Here are the links to the survey, thank you (closes 4th February)
TVB_ClimateChallenge Climate Change Business Poll A
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/55TQ8Y5
TVB_ClimateChallenge Climate Change Business Poll B
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KWTLW9Q
/Team TVB_ClimateChallenge
Sandeep Goswami • Although my thoughts are more Oriental, as I write on India centric issues, you may find some common thread in reading about how Gandhi, thought about a sustainable village. It is more about adapting what is available around you and giving it a value so that others join. Some would for the cause, some for profit. You would find some Green Business Ideas in my blog, (www.oyeta936.wordpress.com) if they help by modifying to your needs, please feel free to use.
As you may know the consultation deadline for the Climate Change Strategy has been extended to the end of January to allow for greater engagement with local business ensuring that the final version reflects the range of views received.
You can also get involved by visiting http://www.reading.gov.uk/climatesurvey The consultation ends 31/01/13
The consultation is an excellent opportunity for the business community to embrace knowledge and bring value to the region by presenting wise green solutions / advise in companion ship with the local council regarding Readings new ‘green’ legislation programme that will have impact on investments and taxes.
How do we attract business to invest in a Sustainable TVB Reading raising awareness on the Climate Change Programme?
This is really a unique chance to feedback your climate business views back to the council
A vision for us all
Reading is a vibrant environment with compact, functional developed areas. There are good communications to shopping and services, workplaces and the surrounding nature. Buildings and infrastructure are characterised by sustainable energy solutions and smart environmental design, and are adapted to future climate change. The city has clean rivers and watercourses, and plenty of parks that are both beautiful and safe..
Keep us updated, do you have a local business case to share, join us in the group TVB_ClimateChallenge – http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4704185 The conference group will be open until February 1st.
Please send invites to your connections or ANY INTERESTED PARTIES E.G.THE SUST. MANAGER
Businesses, you can’t do it alone, together we can achieve so much
Welcome
/Team TVB_ClimateChallenge
The battle against climate change and resource depletion will be won or lost in the world’s cities. Cities present us with huge environmental challenges, but also offer huge opportunities, because they create economies of scale in technology deployment and access to capital, both of which are vital if we are to make the existing built environment of our cities sustainable and resource efficient by 2050..
Future Cities Special Interest Group – Hotting Up? Low Carbon Plans in UK Cities
FUTURE CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS
Minecraft uses square blocks based stuff, a bit like a digital version of Lego. For some time all students in the seventh grade in high school play the game. It is part of an interdisciplinary project that spans the subjects of chemistry, physics, biology, social studies and English.
Should learn to build climate change smart
The project involves students working together to build a future city with pleasant climate smart solutions based on the knowledge they receive within their classes.
The purpose of this project is that students should be forced to make decisions relating to environmental issues in order to know what to build in the game. It creates a desire to learn, says teachers in science and mathematics.
In the game, students have built houses, among other things, containers for sorting and electricity through wind and hydro and solar cells.
I think it’s great fun for students to learn in a different way. Because you get to try to really build things so you understand more easily how they work, says a student at the school.
Required in teaching
Minecraft is a game that currently has around 40 million registered users worldwide. Most played of course at leisure, but at Reading’s coeducational schools it has now become mandatory for an entire year. Students must regularly submit ratings founding essays and keep accounts where they show what they have done and why.
We must not let the PC gaming take too much time. The students really know what they’re doing and understand what the purpose is, it is important to combine the game with the regular teaching.
So far pleased with the results
The project will continue in the spring term and as long as the school are happy with the results. In any case, we have gained a new perspective on some things.
Now I’m almost tempted to waste sorting because I learned what the consequences are if we do not take care of the environment properly.
Links to brief about this:
http://deangroom.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/8-ways-minecraft-works-on-your-brain/
http://blogs.ncs-nj.org/minecraft/2013/01/10/group-1-week-1-recap/
http://www.middleschoolminecraft.com/2013/01/06/science-minecraft-feathers-and-guinea-pigs/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business/minecraft-block-by-block-gaming
easitNETWORK is a powerful working partnership designed to support
and encourage the most influential businesses in a local area to adopt
alternative and sustainable transport behaviours to reduce pollution,
ease congestion and increase satisfaction within its staff base.
By bringing together the major employers in an area, easitNETWORK
generates a critical mass, enabling the introduction and use of far more initiatives
that could not necessarily be taken up by one of the organisations alone. The benefits of this approach are in establishing a working partnership and a sizeable group that is more effective in lobbying for changes to public transport provision, generating funding for new initiatives and creating a better sense of community. Since launching in 2005, easitNETWORK has grown to represent over 60 businesses employing over
200,000 staff in the South East!
http://www.easit.org.uk/easitthamesvalley.php
Local growth 2013
Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVBLEP)
This outline strategy for local growth has been developed by the LEP Forum and
Executive during 2012 and provides a starting point for the eventual production
of a full ‘Strategic Plan’, as set out in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement of
December 2012. The process of reviewing the strategic priorities set out here will
commence in January 2013.
Download TVBLEP´s MAKNIG THE BOAT GO FASTER brochure 2012/13 via the link;
http://thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/12/TVB-LEP-Outline-Growth-Strategy.pdf
Interested in going really deep on the water-energy nexus? Take a look at this year’s blogging contest to win a trip to Abu Dhabi, courtesy of Masdar.
Now’s your chance to travel to Abu Dhabi to see what’s happening yourself.
As a lead-up to Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, January 13-17, Masdar is sponsoring a blogging contest called “Engage: The Water-Energy Nexus.” The winner will be invited to Abu Dhabi as VIP media to cover the week’s high-profile events.
Welcoming an expected 30,000 people from 150 countries to high-level panels, plenaries and events, the week promises to be an exciting and busy one – and Masdar wants you to be there blogging and tweeting about all the action.
The winning content will also be featured at www.masdar.ae
Among the more serious issues in the sustainability conversation today are those concerning resource scarcity and the insatiable global appetite for energy. Water, especially, has cropped into view as the most serious resource constraint of the 21st century – a “new oil” bound to define opportunity and conflict for generations.
It may not be immediately obvious, but water and energy are deeply intertwined. Tremendous amounts of water are used in the generation of both electricity and liquid fuel – even oil requires 40l of water for every liter of oil produced (new sources like Canadian tar sands are far higher). Water-free sources of energy like photovoltaics and wind power still require large amounts of water in their manufacturing phase.
To make everything more complicated, fresh water supplies are increasingly scarce & unpredictable – especially in the developing world. Hence what we call the “water-energy nexus” is emerging as a key topic of conversation at all levels of government and industry.
So how do we get out of this mess?
Simply put, saving water saves energy, and vice versa. In most cases, finding ways to use water more efficiently will also result in a savings of energy. Maintaining awareness of this relationship can help nations and industry prioritize efficient use of both water and energy. Whether or not doing so is a “good idea” is a moot point – it is now a necessity, and any company or country that fails to recognize this efficiency imperative is bound to start losing money and investment in time. This goes double for areas of the world where water is scarcer than others – especially where energy intensive desalinization is needed for drinking water.
Energy and Water Fast Facts
The good news is that the water-energy nexus presents a tremendous business opportunity. Startups around the globe have emerged to introduce new technology designed to track and measure water & energy use, modify existing technology to use less, and create brand new technology. Governments too can encourage existing industry to evolve by pricing water and energy at realistic (read: higher) levels.
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