-
-
A laser focus on greenhouse gas: Debate destroying data emerges
Slam the door on the climate discussion!
Irrefutable quantum cascade laser data supports the already rock solid ICPP report just issued.
Call for policy NOW. Stop producing CO2 NOW.
Listen and learn! Slam the door on the climate discussion! ... more -
World heading towards cooler 2008
This year appears set to be the coolest globally this century.
Data from the UK Met Office shows that temperatures in the first half of the year have been more than 0.1 Celsius cooler than any year since 2000. This year appears set to be the coolest globally this century. ... more -
Climate Debate: Quantum Cascade Lasers Give Rise to New Data
In light of recent IPCC reports, I thought it might be interesting to find out more about the methods used to generate their data.
Lucky for me, my old college pal, Troy Ribaudo, PhD candidate of Applied Physics at UMASS Lowell, just happens to be working on some of the newest methods of atmospheric gas detection using quantum cascade lasers.
Have a listen to the dense yet delightful interview. In light of recent IPCC reports, I thought it might be interesting to find out more about the methods used to generate their data. ... more -
World heading towards cooler 2008
This year appears set to be the coolest globally this century.
Data from the UK Met Office shows that temperatures in the first half of the year have been more than 0.1 Celsius cooler than any year since 2000.
The principal reason is La Nina, part of the natural cycle that also includes El Nino, which cools the globe.
Even so, 2008 is set to be about the 10th warmest year since 1850, and Met Office scientists say temperatures will rise again as La Nina conditions ease. This year appears set to be the coolest globally this century. ... more -
Thoughtful Anarchy
Anarchy is a tricky proposition. The little teenage slammers in Che Guevara t–shirts who used to scrawl red A’s and circles on their binders in school have led to a misrepresentation of what anarchy is supposed to be about. It is a much more peaceful ideology than those sinister symbols denote. And as people become more fed up with government, it seems to apply itself to a new cause everyday.
So with all the hubbub over going green nowadays, it was only a matter of time before the anarchists had their say. Enter Radical Sustainability, a lecture by anarchist writer and bona fide sustainability expert Scott Kellogg. Kellogg is the co–author of Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do–It–Ourselves Guide . Hosted Aug. 14 at Wooden Shoe Books, the anarchist bookstore at 508 S. Fifth St., Radical Sustainability gives voice to a new breed of anarchist: less ideological, more practical, and scared shitless.
”We have to stop thinking of the rugged individual survivalist as some guy in his bunker trying to weather the storm,” Kellogg says. ”That’s a dead end.”
Times have changed. A war in Iraq, a violent occupation, an energy crisis and sweeping corruption have left a distinctly emboldened anarchist subculture so frightened by the inefficiency of government that they have contemplated moving their whole operation underground.
But love of the city and lack of funding leave many would–be autonomous individuals scratching their heads. How do you free yourself from the chains of oil dependence, government oversight, agribusiness and other institutions that may one day experience drastic fallout? According to Kellogg, ”the belt is beginning to tighten.”
Kellogg created the Rhizome Collective, a sustainability laboratory and training center on the east side of Austin, Texas. Rhizome aims to teach well–intentioned city dwellers to create their own energy, their own food and even their own waste management systems. Basically, a secluded backwoods survival system for a concrete backyard world.
Kellogg talks about harnessing the power of the sun for everything from water purification to heating to cooking. He gives tips on how to create a solar–powered oven using magnification lenses and heat–absorbing materials. He shows you how to make an angled shelf that will hold bottles of rainwater up to direct sunlight, using the ultraviolet rays to purify the water. These methods came in handy when Rhizome traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and aided disaster relief efforts through numerous sustainable projects. Clean drinking water became a luxury once thefloodwaters polluted natural water centers. Rhizome used their purification method to bring clean water to displaced residents.
