Media Release: Alternative Technologies for Living Association

8th September 2006

Knowledge to Survive for Householders and Small Businesses

“Developing do-it-yourself knowledge and sharing tools may be essential survival elements for life in New Zealand if serious societal disruption occurs following a ‘dangerous climate change’ event or the ‘peak oil’ impact creates strife” said Mr Paul Bruce, President of the Alternative Technologies for Living Association (ATLA).

A recent UK Government sponsored report on “Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change” and many other assessments have highlighted the need for citizens to become more prepared for rocky times ahead.

A meeting for ATLA supporters and the public, on Monday 18th September at 8pm in the Wellington City Council meeting rooms, 101 Wakefield Street, will cover some of the strategies citizens need to be considering as part of their survival thinking.

“This month's speaker will be Ian Shearer discussing microgeneration technologies suitable for householders and small businesses” said Mr Bruce.

Ian Shearer is a self employed energy efficiency and renewable energy consultant. He was manager of the NZ Wind Energy Assn for 7 years, and is on the Board of the Photovoltaic Assn. He spent 25 years designing and constructing industrial and utility thermal power stations but now concentrates on developing small scale renewable systems.

Ian will be reporting on his recent tour of microgeneration renewable energy factories and marine energy devices that are being manufactured and demonstrated in Scotland.

At next month's meeting, Frank Sontag will be discussing internet information resources and tool sharing techniques. Sontag is a meteorologist, who has worked most of his professional career as a software developer with a strong emphasis on internet technologies. He has been in New Zealand since 2003 and now lives in Wellington, where he works as a scientific software developer. Frank will discuss examples of goods which people own individually but use only very rarely such as power tools and cars. For groups of people to share such goods it is important that they can do so in a convenient way. He will describe how internet technology has played an important part in the establishment of car sharing organisations in Europe.

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Appropriate Technology and Living Association www.atla.org.nz

ENDS

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