Clipmarks | amgumen's 'environment' clips

The cost of green tinkering is in famine and starvation

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:22:44 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Biofuels threaten food supplies, rainforest and climate - yet our leaders push them in the name of the environment

Farewell the age of reason, welcome the idiocracy. Only George Orwell could have invented - and named - the government's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) that came into operation yesterday. It is the latest in a long line of measures intended to ease the conscience of the rich while keeping the poor miserable, in this case spectacularly so.

The consequences of the RTFO have been much trumpeted on these pages. It says enough that one car tank of bio petrol needs as much grain as it takes to feed an African for a year, or that a reported one-third of American grain production is now subsidised for conversion into biofuel. Jeremy Paxman pleaded the cause of this latest green wheeze on Monday's Newsnight, while the United Nations food expert, Jean Ziegler, screamed for it to stop: "Children are dying ... It is a crime."

Pollution From East Asia to North America

Sun, 04 May 2008 00:25:31 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: geology.com

Optical depth of particulate pollution. Much of this pollution is industrial but some is caused by fires. NASA Image.

A pool of air pollution has spread out over eastern China and then slipped over the coast like water over a dam. A river of haze flows across the East China Sea past the Korean Peninsula and northeastward toward Japan, where it arcs along the western coastline of the island chain before disappearing out of the scene at upper right.

This false-color image shows concentrations of carbon monoxide at an altitude of roughly 18,000 feet (500 millibars) in the atmosphere off the coast of Asia and out over the Pacific Ocean.

Skies over China have darkened in the past five decades, thanks to a nine-fold increase fossil-fuel emissions. In January 2006, Yun Qian and collaborators reported this finding in Geophysical Research Letters. According to the Associated Press, Qian stated that pollution absorbs and reflects sunlight, allowing less of it to reach China’s urban areas.

Tags: environment

the Heart of the Namib Desert

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 05:49:45 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: earthasart.gsfc.nasa.gov

Rising unexpectedly from the heart of the Namib Desert in northern Namibia, the Brandberg Massif is an exhumed granite intrusion. Unique plant and animal communities thrive in its high-altitude environment, and prehistoric cave paintings decorate walls hidden in its steep cliffs.

Tags: desert, geology

Ancient Lake Discovered on Red Planet

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:09:36 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

discovered never-before-seen impact "megabreccia" and a possibly once-habitable ancient lake on Mars at a place called Holden crater

The megabreccia, which may be some of the oldest deposits exposed on the surface of Mars. is topped by layers of fine sediments that formed in what apparently was a long-lived, calm lake that filled Holden crater on early Mars

At least 5 percent of the fine sediments in the layer on top of the megabreccia consists of clay.

clays in the probable lake sediments implies quiescent conditions that may preserve signatures of a past habitable environment

Topping the clay layers that formed in the placid Holden crater lake are layers of great boulder-filled debris unleashed later, when water breached Holden crater rim, creating a torrential flood that eroded the older lake sediments.

While water certainly flowed over the planet later in its history, it may have flowed only in short-lived, or catastrophic events.

Tags: mars

More In Their Own Words

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:41:50 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: scienceandpublicpolicy.org

In Their Own Words

"Since the late 1960s, much of the North Atlantic Ocean has become less salty, in part due to increases in fresh water runoff induced by global warming, scientists say."

-Michael Schirber, LiveScience
June 29, 2005

"The surface waters of the North Atlantic are getting saltier, suggests a new study of records spanning over 50 years. They found that during this time, the layer of water that makes up the top 400 metres has gradually become saltier. The seawater is probably becoming saltier due to global warming, Boyer says."

-Catherine Brahic, New Scientist
August 23, 2007

Tags: environment, climate change, global warming

In Their Own Words

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 05:30:14 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: scienceandpublicpolicy.org

2007 Was Tied as Earth's Second-Warmest Year

"As we predicted last year, 2007 was warmer than 2006, continuing the strong warming trend of the past 30 years that has been confidently attributed to the effect of increasing human-made greenhouse gases."