Another practice that Kellogg and his crew have tried to bring to the masses is bioremediation, the process of adding bacteria and plant enzymes to toxic soil to create fertile beds for plant production. After Katrina, toxins and dangerous pollutants had leaked into the groundwater, preventing new food production. But by adding elements to the soil that may increase the production of naturally–occurring, toxin–killing bacteria, you can speed up the soil–rejuvenation process.
*continues* Anarchy is a tricky proposition. The little teenage slammers in Che Guevara t–shirts who used to scrawl red A’s and circles on their b... more -
First Major Utility Company Invests in Solar Energy
For the first time, a big, American utility company is investing in large-scale solar energy. Pacific Gas & Electric has decided that solar is part of the answer for California’s energy needs.
At a recent press conference with the senior executives of the two solar companies they’ve chosen for the project, OptiSolar and Sunpower, PG&E’s Chief Operating Officer Jack Keenan said that by 2013, this move will provide energy at a market rate for almost 250,000 houses a year, and create about 1,000 jobs in California.
Both OptiSolar and Sunpower have purchased land in San Luis Obispo County, just north of Los Angeles, and are in the final stages of securing approval from the local authorities to install their solar power panels there. This area was chosen because it has, as Tom Werner, CEO of Sunpower put it, “big transmission lines and big sun.”
Big sun makes California particularly well suited for solar power. “Sun and demand correlate here,” says PG&E’s Fong Wan, which means California houses use the most energy during the hot summer months.
Solar energy has long made sense in California. Innovators and entrepreneurs have been working on it for years. Sunpower was funded in 1985 by a Stanford professor. But until recently it has been realized on a small scale and that has made it expensive.
“The whole game is bringing the cost of solar down. It’s an economy of scale,” says Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative (www.votesolar.org), a non-profit campaign that urges cities and towns to use solar energy.
When the big players are interested, the cost comes down. But Randy Goldstein, CEO of OptiSolar, says solar has been missing “the technology and business models” to function on a bigger scale.
The roadblock cited by all, including a representative from the National Resources Defense Council, is the possible loss of tax breaks for renewable energy. The growth of solar energy is largely being developed by “states and companies,” according to Browning, and Keenan says it’s up to the government “to provide the proper frame for success.” But the tax breaks for this industry will run out at the end of the year.
Meanwhile, solar companies are frantically making the case that they are “driving development in cutting-edge technologies.” After all, noted Browning, “We can deliver solar energy more cheaply than we can fossil fuel.” For the first time, a big, American utility company is investing in large-scale solar energy. Pacific Gas & Electric has decided t... more -
Videos To Inspire our Next President on Climate
Hey All -
Please excuse the solicitation -- but I think you'll truly like this...
Brighter Planet and 1-Sky have teamed up to coax a little climate creativity with a new video contest: "Climate Matters: Inspire Your Next President."
The contest touts prizes like a new HD camera and heaps of cash, ultra-cool judges like Maggie Gyllenhaal, and a chance to get your tricked-out video in front of politicians in Washington and on national television... whew!
But what's great here is the power of video, creativity, and community voice to kick up even more climate action and voice. To inspire...
So, we created a quick video (above) to help launch the contest. If you like it, please help build some momentum on this contest by leaving a comment or sending this to a contact of yours.
www.vimeo.com/climatematters
Onwards!
Jake Hey All - Please excuse the solicitation -- but I think you'll truly like this... ... more -
BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Extinction 'by man not climate'
news.bbc.co.uk — The extinction of many ancient species may be due to humans rather than climate change, experts say.
-
Police arrest 100 at climate camp
Police have arrested 100 protesters, charging 46 during a week-long protest in Kent at the Camp for Climate Action were for obstruction and public order offences.
