The renewed focus on neighbours

There is a new focus on neighbours and neighbourliness, perhaps driven by the twin forces of globalisation and technology. I like this approach by Seth Stevenson at Slate on Nextdoor:

Tech entrepreneur Nirav Tolia noticed that we increasingly seem to prefer rubbing elbows online—instead of in real places where real elbows might really rub—and saw a business opportunity. In late 2010, he created a service called Nextdoor. It's a social network that attempts to webify the original social network: the neighborhood. There are now Nextdoor sites in more than 6,500 communities in 49 states (not clear what's up with those anti-communitarian South Dakotans). All of them were launched by regular folks who sought a way to connect with their neighbors, but didn't want to ring doorbells or make small talk in the elevator.

With bikes, strong leadership helps...

The Globe and Mail recently interviewed the Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and talked (among other things) bike lanes:

Given that you might go down in history as the Bike Lane Mayor, do you find the public’s fixation on bike lanes frustrating?Yeah, it’s exaggerated on every front. But that’s the way it goes with iconic changes to a city’s fabric. It’s such a small percentage of the overall road space activity in the city. Within Vancouver, bike lanes are enormously popular. My entire team got re-elected. Most of the criticism comes from outside the city proper, people who don’t pay taxes or vote in Vancouver.

Meanwhile, however, your hope for public bike rentals has been clouded by the helmet issue. Are we ever going to see such a system?We are on track to see a public bike system by the middle of 2013, and a helmet solution will be part of it. But there’s ongoing work to arrive at the best solution. I don’t think there’s any question people will embrace the availability of bikes on our streets. But the helmet piece is part of why we’ve taken longer than other cities in getting going.

Local climate action in China enters a new stage

The current Doha talks are offering interesting points of view - from China Daily:

China has set a national target to cut carbon intensity emissions per unit of GDP by 40 to 45 percent between 2005 and 2020. Determining how to achieve this target is to be decided by local governments... A few western provinces maintained a double-digit economic growth rate, despite the national economic slowdown. Some regions have seen an influx of investment in recent years. Industries such as mines, electricity generation and coal chemical have risked the vulnerable environment in western areas. "Reasonable growth rates are important for China, but it has entered into a stage where efficiency and quality of economic development matters more," said He."Without shifting to a low-carbon path, it's difficult for China to build its international competitiveness in the long run," he said.

I just built my first QR code...

This one takes you to the ICLEI Oceania front end

Richard Florida - great speech at Thriving Neighbourhoods 2012

Martin Brennan just before Richard Florida is to speak

Winsome and Wayne battle it out at Thriving Neighbourhoods

The Lord Mayor Robert Doyle talks liveability

On the tram, even a dog needs a bag to be carried in

One chicken is laying in an unusual style

Who is that man with the funny hat?

A colourful bike hire scheme in Jakarta outside the national museum

City of Melbourne staff ponder the future of bikes in Melbourne

Jakarta beckons

I will be facilitating sessions at the United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific conference in Jakarta, 2-5 October. Lots of opportunities to talk to people and organisations from around the world.

The sessions are based around three themes:


RETHINK:
Resilience: Ready for Change, Ready to Change? 

REBUILD:
1. Financing Schemes for Strategic Urban Infrastructure Investments
2. Pathways to a Low-Carbon City

REVITALIZE:
1. Application of Culture in City Planning Process
2. Diversity and Social Inclusion : The Key to Resilience Recommendation
3. Disaster Risk Management – Local Government Self Assessment & Monitoring
4. Community Capacity Building for Resilience

Linking windfarms to efficiency

Utility Week reports on a useful linkage in Scotland that may be a way to get around the unfortunate adversarial battles on windfarms that are occurring internationally...

Windfarm community funds should be invested in local energy efficiency projects to lift residents out of fuel poverty, according to Consumer Focus Scotland (CFS). 

In a report published today, the watchdog called for greater integration between renewable generation and energy efficiency policy.

It noted developers commonly set up a Community Benefit Fund alongside each windfarm and highlighted the potential to spend it on insulation and advice.

Trisha McAuley, deputy director at CFS, said: "Fuel poverty is greatest in rural areas. Although there have been significant and welcome improvements in the energy efficiency of Scottish housing, these improvements have not been sufficient to compensate for rising energy costs, while levels of fuel poverty in Scotland have also continued to rise.

