Energymark is social science in action! The CSIRO program studying community engagement is a huge success in NSW where people have cut their carbon footprint by up to 27 percent. It is currently being rolled out in Brisbane and the Redlands. They have 25 convenors in Brisbane and another three in the Redlands. Here is a post by the Energymark project manager Yasmin van Kasteren who is based in Brisbane. She has prepared a special BSN online activity to demonstrate the survey process used in social research. Can you read the graphs? 

 Take this survey to see how the questionnaire works. 

Yasmin van Kasteren

Science into Society researcher :

Working together on a school project is often more fun than working alone.

You can enjoy yourself and learn at the same time.

Working together you can share what you know, and you couldn’t want to let your group down, so you make sure you do your bit. 

These are the principles behind a program I am running called Energymark.

Energymark is all about learning about climate change, and the relationship between climate change and energy, the fun way.

We are asking adults across Brisbane to volunteer as a convenor, and then get a group of their friends together to meet once a month, read the through information prepared by CSIRO, and then come together to discuss what they have learnt and how they can change their lives to help fight climate change.

Sound like hard work? It’s actually fun and, like doing a project with friends, it’s an enjoyable way to learn about climate change and to start making a difference.

Research shows that although a lot of people are concerned about climate change this is not translating into real changes in their lifestyles. Given the sheer scale of climate change as an issue, many people don’t know where to begin.  It’s often easier to just tune out when they hear the words climate change.

Energymark is just one of many ways the CSIRO is trying to get the message across.

Energymark is also a research program, using questionnaires, we measure changes in participant’ carbon footprint, electricity use, and they feel about climate change, at the beginning of the program and at the end, so that we can measure the change and see if the program is working.

 Take this survey to see how the questionnaire works. 

In the Newcastle Energymark trial in 2008-2009, we had 171 people go through the program. 

People reduced their power bills by an average of 37 per cent and their carbon footprints by 27 per cent. The program was very effective in changing behaviour.

I personally find it very satisfying to be making a difference through my work, especially in such an important area. 

I am a social scientist working for the CSIRO as part of the Science into Society unit based at Pullenvale, just outside of Brisbane. 

We are dedicated to engaging with business, industry and the community to understand the social issues particularly surrounding climate change and the adoption of new technology.

Yasmin

Energymark Project Manager

Alex Wonhas built his first solar power station as a teenager in Germany - his model based on the concept of splitting water failed because it was too inefficient. But this is a story of perseverance and persistence.

Decades later, the German energy expert now heads the CSIRO's Energy Transformed Flagship which has built a solar power station at Newcastle - in partnership with the Australian National University. The National Solar Energy Centre's two solar towers have more than 600 mirrors which reflect the solar radiation to generate temperatures of up to 1000°C. ^MR

Solar power station dream comes true from National Science Week. (24.2MB)

(download)

Click here to download:

wonhas_mobile.m4v (5.87 MB)

The Newcastle power station heats air instead of water. CSIRO Facebook photos.

Watch this CSIRO animation which explains the process:

(download)

Click here to download:

Solar_Brayton_animation-video.mov (6.65 MB)

Read about the CSIRO's National Solar Energy Centre

ABC Lateline interview with Wonhas ( transcript )

How solar power works: Natural Resources Defense Council (US)

Watch BSN OUTtake: Study Science Now.

The director of CSIRO's Energy Transformed Flagship, Dr Alex Wonhas, who's realizing a lifelong dream by building a solar power station in Newcastle, thinks games, such as the BBC's simulation Climate Challenge, are a good way to get kids thinking about science in relation to the real world.

As the president of the European Nations in this Flash game, you must tackle climate change and stay popular enough with voters to remain in office. Dr Wonhas Googled "Climate Change" and "Games" to find this Wikipedia page on other games to play. However, you have to pay to play some games such as Fate of the World.

In this interview with Big Science Now at the CSIRO Greenhouse 2011 Forum, Dr Wonhas mentioned how it helps kids pick things up if parents take an interest in science. He recently helped his son, Lawrence, with his last science assignment to build a toy that kids of the future would play with.