- James Hansen, director of NASA GISS. Jan. 16, 2008

2007 was Tenth Warmest for U.S., Fifth Warmest Worldwide

The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. in 2007 is officially the tenth warmest on record, according to data from scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. The agency also determined the global surface temperature last year was the fifth warmest on record.

- January 15, 2008

Tags: optional. separate by commas., climate change, science, global warming, environment

On the decadal rates of sea level change during the twentieth century

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:37:44 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.agu.org

Nine long and nearly continuous sea level records were chosen from around the world to explore rates of change in sea level for 1904–2003. These records were found to capture the variability found in a larger number of stations over the last half century studied previously. Extending the sea level record back over the entire century suggests that the high variability in the rates of sea level change observed over the past 20 years were not particularly unusual. The rate of sea level change was found to be larger in the early part of last century (2.03 ± 0.35 mm/yr 1904–1953), in comparison with the latter part (1.45 ± 0.34 mm/yr 1954–2003). The highest decadal rate of rise occurred in the decade centred on 1980 (5.31 mm/yr) with the lowest rate of rise occurring in the decade centred on 1964 (−1.49 mm/yr). Over the entire century the mean rate of change was 1.74 ± 0.16 mm/yr.

Tags: optional. separate by commas., environment, climate change, geology

Warming Climate Can Support Glacial Ice: It Did In Much Warmer Times

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:24:20 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

The study by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego provides strong evidence that a glacial ice cap, about half the size of the modern day glacial ice sheet, existed 91 million years ago during a period of intense global warming. This study offers valuable insight into current day climate conditions and the environmental mechanisms for global sea level rise.

This extreme warming event in Earth's history raised tropical ocean temperatures to 35-37°C (95-98.6°F), about 10°C (18°F) warmer than today, thus creating an intense greenhouse climate.

The researchers compared stable isotopes of oxygen molecules (d18O) in bottom-dwelling and near-surface marine microfossils, known as foraminifera, to show that changes in ocean chemistry were consistent with the growth of an ice sheet.

The results from the study are consistent with other studies from Russia and New Jersey that show sea level fell by about 25-40 m (82-131 ft) at the same time

Tags: environment, geology, climate change

The imminent destruction of Earth unless you do what we say!

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 02:46:58 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: scienceandpublicpolicy.org

What of that massive political movement known as global warming, today’s fashionable secular substitute for the Biblical apocalypse? Bored of combating everyday environmental problems such as mercury in seafood and hormones in drinking water, environmentalists invented something much sexier: The imminent destruction of Earth unless you do what we say! Why trudge to local land-use meetings to lobby for preserving open space when you can preach the salvation of the world like an Old Testament prophet? One gains so much more social importance if people think you have the answer to averting Armageddon.

Perhaps it’s just a coincidence, but global warming theology produces the same practical results as the socialism Western leftists have been forced to abandon: An immense increase in the power of the political/regulatory class and an immense reduction in the standard of living of ordinary people.

Tags: environment, climate change

Is Climate Becoming More Extreme?

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 23:04:35 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.coyoteblog.com

Take the 600 state monthly high temperature records that exist on the books today (50 states times 12 months) and graph the distribution of years in which these records were set:

Assuming about 120 years of data, you should expect to see a high temperature record on average in a database of 600 records at 5 per year, which is precisely where we have been of late and well below the record years in the thirties (remember the dust bowl?) and the fifties. It seems to actually show a reduction in temperatures or volatility or both. Hmm.

Of course, the US is not the whole world -- in fact, all developed land masses are only 25% of the world, so there is a lot not covered by such records. Also, statisticians are welcome to comment on whether looking only at extremes in a data set is even meaningful. But this sure isn't what you might expect from, say, watching the Oscar telecast or the nightly news.

Tags: environment, climate change

Research shows heightened CO2 boosts tree growth

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 05:05:59 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.mininggazette.com

Results of a decade-long study on primarily aspen trees near Rhinelander, Wis., suggest that elevating carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere may prolong the growing season for northern forests. Additionally, projected 2050 atmospheric carbon dioxide levels appear to speed trees’ rate of growth.

