including computers, that will help Australia's balance of payments.

The major problem I see is one of motivating people to reduce energy 
use. How do you explain to someone that a cheaper, energy efficient 
computer will be just as good for what they do, as a bigger more 
expensive one? This is like explaining to a city dweller that a big 
expensive petrol guzzling four wheel drive car is not a good idea. 
One solution I see is big PC boxes with lots of flashing lights on 
the outside, but only tiny little processor boards on the inside. 
These would be like many of the newer model large four wheel drive 
vehicles, which are of limited use off road, but look impressive and 
less harmful for the environment.



Tom Worthington FACS HLM tom.worthington at tomw.net.au Ph: 0419 496150
Director, Tomw Communications Pty Ltd            ABN: 17 088 714 309
PO Box 13, Belconnen ACT 2617                      http://www.tomw.net.au/
Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Australian National University  




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