"In the early stages of managing Community Benefit Funds, local groups have typically prioritised small-scale projects to improve local amenities such as their village hall or play park. Now our research shows that there is growing interest in activity to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty among some of these groups."

Communities involved in the research received an average of just over £30,000 a year but CFS said larger sums were becoming more common, enabling more ambitious schemes.

CFS urged the Scottish government to take a lead and work with developers and local authorities to integrate energy efficiency into community initiatives.

Music, pure music

"Bacon is the most nutritious pork product we can eat, and eggs are pretty kickass too."  - Robb Wolf via Paleo at Penn

Good planning makes a lot of sense

I think that the Victorian Farmers Federation got the wrong end of the stick when it recently attacked a climate change study in regional Victoria (and good on Bass Coast for responding appropriately). By all means, identify waste in local government, but this kind of community planning is exactly the sort of thing that is needed, in an arena of debate where there is little real data:

Six councils in the Gippsland Local Government Network – Bass Coast, South Gippsland, Wellington, Baw Baw, East Gippsland and Latrobe – are each contributing $80,000 to the Gippsland-wide Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Project.
Bass Coast Council’s 2012-13 Budget even shows it plans to spend even more employing a full-time Climate Change Project Officer to “implement a framework to strategically address the impacts of a changing climate on council operations and infrastructure and the community”. 

It is in the details

Always nice to see the final product

A while back I did some work on a study as part of the Sustainable Development in the
21 st century (SD21) project. The project is implemented  by the Division for Sustainable Development of the United  Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs and  funded by the European Commission – Directorate General for Environment – Thematic Programme for  Environment and sustainable management of Natural  Resources, including energy (ENRTP).


The study was done by Kaarin Taipale (CKIR, Aalto  University School of Economics, under the supervision of David Le Blanc (UN-DESA). Others involved included Priyanka Kochar, Patricia Kranz, Ashok Lall, Steffen Lehmann, Noel Morrin, Chrisna du  Plessis, AbdouMaliq Simone, Sanjivi Sundar, Beate Weber, Zhiqiang Wu and Annemie  Wyckmann.

From the Executive Summary (which includes ten practical steps:

Urban issues have risen high on many agendas
that deal with global questions. Most of the world’s
resources are consumed in cities, where the majority
of people live. It has become obvious that the value
of a single “green” building or eco-labeled product is
marginal if it is not supported by sustainable urban
infrastructure and a culture of sustainability.
In all fairness, cities are at different stages in their
development, and many of them in the global South
have to struggle with enormous growth rates and
immigration. Some urban areas in the North have
opposite challenges of negative growth after old
industries have died out or left.
Inequity and segregation seem to be common
challenges to cities all over the world. Urban inequity
and segregation are also an indication of global
inequity. While more and more cities want to focus
on services and hi-tech, the dirty work of the world
remains to be done in the poorest cities with the most
meager resources to develop.
Cities compete with each other globally trying to please
investors. There is hardly any municipality that does not
in its official strategy claim that sustainability is one of its
key targets. However, it is a totally different story if one
asks into what actions this declaration translates.
Yes, sustainability criteria may be used at the City
Hall when envelopes are purchased – but what is
the point if every other product and service is the
outcome of an unsustainable process? Yes, there is
a Dow Sustainability Index – but what use is it if not
all companies, investments and financing support
sustainability? Yes, there may be a solar panel here
and there, but zero emissions mean nothing less than
100% renewable energy. Yes, there may be tree-lined
roads but as long as the pedestrian is not the king of
the street, the city is not sustainable!
The process towards sustainable cities starts with
profound analyses of the past and present culture
of the city. It builds on an inclusive and holistic
vision, applies integrated planning and transparent
governance, and monitors implementation rigorously.
Even a huge amount of excellent but disconnected
pieces does not make a well functioning whole.
Because money is not going to stop talking, its
language will have to become sustainability. A locally
rooted, democratized culture of sustainability has to be
the foundation of urban development.

Bike to car ration

And it is pretty good...

(thanks to Juan Inazio Hartsuaga)

Curious scenes: will we all look back and shake our heads in wonder?

Somalia, (revealing) spelling mistake, just sort of sad...

(from IISS)

Wait - didn't we say that ten years ago?

