Did early hunters cause climate change?
New Scientist reports: It’s not just for the last century that humans have been messing up the climate. It may have been going on for thousands of years.
When hunters arrived in North America and drove mammoths and other large mammals to extinction, the methane balance of the atmosphere could have changed as a result, triggering the global cool spell that followed. The large grazing animals would have produced copious amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from their digestive systems. They vanished about 13,000 years ago.
Felisa Smith at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque has calculated that when these animals were around they would have emitted 9.6 megatonnes of methane annually. Ice core records show atmospheric methane levels plunged from about 700 parts per billion to just 500 ppb at the time of their extinction. Disappearance of methane emissions from the extinct species is a possible cause, Smith says (Nature Geoscience, DOI: 10.1038/ngeo877).
"It is conceivable that this drop in methane contributed to the Younger Dryas cooling episode," says Smith. This would mean humans have been changing global climate since well before the dawn of civilisation.
With thanks to Glen Moore, Wollongong Science Centre and Planetarium, http://sciencecentre.uow.edu.au
Ceramic fuel cells for houses
A new combined heating and power system for Victoria’s public housing residents is aimed at reducing carbon emissions and energy bills. The Victorian government will work with Ceramic Fuel Cells Limited (CFCL) to install 30 BlueGen ceramic fuel cells in homes later this year.
It is the world’s first installation of BlueGen units in public housing. The $1.35 million investment will see 30 BlueGen units installed later this year in homes across regional Victoria and in metropolitan Melbourne.
The BlueGen unit is a min-generator that converts natural gas into electricity and heat. The electricity supplies power to the house and generates heat to create hot water, removing the need for a separate household hot water unit. The units are designed to last 15 years and their effectiveness and energy efficiency will be evaluated after two years.
This story sourced from http://www.environmentalmanagementnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=1109772
Adaptive Leadership – what is it?
Grant Crossley of Total Executive Newsletter Reports: I recently attended the Social Leadership Australia Adaptive Leadership workshop. Social Leadership Australia is part of The Benevolent Society - Australia's oldest charity. Head of Social Leadership Australia - Robbie Macpherson was key speaker.
The workshop and complimentary breakfast had about 30 people from leadership positions across a variety of businesses, government departments, charities and enterprise attending and engaging in discussion. Social Leadership Australia was set up in the 1990's to cater for the complex era of humankind we are currently living in. Every year the economic, politic, environmental, legal and community aspects of our society have their complexity increase exponentially.
This creates many problems and challenges that require both adaptive and technical response. So what is an 'Adaptive Problem'? For some perspectives on this question go to: http://www.totalexec.com.au/totalexec-views/2010/5/17/directors-report-on-social-leadership-australia-adaptive-lea.html?utm_source=Total+Executive+Inaugural+Community+Newsletter&utm_campaign=dd6e88171b-TotaleXec_Newsletter15_27_2010&utm_medium=email
University students lead to innovative electric motors
Ultramotive Technologies has spent 16 years working on its mechanical design and, having completed prototyping and product development, claims it can offer an efficient alternative to the typically over-engineered, fossil-fuel burning cars found on Australian roads. The Brisbane company started from university students making and racing solar vehicles, but its technology could also find applications in areas such as wind turbine development.
Ultramotive (http://www.ultramotive.com.au/) has been awarded $70,400 through the Federal Government’s COMET funding program to further develop its high-efficiency, high torque density electric motor/generators for use in automotive applications. The technology also has applications in wind or water power generation turbines, and in robotics.
Ultramotive director Mark Northage recently stated that the motor (pictured in a Honda Civic) it has developed is very different to the traditional units on the market. “It’s designed as a direct drive device, as a wheel motor where you have no gearing. All you have is the diameter of the wheel, the other motor we are piloting is used in the gearbox,” he explained. “The main thing is that both produce a very large amount of torque for their weight and size, 390mm for the wheel motor and 40cm for the gearbox motor,” he added.
“Both motors are identical, one would be housed inside the wheel, and the other is attached next to a gearbox,” he said. “The two motors combined mean you can reduce the weight of the vehicle and also reduce energy consumption.”
For more on this story go to: http://www.environmentalmanagementnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=1109404
Tips for getting a promotion
Getting a promotion and career advancement are low priorities these days. But it doesn't have to be this way. With the right tools, you can get ahead, even in the current climate. Read 9 Tips for Getting a Promotion by Maria Hanson of LiveCareer to learn some insider tips for moving up the corporate ladder.
For more on this story go to: http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-9_tips_for_getting_a_promotion-1212?WT.mc_id=EM4966M&WT.dcsvid=1930024308
Article sourced via American Society for Quality: www.asq.org
Water Recycling Initiatives in Sydney
Initiative 1: Western Sydney reduces demand on Warragamba Dam: Sydney's largest water recycling scheme – the $250 million St Marys Replacement Flows Project will begin full operation in September, according to the NSW Government. Under the scheme, wastewater from St Marys, Penrith and Quakers Hill sewage treatment plants will be treated at a new recycled water plant and released to the Hawkesbury-Nepean River, replacing water currently released from Warragamba Dam into the river system.
The last of the plant's 3,500 reverse osmosis filters was recently installed, which will ultimately produce 18,000 mega litres of recycled water a year. Story sourced from: http://www.environmentalmanagementnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=1109675
Initiative 2: Sydney CBD uses blackwater recycling: Sydney will soon have its first high rise office tower that incorporates blackwater recycling technology after NSW Water Minister Phil Costa awarded Dexus and co-owners DWPF and Cbus Property the first of its kind combined water recycling licence to the 1 Bligh Street development. Aquacell will build and operate the recycled water infrastructure. The Sydney-based project aims to mine wastewater from the nearby sewer mains and the base building. The wastewater is then treated to the highest standards approved by NSW Health at the recycled water plant in the basement.
Water is then distributed around the building for non-drinking purposes, with 75,000 litres used for cooling towers and 25,000 litres will be used for flushing toilets. The project, which will be opened in May 2011, will also reduce the volume of wastewater being pumped to Bondi beach. For more on this story go to: http://www.environmentalmanagementnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=1035527
Your Ideas, Innovations or Events?
If you want publicity for an idea, innovation or technically related event, contact the I&I editor, Colin Seaborn on 4254 0200 or 0419 841829 or click here->
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