Spirit of The Times 2011 Issue1

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Issue #1 September 2011
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Spirit of the Times

The Zeitgeist Movement Australia Magazine
Climate change, renewable energy and the urgency of transition.
What if we applied the same methodology that gives us our scientific breakthroughs to society?
www.thezeitgeistmovement.com
www.zeitgeistaustralia.org
Spirit of the Times Magazine
2011 September Issue
A warm welcome from the TZM team

As this is our first issue of Spirit of the Times Id like to take the opportunity to extend a warm welcome from the tireless TZM team to all our supporters thank you so much for keeping our spirits up and helping to make this movement what it is: the worlds largest grassroots movement for social change! Each of our bimonthly issues aims to present TZM primarily within an Australian context, delivering chapterspecific news, global updates on the Movements progress, informative articles regarding contemporary issues, discursive analyses, social commentary, critical thinking, and book and film reviews with content relevant to TZM aims and ethos. Each issue presents its own geisty theme; the first is, appropriately to the current environmental zeitgeist, Climate change, renewable energy, and the urgency of transition. It is in this, our first, issue, that we would like to present our advocacy for Beyond Zero Emissions, a non-profit organization that is leading the way toward an emissions-free future via cutting edge technology for a renewable energy infrastructure. We present this advocacy in parallel with various concerns raised regarding Australias carbon tax proposals, and increasingly worrying emphasis on the unsustainable and potentially dangerous alternative to coal natural gas. And of course were not all doom and gloom! There is (sun)light at the end of the tunnel, and this issue aims to demonstrate just how close we are to genuine climate change solutions. We hope that you will find this an entertaining and informative read, and that you will find information worth sharing! Happy geisting, Kari McGregor & TZM team
Any feedback regarding current articles or enquiries about future submissions is to be sent to: karin@ zeitgeistsa.com Please indicate whether you would like feedback to be passed on to the writer of any given article, and/ or published in the next issue. Thank you.
CONTENTS
News, updates & upcoming events 3. News from TZM around the globe 4. TZM AU Chapter news Information 7. Going Beyond Zero - Beyond Zero Emissions are touted as contemporary climate change heroes, but who are they, and what are they trying to do?
Kari McGregor introduces Beyond Zero Emissions, the non-profit organization who may just turn out to be climate-change heroes.
11. Beyond Zero Emissions Advocacy Project

Michael Kubler explains the Zeitgeist Movements backing of Beyond Zero Emissions.
14. The Energy Transition

Mark Rogers examines energy transitions through the ages, explaining how a move toward 100% renewable is viable in the near future.
Analysis 17. A price on pollution reading beyond the rhetoric

Kari McGregor reports on the governments plans and what they really mean for Australia.
19. Hydraulic fracturing: government sponsored ecological terrorism

Andrew Cooper investigates the truth behind natural gas extraction.
Comment 21. Carbon tax a weapon of mass distraction?

Greg Molineux critiques the political powerplay behind the governments proposal.
23. Does going green = going broke?

Chris Wilkins on the blue economy and how sustainability can be achieved through the elimination of waste.
Review 24. Documentary film review: Gasland
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The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
News from TZM around the globe

Kari McGregor (SA) TZM Australia have recently been reaching out to chapters around the globe, attending collaborative planning forums in cyberspace with representatives of chapters from countries as far away as the United States, Portugal and Slovakia. Recognizing the benefits that can be gained from internet interaction the Zeitgeist Movement aims to be the worlds first truly integrated collaborative grass-roots movement for social change, and is already the largest. The global event of the season, coming up in just a few days time 9th 11th September, is the Zeitgeist Media Festival, which engages the artistic community in a meaningful role in effecting social change, recognizing the power of art and media to help change the world and its value system for the better. The Zeitgeist Media Festival aims to bridge the gap between an intellectual understanding of the necessary changes that must take place, and the often-neglected personal transformation of core
values within each of us, while also reminding us that society as it exists was created by us, and that we can change it anytime we choose. The premier event of the festival, taking place on 11th September, is the Zeitgeist Media Festival in LA, which is partnering up with the LA Food Bank for the event in a food drive to help the many homeless and suffering people in Los Angeles. All participating chapters of the global Movement are encouraged to conduct similar resource based drives for those in need across the world.
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2011 September Issue committed activists from all backgrounds, ages and, even, nationalities.
TZM Australia - Nationwide