We’re seeing about a 30 to 40 percent enhancement in growth and that’s been maintained pretty much throughout the 10 years of the experiment

“We’ve noticed that basically all 10 years of the experiment, trees in those rings keep their leaves longer into the fall,” Karnosky said. “They also grow faster and photosynthesize at a greater rate than the control rings.”

Increased CO2 in the atmosphere could be beneficial for the forestry industry. Stands of trees may grow to a harvestable stage at a greater rate.

He also said the increased rate of growth increases the forests’ nutrient demands, so the impact of boosted CO2 levels may vary regionally depending on local soil types.

Tags: climate change, environment, geology

New Report Plays Down Increase in World's Greenhouse Gases

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:46:17 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.sfgate.com

The growth rate of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the main cause of global warming, is mysteriously slowing even though human society is emitting more of the gases each year, prominent American climatologist James Hansen reported in San Francisco yesterday.

Why the atmosphere is not building the gases up as fast as expected is not known, Hansen said.

Carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas, has risen in atmospheric concentration by about 30 percent in the last century. Every year, humanity burned more fossil fuel, and the rate of increase accelerated in step until about 1980, Hansen reported, citing data gathered by many other research agencies. Carbon dioxide levels are still going up, but by the same amount each year, as if people had leveled off in their use of fossil fuels, even though they have not. Methane, the second most important greenhouse gas, responsible for about 15 percent of global warming by most estimates, has almost leveled off completely.

Tags: climate change, environment, science

VIETNAM WAR today

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:54:28 GMT

clipped by: amgumen
clipper's remarks: Also read here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/santanuburagohain/1456735575/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/santanuburagohain/1457601038/

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

Even though the Vietnam War ended 30 years ago, the US’s saturation chemical bombing is still wreaking havoc on millions, including the newly born — making them third-generation victims. Nobody knows when the congenital deformities, one of many horrific health consequences of the toxic chemicals, will end.

Class-one human carcinogen dioxin was the most lethal poison left by the 80 million litres of herbicides/defoliants — more than half of which were nicknamed Agent Orange — that the US military sprayed or dumped regularly in central and southern Vietnam for 10 years until 1971. The defoliants were intended to destroy the Vietnamese liberation fighters’ forest cover.

Wayne Dwernychuk of Canada’s Hatfield Consultants, which conducted a seven-year study on Agent Orange, said in 2003 that the equivalent of 600 kilograms of pure dioxin was sprayed or spilled in Vietnam during the war, rather than the widely reported 170 kilograms.

Tags: environment

Underground coal fires

Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:05:39 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Such fires in China consume up to 200 million tonnes of coal per year, delegates were told. In comparison, the U.S. economy consumes about one billion tonnes of coal annually,

Australia is the home of one of the world's few naturally burning coal seams, Burning Mountain Nature Reserve, in northeastern New South Wales.

The fire burns 30 metres underground, moving at the slow rate of one metre south every year. The lack of oxygen underground means the fire burns slowly, and with 6 km of burnt area, the fire is estimated to be about 5,500 years old.

The seam was once exposed to the surface, so it is possible a bushfire may have ignited it

Sulphurous smoke comes from fissures in the ground, and sulphur is known to be capable of spontaneous combustion if it is heated

The fire temperature reaches temperatures of 1,700°C deep beneath the ground. But the land above is also heated, and at the firefront reaches 350°C

The intense heat on the surface kills off vegetation, leaving a carpet of white sint

Tags: earth, environment, geology, nature, scirnce

Bottled water impacts

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:06:22 GMT

clipped by: amgumen

Clip Source: www.alternet.org

These figures for 2006 highlight the problems many associate with the production of plastic bottles of water in the United States.

More than 25.5 billion plastic water bottles are sold each year in the US.

More than 17 million barrels of oil (not including fuel for transportation) were used in plastic bottle production.

Bottling water produced more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.

It takes approximately 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water.

The total amount of energy used to produce, transport, refrigerate, and dispose of a plastic bottle of water may be as high as the equivalent of filling a 1 liter bottle one-quarter full of oil.

Tags: environment, water