Engineers have a critical role to play in the management of our Coastal Zones for projected climate change scenarios. Here are some search results at google for coastal zone management and Climate Change . Here are some bluecray environmental search engine results for the same. You can find the CSIRO and BOM CLIMATE SNAPSHOT (15th March 2010) at these search results HERE .
The above photo is of PK, looking out from the Hinterland, over the Gold Coast, SE QLD, Australia
The creation of an environment that is both sustainable for our Childrens’ Future and yet high in life quality is often deemed to be the domain of Engineers, Scientists & Politicians. And, these days, Science, Politics and Engineering appear to be intrinsically linked.
Coastal Development & Sea Levels – some Australian Links:-
- National Sea Change Taskforce: Link to – Conference at Byron Bay 2-3 March 2010 “The program will focus on the complex issues currently facing coastal LGAs including sea level rise, the legal implications of climate change and ageing populations………Byron Bay has been selected to host the event because of its relevance in terms of coastal hazards, development pressures and issues associated with climate change impacts”
- The 18th NSW Coastal Conference 2009 – 3rd-6th November 2009 to be held at Ballina, Mt Warning (Wollumbin) Caldera Region, NE NSW. The Theme is “Staying Afloat – Rising to the Challenges”. The Conference involve government sectors, planners, consultants, engineers, community and user groups & will present awards for outstanding achievement in coastal zone management activities. ABC North Coast News has nice updates for local info, including this Coastal Conference.
- Planned retreat, climate change & biodiversity – Byron Bay :- this is a workshop by the EDO Northern Rivers on 3rd December 2009
- Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
- the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009
- National Sea Change Taskforce : “national body to represent the interests of coastal councils and communities experiencing the effects of rapid growth and development” – includes Conference, Committee, Publications & links to the Federal Parliamentary Coastal Inquiry (report released 26th October 2009)
- EDO NSW (Environmental Defender’s Office) has the following publications available:- Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in Australia: a legal and scientific analysis & Climate change and the legal framework for biodiversity protection in NSW: a legal and scientific analysis
- Draft Queensland Coastal Plan : at Queensland Department of Environment & Resource Management . Submissions due by 30th November 2009.
This is a photo for environmental advocacy : showing how coastal development and infrastructure is still going ahead, near the beachfront, at Byron Bay. The houses on the beach side of the photo have already lost their dune frontage to the encroaching sea, and the Council and Landcare are spraying the vegetation (albeit Bitou Bush!) with herbicide, for future regeneration, thus facilitating more habitat destruction in the name of healing.
- “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine
The TWEED COAST is also experiencing engineered non sustainable development:-
Maps for the Tweed Coast Area near Casuarina, Kings Forest, Cudgen, Cudgen Creek , Wooyung – in fact much of the coastal area of the Tweed Shire!
Meanwhile, at Kingscliff,NE NSW:- large developments (that will further fragment our native wildlife habitats) are planned nearby (Kings Forest, Cobaki Lakes ) and the sea is moving inwards – “Hungry Mother Nature bares her teeth” - infrastructure damage at Kingscliff on the NSW North Coast - by coastal erosion (2010): SMH article by Saffron Howden
Kingscliff battles beach erosion (story 11th august 2010):- at ABC local + other local beach coastal erosion stories from NE NSW (Tweed and Byron shires)
Here are some more google search results for NEWS about Coastal Zone Management and Climate Change - remembering that much of Australia’s Population is centred on or about our Coastline. And now, back to
ENGINEERS…..
Engineers! Do you think that the word comes from building engines? oops… wrong.
the etymology of the word engineer has the word coming from…………………go ahead, guess first, then look and see if you were close!
Definitions and etymology of the word “ENGINEER”
- Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
- The Free Dictionary online dictionary
- engineering at wikipedia
- engineering etymology at spiritus-temporus.com
- etymology of engineer at the online etymology dictionary
Article at Sydney Morning Herald about the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia’s ideas to abolish councils, make drivers pay and transform public transport subsidies (October 23rd 2009 – SMH Paul Bibby, Urban Affairs)
Photo of Engineering the Hinze Dam Catchment for the SE QLD Water Grid – or, as I like to call it “Stream Stealing“ 2009**(see below)
google search results for Association of Consulting Engineers Australia .
e - earth
n – noise
g – grandeur
i – illogical
n- non-sustainable
e – every day
e – easy
r – repeating
s – stuff
Now, thanks to the world engineers, and the ancestral contribution of engineers long gone, we have fantastic and celebrated networks of “stuff” all over the world.
Stuff that is slowly making our world a sick place.
- Petro chemical bi-products that do god knows what to our ecosystems and food chain, when combined in their ever increasing lethal dose combinations.
- Climate change, monoculture to the n’th degree, genetic engineering that is making our planet dependent on food sources that have no true genetic source from adaption and selection processes but rather laboratory type “births” and “heritage”.
- This list is endless. Always behind the grand schemes in humanities slow slide into extinction, are engineers. Planning and engineers often go together.