The English - and the Scottish for that matter - are both ahead and behind. But can we even imagine in 2012 where the report would come from in Australia that would say the same?

Councils should have a binding duty to develop and implement low carbon plans to help ensure the UK meets its emissions reduction commitments, a high-profile government advisory body has recommended.
A new report by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) to be published today warns limited funding and the current lack of any legal obligation on local authorities to address climate change means many are not taking action to support the transition to a low carbon economy.
...
It argues that councils are failing to take advantage of the "significant influence" they have over key emitting sectors, including residential and commercial buildings, surface transport and waste, which together account for around 40 per cent of UK greenhouse emissions.
The report calculates councils have the potential to reduce emissions in key sectors by 20 per cent by 2020 against 2010 levels – which equates to a 30 per cent cut on 1990 levels. Moreover, it claims these savings can be realised using relatively simple measures, such as helping property owners fit energy efficient technologies on existing buildings, ensuring new builds are highly energy efficient, investing in green vehicles, and promoting reduced energy consumption and waste among residents and businesses.
Local authorities can also tackle emissions in the power sector via the planning system, by approving and promoting renewable energy projects, the report states, as well as developing district heating schemes and small-scale low-carbon power plants.
Such action will not only help reduce emissions and position councils as low-carbon champions, but also create jobs and improve resilience to climate change, the CCC predicts.
In addition, the report reveals that in Scotland, where a statutory requirement to act has been introduced, all 32 local authorities have carbon management plans in place – a move the CCC said had helped encourage action across the public sector.

Surprise! Old culture warriors stuck in the last century

Bang for buck, bikes do it every time, notwithstanding the truly pathetic recent Steve Price article in which phrases like "cycle Nazis" were lazily recycled (time to move on Steve, or at least get out more). And the recent WA budget proves even more clearly that bike expenditure is not (and should not) be the froth of the old culture warriors:

THE WA Government has committed $28 million in the State Budget to be spent on cycling infrastructure in the Perth CBD over the next two years.Transport Minister Troy Buswell and Treasurer Christian Porter announced today the money would be used to improve Perth’s principal shared path network within a 15km radius of the Perth CBD and increase bicycle network grants across the State.
“With an estimated 300,000 cycling trips a month in the Perth metropolitan area alone, this funding will enable us to deliver targeted projects to address infrastructure gaps and provide safe routes for the many West Australians who cycle,” Mr Buswell said.
Mr Buswell said the priority principal shared paths to be built with the money included the Midland rail line from Bassendean Station to Midland Station; the Fremantle rail line from Shenton Park Station to Loch Street Station and from Grant Street Station to Marine Parade; and sections of the Mitchell Freeway from Glendalough Station to Reid Highway.
...
The Minister said the additional Budget funding would also mean the funding available for Perth Bicycle Network grants would double from $2million to $4million over two years, and increase Regional Bicycle Network grants to $1.5million in 2012-13 and to $2million in 2013-14.
...
The Treasurer said 2012-13 State Budget funding would supplement the $2.66million the State Government already spent annually on cycling, and was part of the $105million Budget allocation for initiatives to address traffic congestion in and around the CBD.

Green roofs in unlikely places

This is perhaps one area that local governments have not picked up in Australia - green roofs:

The city of Charlottesville added a green roof to City Hall and the police annex in 2008. The city’s website states that the vegetation covers 9,250 square feet of roof and features 18,540 plants distributed across its surface.
The Albemarle County Office Building on McIntire Road also had a green roof installed on it in July 2005. Gregor Patsch, water resources engineer for Albemarle, said that the roof frequently attracts students from UVa who want to see one first-hand.
“People seem to think it’s cool and they’re interested in it,” Patsch said. “I take quite a few visitors up there every year and there’s a group of local students in a class at UVa that come every year.”
Patsch also said that although there is no specific procedure for adding green roofs to government buildings, it is considered whenever a new structure is built or when a renovation or addition is made to an existing building. Patsch stated that the County Office Building has noticed increased stormwater retention benefits as well as a more stable roof temperature.“Compared to a non-green roof, the green roof is significantly cooler in the summer,” Patsch said. “Then in the winter, contrastingly, it is a lot warmer that a non-green roof.”
Patsch added that the county does not have the monitoring abilities to determine the monetary savings caused by the green roof but, he added, the benefits of the green roof could not be measured with purely numerical data anyway.
“There are a lot of benefits that go a lot further than energy savings,” said Patsch. “We’ve also seen some habitat benefits. We’ve seen some insects like butterflies and bees up there.”
Titanish agreed by saying that the energy savings are important, but the benefits of a green roof can range from fire protection to extending the life of the roof to improving air quality.
“This is a huge environmental benefit,” said Titanish. “It doesn’t seem like a lot on the surface… but less energy expended means less infrastructure that you need to supply the energy, that’s that much less coal that you’re firing up at the coal-fired plant to supply the energy, that’s that much less water you’re using to drive the turbines at the coal-fired power plant to supply the electricity... That’s huge.”

