Fresh Air. The Scent of Pine.
Climate Change
A Closer Look: Predictions of the 1970’s
In the 1970s, wasn’t the scientific community warning of a coming ice age? Actually, no. While some scientific studies published during that time were concerned about a possible cooling trend, to which some news outlets such as Newsweek latched based on the cooler temperatures of the period, a recent review of the published scientific literature … Continue reading
Record setting dead zone expected in Gulf of Mexico
Scientists with Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium expect the dead zone forming in the Gulf of Mexico near the Louisiana coastline to be the largest since measurements began in the 1980’s. The dead zone is an area of oxygen-deprived ocean water that forms annually as a result of runoff from the … Continue reading
National Science Academies call for climate change action
In June 2005, the National Academies of Science of the G8 nations along with Brazil, China, and India issued a joint statement calling on their respective governments to work together to address the climate change problem. Three years later, the same 11 academies of science, this time joined by Mexico and South Africa reiterated the … Continue reading
Taking a Closer Look at 31,000 Global Warming Deniers
Moreover, why are the opinions of scientists sought regardless of their field of expertise? Biologists and physicians are rarely asked to endorse some theory in high energy physics. Apparently, when one comes to “global warming,” any scientist’s agreement will do. The answer almost certainly lies in politics. Dr. Richard S. Lindzen, M.I.T. Alfred P. Sloan … Continue reading
Climate Change in the News, Week of May 24, 2008
News items related to climate change from the past week. Seattle researchers report rising ocean acidity – Seattle Post-Intelligencer (May 23, 2008) Rising Seas Called Threat To Shore and Bay by 2100 – Washington Post (May 23, 2008) Costs of ignoring global warming steep, study says – Detroit Free Press (May 23, 2008) Scientists starve … Continue reading
Study Predicts Fewer, Stronger Atlantic Hurricanes in Warming World
A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience used a combination of computer models to simulate future climate conditions in the Atlantic ocean basin and its related hurricane activity. One result of the models was a decrease in the number of hurricanes and tropical storms expected in that area through the end of the twenty-first … Continue reading
A Closer Look: Changes in Antarctica
Hasn’t Antarctica actually gained ice mass? When discussing Antarctica, it’s first important to get a sense of scale. Discussions of the Arctic and the Antarctic often confuse the two, but the region around the Earth’s southern pole is much, much larger. Antarctica, the continent, is about 5.4 million square miles in area, which is over … Continue reading
Federal Government Receives Failing Grade in Ocean Policy
The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative released its third annual report card on the actions of the federal and state governments in implementing the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, as well as the actions described in the Administration’s own U.S. Ocean Action Plan. While regional and state government … Continue reading
Smart Power Grid Leads to Energy Savings, Privacy Concerns
The grid is getting smart. The Associated Press released a story recently about advancements in the works for the nation’s power grid, and more importantly, how that grid interacts with energy consumers. Faced with steeply rising demand and associated fuel costs, power companies are exploring new ways to encourage, and potentially mandate, conservation, with the … Continue reading
Corporate Climate Change Successes and Failures
Nonprofit organization, Climate Counts, released its report card of sixty different companies across multiple industries on their actions to address climate change. Of the sixty examined, twenty six received passing grades, with the technology industry achieving the most success. Notable successes were Nike, Starbucks, The Coca-Cola Co., IBM, Anheuser-Busch, Google, and the U.S. Postal Service. … Continue reading
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The Indicators
Climate Change Indicators
Global Temperature
Global Sea Level
Arctic Ice Melt
Glacial Retreat
Atmospheric CO2 Level
Fresh Air. The Scent of Pine. 