Kari McGregor (SA)
Since the inception of the global Zeitgeist Movement Successful events of 2011 include an exposition of in August 2008 Australia has become increasingly the third in the series of Zeitgeist films: Zeitgeist aware of the problems inherent in the current system, the roots of these problems, and the need for paradigm shift. In line with this awakening grassroots activist chapters of the movement have sprung up all over the country from the east coast cosmopolitan metropolis of Sydney to the far reaches of the tranquil west coast, with outreach beginning to extend to Ballarat and Bendigo in the goldfields, and Alice Springs in the heart of the desert. Thanks to the hard work and solid commitment of our activists and supporters we are now in a position to set an example of resource-based economy activism Moving Forward at the Adelaide Fringe Festival. on an international scale. Three screenings were presented, culminating on Due to ever an ever-expanding communications Z-day with a potentially disastrous tech malfunction. network and a commitment to outreach Australian This potential disaster was, however, averted by the TZM chapters are beginning to collaborate improvisation of committed local activists who successfully over a range of projects and learn stepped up to form a Q&A panel to inform and from one another regarding issues including entertain their audience, who did not walk away effective approaches to grassroots activism, public disappointed! The festival saw a rise in awareness of awareness campaigns, and increasing the level of the Movements aims and ethos, and an increase in understanding of key contemporary issues in society. strength and numbers of supporters. TZM SA also Communication has been invaluably facilitated by held a strong presence at the Mind-Body-Psychic the use of the Atrium activism forum, which allows expo in June, informing and networking while committed activists to present, exchange, and build holding their own as the only non-profit organization upon projects ranging from backyard permaculture, represented at the fair, and in the words of one to organization of public events, to advocacy of impressed attendee the most sensible organization like-minded organizations such as Beyond Zero present! Emissions. In line with the Zeitgeist Media Festival the SA Individual chapters have much to report regarding chapter have opted for a low-key event: an invitationtheir recent action, achievements, and upcoming only screening of Zeitgeist Moving Forward at the Iris Cinema on 11th September. Invitations have events, so heres a run-down of whats going on. been extended to representatives of like-minded organizations with mutual goals, such as ACF and Adelaide TZM SA have been running since the early days of the Green Left. Following the screening is a Q&A session Movement, and have a strongly established core of for the organizations representatives to learn more about the Movement and how it applies to their work. It is hoped that a level of collaboration can be achieved with some of these organizations for future sustainability advocacy work. TZM SAs plans for working in collaboration with like-minded organizations to fulfill shared goals are realized with upcoming events such as AYCCs Reclaim the Grid event on 24th September. The South Australia team intend to demonstrate their support for an emissions-free future by taking part Page 4 The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
Spirit of the Times Magazine in the event and showing solidarity in what is a crucial moment for South Australias energy future.
TZM Melbourne have been focusing their efforts mainly on education within the chapter, with talks Future plans for TZM SA also include an open to from like-minded organizations such as Beyond Zero the public 1-day conference to which like-minded Emissions, and practical-focused talk on Aquaponics organizations with common sustainability goals will and Permaculture. Screenings of informative and be invited to collaborate. A thought-provoking lineup of speakers will be enlisted to inform, critique, and raise important questions, while a range of practical and empowering workshops are held in order to foster a sense of community and collaboration in the pursuit of tangible, sustainable change. A date for the event will be announced in the next issue of Spirit of the times. The Brisbane chapter have established a firm schedule of monthly town hall meetings that consistently attract a good turnout of committed volunteers whose focus is on strengthening ties with like-minded organizations. A core value promoted by TZM Brisbane is the need to withdraw support from the current system rather than directly oppose it; and the chapter are working to find ways in which this can be achieved, the use of open source collaboration being an example. highly relevant documentaries such as Psy War and All watched over by machines of loving grace have TZM Brisbane are also hosting a low-key event recently been held. Meetings have also recently in parallel with the Zeitgeist Media Festival. The been initiated in the northern suburb of Roxburgh event, which takes place on 10th September, will Park, and efforts are being made to support ongoing be spread over two venues including the Brisbane meetings in Ballarat and Bendigo. Square Library and Cafe Checocho. The Brisbane Square Library three-hour event, taking place in the Meetings in the Melbourne chapter are highly Community Meeting Room, will comprise a media structured, and take four different forms. The last play-list of 10-15 minute clips of TZM-relevant videos Sunday of every month sees a welcome to new and musical performance interspersed with breaks members. In this meeting newcomers questions of 5-10 minutes to allow for informal discussion and personal activism goals are addressed. Action of each presentation. Attendees are encouraged to meetups occur on the second Sunday of every month, pick out a favorite clip and bring it to the event on a providing a forum for brainstorming ideas for new USB, bring along a guitar, a song, or a plate of food projects in addition to discuss and developing those to share, all adding to the collaborative community in progress. Educational meetings are held on either flavor of the event. the 2nd or 3rd Tuesday of every month, and involve such informative talks and documentary screenings Further upcoming projects scheduled in Queensland as those mentioned. Impromptu social meetups also include holding weekly stands on the farmers occur from time to time in order for members to market in Brisbane, and on the Gold Coast. There get involved in community projects and collaborate are also plans for a lecture circuit team that will work with other organizations. to raise awareness about a range of issues pertinent to the Movement. Upcoming projects and activism for the TZM Melbourne include a trip on the 3rd of September Canberra to the Magpie house to see a documentary on TZM Canberra is a small chapter in its early stages permaculture, and connect with the patrons, who are of activism, and at present has no updates to report. keen to contribute to the Movement. The Zeitgeist Melbourne Radio show is also starting in September, and contributions for upcoming episodes will be The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter Page 5
Melbourne
Brisbane
Spirit of the Times Magazine sourced from interested members who are keen to contribute.
2011 September Issue for grass-roots organizations such as Lock The Gate. TZM activists from Sydney were present at the 18th August rally at the 5-star venue, the Sofitel in the Perth CBD. The anti-fracking cause is one the Movement TZM Perth is a chapter in its early stages with active staunchly supports, and is in alignment with its volunteers, but as of yet an unclear path due to the support for renewable energy solutions provided by absence of an organization team at present. The Beyond Zero Emissions. chapter is proceeding with efforts from committed members to become a tightly functioning team In line with the Zeitgeist Media Festival the TZM that hopes to play a key role in the transition to a Sydney chapter are hosting the most ambitious resource-based economy. Australia-based event, opting for a full-day festival on 11th September featuring live music, comedy Sydney and a list of thought-provoking speakers. Present Sydney is home to Australias largest and most active at the festival are other like-minded organizations, TZM chapter, and is lucky enough to sport a tireless holding stalls and promoting their causes via short team of highly committed and enthusiastic activists interactive talks, including Beyond Zero Emissions, who are proud to set an example of a successful AYCC, and A Delicate Balance. It is hoped that a level grassroots movement for social change. of collaboration can be achieved with some of these Successful TZM Sydney events of 2011 include a Z-day exposition featuring a fascinating line-up of sustainability-focused speakers from grassroots organizations, followed by an open panel discussion regarding the role of those groups in Australia
organizations for future sustainability advocacy work. Weekly activist runs continue to be held in Newtown involving attention-grabbing projector screenings of various documentaries and pertinent film clips, and awareness-raising through direct contact with the public and handing out information flyers and free DVD copies of Zeitgeist Moving Forward or Addendum. This regular event continues to elicit positive reactions from the general public, many of whom express interest in finding out in what way they can assist with the Movements aims. TZM Tasmania is the newest of the Australian chapters to see action, having only recently been founded, and in the early stages of development. Although a chapter website is not yet up and running efforts are being made to recruit and retain a solid and our future. The event was rounded off with core of volunteers who will see the Movements goals a presentation and Q&A session on the topic of there through to fruition, and hopefully become a creating and sustaining a Resource-Based Economy. key player in the transition toward a resource-based economy. TZM Sydney also maintain a presence in the local environmental activism scene, providing support Page 6 The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
Tasmania
FEATURED ARTICLE
Going Beyond Zero
Beyond Zero Emissions are touted as contemporary climate change heroes, but who are they, and what are they trying to do?
Kari McGregor (SA)
chose to investigate further.
hat if I told you that a 100% emissions-free future was possible? And that we could get there soon? Really soon within about ten years? And that it is actually possible to start right now, with existing technologies? And that it wouldnt cost us the earth to do it? Would you fall off your chair laughing? Or would your reaction be to cynically sneer that itll simply never happen because the current system is hell-bent on blocking the way to a genuine solution to climate change and a commitment to a fossil-fuel free future? The first I heard of Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), a not-forprofit, volunteer run organization, committed to a 100% carbon-neutral future for Australia, was at a talk given by one of our TZM SA volunteers in Adelaide, an expert in the field of solar energy. I was excited to discover that not only is there a group working toward what many of us think is one of the most important goals of our time, but that this goal can be met, with existing technology, in a relatively short time-span approximately ten years, and at a cost of about $8 per household per week funding that could easily be sourced from a number of sinks such as misallocated subsidies to fossil-fuel companies and mining giants. I didnt fall off my chair, or sneer cynically. I
Science, not propaganda

The main objective of BZE is to not just plan or lobby for a carbonneutral future as so many other organizations do, but to develop blueprints for the implementation of technologies that will enable us to rapidly reduce emissions from our current precipitous levels in order to give our society and global ecosystems a fighting
organization deftly juggles research and transition planning with education campaigns based on this research in order that people on all levels of society, from experts to politicians, from those in the corporate world to average people like you and I, may become climate-change literate and up to date with a comprehensive range of solutions, and not get sidetracked by political and economic rhetoric. They compel us to pursue understanding through science, not opinion influenced through vested-interest procured propaganda. BZE accept the findings of the most current science, which shows that climate change has already been allowed to escalate to dangerous levels, and that immediate action must be undertaken to both reduce our levels of greenhouse gas emissions to zero, and repair some of the damage that has so far been inflicted on our environment sheltered by the excuse of energy needs in a demand-driven market system.
The urgency of transition to zero

Current atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases are already chance at survival. In partnership resulting in a global climate with the University of Melbourne disaster with an associated annual Energy Research Institute BZE death toll of over 300,000 due to the are undertaking the award- catastrophic effects of increasingly winning Zero Carbon Australia frequent and severe storms, 2020 Project, which is in the soaring average temperatures, and process of compiling plans, with rising sea levels rendering many fully transparent, realistic, budget previously sustainable homelands requirements, for transitioning uninhabitable, and leading to the Australia to zero emissions within newly encountered phenomenon ten years, using technology that is of the climate-change refugee, for already available. whom there is little to no legal status. If greenhouse gas levels BZE take a holistic approach are allowed to increase, even at a to achieving their goal; the slowed pace, the prognosis is not The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter Page 7
Spirit of the Times Magazine a positive one: more bushfires, more storms, more native-species extinctions, and a higher human death toll as a result of global warming and a changing climate. There is only one viable option. It is imperative that we reduce our levels of atmospheric greenhouse emissions, and action must be immediate. Current politically safe proposals those which do not, heaven forbid, make a dent in profit margins for fossil fuel companies and mining giants - for between 5-20% emissions reductions are insufficient in Australia, the country with, at over 25 tons per person year, regrettably, the highest per capita carbon emissions in the world yes, weve overtaken the States not an achievement our nation should be celebrating.
No compromise zero or nothing

