Green Is Good!

Soil organic carbon pools in the northern circumpolar permafrost region

Sometime ago I signed up to receive updates from the Global Carbon Project GCP.

They sent me an email the other day which lead me to some information that you may find interesting.

You may be interested in a new assessment just published on the quantity of organic carbon buried in the permafrost regions of the Northern Hemisphere, a key vulnerability to future climate change.

Please check:

http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/news/SoilOrganicPoolsinPermafrost.html

Press releases:

English: http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSSP458218

Spanish: http://lta.reuters.com/article/topNews/idLTASIE56005N20090701

Chinese: http://cn.reuters.com/article/CNEnvNews/idCNChina-4893620090701?mlt_click=Tertiary+Navigation+CN_36_Static+module+_sec1-priCon-m0_News

The link starts with: The vast amount of carbon stored in the Arctic and boreal regions of the world is more than double that previously estimated, according to a study published this week. The new estimate is over 1.5 trillion tons of frozen carbon, about twice as much carbon as contained in the atmosphere......

READ MORE HERE

So what do you think? Are we as a planet stuffed if more of the permafrost thaws out?

What can we do? Will the meetings in December 2009 sort it out?

The jury is out on this one!

 

 

Come and visit us at the Bizzone Bussiness Expo in Wellington 22-24 July

Green is Good BLOG together with Onespec and Sempre Avanti Consulting will be at stand #117 at the Bizzone Business Expo at the TSB Bank Arena from 22-24 July.

Please pop by and say hello.

We would love you to visit us (look out for us at stand 117 in the main hall) and to have a good look around the expo. Make sure you enter our card draw to win a new iPod.

We can offer you a complimentary ticket to the event by CLICKING HERE.

More details on the expo can be found at http://www.bizzone.com/ The information below gives you a quick overview of the Expo.

Why you should attend?

Increased sales, smarter marketing, tighter cashflow, compliance made easy, staffing solutions, access to finance, debt collection, pricing strategy, business planning, strategy, online business, IT, cost reduction, investment advice, insurance…

Get support for your business from

New Zealand

’s best

Including 40 free seminars, specialised zones, free business mentoring, free smart marketing expertise and much more.

For your complimentary guest ticket to the Bizzone Business Expos register online and automatically go in the draw to win a $100,000 Smart Marketing Prize 

www.bizzone.com/guestof/exhibitor

Put these dates in your diary now!

Wellington

– TSB Arena

22^ndJuly Wednesday 9-4pm

23rd July Thursday 9-8pm

24th July Friday 9-4pm 

Carbon Certification - good or bad for consumers? You be the judge!

If you have read this BLOG before you will know that we have posted information about carbon certification, carbon credits, green washing and the need for consumers to understand more fully any carbon neutral claims.

Recently the local cab company here in Wellington - Wellington Combined Cabs have gone certified carbon neutral by using the carboNZero certification system.

As a user of taxis I have witnessed first had that changes this cab company has made to its fleet make up. First they allowed hybrids in the fleet and then diesel vehicles and now there is a total focus on emissions efficient vehicles and vehicles that can use alternative fuels. Yesterday I saw a Hyundai i30 diesel on the cab rank on Lambton Quay.

The Wellington Combined summary of certification document makes interesting reading for any user of taxis. I suggest you consider the exclusions from the GHG emissions inventory and how this might apply to you or your business?

It will be interesting to see how another Wellington Cab Company "Green Cabs" responds to Wellington Combined marketing strategy?

As we have always said the use of taxis needs to meet the "fit for purpose test" and you need to consider a number of factors when selecting your preferred taxi suppler.

To follow is the latest marketing material from Wellington Combined on its carboNZero certification.

Oil vs. Sustainability! UAE earmarks $136 mln to fund green energy agency

I have just read an interesting press release:

Reuters, 22 June 2009 - The UAE is ready to spend $136 million to fund the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) if its bid to host the agency's headquarters is successful, a senior official said on Monday.

The world's third-largest oil exporter wants to place itself at the forefront of developments that may shape the future energy industry and hosting IRENA was part of that plan, Sultan al-Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi's state-owned green energy initiative Masdar told Reuters in an interview.

"Oil exporting countries can either see renewable energy as a threat or as an opportunity and we know that this is the future so that's why we are committed to IRENA," Jaber said. "If we win, the Abu Dhabi government will fund the agency with $136 million until 2015."

READ MORE .........

The information about the IRENA makes interesting background reading.

Do you think the UAE is the right place for this agency?

We hear a lot about "peak oil" and the end of oil as we know it!

I find it interesting that their is now engagement by oil producers on green energy issues. In my view this raises some challenges about oil ethics and the commitment to find sustainable energy solutions for the generations to come?

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK????

The good oil! NZ Olive oil that is!! (knowing where your food comes from)

Next in the current series of blog posts on food is my very favorite a post about the good oil! OLIVE OIL. New Zealand olive oil. Local olive oil, oil grown and made with tender care in the Wairarapa. (in this photo - an olive picked from the tree by Anne)

I love and use olive oil a lot. I have developed a taste for premium NZ Olive oil.

The other day I met Dr Anne Opie at Moore Wilson's in the city. Anne was tasting oil that she had produced.

I loved it - the oil in question is Trio organic olive oil.

Anne and husband Brian have an olive grove in Greytown. As Anne and I talked it was evident we had a mutual passion for the good oil, food source issues and sustainability. I sent some information to Anne and she invited me over to the Wairarapa to have a tour of her olive grove.

(By the way I left Moor Wilson with a 375ml bottle of Trio oil)

On Saturday 20 June I got to visit the Opie's olive grove to learn more about where my good oil comes from, how it is produced and how it gets to market.

To follow is a photo essay of the tour. (you will note that some friends joined us for this great opportunity)

This is what the olive grove looks like.

There are 500 olive trees on this grove. The 2009 vintage produced a great oil from a small harvest in a difficult growing year. The result was an excellent return rate of 17.8%.

This is Dr Anne Opie (our host) Anne is very passionate about her olives! I found it amazing to meet the person who grows and nurtures the oils and overseas the transformation into world class extra virgin olive oil.

Anne's olives are certified organic. This causes one issue for production. The certified organic oil press is in TeHoro on the Kapiti Coast so the harvested olive has a long drive for pressing.

All of the walking about gave us all an appetite so we all had lunch together as YES WE GOT TO SAMPLE THE 2009 OIL! Together with last years.

 2008 oil on the left, 2009 on the right. As you can see the 2009 oil is very different with a great Green colour and powerful pepper aftertaste. I found the 2009 oil to be fantastic and used it on top of my soup!

We all had an amazing trip and tour. I thought I had a good understanding of the good oil. However post visit I have an enhanced awareness of the different vintages, storage times, types of olives and how much the growers passion can stamp its mark on the final product.

Trio oil is a fine example of grow local and eat local!

A big thank you to Anne and Brian for hosting us!