Robert Copcutt's introduction

Career.

When I was small I went to a school called Highlands, which, oddly enough, was at the top of a long hill. Driving there in the mornings we often got stuck behind a truck or lorry belching out clouds of stinking black diesel smoke. I developed an ambition to do something about pollution and even back then it was obvious to me that the solution was to go electric. Some years later that led me to do a project on batteries for the National Young Scientists Exhibition. While doing that project I learned about fuel cells. Back then (about 1975) hardly anyone knew what they were, but their potential for cutting pollution seemed to be very important to me, and that belief strongly influenced my decision to become a Chemical Engineer. In 1993 I finally landed a job as a post-doc researcher developing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Their potential seemed enormous to me and I was over the moon when I won a grant to build an SOFC powered car to attempt to break the world fuel consumption record. Still today, over 20 years later, no one has done it, but I still believe an SOFC could do it. The car project ran into some really weird problems so I consulted a wise man I had recently met (Andrew) and he convinced me that fuel cells were not the miracle solution to the world’s pollution problems I had imagined.
 

New economics.

Andrew showed me that the corrupt nature of the world’s money systems was the main thing holding us back. It has taken a while, but that realisation led me to get interested in cryptocurrencies, and that in turn led me to Steemit; so here I am.
 

Moving to Cambridge.

After the disappointment with the SOFC car I decided to look for new opportunities using my knowledge of electrochemistry. When I was offered a research post at Cambridge University I jumped at the chance to experience such a famous place, and I am still living in the city. My work now has moved to the sequestration of carbon. We are developing a system for stopping carbon dioxide getting into the atmosphere by reacting it with magnesium hydroxide. The product is magnesium carbonate which could be used in huge quantities as a building material. It is an enormous and exciting opportunity.
 

Inventions.

I have been fortunate to be able to follow a career researching subjects I am passionately interest in.  Working on our passion leads to knowledge. Taking time to contemplate that knowledge leads to inventions. I have a few I would like to get out into the world, but the present patenting system makes it a difficult path. Patent law was developed in the first place because there is a strong feeling among many people that people who come up with good ideas that benefit the world should be rewarded. However, it has been difficult to come up with a fair system to do that. Patent law has been hijacked by big business to serve their needs to the disadvantage of individuals and small businesses. Steemit is a step in the right direction. The easy delivery of a reward to those who write a good article is an important innovation. What I want to explore is the possibility of extending it to help deliver rewards to those with ideas that should be helped by the patent system, but presently are not.   
 

Healing and esoteric teachings.

The reason I came to know Andrew is that he was having success as a spiritual healer.  He help open my eyes to subjects such as theosophy, and using his teaching has helped keep me healthy for many years. I am working on a book that will put some of these esoteric teachings on a more solid scientific foundation.
 

Cohousing.

When my aunt Irene reached her 80’s she helped fund, and then moved into, a retirement village whose design was based on the Cohousing model of intentional community. She absolutely thrived there and lived to 105. Cohousing was developed primarily in Denmark and experience has shown that the best communities have certain features. They have a substantial common house with a range of shared facilities including a large dining hall. The community is designed and then led by the residents. They are the right size; between about 12 and 30 homes. In June 2018 the first Cohousing community in Cambridge is due to be completed and I have reserved a flat in it. An exciting culmination of 17 years of work.
 

More.

• My website is; http://copcutt.me.uk/ 
• My facebook page is; https://www.facebook.com/robert.copcutt 
• My future Cohousing community; http://www.marmaladelane.co.uk/
   

The last thing I should mention is that I have always been introverted which means it takes more energy for me to interact with lots of people than it does for the average person who is somewhat extroverted. I am here to learn and spread knowledge with the objective of helping to create a healthier atmosphere on this fantastic planet of ours. Please don’t take it personally if it takes me a while to respond. I am also not interested in the ego grooming that is so common on Steemit so I won’t answer replies that just say something like “great post” without contributing new insight. Small talk is just not something I do. Hopefully explaining my position up front will prevent me disappointing anyone. Thanks for reading and I look forward to a great journey through Steemit on the occasions when my busy life allows it.