The goal of reducing emissions to zero is now one that is agreed upon as not only imperative, but also possible, by the broader climate action movement, climate scientists and many large environmental organizations. Other major environmental organizations and lobby groups whose goals are more modest than those of BZE will see atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases continue to rise and consequently cause more devastation from global warming, if their proposals are implemented, posing a
With their feet firmly grounded in science, and not willing to waste valuable time on the rhetoric of economics, BZE do not share the confidence shown by the Labor government in the likelihood Where do BZE stand on the carbon- of a large-scale deployment of renewable energy systems tax question? BZE state that they welcome the brought about by market forces governments recent proposal of a alone. It seems unlikely that the carbon price package as a positive mere imposition of a carbon tax step toward weaning Australia off will inspire the private sector to fossil fuels. However, BZE, like invest in renewables as the issue many other organizations, are of insufficient funding for the unconvinced of the likely efficacy industry remains, and traction is of this scheme. They state a gained slowly. number of reservations including concerns over the shift in emphasis So where does business fit in? away from coal toward gas-fired Instead BZE support the use power as an alternative, which, of Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs) to far from being an emissions-free incentivize private investment source of energy, produces the in renewables. FiTs have had the even more destructive greenhouse effect of kick-starting the rollgas methane. Although politically out of green energy schemes attractive as an option, and a in European countries such proposal lending itself to lofty as Spain and Germany, which rhetoric, the estimated reduction have seen a massive surge in the in emissions resulting from a success of their renewable energy switch to gas is insufficient at policies. There is no reason best, and will lead, according to why such measures could not the International Energy Agency, be successfully implemented in
threat due to appeasement of the political, corporate and public spheres via poorly-reasoned compromise. BZE is one of the few organizations with the courage to frame compromise within scientifically realistic parameters rather than around politically popular strategy. This is not a compromise of integrity or environmental sustainability it is a monetary one to be faced, albeit reluctantly, by various large players in our economic system who have no place in a sustainable future.
2011 September Issue to warming of 3.5 degrees, 1.5 degrees above the 2 degree target agreed to at climate talks in Cancun. Potential results of such a policy include distraction from the severity of the crisis we are faced with, and even worse, a diversion away from, not a transition toward, a sustainable renewable energy future.
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Spirit of the Times Magazine Australia, although at present they are not under consideration from the federal government, being left up to state governments to implement their own plans, or not, as the case may be.
that direction from the Greens. According to BZE it is imperative that all solar thermal plants to be built in Australia with support from ARENA and the CEFCs $10 billion funding pool must include molten salt thermal storage Analysts at BZE have calculated configured in a 6-10 hour storage that for only a 1.2 cent per kilowatt peaking arrangement or in a full 15hour increase (lower than the 17 hour baseload configuration. cost of Germanys already highly This is the surest way to ensure successful 20-year plan) in the baseload power requirements are cost of electricity over a 20-year met with no compromise to the environment. period Feed-in The real Tariffs can be clean energy used to get solar future will be panels onto powered by every rooftop truly renewable in Australia; wind power, ultimately concentrating reducing the solar thermal overall cost of with storage and electricity in the rooftop solar long-term. If sufficient support is garnered for photovoltaic, uncompromised by this proposal it is likely that by 2015 cheap fossil-gas shortcuts. Australians could have solar panels installed which generate cheaper The good news is that funding electricity than buying fossil fuel for renewable energy research electricity at the household or and development is guaranteed. business meter a rooftop solar However, we must remain vigilant revolution in the making! And when large sums of money are at this is all complementary to the stake. It is imperative that fossil mechanisms for wind power and gas be excluded from the deal, and large baseload solar thermal with that the gas industry giants are not storage, thus paving the way for a allowed to subvert the intended for realistic 100% renewable energy agenda the $1 billion economy. a n n u a l unspecified Green economy, not gas-economy The establishment of the p o r t i o n . Australian Renewable Energy Conventional Agency (ARENA) and Clean gas, and in Energy Finance Corporation particular coal (CEFC) are greatly welcomed seam gas, is by Beyond Zero Emissions, but with a word of caution. It is necessary to clarify what exactly constitutes clean energy. Without such clarification there is environmentally destructive to a risk of wasting billions of crucial the tune of 80 to 150 times higher renewable energy investment than levels claimed by industry dollars on hybrid gas/solar plants, insiders. Subverting the renewable which will do little, if anything, to energy agenda to a gas-economy aid the zero-emissions transition. agenda could prove disastrous as An end to the practice of such the construction of a single gas hybrid plants has not yet been plant guarantees in the region of successfully negotiated at a 60 years of gas burning, causing political level, despite efforts in between 50 and 110 percent of the The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
2011 September Issue emissions of existing coal plants according to new accounting on the total lifecycle of coal seam gas. BZE warn that it is vital that we do not succumb to the rhetoric of shortcuts. There are no shortcuts, only diversions.
Solar success stories

Spains Gemasolar solar power plant has recently become the first of its kind to successfully feed an uninterrupted supply of energy into the grid over a 24hour period, and this is only the beginning of its potential. The utility-scale plant is still very new to commercial operation but is already demonstrating something the fossil fuel lobbyists would have us believe is impossible: that concentrated solar power systems, in conjunction with storage technologies, are able to generate an energy supply that is not only clean and green, but also stable, continuous, and reliable. Although BZE admit that power generated from a solar plant is not yet as cheap as that generated by coal-fired power plants solar plants such as Gemasolar are still in their infancy, and are currently serving the goal of proving that the technology is viable. Australia should not be deterred by early-stage costs. When m a k i n g decisions in terms of cost-benefit balance it is important to keep in mind both the environmental, economic and social impacts associated with unsustainable levels of CO2 emissions, and the fact that the current technologies are already rapidly decreasing in cost, and will continue to do so as further projects go live. And bigger and better projects Page 9
Spirit of the Times Magazine are already in the pipeline. Spain is a country that has recognized the potential of solar power early on, and Termosolar Alcazar have recently been awarded a government grant for the construction of another solar thermal plant in Alcazar de San Juan, which will provide clean energy to 70,000 homes in the region, generate 4,000 local jobs, and put Spain on track to meeting the objectives of the EU Climate & Energy emissions reduction package.
Australia may be, at present, an economy that relies heavily on energy generated from coal and gas; however, it is in a better position to transition to renewables than countries such as Spain and Germany, whose transition schemes are already well under way. Australia has the best solar energy resources of any developed country, yet it is a resource which is currently going to waste while time and money are squandered on stop-gap measures. Australia also has considerable Time for Australia to live up to its potential to harness wind energy, more so than Germany, who are zero-emissions potential BZE claim that the time has come unhesitant in their approach to for the Australian government to this renewable resource, and great take serious steps to transform capacity to generate power from the energy sector. It makes little biomass and hydroelectricity. sense for Australia to miss out on a golden opportunity to capitalize on what are clearly some of the worlds richest solar energy resources now that solar energy with storage capacity capable of supplying b a s e l o a d power has had demonstrated success in other countries. The Australian government needs to harness the support of BZE in preparing this country for the transition to a zero-emissions future, and stop wasting billions of taxpayers dollars on research and development for inaccurately named clean coal technologies and coal seam gas, neither of which are either emissions-free clean or renewable, and at best only serve as a financial stepping stone for those who are not yet ready to make the zero-emissions transition the companies whose days in the sun are surely numbered. Page 10
So what remains to be done?