Now, again, as I am sure bluecray has confronted some of your more intrinsic values, I do not want to target engineers, who are after all people like you and me, with some kind of “let’s get rid of the engineers” post.
Collage of Engineering & Biodiversity – Byron Bay Style (October 2009)
Far from it. why, My uncle was a well known, highly regarded engineer and I admired and respected him greatly. Some of my best friends are technical and computer engineers. I love to ride my motorcycle, which is itself an engineering wonder, along roadways engineered by many people. This ancient computer that I use here is an engineering wonder, as is the internet connection and associated satellite and electrical paraphenalia that is required to put my words onto the screen that you are currently watching and reading.
I have also met engineers who have transformed great stretches of waterways from past mistakes, by bringing in earth movers to recreate riffles and bends where once, engineers had created straight stretches of water flow, that needed constant upgrading and earthworks. It wasn’t until they came back, decades later and recreated the natural meanders and riffles, that the streams began to “breath” and work as a sustainable ecosystem.
The purpose of this article is just to get you thinking, like all other bluecray articles that I have written. And to help you make decisions to change the way you live, so that our Childrens’ future is brighter and happier.
Environmental Advocacy Collage : “Choices – Discernment-Integrity – Love“
Just a few thoughts that may help you get back to some more basic loving principles for improved life quality on the planet. And to help you to inspire others to do the same, by setting an example, slowing down your life, and trying to get some honest love back into your modern day engineered intellectual capacities.
People tend to hand over power readily to engineers. Their brilliance, their contraptions,the ease that their inventions appear to give our lives. Their ever increasing powerful technologies can eventually overwhelm us to thepoint where our simple life values of food, shelter, companionship, love, clothing etc become a massive encumberance that chains the whole planet down to doom.
And so, why target ENGINEERS?
Because everywhere I look these days, they appear to hold a much greater sway over the way things go in life, compared to the other necessary, more basic natural relationships in life.
“It’s All Upsidedown“
Earth moving equipment – a massive industry
Agricultural and Horticultural machinery and chemicals – a massive industry
Telecommunications – a massive industry
Mining - a massive industry
Medical technology – a massive industry
Genetics - a masssive industry
Transport – a massive industry
Building construction – a massive industry
Military and arms production – a massive industry
and lets not forget the movies, the music industry and entertainment industries in general…..
endless endless lists…..endless endless “stuff”
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Just how much stuff do we need to feed ourselves, clothe ourselves, protect ourselves and create a quality life?
Just how much stuff do we need to create out of toxic processes to prove to ourselves that our collective wisdom is still in the dark ages???
Modern thought, with its electric lights and enthusiastic middle men selling more and more products, is still in the dark ages.
- We misdirect our personal egos towards an ever increasing consumption whilst millions starve elsewhere.
- We are surrounded by climatic, geological, idealogical and industrial disasters. Habitat Clearing and toxic food chains are just the tip of the “iceberg”.
- Do you care to take some personal responsibility for this, and question your personal wisdom?
- Maybe you would prefer to shop, talk and justify your way out of it. If you get really good at this, you can enter politics!!
The engineers will help you. They are, as you read, designing new machines, building new war state of the art contraptions to fill our skies with. They are, as you read, creating new fangled better than the business oppositions’ blackberries, rasberries, tokenberries and genetically engineered betterberries for your healthy berries.
All of this stuff – you and I may benefit from, no doubt, in some way or another. All of this stuff will also, in some way or another, cause untold problems in yours and mine lives, and in the lives of others – all over the planet.
Engineers are largely responsible for the way in which cities have been formed all over the planet:-
- Great dams, irrigation pumping and now water grids that alter our water catchment flows;
- long pipes, roads and electronic networks that, in the end, never DID make our lives that much easier; but alot faster, more complex, more stressful, and more toxic.
- and now, make your own list…..for those in NSW, why not start at…
………………..well, Part 3A of the NSW Planning law?
Now of course, some of this science and grand engineering has its benefits – IF USED WISELY. Moderation is a wonderful word. Moderate use of many substances and technologies is a most amazing thing. However, to keep up with the “Jones’s” – our technologically savvy “neighbours” with their engineered enhanced lifestyles and ahead in the sands of modern enlightenment, we think we must go faster, harder, smarter, “cooler”.
It is this simple (!!) :- Moderation is a tricky quality to embrace. My Father was a master at it. He led by example. I am not so good at it. I tend to be a bit complex. Nature and nature’s needs in nature shift amazingly slow, complex though they are.. There are some “rushes” of activity depending on natural cycles, but in general, our needs in nature are the same as they were before we created, with the assistance of our engineers and their ideas, grand cities, buildings and infrastructures. Now, caught in the “City of Light”, we no longer see our shadow selves. Our egos, meanwhile, are still running rampant!
