Flow of Water to WA Dams

We are drying out in Western Australia. What would be interesting is to see graphs for the region over 100,000 years instead of 50 odd.

Are dams in Western Australia even viable? The next generation should provide the answers.


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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Driest Western Australian Year On Record - 2010


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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Target 60 - WA Water Savings Plan

With Western Australia and in particular Perth drying out, the Water Corporation of Western Australia implemented Target 60. Target 60 combines education involving water usage and communicates personal saving targets to the population. The target is a savings of 60 litres of water per person per day.

What is amazing is how effective the campaign appears to have been. Follow the link to explore Target 60 & see how actual water savings equates to target water savings.

 


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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Greenhouse Nation - Australia

Australia produces more greenhouse gases per person than any other country in the world. In Victoria our reliance on brown coal means we are the worst greenhouse gas polluters in Australia. For a first world nation, this fact is a national disgrace. Our mindset impacts that of others. We should set a national goal that matchs the Scientific America suggestion that we can convert all global energy infrastructure by 2030 if we put our minds to it.

Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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2012 - Time for Change

We certainly live in interesting times. Recognition of a living breathing Earth Mother is beginning to take hold as the reality of our shared and undeniable circumstance becomes increasingly evident. War, poverty and environmental degradation are no longer an option with the approach of 2012.

2012 is the event horizon. That year that pops up again and again as recognised in ancient civilisations and now in pop culture.

With 26 months ahead of us, rapid technological change promises to deliver much change between now & then.

And now - 2012 Time For Change - From Conscious Evolution to Practical Solutions

For Western Australia, a land that is drying up and growing its' population rapidly, only intelligent practical solutions will see us through.


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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Perth's Swan River is Sick

According to Tim Winton, author & environmentalist, the Swan river in Perth is seriously sick & could potentially die. The death of such a magical river in such a harsh, hot & dry environment will not bode well for either the physical or spiritual health of Western Australia.

Tim Winton tells of how he'd grown up playing in the swamps & soaks of the Swan coastal plain & how the river system at that time was pristine & rich with wildlife such as long-necked tortoises, frogs, waterbirds, fish & dolphins.

Now the same river system is blighted with algae blooms and mass fish & dolphin deaths.

The time for change has come.

 


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
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Buckminster Fuller's Grand Strategy

 

For solving Global Problems

Buckminster Fuller's Critical Path


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Company: Noble & Associates
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A drying climate - a new mindset required

CSIRO have completed short term water supply & demand modelling for Western Australia covering the next twenty years and the scenario is frightening. Surface water running into dams & rivers could reduce by up to 50%, the Gnangara Mound faces a one third decline by 2030 and rainfall is expected to fall by another 7% after falling by 15% since 1970. With the forecast extreme climate changes and significant population growth there could be a water deficit of 250 gigalitres per annum. Unless energy costs fall significantly, converting sea water to drinkable water will mean much higher costs for our water.

Market forces will probably lead to adaptation in the way that West Australians live, particularly in relation to the size and design of our dwellings and their garden surroundings. Lawns & European style gardens will need to make way for desert, Mexican & native gardens as well as synthetic lawns.

 


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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Designing buildings for the hot West Australian climate

After one of the hottest summers on record it is worth consider how we might better adapt our building designs for houses, offices and factories to the fierce Western Australian heat. Termite mounds provide a great example of how insects engineer their living quarters to ensure survival in hot climates. giant-termite-mound

The typical termite mound must accommodate millions of inhabitants together with their fungus gardens. Termites cannot digest the cellulose from the wood that they collect so they use the wood as a food for fungus to grow on & then eat the fungus. These fungus gardens need a stable environment in which to grow and so constant humidity and temperature is a must.

Initially it was believed that termite mounds act as a giant chimney, filtering out the CO2 from the wasps & the fungus gardens. A typical mound needs to 'breathe' 1000 litres of fresh air per day. However, recent research has demonstrated that the real ventilation is driven through the walls of the termite mound which are porous. Termite mounds tap turbulence in the gusts of wind that hit them. A single breath of wind contains small eddies and currents that vary with speed & direction with different frequencies. As the range of frequencies changes from gust to gust, the boundary between the stale air in the nest and the fresh air from outside moves about within the mounds' walls, allowing the two bodies of air to be exchanged. In essence, the mound functions as a giant lung.

As termites do not need any electricity to run the heating, cooling and ventilation on their buildings, their designs are worth paying attention to, especially if we want to continue developing our civilization in Western Australia, one of the hottest driest spots on the planet.


Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
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Redundancy - do we have it in Western Australia?

In an increasingly volatile world, we may want to consider our fate under various unpleasant scenarios -

  • Global weather patterns are severely disrupted by a 'tipping point'. Food shortages across the globe drive up prices significantly ....like 500%.
  • Chinese and Indian consumers cannot soak up the demand left by a burnt out, over weight Western baby boomer generation quickly enough. Global productive capacity is significantly excessive. Productive capacity is shut down rapidly, demand for our raw materials subsides significantly and mineral prices slump leading to the inevitable demise of our resource based economy.
  • A global full scale conflict erupts with multiple pressure points including the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Taiwan and the Korea?s. Global sea traffic is severely disrupted & demand for our raw materials slumps.

There are probably many more 'black swans' sitting out on the horizon or in the words of Donald Rumsfeld, 'unknown unknowns'.

Here are a range of redundancy strategies -

  • supporting certain less competitive industries on a small scale so that at least we had the option of rebuilding those industries in the event that we were struck by a 'black swan' event and could not rely on the produce of an external supplier
  • encouraging a range of agricultural product to be grown locally
  • protecting our environment from degradation and ensuring that fish and other natural resources are over harvested
  • developing smart, efficient energy and transport systems
  • educating on the benefit of minimising use of CO2 based resources and H2O resources

Posted by: Andrew
Company: Noble & Associates
Phone: 61894007400
Posted On: 1/1/0001
Contact via email: andrew@nobleaccounting.com.au
Categories: Climate Change | Energy
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