The federal government and the opposition need to drop their game of political point scoring and their circular rhetoric aimed at soothing frayed fossil-fuel industry nerves, and instead follow the lead of countries like Spain and Germany in demonstrating both political leadership and social and environmental conscience. We need to prepare Australia for a renewable energy revolution, and do it with the sense of urgency required. The science is undeniable - major reductions in carbon emissions are a matter of increasing urgency - reductions that would be virtually impossible to achieve without transitioning to a carbon-free energy sector. Beyond Zero Emissions awardw i n n i n g Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Plan paves the way for this transition, demonstrating how it can be achieved within just a decade, drawing on already c o m m e rc i a l l y av ai l abl e technologies. BZE are just the common-sense solution weve been waiting for.
The grassroots organization 100% All information sourced from Renewable Energy report survey Beyond Zero Emissions at: findings that the overwhelming www.beyondzeroemossions.org majority of Australians support a move away from an economic dependence on fossil fuels and a transition toward renewable energy. According to their survey of over 14,000 Australians 86% support the common-sense goal of a 100% renewable energy future. It seems the only people who need to wake up to the promise of a bright renewableenergy powered future are those in the driving seat. The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
Beyond Zero Emissions Advocacy Project

Michael Kubler (SA)
This is a repost from the Australian Atrium (Project Management) website and is aimed at Australian ZM members.
This is a proposal regarding the Beyond Zero Emissions renewable energy proposal. Beyond Zero Emissions is a group of engineers and scientists who have created a proposal to convert Australias energy supply to 100% renewable energy within 10 years. It is primarily achievable using a mixture of wind power and concentrated solar thermal. More information can be found on their website:http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/ or by reading their proposal summary: http://media.beyondzeroemissions.org/ZCA2020_Stationary_Energy_ Synopsis_v1.pdf
Solar Concentrator Array
The Beyond Zero Emissions cause is very much in line with the Zeitgeist Movements aims and principles in terms of rejecting the profit motive, and instead placing the emphasis on sustainability. We will need to enlist their help to prevent humanity from facing environmental and energy crises, whilst they need our help in order for the proposal to gain traction.
The approach
In order to achieve the shared goal of a sustainable zero-emissions future we are keen to promote and champion the BZE transition scheme, and have approached BZE with an advocacy proposal which has received a positive response. In order to help us develop new project ideas such as this advocacy proposal we are working on an outputcentric approach (basically planning in reverse), which functions as follows: 1. Start by writing the press release you would like to see. 2. Then write the FAQ associated with achieving the goals. 3. Only after youve gone through the above steps do you work backwards to find out what needs to be done/created, and how, in order to achieve the final goal. The Zeitgeist Movements advocacy of Beyond Zero Emissions will take an output-centric approach, beginning with the following proposed press-release:
Press Release
Beyond Zero Emissions, in collaboration with the Australian Zeitgeist Movement have achieved what was once thought nearly impossible. The Australian Government, along with many businesses and communities, has agreed to implement the BZE plan to make Australias energy systems 100% renewable by 2023. Over the next year the government will reduce the subsidies given to the oil, coal and gas industries whilst ramping up investment and production of solar panels and wind turbines, whilst work is being done to prepare the ground for the Concentrated Solar Thermal power plants. The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter Page 11
FAQs
(comprehensive answers to many of these question can be found within articles in this issue of Spirit of the Times)
1. Who is Beyond Zero Emissions? 2. What is the Zeitgeist Movement? Answer: A grass-roots movement which wants to create a better world for humanity and the environment. They have connected the dots between the issues facing humanity and their causes and have a big picture understanding of what needs to be done to help humanity progress. 3. What is Renewable Energy? 4. What is Concentrated Solar Thermal? 5. How has the Zeitgeist Movement helped Beyond Zero Emissions? Answer: The Zeitgeist Movement has helped contact political party members, local businesses, scientists and engineers to explain in plain terms the BZE proposal, and has helped champion the cause. They have also helped generate a great deal of media attention and provided a great platform for the BZE proposal and concepts to be spread from. The following are 3 options for the likely progress of the proposal depending on what happens with the Carbon Tax:
The Zeitgeist Movements advocacy strategy - further FAQs Option 1: If no carbon tax
Why was the BZE plan chosen over a carbon tax?
There were a variety of proposals on the table. After researching them the carbon tax was deemed to have lesser long term effectiveness in cutting carbon, with the Beyond Zero Emissions scheme of going to 100% renewable energy within 10 years being the most effective.
Option 2: If carbon tax is implemented, then cancelled

Why did we stop the carbon tax in favour of the BZE scheme?
There was a lot of public dissatisfaction over the ineffectiveness of the carbon tax and its excessive costs. The carbon tax was not changing the behaviour of businesses, was giving the government a financial incentive to allow pollution and was hurting tax-payers pockets. At the same time carbon emissions have increased over the year(s) since the introduction of the tax.
Option 3: If carbon tax is implemented, and then run in parallel with the BZE scheme
What is the effect of the BZE proposal on the carbon tax?
The carbon tax is being changed to a feed-in tariff to help fund the BZE plan and help increase investment and innovation in renewable energy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feed-in_tariff http://www.energymatters.com.au/government-rebates/ feedintariff.php
What prior collaboration was there between the Zeitgeist Movement and Beyond Zero Emissions?
BZE held an information stall and gave a public presentation at the Zeitgeist Media Festival in Sydney on September 11th, 2011, and repeated their performance during Z-day the following year. They also attended local chapter conferences and presentations held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Page 12 The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter

How did the Zeitgeist Movement get the political parties involved in advocating the BZE plan?
The ZM members in Australia organized multiple appointments with their local members of parliament and senators. During these direct conversations they took the AIDAS approach: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action, Satisfaction. Initially the first emails and meetings functioned to raise awareness that there are better alternatives to the Carbon Tax, such as BZE, which would likely help them get re-elected, are far better for Australia (and humanity), and based on existing science and technology which will actually reduce emissions instead of relying on humans making undefined behavioural changes. The second interactions revolved around the BZE proposal once the politicians had been given time to learn more about the BZE proposal, a synopsis of which is provided: http://media.beyondzeroemissions.org/ ZCA2020_Stationary_Energy_Synopsis_v1.pdf The conversation revolved around Q&A and increasing understanding, not lobbying in order to merely persuade. The conversations and interactions afterwards focused on increasing the network of politicians who support the proposal, how the government can help, and what bottlenecks needed to be overcome in order for the BZE proposal to be passed by parliament. External pressure was also exerted by enlisting international ZM chapters to put pressure on Australian governments and businesses, usually in the form of media attention.
How did the Zeitgeist Movement get local businesses on board? The ZM used a combination of direct conversation with
local businesses as well as a renewable energy supporter tick of approval system. Previous green energy ticks of approval focused more on being carbon neutral than on renewable energy. Computer companies and Internet Services Providers were some of the first to get their primary energy from renewable energy. Companies with the renewable energy tick of approval become preferred companies for Zeitgeist Movement supporters and many other organizations.
How did the Easy Green default choice affect things?
Where to from here?
All of this brings us to the stage we are currently at. The Zeitgeist Movement have been in regular communication with Beyond Zero Emissions, and both organizations have expressed mutual interest in their shared goals, and a willingness to support one another. Beyond Zero Emissions have confirmed their presence at the Zeitgeist Media Festival in Sydney on September 11th 2011, and an inspirational speech will be given by Petra Liverani of BZE regarding the organizations plans and hopes for a zero-emissions future for Australia. Successful activism is a clear-cut process, and a process involves a series of steps. The first steps have been taken; the rest will follow. The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter Page 13
By changing the default on the energy signup form to be renewable energy a vastly higher percentage of Australian businesses and homeowners started paying for renewable energy (at only a slight increase in cost). This led to energy companies also wanting the BZE plan to be implemented in order to deal with the demand. To find out more check out http://www.vimeo.com/12601766 and http://www. tacsi.org.au/our-projects/challenge/phase-1-finding-thosebold-ideas/2010-shortlist/easy-green/
The Energy Transition

