Subject: Energy Autonomy - The Code of Survival

This contribution is in reference to recently published eye-opening articles by Mary Ann Koops and Ramon de Leon in “Bonaire Reporter” in July and August 2008 about energy and sanitation.

Without limited fossil energy nothing is moving, nothing will be possible to do on the island, you know. Alternatives to fossil energy are not seriously started up to now on the island. One lonely wind generator is more a symbol of ignorance about upcoming inevitable huge changes.

Or in other words, there will be in the lifetime of our children inevitable not enough fossil energies available to run existing high energy consuming installations at all, like desalination plant and future centralised vacuum sewer system/sewage plant on Bonaire. Many people do not care about this possible future of their children and grandchildren and do self-deception by saying that they are too small and helpless to do anything.

I do not mean it fatalistic, do not misunderstand! The unacceptable past sanitation situation as it is up to now and as it maybe only a bit a better after 2013 will be inevitable drastically changed anyway, as there will be only drinking water available for drinking purpose only. A live style as it is up to now, will be in this not so fare future impossible, as structural changes on energy and water production and use been not started early enough by now. Later when it becomes dramatic, it will be dramatic to in USA, Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe and no financial resources will be leftover (because they been wasted on the island in the past on outdated approaches) for a little island to keep a similar self-destructive live style.

When we talk about sustainable or at least a better sanitation we might not limit it only to sanitation and coral and environment/protection. It is important to understand and describe the whole picture of the urgency needed and inevitable paradigm shift to.

May you consider, it is not anymore about black or white or conservative – liberal – green – left or right political categories/approaches…

Do the local politician, parties and STINAPA leaders have a clue about the inevitable issues involved?

If you find some time, may you listen to some video-speeches of Mr. Hermann SCHEER, a German MP (Alternative Nobel Prize (Right Livelihood Award, 1999), and the TIME Magazine recognised him in 2002 as one of five “Heroes for the Green Century.”)
http://is.gd/3x4V ; e.g. MIT Clean Tech Lecture (1 ½ hours)

Some positive news:
- International Movie Project: http://www.energyautonomy.org/en.html
trailer: http://is.gd/3xHv
- Creating an International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), upcoming events:
The goal is now within reach: At the upcoming Final Preparatory Conference on the 23rd and the 24th of October 2008, in Madrid (Spain) the statutes (treaty) of IRENA will be finalised by the participating countries.
The final stage in the foundation process - the Founding Conference – is scheduled for the 26th and the 27th of January 2009, in Bonn (Germany). At the Founding Conference, the statutes (treaty) will be signed and IRENA will be established. Considering the magnitude and urgency of the tasks IRENA faces, many states agreed that the agency commences operating and establishing effective working structures right after its foundation.

I hope my German-English was a bit understandable and not mixed you up too much? I guess the more polished German-English of mentioned MP is more understandable ;-) and will give lights to inevitable paradigm shift to.

Regards,

Detlef SCHWAGER
(Member of WCRE, www.wcre.org; www.irena.org)

send to: ecosanres@yahoogroups.com, forwarded by Detlef from ecosanres-forum to BT, on Sun, 5/10/08:

Peter Dahm <addicom@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear All,

I have scoured through yearly reports of the South African institutions as ESKOM (Power generation), Rand Water Board (supply of potable water), Johannesburg Water (municipal distribution) and numerous web sites to find out how much energy (and indirectly carbon footprint) is used to handle a mega litre [Ml] of water from the point it is picked up from nature until it is discarded into the latter again.

The figure is mind boggling see my web page http://www.addicom.co.za/Water_is_Energy.html.
In my case the figure mentioned is for a 1/4 Ml.

The calculated figure is relatively rough, as the values change with every different location.
The topography (level differences and length of pipework) the way electricity is generated (nuclear, combustion, renewable) and the efficiency (plant maintenance and transmission) have a great impact on the result.

What I want to express with the above is that rigorously saving water, in all conceivable forms (from closing the dripping tap to changing the nutritional and lifestyle habits), will shift the "dooms day" prognosis into a far future.

Regards,

Peter
Johannesburg

Good day, Detlef,

Your memo is right on point and could not be said any better or in a more comprehensible manner than you have done.

I hope the people who make the "decisions" on island are listening and watching. I hope the Dutch officials are keeping an eye on this topic and realize the urgency of addressing these issues now....and not "later" after it is too late.

Thank you, again, for taking the time to education and enlighten all of us and, hopefully, enlighten those who hold Bonaire's future in their hands, too. Carole

Dear All,

If I scared people by another "dooms day" prognosis, sorry it was not my intention.

My honest intention was to make/clear people understand it does not need any mandates by their employers or government to look after them self and their family future more carefully.

But this is not changing the fact, that nature will continue to go on and on even without all of us and without use of fossil energy.

Sometimes facing the reality is not a happy exercise.

Regards,
Detlef

Understood.