File under: only in the USA

In a world of many unbelievable things, this is a beauty. Ideology gone way overboard in South Carolina...(from the Heartland Institute, which is itself full of weird, strange and bizarre things)

Lawmakers in Columbia are pondering a proposed “Incandescent Light Bulb Freedom Act,” a measure that would skirt Washington’s heavy hand by allowing the traditional bulbs to be manufactured and sold in the Palmetto State provided they are labeled “Made in South Carolina.”
By restricting the manufacture and sale of “Made in South Carolina” light bulbs to the Palmetto State, the bill’s proponents hope to avoid any conflicts with the Constitution’s broadly interpreted Interstate Commerce Clause.
Energy Act Forbids IncandescentsApproved by a Democratically controlled Congress and signed into law by Republican President George W. Bush in 2007, the “Energy Independence and Security Act” requires, among other things, the nationwide phase-out of incandescent light bulbs over a period of several years.
Under the law, enacted in the name of promoting energy efficiency, the manufacture and importation of the popular 100-watt incandescent bulb was to end on Jan. 1, 2012, with the phase-out of 75-, 60-, and 40-watt bulbs to be carried out in 2013 and 2014. They are to be replaced by more energy-efficient light bulbs, with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), halogen lights, and LEDs (light-emitting diodes) currently the only commercially available replacements.
Under the law, all light bulbs sold by 2020 must be 70 percent more energy efficient than their traditional predecessors.

It's green scissors not tape

This is getting crazy:

The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) says the listing of koalas as a threatened species in Queensland will create unnecessary delays for developers.

Actually, the real threatened species is common sense. Obvious and old agendas being rolled out and paraded as "green tape" undermine the genuine arguments about reducing the friction in our economy - a problem that involves sophisticated life-cycle assessment and a long-term approach. Otherwise, it is just amateur stuff pushing all of the normal disputes of any democracy down the pipeline for someone else to deal with...

The battle for our streets - and not what you think...

An interesting series of articles in The Atlantic by Sarah Goodyear are well worth reading. In one, she looks at the changes that have occurred in Copenhagen and Amsterdam and ponders the reasons. Although there is a bit of teleology involved, the reflections are about timing, political will and seizing the moment. The key idea:

It seems that by seizing a historical moment – the energy crisis – in an era when the power of public protest was arguably at its peak, ordinary Danish and Dutch citizens were able to change the course of development in their urban centers.

So, the question is: has our moment in Melbourne passed or - in the current state of political uncertainty -  is there a chance to build the sort of coalitions that would be needed to make the vision of a safe biking city realised?

Curious scenes: will we all look back in wonder and shake our heads?

From Taxi: Japanese company Storia has created a reusable shopping bag that you can wear over your head, as a helmet, during an emergency.  The dual-purpose shopping bag and emergency helmet, dubbed ‘Grappa’, folds down to the size of an umbrella to be carried in a bag. 

Curious scenes: will we all look back in wonder and shake our heads?

The future - or maybe the past?

Bike path sign in Kamakura, Japan. Photo by Todd Mecklem on Flickr.com.

Roads,rates and rubbish - but stay away from carbon

The difficulties in New Zealand continue with a narrowing of the role of local government. The latest proposals run counter not only to the views of local governments in NZ themselves, but also the experience of many years of working at the local level by groups such as ICLEI. Sharing the load and therefore the solutions across sectors makes sense...