Mark Rogers (SA)
Energy is a fact of life. In fact, energy is life, and it forms the backbone of modern civilization. We could not live as we do without it, yet we are required to undergo drastic changes in the way that we use it. This has opened up a heated debate as to what alternatives we are presented with, and which ones to choose. Unfortunately our media-driven information pipeline characteristically compares the extreme views on any subject good versus evil, black versus white, Holden versus Ford, Liberal versus Labor, renewables versus oil, and so on. This dualistic approach serves only to divide, and ignores the way things actually occur in the real world.
Energy transitions
Various different forms of energy have been used throughout civilization, the major forms of which all fall into just three categories: Carbon-based basically dead plants and animals, all of which are burned to release their lockedup energy potential. Examples include wood, coal, oil, gas, and biomass. Renewables basically this is energy produced without burning things. Examples include hydro-electric, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, wave, and geothermal. Atomic basically playing with atoms to Page 14
release energy. Examples include atomic fission What isnt a power source? and atomic fusion (future Before we continue on energy technology not yet developed). sources it is important to know what isnt an energy source. Generally civilization has Electricity is NOT an energy used these energy-producing source; instead it is a way to technologies in the following transport energy. With it we can order: beginning with wood, heat and cool things (kettles, transitioning through coal, gas, air-conditioners, fridges, ovens, oil, hydro-electric, wind - electric, etc.), move things (water pumps, atomic fission, to the most recently electric vehicles, motors in developed technologies of solar washing machines and dish thermal, solar photovoltaic, washers, etc.), and power things geothermal, biomass, wave (computers, TVs, lights, etc.). (currently in active trials), and atomic fusion (future technology Another technology being not yet developed). developed is the Hydrogen Fuel Cell, which can turn hydrogen into Some may disagree with this order, electricity and heat. Once again which highlights the fact that we this is NOT an energy source; it have always had a mix of energy is a conversion technology. The technologies, and continue to use hydrogen used in this process is them in various proportions over also NOT an energy source; like various times and locations. To electricity it is just another way pit one against the other ignores to transport energy. So the next an important truth of civilizations time someone tells you that the development - that no single hydrogen economy is the answer energy source has ever totally to our energy needs just ask them replaced an older source; instead where the hydrogen is coming it becomes another energy option. from! These technologies can be complex to understand, especially Energy source trends with some spanning several uses. An energy source is often assessed The table below provides a basic in terms of: explanation of each energy- how easy it is to access producing technology. its energy density how clean it is
Spirit of the Times Magazine what side-effects its use may have its cost Today we are in the midst of a green revolution, our focus firmly on renewable technologies, fully aware of the unwanted side effects of existing technologies. This focus on clean however is not new!
something else very clever too it often moved the pollution far away from the cities. This improved city air quality to the detriment of hundreds of square kilometres around and downwind from the coal and oil burning power plants. The power plants did, however, lead to a reduction in pollution, as their higher efficiency and central management meant that overall Not so long ago our homes they produced less pollution than were heated by wood and coal. the previous use of the wood/coal Very romantic, but not that technologies. So as dirty as we see efficient. Even worse, they coal power stations today, they created substantial amounts of air were once cleaner technologies. pollution. Pollution that not only caused various lung diseases but Transport contained and spread carcinogens The introduction of oil to transport yes that quaint open fire can cleaned up our cities in a different give you cancer! Not that cancer way. Ever wondered where several was known about in the 1800s, or thousand horses went to the toilet even earlier, during Roman times. in the middle of town? Answer: One thing was certain, however, they went right where they stood! and that is wherever there was Besides the obvious odour issues wood and coal heating a city there there were also hygiene issues was always bad air pollution. with our four-legged friends. So what changed? Over time we By the 1920s the relative ease of started to use newer technologies: use, simplified maintenance, and oil heaters (a bit cleaner than comfort were other factors that wood/coal) led to the automobile replacing gas heating horse and cart, thus cleaning up electric heating our streets in ways civilization Overall these technologies have must surely be grateful for! helped make our cities cleaner, As civilization has progressed but in different ways. Oil burns we have found more convenient cleaner than wood/coal, but due energy sources used in cleaner to its high comparative costs is not and more efficient ways. often seen in Australia these days. Gas is much cleaner burning than Risks of energy source use any of its predecessors, producing very little smog, and it is highly efficient. Electricity is an interesting beast, however, due to its capacity to be used for other things, not just heating/cooling, ensuring its rapid and widespread use. It did The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
2011 September Issue Using energy has a range of risks, side-affects and hazards. The table below provides just a glimpse at the main problems. A hundred years ago we didnt know about cancers, or that smoke from a burning fire could cause them. This is why all the newer greener technologies are marked as possibly having some other unknown health or other risks. However, it is very likely that whatever may be found will pose risks of far lesser magnitude than the technologies that preceded them.
So where to from here?

It is obvious that things must change to reduce, or even eliminate, humanitys dependence on burning things in order to provide energy! Sounds primitive doesnt it? It requires no great leap of comprehension to see that this transition will provide us with a better environment in all senses of the word. So, can renewable energies power the world, and if so, how? The very short answer is a resounding YES! But to be so sure about the answer means that one is also sure of how this is possible...... so lets take a look at how renewable energies can provide for our needs. Base load electricity production
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Spirit of the Times Magazine Base load is a term referring to the ability of any electricity generation and supply system to meet the general electricity demands 24 hours a day, all year round.
on the grid. It doesnt, however, address base load - so what does? Solar Thermal! This technology has come a long way from its early testing phases 40 years ago. To see the answer to the base load solar question we must turn our heads In the past renewable energy toward Spain, who have working technologies have been seen grid-connected power plants as incapable of meeting Base proving that it can be done. load requirements, the typical argument being the sun dont So how does it work? always shine and the wind dont There are two structural ways of always blow. As simple as these doing it, but essentially it works by truths may be, we now have concentrating the suns rays onto a systems in place to ensure that pipe to heat molten salts flowing renewables can provide base through it. These molten salts are load. actually very similar to standard fertilizer. The salts are heated from
The wind doesnt always blow: very
2011 September Issue power. Further information is likely to be available in the near future once it is past its developmental stages. So just like wind farms, concentrated solar thermal plants could be dispersed across the nation, in sunny locations, ensuring that if one station fails to receive sunshine over several days the others would pick up the slack. Now combine wind farms and solar thermal plants for electrical networks and we have the ability to provide not only base load, but peak load electricity demand nationwide! So YES it can be done!
true. But ask yourself - where are wind farms erected? The answer may sound obvious - They are erected in windy places! But that still doesnt guarantee that there will be wind, just provides a 70% probability. To compensate for that it is possible to simply erect multiple wind farms, spread around the country, so that if one or two wind farms are quiet then the others will pick up the slack. This means, statistically, that at any one point in time a wind farm network would be guaranteed to provide x amount of power this is base load.
The New Transport

So how do we break our dependence on oil? This will come in four forms: Improved public transport supported by new city designs Electric vehicles that today can provide the needs of 90% of the motoring public (more to come in a about 290c to between 550c and future article!) 650c. These hot molten salts are then stored in a highly insulated Biofuels for long haul transport and air travel hot tank where they can stay for many days with minimal heat loss Hydrogen for long haul transport and air travel this is what provides 24 hour energy availability. To generate electricity the hot molten salts are All of the energy needed to supply passed through a heat exchanger these can come from electricity to boil water and turn an electrical and a further-expanded national generator. The cooler molten salts wind and solar thermal network. then get pumped into the cold tank to be heated up by the sun What about Oil? again the next day. Most people dont realize all the uses oil, for example in plastics There is also another promising and chemicals, have in our Australian Solar Thermal modern life. It is highly likely technology in the pipeline that that the shareholders of all oil should be able to provide 24/7 companies would see the sense in The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
So true, especially at night! You may be saying Solar Photovoltaics with batteries are the way to go. Unfortunately thats costly and impractical. Having Solar PV on the roof of your house definitely helps to offset your and your neighbourhoods electrical drain Page 16
The sun doesnt always shine:
Spirit of the Times Magazine extricating themselves from the rapidly withering and relatively poor-profit making capacity of selling bulk quantities of the product to just burn, and instead channel their attentions toward turning it into higher value items such as plastics. It is therefore unlikely that renewable energies will put an end to the oil industry; the industry will simply need to transform into a higher profit/ value products industry.
A price on pollution reading beyond the rhetoric

