#12daysofbusmas: 7 days to go

Lucky number seven. And a week to go. Gosh.

I don’t know about you, but I quite like this world that we live in. I’m not scientific and don’t understand a lot of it; I certainly have little real grasp on what yesterday’s Higgs boson announcement really means for humanity. But I still quite like the fact that I’m alive and can walk across land, through forests and explore a wonderful array of wildlife. I don’t have kids, but  I think it’d be nice to leave the future with… a future.

It seems a shame, then, that we selfish, greedy, lazy humans seem to be destroying this planet with gay abandon each and every day.

It’s great that Australia now has a carbon tax. I think that’s a hugely progressive and responsible move. I have promised to use reallybigroadtrip as my own exercise in sustainability, not just for new models of creative endeavour but ecologically too. I will convert the bus so that it runs on a duel-fuel diesel and vegetable oil system. I will track my carbon footprint. I will do everything in my power to reduce waste and be ecologically wise about the project. And I will share what I learn.

My Nomads will come from other parts of the country – and other countries – which will drastically increase the carbon footprint. But I will do everything I can to realistically offset the damage. Many of them already have their own projects and systems in place that we have been discussing (barriers to anything become creative opportunities in my world!). I will also be actively working on creative uses of the National Broadband Network (and telecommunications in general) to enable meaningful long-distance communications without the need for physical travel. And whatever happens, by tracking all this I will know categorically what affect my decisions might have on the planet.

I don’t know this stuff well myself, but it’s really important to me that I start learning. I’ve said it before, responsibility for changing the world starts with yourself. I’m very lucky that I have some great advisors here. Geoff Cobham knows that recycled materials for the bus design are important to me. In addition to the fuel conversion process, I’m working with Emily & Hugh at Off Grid Energy to ensure my bus is using the smartest possible energy systems. And the Hackerspace Adelaide crew are providing no end of nerd expertise on things like LEDs for internal and external lighting systems.

Today’s #12daysofbusmas reward (7 days to go) is therefore your name/logo on (and personal copy of) an e-brochure on eco-responsibility in the #rbrtOZ bus. I will share my experiences from how I convert the bus fuel systems, what internal electrical systems I use and advice on good places to go for your own carbon offsetting and sustainable, responsible providers.

So get pledging! Show your love of green-thinking, and perhaps lucky number seven will become lucky for the planet, too: http://pozible.com/reallybigroadtrip