U.S. Winters Warming Faster, says a new report by Climate Central, an online scientific journalism organization. Before you snow shovelers start cheering, just remember that this is a marker of human-driven climate change - you know, the process that brings more extreme weather, like mega storms, blizzards, and the ongoing US drought currently threatening our wheat crops...
Colder states are warming faster, says a new Climate Central Report. Credit: Climate Central
Humanity Close To Exploding Global Methane Bomb a new study indicates, reports Michael Marshall at the New Scientist, as Congress Continues To Do Nothing. Oxford University scientists found that much of prehistoric Siberian permafrost melted when the Earth was only one degree Fahrenheit warmer than present. Continued warming from burning fossil fuels means it will soon do so again, releasing so much methane, a potent greenhouse gas, that the added warming will fuel further melting, further warming... uncontrolled by humans. Feeling the heat, yet?
Having Eaten Asia, China Now Eats the Amazon, says a new study, reports Jan Rocha at Climate News Network. The Amazon rainforest stores vast amounts of carbon, and many scientists acknowledge it is important in stabilizing the global climate... China is planning on stopping its One Child policy by 2015. And that's how burgeoning human populations are eating up the Earth, folks, and our future.
Credits: Natural Resources Defense Council and 350.org
173 Independent Sources Confirm Global Warming is Occurring, says a new NOAA study, reports Alex Knapp at Forbes. Paleontologists use proxy sources, such as how ice crystallizes, to reconstruct ancient temperature records. NOAA used 173 proxy sources to see if they matched modern era temperature records. They did. Not that this would convince any of the die-hard warming skeptics, but there's hope for those independent thinkers who just needed a little more independent confirmation. Well, here's a LOT more...
Live in NYC, But Wonder What the Mideast is Like? Come back in 2200! says a new report at Climate News Network, which says NY climate will be much like Bahrain -- that is, if it isn't totally underwater by then!
****Just how much did your Congressional representatives do for promoting clean energy and a better environment? Now you can find out here on this interactive map!
The League of Conservation Voters 2012 Congressional scorecard (green is good, red is bad) for those who voted for a better, safer environment paints a dangerous picture, folks. We've got to pressure Congress to do better. Credit: League of Conservation Voters
*****What Does Clean Energy Mean for Your State? For that or any other states, you can click on the US map here (scroll down)!
'World Can End Poverty and Limit Global Warming' to a 4 degree Fahrenheit warming, says a new UN study, reports Alex Kirby at Climate News Network, by making clean energy accessible to everyone in the world. But it can do so only if carbon emissions are dramatically cut... of course, a 4 degree Fahrenheit rise won't stop the methane bomb (see above), and they also forgot to mention that we have to bring our global population down to a sustainable level via unlimited access to family planning and education to really stop poverty, but, hey, they almost got it right....
∆∆∆∆ And the Dry Goes On, as US feds predict the big drought will continue in 2013, says the LA Times...
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Every day is Earth Day, folks, as I was reminded by this hounds tongue wildflower I photographed on the trail today. Making the U.S. a global clean energy leader will ensure a heck of a lot more jobs, and a clean, safe future. If you'd like to join the increasing numbers of people who want to TELL Congress that they will vote for clean energy candidates you can do so here. It's our way of letting Congress know there's a strong clean energy voting bloc out there. For more detailed summaries of the above and other climate change items, audio podcasts and texts are freely available.