Kari McGregor (SA)
The plan is to tax the nations top polluting companies. However, in order for industry not to suffer financial losses many of these On 3rd August 2011 the Labour businesses will receive subsidies party held a public forum at to help out, raising concerns Petersham Town Hall in Sydney. about who is actually paying The event, aimed at gathering the so-called price on pollution. support for their proposed carbon What is the cost of powering tax, was touted as an opportunity for local residents to hear about Australia with renewables? Believe it or not, about $8 per the Governments plan to put a Australian household per week! price on carbon, and ask questions But dont take our word for it. Pop of the minister. Greg Combet, on over to our friends at: www. Minister for Climate Change and beyondzeroemissions.org for Energy Efficiency held the floor, confirmation! explaining in the usual politically This group of professional appealing rhetoric all of the Australian electrical engineers, positive points of the proposal, network infrastructure specialists, and none of the drawbacks. general engineers, project managers, and cost managers Much of the rhetoric of Combets Public skepticism regarding the have already done all the scoping speech was given to imploring proposed carbon tax has grown and planning to start. Its now the audience to look past Tony due to speculation that it will not just a matter of willpower Abbotts dishonest fear campaign, be a genuine tax on pollution at demonstrated by each Australian, and hear the facts of why taking the source, but simply another actively supported by enlightened action on climate change means business cost that will be palmed off on the public. government policy. And, dare I say Such fears were not it even a new national publicly allayed by Minister owned system for the good of all Combets revelation Australians. that government tax reforms will be This Zero Emissions framework, taxing emissions. Emphasis introduced in order to relieve the once executed, will ensure that our overall power costs will was given to the former point impending burden of cost on low reduce over time, eliminate more than to the latter, with and middle income Australians, our dependence on foreign the usual opposition-bashing thus cementing the understanding oil, improve the health of our taking precedence over delivery that polluter pays is not an ethos environment, and ensure energy of facts. While Abbot-bashing is that will be upheld by the proposed stability and the stability of the probably high on the agenda for policy. Instead it was made clear jobs that go with constructing a lot of pub-conversation, it is that the burden of cost is a public and maintaining the system. hardly a convincing platform for one, with a sliding scale of support Sure sounds like a winwin the introduction of a policy that being introduced in order to offset proposition, for us and the planet. will likely determine the carbon the costs paid by the poorest. It emissions levels of the worlds was made clear, during the Q&A highest per capita emitter for session, that not everyone in need of support will be covered by it, some time to come. The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter Page 17
Spirit of the Times Magazine and that the general public, those who do not have the cash to pay, and who have not contributed massively to the over whelming cause of carbon emissions, will bear the brunt of the cost. Polluting industries, as feared, will get off lightly enough for the price on pollution rhetoric to be rendered devoid of any rational meaning. The result is clear: money is going to be moved around the table in a somewhat circular manner, while polluting behavior is not directly affected. Part of the Labour Partys carbonreduction scheme involves the closure of 2000MWe of coal-fired power stations to be replaced by clean energy by 2020. However, it was not specified whether gas will be considered a clean method of producing energy for the purposes of this scheme. Neither was it clarified whether gasfired power plants will be treated as a transitional necessity, or hybridized into gas/solar power plants, hybrid being a politically appealing buzz-word that does nothing to confirm the extent to which renewable forms of energy will actually be utilized. When questions from the audience were directed toward obtaining clear answers regarding plans to extract gas in nearby localities no such clarity was provided. Revelations reached unexpected heights during the Q&A when a disgruntled audience member determined to be heard (theres always one at these events!), in Page 18
the heat of a passionate exchange, managed to elicit a damning response regarding the Labour
Governments true agenda. The audience member, who had worked in the coal mines all his life, and whose father had lived, worked, and died in the mines, expressed his outrage at the proposed slashing of an industry that is, and has long been, propping up livelihoods nationwide. His outrage was soothed, however, by insistence from Minister Combet that the coal industry is not going to suffer under the proposed carbon tax as all necessary measures to keep the industry afloat will be taken. What this informs us of the governments plan regarding the carbon tax is that it has little to do with directly affecting emissions levels if it did then the coal industry would be condemned. Instead it is apparent that business affairs take precedence over actual emissions-reduction plans, which are, as of yet, unspecified. One thing that was made clear during a number of exchanges was that the Labour Party have, at present, no plans to go beyond the carbon tax toward a carbon-free future. Talk of an official target for renewable energy hovered around the 5% mark, paying lip service to emissions-reduction with no genuine consideration of the zero The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
2011 September Issue emissions future that is the key to stalling the devastating effects of climate change. This is a revealing position for the man with the role of Minister for Climate C h a n g e and Energy E f f i c i e n c y. Questions from Petra Liverani of Beyond Zero Emissions, and Lindsay Soutar of 100% Renewable regarding why the government see fit to stop at such low levels in the transition to renewable energy were greeted with nothing better than contempt for their ambition, and insistence that aiming low is the only way to achieve anything. Indicated in this is an agenda based on stalling true progress in emissions-reduction. Matthew Wright, executive director of Beyond Zero Emissions made the following pertinent point in a recent interview with ABC Radio National: If you are standing out the front of a coal plant today advocating for gas and then you find yourself in ten years standing outside the power plant you just advocated to get installed that would be a pretty embarrassing situation for any campaigner. One is left wondering whether the governments plans regarding climate change will ever even reach half-measures.
Hydraulic fracturing: government sponsored ecological terrorism

Andrew Cooper (SA) used in the extraction of shale gas, with similar environmental implications. Until the development of the hydraulic fracturing technique both CSG and shale gas were not financially viable sources of energy due to the costs of pre-existing extraction methods. Beach Petroleum commenced exploratory drilling for shale gas in the Cooper Basin as of February 2011.
It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on not understanding it.
Upton Sinclai0r
South Australians are taught from the earliest point in their education that they live in the driest state on the driest continent. Yet politicians are caught squabbling like children over the Murray/Darling water, and South Australians are now paying for a political stunt called a de-sal plant that is over budget, badly designed, badly and wastefully managed and will quite probably do more harm to the gulf waters than it is worth. The preservation of our most valuable resource, water, is not treated as a political priority, yet without it we obviously do not drink, neither do we eat.
Now we are facing a new threat to our water systems - the gas extraction process, hydraulic fracturing, fondly known as fracking. Estimates from the National Water Commission are that coal seam gas extraction will take 300 billion litres of drinkable water from the Great Artesian Basin annually. The fracking process is already being extensively used in NSW and QLD and involves using high pressure to blast a mixture of water, sand and a trade secret cocktail of chemicals down wells to fracture the rocks and open cracks present in the coal seam, releasing the sought-after gas in the process. This process is also As not all of the gas is collectable
at the well head, a proportion of it simply runs along the fractures, and has been shown to enter the water table. Cases have been documented in which people It must be pointed out here that turn on their stock bore and are although most companies are able to set it alight. Disturbing calling this natural gas, which it instances of the gas bubbling up is, it is not to be confused with through groundwater have also the natural gas running our water been observed. It is not known heater at home. It is, in fact, how much is leaking into the Methane, or coal gas, a highly atmosphere through the soil or at volatile, asphyxiant, colorless and the well head. odorless gas, that when leached into the atmosphere is claimed The mining companies, under the to have twenty times the adverse protection of the trade secrets effects of carbon dioxide. banner, refuse to disclose all chemicals used in the fracking Problems with hydraulic fracturing process. However, samples stolen A great deal of independent by brave activists from waste research has been conducted dams have been analysed, and worldwide into the adverse effects the chemicals found included of fracking, with findings alarming carcinogens and a bevy of toxic enough for any government to call substances, none of which have for a moratorium until the safety approval for use in Australia in of the process is determined the mining industry. Chemical one way or the other. However, lists provided by the mining such research, although well- companies showed that, of documented, is not accepted twenty-three known chemicals by proponents of the fracking used in fracturing fluids in process, who allow nothing to Australia, the National Chemical stand in the way of their pursuit of Notification and Assessment profit. Some countries, however, Scheme (NICNAS) has assessed only two for safety. have called for investigation. Of the water/chemical mix Page 19
Spirit of the Times Magazine pumped down the extraction wells, sixty percent is recovered. The rest stays in the ground. The recovered water is usually pumped into huge waste-water dams and left to evaporate or to leach back into the earth and water table, posing grave environmental problems. Queensland regulators have identified that in one CSG operation approximately 18,500 kg of additives were used in each well during the fracturing process. With 60% recovered this leaves 7,500 kg of the fluids remaining in the seams as a potential groundwater contaminant. To add to these figures, the National Toxics Network claims that due to the scale of the proposed operations as many as 20,000 to 40,000 wells could be drilled in Queenslands Surat and Bowen Basins in the next twenty years alone. With 40% of the used fluids potentially leaching into groundwater, the terrifying risk is easily calculated.
methane and coal, and has been shown to contaminate the water table and groundwater. Imagine this country with a poisoned Darling River system flowing into the Murray, and a poisoned, depleted, Great Artesian Basin.
2011 September Issue Onshore Act 1991, companies have the right to explore on private land, and landholders cannot stop the holders of a mining lease drilling on their land. Should the landholder lock the gate the mining company can effectively sue them for refusing access, and under current legislation, they will win.
The politics of pollution

