Lorne Conference

8/3/2019 Lorne Conference

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Policy to Legacy

m = ce

2

State Planning Conference

99% perspiration


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Thesis Solving environmental problems

requires systemic change.

Influencing change is possible, but

only through addressing individualdesires, fears and values.

Its not impossible without a multidimensional approach.

Effective policy is critical.


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Road map

Some theories on change and where

we are.

The worm adventure 99% perspiration.

The policy gaps.


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Alone on this small

blue dot

The Super Species Suzuki We are the only specie that can change ecosystems

BUT: we have the rainbow legacy Awareness

WITH huge issues Ignorance of consequence and ecosystems The big bang

The finite resource

Giving up something today for others tomorrow


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So why dont we just do it?

Its Newtons fault.


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Barriers

Institutional Mass

Attitudinal

Fear of Failure Being wrong

Being right too early

Fear of loss


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Complex systems

Organisation

Material

Temporal relationships Time

Space

Mass

Chaos


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Can the mouse move the

elephant?


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Change happens

We are in the E revolution?

Precursors: Technical

Commercial

Legal

Something for everyone

Hype

SEX appealSEX appealSEX appealSEX appealSEX appealSEX appeal


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Why do we buy in?

Satisfies Desire Removes our Fears

Fits with our values

BUT

Economists and policy makers

assume linear behaviour in theallocation of resources.


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BUT there is a fundamental law:

Inverse Square Law of Desire

d = u/t2

= power of now

We value something more today than having the same thing tomorro


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Environmental consequences

are not immediate.

Giving up now to preserve for thefuture has low desire value.


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Policy

Leadership?

A bird in the hand

is safer than one

near a Bush.Drill

DrillDrill!


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We need a quantum worm hole to

travel forward in time so we comeback with certainty.


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The Worms Turn?


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VermitechAustralian Environmental

Innovation


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Problem 1: Organic Waste

sewage - biosolids

manure

organic industrial waste

MSW: putrescent garbage paper, cardboard

green waste

I h l d f 7 d


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In the west - a load of . every 7 seconds.

12,500 trucks daily = end to end 125 k long

MSW

27%

Food

4%Livestock

64%

n ustry

2%

Biosolids

3%

Organic Waste Distribution by Type for the EU

US Animal Manureproduction exceeds 1

billion tonne/year

Biosolids

mtpy

Aus: 2.5

UK: 6

USA: 20

EU: 17Asia: ?


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Problem 2: Dying SoilsDisappearing Productive Lands

The Gardens of Babylon

The Indus and EuphratesValleys

The Cedars of Lebanon

Northern Africa

China

Murray Darling

over farming

de-forestation

over use of chemicalfertilisers

Harvesting the life out of the earth


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Exponential Trend

Increasing concentration of population

Increasing concentration of waste production

Decreasing availability of low cost

environmentally sustainable disposal routes

GreenhouseGlobal Warming

SalinisationFamine

Flood


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where there is a problem there

is an opportunity.

theres money in muck!


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Worms have been around since

the days of the dinosaurs!

Falling dinosaur dung was a major work hazard

Courtesy A Worms Eye View The History of the World

D i L t 10 Y


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Whos

lowly?

Darwins Last 10 Yearswas spent studying the worm

It may be doubted whether

there are many other animals

which have played so important

a part in the history of the

world as have these lowly

organised creatures.Charles Darwin 1881


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The Challenge

barriers to the obvious


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The Challenges

The Process Side Entomology

Microbiology

Biochemistry

Multiple engineering disciplines

The End Product Side Soil biodiversity

Plant pathology

Agronomy

Political and Social Science Systemic change

Cultural acceptance


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Non Technical Systemic Barrier

Legislative structures laws & lore

Established alternatives

Institutional Risk Aversion Odour, complaints

Pathogens, Heavy Metals illness

System Failure cost No need for courage safety

Money

Th M lti A d Wi i S t


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The Multi Award Winning Syste

at Redland Queensland.

V-tech 1 design 20,000 wet tpy (4,000 dts)

open to weather

occupies 1.6 hectares

Located in: koala habitat

catchment for Moreton Bay

within 200 metres of residents

Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Science

Yellow Pages Award

BHP Steel Award

Highly Commended Prime Ministers AwardFinalist Banksia Award


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Our Results

Negative footprint


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Environmental Impact

No process pollution no offensive odour

no leachate

low energy input (< 2 litres of diesel)

negligible green house emissions

Value added end product restoration of degraded soils

increase in crop yields and quality decrease in use of chemical fertilisers

Potential high revenue stream

Reduced metal impact through low application rate

Quantitative Research Results


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Quantitative Research Resultsby DPI, CSIRO, BSES & Growers

Crop EffectGrapes 20 - 50% yield increases

increase in Baumeincrease in quality

Carrots 24% net yield increase - >$2,400/haSugar Cane 23 - 52% yield increase

Cherries 20% yield increase

Cotton 15 - 20% yield increaseBroccoli reduced crop disease + yield increase

Rehabilitation mine site trials

Zucchini 100% increase


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Social Impact

Preservation of farming communities 50% reduction in truck movements through

local communities

Solution for local Green Waste disposal

Compliance with global EPA futuredirections

Template for community education onrecycling

Media and community support


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How did we do it?

Massively parallel activity Corporate culture

Financial investment Adventure capitalism

Technical excellence

Creation of apparent mass QA systems

Demonstrationsproof of concept at scale Proactive engagement of constituents

Media


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Education by demonstration

Politicians

Local Councils & Authorities

Regulators (EPA, Health, Agriculture, Treasury)

Local Environment Groups

Neighbours Schools

Sydney December 2001


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For The Next Generation

Hey Sweetpea!

Do you think

they get it?

Courtesy of The Adventures of Sweetpea

Sydney December 2001

Tehran May 2001


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How will we leave the planet

for our children?

What will they see?

Tehran May 2001


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Our Legacy

Capture of the organic resource with

reduced process impact

Reduction in use of agriculturalchemicals

Imitators to accelerate adoption

Sustainable villages


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Industry is inevitable

make it the best it can be


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3 Critical Policy Gaps

1. Valuing externalities?

I can not charge for the environmentalbenefit I deliver as my customer is notpaid for being green.

The benefit mostly accrues to the public


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The lack of nexus

The public want it but will they pay?

No method for net present value

calculation ofenvironmentalexternalities in buying decisions ofgovernments and companies.

No balance sheet items for intangibleenvironmental goods and services.


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Need

Practical valuation tool particularly forlocal government purchasing

Legal system recognition of values and

costs Reallocation of benefits through tax and

tax credits

Market trading in credits

Financial market in greener companies


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2. Cross discipline training! Technologists

Engineers, scientists

Enablers

Economists Valuation models

Real & green

Entrepreneurs Follow the money

Lawyers Regulations

Commercial agreements Marketers

Make it sexy

Make it desirableNOW!

Teachers

For the next generations

Politicians will follow

And the public will

create the market

3 Encourage public adoption of


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3. Encourage public adoption of

innovative technical and regulatory

solutions by: removing fear of failure

providing $ incentives to pilot

= demonstration site for innovative

technologies, rules and regulations


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g

The commitment

of private and

public capital is

fundamental.


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dont frighten the elephant

seduce it


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If you can dream it,

Its possible!

m=ce2

Lorne Conference

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