The protest was fields close to Kingsnorth power station near Hoo, Kent. Police statements say that though the majority of protestors were peaceful, some of those who were arrested were for more serious offences such as assaulting police officers and possessing bladed instruments. Four were also arrested for actually getting into the power station. Police have arrested 100 protesters, charging 46 during a week-long protest in Kent at the Camp for Climate Action were for obstructio... more -
DigiActive: A world of digital activism
DigiActive is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to helping grassroots activists around the world use the Internet and mobile phones to increase their impact. Activists made more powerful and more effective through the use of digital technology. DigiActive is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to helping grassroots activists around the world use the Internet and mobile pho... more
-
Photos that dig deep.World Renowned Photographer and Environmental Activist Colin ...
Colin Finlay, a former photocopy machine salesman turned world class photographer may represent the tip of the spear when it comes to the public consciousness of climate change. Even the Queen of England is a fan: He's about to be knighted for his efforts to bring the impact of climate change to the masses. Finlay has the rare ability to capture images that sear an indelible mark on the soul of those who view them; his gift is a human face to the crisis at hand. Colin Finlay, a former photocopy machine salesman turned world class photographer may represent the tip of the spear when it comes to ... more
-
WINE SAVES PLANET! You can help!
Who knew wine could get even better than it is now: all delicious and helpful in awkward social situations?! Through a new Facebook application, users can make wineries transfer to 100% renewable energy for free. Village Green Energy, along with a handful of CA wineries, has launched a Facebook application it’s calling Green My Vino, which will allow users to give “gifts” of renewably generated electricity to each other; each time they hit certain milestones, a winery in Northern California permanently switches its energy consumption to use electricity from renewable sources like wind, geothermal or solar.
GET THE APPLICATION AT:
VillageGreenEnergy.com/facebook.
This looks like a pretty awesome initiative. Now, drinking wine will only harm your liver, not the planet.
Add the app! Oh by the way, the CEO of Village Green Energy is a guy named Michael Jackson. The people who run it are just very smart, enthusiastic socially responsible young people who wanted to make a difference, and this is just one of many socially responsible initiatives created by people just like you and me. Who knew wine could get even better than it is now: all delicious and helpful in awkward social situations?! Through a new Facebook a... more -
Your Video can make a difference
What would you say to inspire the next president and Congress to take bold action on climate change?
Upload your video --
Win $3,000 What would you say to inspire the next president and Congress to take bold action on climate change? Upload your video -- ... more -
Climate Change Prediction of Increased Stormy Weather Comes True for Summer of 200...
This article is from December 2007, although it seems to prove quite a bit more significant after experiencing some of the weather that we have had around the country this summer.
"Researchers who study severe weather and climate change joined forces to study the effects of global warming on the number of severe storms in the future and discovered a dramatic increase in potential storm conditions for some parts of the United States.
The Purdue University-led team used climate models to examine future weather conditions favorable to formation of severe thunderstorms - those that produce flooding, damaging winds, hail and sometimes spawn tornadoes.
"It seems that areas in the U.S. prone to severe thunderstorms now will likely have more of them in the future," said Robert Trapp, the Purdue associate professor of earth and atmospheric sciences who led the research team. "We can't predict individual storms, but we can project the number of days with conditions conducive to storm formation."
The study found that by the end of this century the number of days that favor severe storms could more than double in locations such as Atlanta and New York. The study also found that the increase in storm conditions occurs during the typical storm seasons for these locations and not during dry seasons when such storms could be beneficial."
[Article Continues] This article is from December 2007, although it seems to prove quite a bit more significant after experiencing some of the weather tha... more -
the 350 animation: the importance of a number in a global language
The team at 350.org has put together an animation as part of their campaign to spread word on this number and climate action. 350 (parts per million) is the atmospheric concentration of CO2 -- the leading cause of global climate change -- that top climate scientist James Hansen (NASA) says we need to get below (and we're at 387, already) to avert an irreversible warming phase.
Check out the video and pass it around if you like it! Watch what these folks are up to - it's an inspiring mission... 350.org
Enjoy!
Jake The team at 350.org has put together an animation as part of their campaign to spread word on this number and climate action. 350 (par... more -
Green News Roundup - 7/31/08
Environmental stories for the last couple weeks, relating to business, society, and law.