D u r i n g question times Spring sitting, when asked about regulation in the coal seam gas industry PM Julia Gillard replied that any regulation of the industry was up to the states, as it is with all mining, and then went on to remind parliament that the industry was going to be worth billions of dollars to both the federal and state governments. This handballing of responsibility allows the government to appear as good managers with a budget showing a surplus, while the states settle for the relatively easy compromise of selling out rather than imposing unwanted regulations on the highly persuasive mining companies. When all is revealed it is not the federal government that will take the flack. In an August 2011 article in the Adelaide Advertiser Santos managing director, David Knox, in announcing a 12% increase in mid-year underlying net profit to $236 million, claimed, with
Should this happen the reversal will take hundreds of years. Then take into account the massive resultant loss of valuable agricultural land.
When found under prime agricultural land no thought is given by either the mining companies or the State or Federal Governments to the consequences of the destruction of this land as far as future farming is concerned. Properties in Queensland have been shown to now be unusable It has been shown worldwide that for agriculture, and, in fact, now the cocktail of water and chemicals unsalable. In some instances left in the ground becomes more access roads built on private potent after mixing with the land by mining companies are off limits to even the landholder. State law is skewed in favor of such companies. The Queensland Mineral Resources Act 1989 states, All minerals.... on or below the surface of land in Queensland.... are the property of the Crown. In NSW once an exploration license is approved under the Petroleum Page 20 The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
Spirit of the Times Magazine regard to hydraulic fracturing that unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation in the public debate - most due to a lack of understanding, but some being deliberately pushed by people who will never support the resources industry. Santos, according to Knox, would not allow methane gas to escape because that was the product it sold. When asked about independent scientific opinion, Mr. Knox said Santos engaged universities and the CSIRO to comprehensively research the aquifers in question, claiming that we are going to be transparent about this. Funding for the research has not, however, been made transparent, raising the perennial question of whether it can be relied upon to be free from corporate bias. It seems that our environmental
future is being sold to the mining industry, which, incidentally, according to recent Green party research is over 80% offshore owned, rendering the arguments regarding Australian economic benefit misleading at best. The federal government has signed contracts with South Korea and several other Asian countries to supply methane in great quantities; non-compliance over quantities supplied or delivery times costs dearly in the form of compensation. Not only is the environment at risk from unregulated corporate practice, but the government, while shirking the duty of regulation, actually appear to be enmeshed in the whole deal.
So what should be done?

Action needs to be taken to stop the flow of fracking before our environment suffers further irreversible damage for the sake of corporate profits and politically appealing rhetoric. If the case presented seems overly dramatic you are invited to check the sources for yourself: watch Gasland the movie, visit Lock the Gate website, research the archives of Sixty Minutes with Liz Hayes and Four Corners with Kerry OBrien on the subject, visit the National Toxics Network, or just google hydraulic fracturing and make up your own mind. In closing I offer you the words of a famous un-named Cree Indian uttered some 100 years ago:
Greg Molineux (NSW)
The first thing to understand about a two party political system in Australia is that it is simply a competing of brands that are attempting to create an image within the same context; in other words public politics has degenerated to the level of pure marketing. In Australia politicians provide the face The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
of the government while having a minimal effect on its functioning, which is essentially performed by the public service. It is this superficial brand image that has become so dangerous as actual political players are able to remain hidden from public view. The political debate surrounding the Carbon tax is a prime example of a political masquerade in action. One only needs to stop and think about this for a few moments to reason that polluters will just increase the amount they Page 21
Spirit of the Times Magazine charge for their services and pass the added cost down the line with a markup for additional profits, while continuing the burning of fossil fuels on a business as usual basis. The ALP markets itself as in there for the little guys by giving a few concessions to households within a certain income bracket while the Liberal party panders to vested business interests and markets itself to the ignorant within society, utilizing weapons of mass distraction in a war against boat people and other nonsense. Despite this often loud and vacuous drama being played out through a compliant media the reality remains that nothing has really been achieved except the appearance of something being done. This suits the interests of the political parties who follow their scores in the latest Neilson poll; however at some point reality is going to intrude and real world consequences are going to ensue. Despite all of this window dressing, the actual political players, by this I mean those who have a vested personal interest in the outcomes, remain hidden and avoid responsibility for their actions. One of the first tasks for the Movement should be to identify individuals with vested interests as political players in order for accountability to be reinserted back into the system. This can be done simply by following the money to the source. Of paramount importance in any political debate is the framing of an argument. This is analogous in importance to choosing the ground on which you engage your enemy; and make no mistake, Page 22
those standing in the way of zero emissions are our enemy. From a futurist perspective it is obvious that fossil fuels are much too valuable to burn without even
2011 September Issue energy should expect to come under attack from the mining and energy sectors. Perhaps one way that one could ensure the rapid cessation of burning could entail the stockpiling of oil in much the same way that other valuable resources are stockpiled, or, perhaps better, the use of new information technology to monitor corporations and individuals in opposition to the zero emissions agenda. The most important overall political and media strategy for the Movement should be to ensure that we keep hold of the initiative and do not allow others with vested interests to sidetrack and frame the argument for the purpose of derailing the momentum of change. This is going to mean that in order to combat resistance to transition a united front must be maintained. The danger with this approach is to allow for the inclusion of new ideas that may be valuable yet dangerous for
considering the environmental damage that burning them causes. We know that oil is the product of biological material held under great amounts of compression for millions of years. The political problem appears to be centered around those who are after quick profits on the fire sale of oil or the continued extraction of minerals from the
earth. These short-sighted aims the unity of the movement. It is are often facilitated by unrelated going to be, at times, a difficult political deal-making, and are at balancing act. the heart of political stumbling blocks to zero emissions; as such, activists directing their energy toward attaining sustainable The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter
Does going green = going broke?