A report from Voxy.co.nz notes:

Professor Ralph Sims, of the School of Engineering and Advanced Technology, is alarmed at the Government consultation document, which states greenhouse gas emission reductions should not be the responsibility of local councils.
Professor Sims says cities and towns have a vital role to play in mitigating climate change and improving resilience. He says many are already leading the way to a clean energy future.
"There is no evidence that climate change policy can be successfully implemented only at the national level," he says.
His research shows local governments are vital players in engaging their communities to take on renewable energy projects.
"Cities are the right places to start the transition towards a low-carbon economy and they can act more rapidly and are more inclusive than national authorities," he says. "They are far better equipped to confront the issues of energy, transport and water use, as they relate to their citizens, in a timely manner."

A positive direction

Organic waste has been a low-lying issue for some time - in particular as the volumes have grown and the potential for (at least) district approaches become more interesting. I am not sure if this is all going to work, but it is certainly moving in the right direction. 

Now if we could just use this logic to get over the old "picking winners" silliness with the solar industry...

Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith announced the Metropolitan Organics Plan and funding package today at the Veolia Environmental Services Natural Recovery Systems organics recycling facility in Dandenong South.Minister Smith said the package would help build and support a network of new organics recycling facilities for metropolitan Melbourne and help develop viable markets for the end-product, such as composts and fertilisers.“Through total funding of $3.8 million under the Metropolitan Organics Plan, the Victorian Government is re-investing the landfill levy directly into measures that will improve organics recovery and realise its full potential as a resource,” Mr Smith said.“The first step in the process will be the development of a new facility at Bulla, north of Melbourne. Much like the facility we are at today in Dandenong, it will take tonnes of food and garden waste from 11 councils in Melbourne’s north and process it into valuable compost. This will be supported by additional facilities in the south-east and east of Melbourne.“The investment outlined in the Metropolitan Organics Plan will allow further development of new technologies that can produce compost, fertilisers, and potentially fuels, from our organic waste.  “This plan will help kick start Victoria’s new direction in practical sustainability – one that I hope may redefine the way Victoria thinks about ‘waste’ and invests in resource recovery,” Mr Smith said.Of the $3.8 million, $3.3 million will be spent to support the Metropolitan Organics Plan, led by Metropolitan Waste Management Group with local councils, which includes:•        the north-west metropolitan garden and food organics program to complement the new north-west organics facility at Bulla. The program includes initiatives to accelerate collection and processing of garden and food organics through existing systems;
•        a procurement process in the south-east which will include a feasibility study to identify a suitable location for an organics facility in south-east Melbourne; and •        upgrades to resource recovery centres and examination of transfer stations across Melbourne to assist in larger loads of materials being sent to processing and disposal facilities. 

Wait - emissions trading in 5 cities in China?

The next time someone tells you that China is just going to blow us out of the water by using more coal (they are undoubtedly still increasing coal usage: but look at their key new directions) or that emissions trading is the devil, then suggest they start reading China Daily:

According to an implementation plan for Beijing's pilot carbon emission-trading program covering the period from 2012 to 2015, more than 600 companies with direct and indirect carbon emission exceeding 10,000 tons per year will be included on a mandatory list for capping emissions.

...

The National Development and Reform Commission announced early this year it would launch carbon-trading systems next year in five cities - Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing, as well as in Guangdong and Hubei provinces.

Coal may become a less competitive fuel than other options due to emissions trading. Beijing has drawn up a plan to cut its coal consumption to 15 million tons by 2015 and basically end coal use within the Fifth Ring Road.

Natural gas will be a major substitute for coal, Yao said in a joint interview earlier this week with media from China and South Korea. The city's use of natural gas will double to 15 billion cubic meters, or even higher, during the 12th Five-Year Plan, he said.

Curious scenes: will we all look back in wonder and shake our heads?

The slightly creepy robo-urinal

Three out of five is not bad

Interesting that a good overview of five trends in architecture in Australia by Emily D'Alterio involve green buildings, precinct development and green roofs:

Green BuildingIn terms of a trending focus for the Australian architecture community, there is no greater ‘uber-trend’ than Green Building. As the carbon tax is set to take effect, climate change naysayers are on thin ground, allowing green innovation to hit the mass public and the industry at large. So strong is the shift, it can hardly even be seen as a trend anymore; in fact, it is becoming an industry staple.
The reason for its strong reception in Australia – after a notably sluggish start – is that it makes logical sense, for both the climate and our pocketbooks. The industry sees the value of green building due to the ‘green premium’ which is bolstered by the strong investment quality of green properties. Furthermore, Australia’s extreme climate lends itself to taking to green measures such as water tanks naturally.
This is a trend that is not going away. It is valued by the Australian people almost as much as the Australian architecture sector itself.
Precinct Developments Over the past five years, Australian has undergone an extraordinary facelift. Local and state governments have driven what are commonly known as the Australian precinct development phases, in which major cities Australia-wide have received, and are continuing to receive, architecture-focused upgrades.
From the Perth Waterfront Project, Cairns’ latest – and largest – majorentertainment precinct development and the highly acclaimed Barangaroo, government forces are thinking bigger and focusing funding on major community-based architectural projects rather than on singular buildings.
With the success of Melbourne’s Federation Square and ongoing Southbank precinct extension, this architectural trend is infusing a spark into the different cities and reinforcing their varied cultures and values through design.
Collaborative Design ...

Downsizing
... 

Rooftop Design...
Not only are architects lapping up the use of city rooftops as the density crush increases, but the concept of green roofing is changing the ways in which the tops of buildings are now treated. The rooftop is a lucrative and exciting space for designers, and this trend is only set to increase.
...

Well, then, how are we going to get to the targets?

Given the mucking around going on in Australia around voluntary versus mandatory approaches to energy efficiency, this news as reported in The Guardian is probably not good news...

All the mandatory elements of the government's green deal for homes are to be scrapped following an intervention by the prime minister.
The decision, which is a blow for the Liberal Democrats, means that the government will reject proposals currently out for consultation by the Department for Communities and Local Government that would have required homeowners to make their homes more energy efficient if they were undertaking home improvements, such as extending a garage or replacing windows.
... (and) that any homeowner intending to make a property more energy-hungry by building an extension, should redress the balance by improving insulation, upgrading a boiler or adding better heating controls.
The homeowner would be required to spend 10% in addition to the cost of the main works; so if building a £1,000 new patio, an additional £100-worth of energy efficiency measures, such as loft or cavity insulation would have to be installed.
The money would go to local contractors, paid for through cheap finance provided by the green deal and repaid through subsequent lower energy bills.
...
The source stressed that No 10 was not opposed to the green deal itself so long as it remained voluntary.

A big bloke in many ways

The ABC reports on Mayor Bob Abbot - a great supporter of sustainability over the years against all odds...

A  73 metre high Forest Eucalypt believed to be the state's tallest tree has been announced as the state's latest environmental icon. Hidden in dense forest of the Conondale National Park on the Sunshine Coast, the tree has been nicknamed 'Big Bob' in honour of local Mayor Bob Abbot, who will retire next month.

Mayor Bob Abbot and Alicia Stumm stand with a picture of the Big Bob at the entrance of the Conondale National Park on the Sunshine Coast, Tuesday 18 April, 2012 (Photo supplied - Esri Australia)

If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere

New York has probably set the standard internationally. But (as reported in Crain's New York Business.com it can still be a grind...

Five years into Mr. Bloomberg's sweeping vision for sustainability across New York, his so-called “PlaNYC” finds itself at a crossroads. Congestion pricing, the original document's most controversial component, was torpedoed by outer-borough pols in Albany. Meanwhile, the city took a beating from a recession, a real estate crash and a deadlocked U.S. Congress that together have starved funds for mass transit and other vital projects.

Faced with these realities, City Hall has retooled its original environmental blueprint for slashing greenhouse gases by 30% and preparing for a million more people in New York by 2030. With 20 months left in office, the Bloomberg administration knows it's running out of time to make a difference.

“The best chance we have is to make sustainability the DNA of the city,” Caswell Holloway, deputy mayor for operations, said at a recent Crain's breakfast forum.

Since PlaNYC launched on Earth Day 2007, the administration has unleashed, by its count, more than 120 initiatives that creep into nearly every aspect of city life. Lively pedestrian plazas have blossomed in Midtown, the Flatiron district and Chelsea. Year-round ferries traverse the East River, transporting thousands of commuters to Manhattan from Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and Long Island City, Queens. More than 500,000 trees have been planted in all five boroughs, with another half-million to come in the next few years. Other initiatives, from installing rooftop gardens to introducing fleets of hybrid buses, also have fundamentally transformed the look and feel of New York.