His daughter Charlotte demonstrates the train in operation here:

(download)

Click here to download:

MEGLEV_train.mov (838 KB)

The MAGLEV Train is suspended above the track by magnetic levitation - or magnetic repulsion if you like. Here's a set of plans he drew up especially for intrepid Big Science Now readers who might like to try to build their own toy.

It won't travel as fast as Shanghai's MAGLEV Transrapid Train which travels at 431km/hr:

 

Related video: BSN OUTtake - Alex Wonhas on science in the 21st Century.

Link: Science Fair Project on Magnetism

Wikipedia: Shanghai Transrapid

 

Big Science Now's roving reporter, Mandy Awabdy, went out to two hardware stores to see how much it would cost to make a toy MAGLEV Train. Mandy calculated it will cost between $45 and $35 to buy the materials. She also wrote out a shopping list and a step-by-step set of instructions interpreting Dr Wonhas's drawing. Have fun!

Steps to Building A MEGLev Toy Train

Objective: 

To build a Maglev Train demonstrating the forces of magnets using attraction and repulsion. 

Materials: 

The materials required to build the Maglev Train which will cost between $35-$45 from hardware stores include: 

• Two Plexiglass sheets,  approximately 24” by 4” each sheet – note this size may be adjusted the required size of the train. 
• 2 pieces of wood strips for the base, approximately 3’ by ¼”.
• A drill for the holes. 
• 16 phillips head screws. 
• Two magnetic strips (ferrite magnets) fitted to the length of the Plexiglass sheet
• Double sided tape.
• Piece of wood that measures 3 ½” by 3 7/8” (for the train) 
• String to secure base platform together

Making the Mag-Lev Train Track: 

Step 1. First, drill seven holes along the length edge, 3 inches from the height edge, and 1 inch apart from each other into one sheet of 24”  by 4” Plexiglas. NOTE: The holes must be touching the length edge  of the Plexiglas! 

Step 2. Next, repeat step 1 on the opposite length side.  

Step 3. Then, take another sheet of 24” by 4” Plexiglas and drill 8 holes 1 ½” from the length side and 1 ½” from the height side. 

Step 4. Next, repeat step 3 on the other sheet of 24” by 4” Plexiglas. 

Step 5. After that, take one of the two 3’ by ¼” by ¼” wooden strips and  place it along the holes of one of the two Plexiglas walls that you  drilled the holes 1 ½” from the sides. 

Step 6. Then, switch to a smaller drill bit and drill halfway through the wooden strip. 

Step 7. Repeat step 6 on the other wooden strip. 

Step 8.  Next, screw some small Philips head screws through the holes in Plexiglas and into the wooden strips to hold the wooden strip firmly in place.  

Step 9.  Do step 8 again to the other wooden strip and Plexiglas wall. 

Step 10. Then, take the last Plexiglas wall and place it on one of the wooden strips attached to a Plexiglas wall.  

Step 11. Next, repeat step 6 on this Plexiglas wall.  

Step 12. Then, repeat step 8 on both sides of this Plexiglas wall. 

Step 13. After that, cut two pieces of double-sided tape measuring 24” long.

Making the train: 

Step 1. First, cut a piece of wood that measures 3 ½” by 3 7/8”. 

Step 2.  Next, cut two pieces of double sided tape measuring 3 ½”. 

Step 3. Then, put one piece of double sided tape along the side that measured 3 ½” on the wood block.  

Step 4. Next, cut 7” out of one of the magnetic strips. 

Step 5. Then, cut that in half and end up with two strips measuring 3 ½”. 

Step 6. Finally, place those two magnetic strips along the double sided tape. 

This now completes the Maglev Train, if you would like to make the train float a little higher, put two magnetic strips on the bottom of the Plexiglass that is in line with the double sided tape that is on the track. 

Learn about magnets

Flash game on magnetism