increase within ten years and a recommended tenfold dietary increase for westerners, not to mention the increasing vegetarian market, a business acquiring a As the western world gains access cheap sterile growing medium to green solutions demand and can undercut its competitors scarcity increase. with no sacrifice in The result? These quality. The coffee products are often grinds provide a presold at a premium. sterilized growing So the question is medium, reducing asked, Why is whats energy requirements good for you more by 80%. The grinds expensive? One also promote Belgian businessman rapid growth and believes that the development of solution is actually amino acids making blue. for a more nutritious mushroom, and naturally, the Gunter Pauli defines sustainability unused mushrooms become as the capacity to respond to premium animal feed. the needs of all with what we already have. Two things hit a Another eye-opening project from chord when I saw Gunter present the Blue Economy is Maggots, his Blue Economy: his projects Natures Nurses. directly engage and benefit the Yes, its maggot very poorest people of the world, farming! The and the projects are actually in vomit from the action. maggots contains enzymes which, In 1991, Mr Pauli, who was by once extracted, this point already a successful are used by the businessman (championing the UK company bio-detergent industry) and Advanced Gel member of the Club of Rome, Te c h n o l o g i e s , founded the Zero Emissions to provide a wound healing Research Initiative. The Initiative treatment that works five times is for a global network of creative faster than traditional antibiotics entrepreneurs to take on science- - closing severe wounds in just based ideas and adapt them to 14 days. Currently the treatment sustainable solutions, and actually costs between $2,000 and $30,000. implement them. Once again the Blue Economy has recognized an opportunity to 10 years 100 innovations create abundance; each year the 100 million jobs 0 emissions. average European is responsible The strategy the Blue Economy for 150kgs of wasted meat - thats seems to employ is the refusal 60 million tons just in Europe to recognize by-products as and an estimated 200 million waste. Gunter demonstrates this for the world. In Benin, Africa, principle with his coffee project Godfrey Nzamujo runs a fly hotel, named Coffee: Pulp to Protein. where he keeps his flies safe from When a cup of coffee is brewed birds and well fed on discarded only 0.2% of coffee beans end up in carcasses. In this way he can the cup (the fraction that actually produce one ton of maggots per dissolves in the water). That makes week. To harvest the essential for an expensive cup of coffee enzymes from the maggots he when you take away the water. submerges them in saltwater, However, if that 99.7% waste were which induces the vomiting; the used for growing mushrooms still live maggots become prized for an industry demanding more fish and quail food. The maggots than $17billion worth of fungi per are very high in protein and as a year, with an estimated threefold Chris Wilkins (NSW) The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter result the quails eggs fetch even higher prices in Europe. So how does this relate to the Zeitgeist Movement? The Blue Economy demonstrates that we live in a time of huge wastefulness, and, as a result, huge potential. In monetary terms, the coffee example could generate an even better return on investment than Microsoft did. In employment terms, the maggot farming could generate 500,000 jobs worldwide. And these are just the first two examples from the list of 52. So, for politicians and apologists alike to justify envirocide as protecting Australian jobs or, with the politically attractive, yet empty catchphrase the health of the economy, its clear theyre missing a lucrative link in the cycle. We need look no further than our own by-products as valuable resources. Naturally, these byproducts havent touched any corporate hands and, as such, cost very little to use. Could this be a reason they are not being promoted, utilized, or developed? Could freedom from wage slavery actually be found in the rubbish bin, or in the toilet? Neither of the above examples are inventions; they are innovations using smarter versions of existing technology. Corporate media would have you believe that this type of entrepreneurship is just for the scientists, and you should go back to consuming as much as you can and working as hard as you need to keep up with your neighbours consumption-based social status. Its time to recognize the possibilities and rationalize our consciousness. THEYRE FARMING MAGGOTS IN THE THIRD WORLD FOR GOODNESS SAKE!
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Documentary film review: Gasland

propaganda and get to the bare bones of the issue, and dares to point the finger of blame, to name and shame. Natural gas is touted by its proponents as being a cleanburning fossil fuel one that doesnt emit CO2, and is therefore safer for our environment than coal. However, upon discovery that Dick Cheneys 2005 energy bill exempts the oil and gas industries from both the clean water act, and the clean air act, among many others, Fox embarks upon an investigation into When Josh Fox finds out hes living Americas fuel of the future, which on top of the Saudi Arabia of is vigorously pursued by none other natural gas, and that a natural gas than Cheneys own Halliburton, company wants to offer him $4750 the company responsible for the per acre to lease his 19.5 acres of development of the hydraulic land, potentially leaving him nearly fracturing process of natural gas $100,000 better off without having extraction. to get up off his couch, he goes on a mission to discover what the catch Details are researched in fine is, if any, in making natural gas the detail and issues reported to the American energy of the future. lay person in plain terms that require little processing in order Gasland, a documentary film to comprehend their magnitude. produced in 2010 by Josh Fox, Hydraulic fracturing, fondly launches the viewer into a detective-style adventure to uncover the truth about the business known as fracking. Fox sets out, with his banjo and gas mask in tow, on an unconventional road-trip, taking him all over Americas gasland, and through some of the most spectacular scenery the country has to offer, in search of answers. What he discovers is a shocking web of deceit secrets, lies, and dangerous levels of contamination. Well-water bubbles and fizzes, causes headaches and stomach upsets, referred to by its proponents and and can even be set on fire, direct critics alike as fracking, involves from the tap! None of this used to blasting a mixture of water and happen before the days of fracking, more than 500 different chemicals and these are the lesser complaints. deep into the ground, creating a When gas company representatives mini-earthquake which releases are invited to sample the water they the gas from the earth. Millions of claim is so safe and healthy they gallons of water are used each time decline. Official investigation is a well is fracked, which can be up to dormant at best. 18 times. This, when all US-based wells are accounted for, amounts to Gasland is not afraid to strip away approximately 450 trillion gallons the veneer of energy-demand of water all infused with a deadly Page 24 The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter Kari McGregor (SA) mix of toxins; all in need of safe disposal. The safety of this disposal is questionable. Dumping of such waste is a standard externality of such business. And Fox hastens to remind the viewer that it doesnt end there. Hundreds of thousands more wells have been proposed. Fox kisses goodbye to the prospect of $100,000 for the lease of his land. Others have already leased theirs, unaware of the consequences. Publicly owned land has also been leased, on request from Cheney, to the tune of monetary gain and to the detriment of environmental and human health. Side-effects of the lucrative-for-some gas extraction listed in the film include contaminated groundwater, air pollution, and acid rain, and it is even revealed that in some areas emissions from extraction are at higher levels than those produced by all transport; a far cry from the touted benefit of natural gas being emissions-free. The journey Fox takes the viewer on with Gasland is a sobering one in which one is left with the revelation that a future economy based on the Saudi Arabia of natural gas is a bleak one for all but the companies who stand to make financial gains. It is amidst such desperation that the best of humanitys fighting spirit is depicted alongside a tireless search for the truth whose message must be relayed to the world. The question left at the end is this: is it too late to turn the tide against fracking, or will sustainability and reason prevail?
*For more information on Gasland, and on the issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing visit the official website. The documentary can be viewed for free from a number of online sources.
http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/ http: //w w w. v i d e owe e d. es/ f i l e / y9nb9pcqni44m

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Issue #1 September 2011

Spirit of the Times

Climate change, renewable energy and the urgency of transition.

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

A warm welcome from the TZM team

11. Beyond Zero Emissions Advocacy Project

14. The Energy Transition

Analysis 17. A price on pollution reading beyond the rhetoric

19. Hydraulic fracturing: government sponsored ecological terrorism

Comment 21. Carbon tax a weapon of mass distraction?

23. Does going green = going broke?

Review 24. Documentary film review: Gasland

The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

News from TZM around the globe

The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter

Spirit of the Times Magazine

TZM Australia - Nationwide

2011 September Issue

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

Kari McGregor (SA)

chose to investigate further.

Science, not propaganda

The urgency of transition to zero

No compromise zero or nothing

The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter

Solar success stories

2011 September Issue

So what remains to be done?

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

Beyond Zero Emissions Advocacy Project

Solar Concentrator Array

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

Option 2: If carbon tax is implemented, then cancelled

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

How did the Easy Green default choice affect things?

Where to from here?

The Energy Transition

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter

So where to from here?

The New Transport

The sun doesnt always shine:

A price on pollution reading beyond the rhetoric

2011 September Issue

Spirit of the Times Magazine

2011 September Issue

Hydraulic fracturing: government sponsored ecological terrorism

The Zeitgeist Movement Australian Chapter

The politics of pollution

2011 September Issue

So what should be done?

Greg Molineux (NSW)

Spirit of the Times Magazine