Our coasts and climate change - we had better start talking about it

Today Tonight touches on an important issue for our country, albeit in a way that does little credit to them for the way in which they handle complexity of the issue. The question remains that we as a community are (one way or another) going to have to deal with the potential impacts of climate change and it is better that we do that ahead of time than in the midst of a crisis.

The report is online:

Steve Hunt's local Council has warned him and his neighbours they're at risk of being among the first Australian victims of rising sea levels due to climate change.
Illaroo Road, Lake Cathie, on the mid north coast of New South Wales is prime beachfront real estate. It is where Anne and Russell Secombe want to spend the rest of their days.
But the great-grandparents could be forced to leave if the Hastings/Port Macquarie Council execute a proposal to reclaim their properties - because a consultancy firm predicts a half a metre rise in sea level sometime in the next 50 years, could threaten their home.

Windfarms and energy efficiency

Utility Week reports on a useful linkage in Scotland that may help to reconcile the adversarial approaches being taken to windfarms around the world...

Windfarm community funds should be invested in local energy efficiency projects to lift residents out of fuel poverty, according to Consumer Focus Scotland (CFS). 

In a report published today, the watchdog called for greater integration between renewable generation and energy efficiency policy.
It noted developers commonly set up a Community Benefit Fund alongside each windfarm and highlighted the potential to spend it on insulation and advice.
Trisha McAuley, deputy director at CFS, said: "Fuel poverty is greatest in rural areas. Although there have been significant and welcome improvements in the energy efficiency of Scottish housing, these improvements have not been sufficient to compensate for rising energy costs, while levels of fuel poverty in Scotland have also continued to rise.
"In the early stages of managing Community Benefit Funds, local groups have typically prioritised small-scale projects to improve local amenities such as their village hall or play park. Now our research shows that there is growing interest in activity to improve energy efficiency and tackle fuel poverty among some of these groups."
Communities involved in the research received an average of just over £30,000 a year but CFS said larger sums were becoming more common, enabling more ambitious schemes.
CFS urged the Scottish government to take a lead and work with developers and local authorities to integrate energy efficiency into community initiatives.

Thoughtful discussion from Phoenix, USA

William McDonough and Mayor Stanton talk about the future of Phoenix's urban sustainability:

Practical projects: how hard can this be?

Brian Keating is the Manager, City Facilities at the City of Gosnells in WA. As a member of the Green Building Council of Australia's National Local Government Task Group, he recently discussed some of the practical projects that they are undertaking...

!. Setting up of a Revolving Energy Fund.(REF)

This was started with seed funding of $100,000 over two years to fund energy and water efficiency projects to City owned buildings. Savings go back into the fund for future initiatives (such as the two detailed below) Some of the initial projects carried out were lighting retrofits, installation of light sensors to public toilets and community halls and installation of water saving shower heads to changerooms at sporting facilities.

The City also subscribes to Planet Footprint, which gives regular reports on energy and water consumption across all City owned facilities. It also provides a Measures Report, which calculates energy and greenhouse gas savings. The report to June 2011 showed that 7 measures were implemented at a cost of $143, 205 which has resulted in annual financial savings of $147,330, saving 241,582 Kwh and emissions reductions of 3,043 tonnes of CO2.

These figures do not include the installation of the variable speed drives detailed below.

They do include the purchase of greenpower and the taking advantage of contestable power.

2.. Installation of Voltage Optmizers

The City has installed these devices at two of its major Facilities (The Agonis and Leisure World) at a cost of $82,000

Most buildings although designed for 220 volts input actually have more than this delivered via the mains supply and thus use more electricity than is necessary. The voltage optimizers keep the voltage input at 220 volts or below resulting in some spectacular energy savings. Savings are guaranteed by the installing company at a minimum of 10% and currently 13%+ is being saved. Annual power savings are running at $35,000 across the two buildings with an average payback period of 2.4 years.

3. Installation of Variable Speed Drives for Pool Pumps.

The City has installed a number of these devices at its public swimming pool, Leisure World at a cost of $70,000. They control the speed of the electric motors ensuring that the pumps do not run at full bore unnecessarily (most do - wasting a lot of power). This initiative has again resulted in some spectacular energy savings.

Annual power savings are estimated at $37,500 with a payback period of approximately 1.7 years. Greenhouse gas savings are approximately 152 tonnes.