Plastic bag taxes, angry truckers, EPA blog, toy safety law likely to be passed, and some other stories you might like. Environmental stories for the last couple weeks, relating to business, society, and law. ... more -
Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age --- really? We actually had MOR...
This looks like the opposite of the pods I've seen on current. Wonder what to make of it.
Anyhow, I thought I would post it since Global Warming is so "hot". Here they say we actually had thicker and more ice this year than in the past... Very interesting.
Personally I hope that neither ice nor floods come. But there is only so much one nation can do. Until the world is on board, we have to just trust in .... dare I say God? (don't hate me).
Enjoy!
Forget global warming: Welcome to the new Ice Age
Lorne Gunter, National Post Published: Monday, February 25, 2008
Snow cover over North America and much of Siberia, Mongolia and China is greater than at any time since 1966.
The U.S. National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) reported that many American cities and towns suffered record cold temperatures in January and early February. According to the NCDC, the average temperature in January "was -0.3 F cooler than the 1901-2000 (20th century) average."
Last month, Oleg Sorokhtin, a fellow of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, shrugged off manmade climate change as "a drop in the bucket." Showing that solar activity has entered an inactive phase, Prof. Sorokhtin advised people to "stock up on fur coats."
He is not alone. Kenneth Tapping of our own National Research Council, who oversees a giant radio telescope focused on the sun, is convinced we are in for a long period of severely cold weather if sunspot activity does not pick up soon.
It's way too early to claim the same is about to happen again, but then it's way too early for the hysteria of the global warmers, too.
***Please reference the above article, as most would not fit in this space. Explains cycles that the earth goes thru including mini cycles. I found it very interesting.***
Thanks for reading. This looks like the opposite of the pods I've seen on current. Wonder what to make of it. ... more -
Deporting Animals and Plants to Protect Them from extinction
What if we relocated North African animals and plants to southern Europe to stop climate change-caused extinctions?
As San Diego and Los Angeles have grown, the scrub land of southern California has been paved and built over. That has squeezed out the Quino checkerspot butterfly's habitat, and with the climate changes coming as a result of human greenhouse gas emissions, its listing as an endangered species by the U.S. government may not be enough to save the pretty little butterfly from extinction.
But a group of biologists suggest in this week's Science that simply moving the butterfly into similar habitat in nearby mountain ranges might solve the problem by overcoming the unnatural barriers humans have erected in the path of any potential shift in its natural range to follow such changing conditions. They call the idea "assisted colonization."
"Humans have dominated the landscape to such an extent that natural dispersal cannot take place in many areas," says biologist Camille Parmesan of the University of Texas at Austin, who helped craft the proposal. "It is in those cases that assisted colonization makes the most sense—use it on species that would have been able to do it on their own, if not for humans." What if we relocated North African animals and plants to southern Europe to stop climate change-caused extinctions? ... more -
Climate change could force native California plants to migrate, if they can...
A recent study on the impact of climate change on California's endemic plants and wildlife shows that most plants may need to be migrated north in order to survive the rising changes in temperature due to climate change. This study was reinforced by another study of migration patterns in local shrews, who over the past ten years have already begun migrating north. A recent study on the impact of climate change on California's endemic plants and wildlife shows that most plants may need to be ... more
-
Malta: almost as many cars as there are people
The latest survey of car licencing and ownership on Malta shows that there are now over 300,000 cars on Malta's roads - in a country where the population is 400,000. Taking into account the numbers of young people and those who can't/don't drive, this means the island now has more cars than drivers.
This is perhaps representative of the global, seemingly unstoppable trend in car ownership despite soaring oil prices and environmental concerns.
Mental, eh? The latest survey of car licencing and ownership on Malta shows that there are now over 300,000 cars on Malta's roads - in a coun... more
-
related topics
Climate
Contributors (556)
Climate