Collectively? We lack DISCERNMENT. We lack INTEGRITY. We lack GENEROSITY. We lack VISION. Collectively, I always felt that if enough people wanted war, then WAR we would have. If enough people wanted more than we can eat or carry on our backs, then that is how we would feast and travel. AND, engineers have just kept giving us answers to these requests.
“Wisdom in Engineering“
What about LOVE engineers? The philosophers, the musicians, the artists, the writers? The engineers that do amazing engineering works, but do it for humanity and have a holistic approach to their work. The little guy down the road who lives a simple life in his organic garden, sharing the food with others, and quietly planting out trees and shrubs for the native wildlife. OR, does he even really exist anymore? Well, yes he DOES! Mainly “he” is living below or just above the poverty level, and his quality of life is just fine, thank you!
Collectively, we are sliding back into a time of “the beast”. Ego driven want, un-enlightenment and hedonism all appear to be alive and well. And engineers have contributed to our false sense of securities and fantasy that it is ok to continue supporting clever regimes that lack transperancy, integrity, statesmanship and the vision of a loving future for our children.
And so, where do I stand in all of this, after displaying how I see this trend of sanitized, but in reality, toxic engineered insanity?
Like Fukuoka, I believe that the spirit holds the key. That engineering is in essence – like science- a wonderful thing, and has much use. But not ALL of it – just SOME of it. Discernment is not a luxury. It has now become a necessity. Good luck!!
Oh, and just one more thing – imagine a world without all this stuff – except some beautiful basics, with a moderate amount of engineered assistance? Like hand grown and hand crafted textiles, hand crafted buildings, hand crafted vehicles, hand crafted musical instruments, hand grown and prepared foods. Simplified energy use and requirements – add just a few engineers, with discernment, and LOTS of LOVEand everyone will be gainfully employed, sheltered, clothed and fed, and entertained. I know this sounds like I am oversimplifying things. Perhaps I am….And the world turns to a new day, and life is most likely, is as it is meant to be……
and, Collectively, we still haven’t found our way back to the GARDEN.
Now something else to look at:-
Dale Jamieson at google search
“A Companion to Environmental Philosophy” by Dale Jamieson ISBN 1557869103
Natural Sequence Farming : search results at bluecray ENVIRONMENT SEARCH
National Sustainability Initiatives at the Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts. This website page includes links to the related areas of :- EPBC Reporting, Indicators & Local Agenda 21, as well as to Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS .
The Ecologically Sustainable Development LINKS page includes (as at November 2009) :-
- Conferences and Events
- Sustainability Networks and Discussion Groups
- State Government Sites
- Australian Government Environment Sites
- Local Government Sites
- Non-Government Organisations
Coastal Design Guidelines for NSW (from 2003 ): at NSW Department of Planning (Coastal Protection).
The Sea Level Rise Policy Statement by the NSW Government 2009 & and Draft Policy information- :
- The NSW Department of Planning worked with the Department of Environment Climate Change to finalise the draft statement (21st February – 3rd April were submission times).
- Sea level Rise Policy Statement by NSW Government (late October 2009), and
- the Draft Coast and Flood Risk Assessment Guidelines – that are now open for submissions at the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (Urban & Coastal Water Reform Branch). Closing date for comments are December 11th 2009
** Regarding my term “stream stealing”:- the concept of Stream Capturing, as per the geological process that was created causing the Rhine River to take the waters of the Danube River, via a slow and gradual centuries long process, thus diverting waters away from one catchment to another has implications for how the water of these two Catchments is distributed throughout parts of Europe.
“Stream Stealing”, or taking the water from the catchment and removing it to another catchment is akin to diversion that may have future consequences for that catchment later on. The Murray-Darling system attests to this on a grand scale. The water was purloined (see etymology HERE), and the consequences in the future are already here, to see – in black and white. The Government is now having to rethink where and how this Murray Darling Water actually goes, over time. This is for the sake of future generations and future environmental habitats. Much damage has already be done.
The concept of altering catchment water flows, taking water from one series of catchment ecosystems to completely different catchment systems, can have consequences further down stream.
Many engineers and scientist show, via quantitative and qualitative measures, that Dam Building and altering Catchment flows can be managed in an environmentally sustainable way. However, there are still serious doubts, in my mind, as to water flows for a catchment’s well being down stream, and ecosystem health when water is removed from one catchment to serve a purpose in another.
The Qld Water Grid of South East Queensland is doing this. Dams and irrigation networks do this. Construction and earthworks within developments can do this. Altering water flows from one catchment, to provide another catchment with that water has historical implications. Only time will tell, and as the benchmarks can keep changing, the ecosystem health consequences further down the catchment, and into the sea may not show up for many decades. “Stream Stealing” is an insidious form of Habitat destruction by “clearing the habitat” via habitat water theft.
This type of activity is stealing from natural ecosystems and habitats (that have little voice in the matter), to serve human consumption and industry.
Capture:-definition and etymology .
Stealing:-definition and etymology .
“Clearing the Habit of Habitat Clearing” – at Journey for Wisdom in the Land