Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series.
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Tonight's editor: ellinorianne
Please remember to rec the BP Catastrophe Liveblog Mothership: 83
All views expressed by today's editor do not necessarily represent those of eKos or eKos listed diarists.
Why Antarctic Sea Ice Is Growing in a Warmer World
Satellite data show that, over the past 30 years, Arctic sea ice has declined while Antarctic sea ice has mysteriously expanded, according to study leader Jiping Liu, a research scientist at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.
"We've seen this paradox, but we don't know why—here we gave an explanation," Liu said.
The new analyses are based on climate models and sea-surface temperature and precipitation observations from 1950 to 2009. They show that, in the 20th century, ocean warming boosted precipitation in the upper atmosphere over the Antarctic region, which fell as snow.
...
The paper also helps to dispel a common misconception—that the strong decline in Arctic ice and increase in Antarctic ice causes a net zero effect, Meier said.
That's not the case, because the two polar ecosystems are so different, he said. Arctic ice is multiyear, persisting through the seasons, while Antarctic ice forms and melts each year and has always been governed more by wind and ocean circulation than air temperatures, he said.
That's not to say the melting effects of temperature, as seen in the Arctic, won't also occur in the Antarctic—they'll just take longer to show up, he said.
Greenpeace is doing independent research in the Gulf to study the affects of the oil and dispersants on the environment.
Our mission
"We all need to know the true extent and nature of this oil catastrophe, as well as the real reasons why this happened so we can make sure it never happens again." Greenpeace USA Executive Director Philip Radford
And here is a report from Paul Horsman who is TckTckTck Campaigns Director onboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise. He explains the purpose of the expedition, which is so very important and part of keeping our eye on the Gulf.
Day 4 of the Gulf oil spill impacts expedition: The research begins
Tomorrow, the first team of scientists will come on board and we will take them to the Dry Tortugas where they investigate corals and take samples of sponges. These colonial animals filter the water for their food and so they accumulate material in their bodies which makes them good indicators of what is in the water. Following this first leg of the voyage, the ship then heads out towards the site of the Deepwater Horizon taking samples of plankton – the tiny floating animals and plants which make up the base of the marine food chain. On board will also be mammal researchers to record any whales and dolphins. A lot of research has been done in the Gulf on marine mammals and so there is baseline data against which to measure any possible impacts.
At the other side of the Gulf, scientists from Texas will join the ship and deploy equipment to try to assess the extent of any sub-surface oil either as underwater plumes or as so-called ‘dead-zone’ areas. These are where the bacteria in breaking down the oil have used up oxygen in the water. The Gulf is known for having seasonal dead-zones but it is possible that these could have been made worse as the environment deals with the onslaught of millions of gallons of oil and chemicals. Finally submersibles will be used to look at the seabed and any possible impacts on deep water animals.
The research is likely to raise more questions than answers. But this is the start of trying to see what the impacts of this spill have been. It will take many months if not years before the full account of what happened here will be known. In the meantime, we can call our government to account, we can stop the industry expanding and continuing as if nothing had happened. We must continue to demand a shift from environmentally destructive energy sources to clean renewable energy.
Speaking of Renewable energy, Science magazine has a feature, Special Section: Scaling Up Alternative Energy that is available to non-subscribers until the end of the month.
In the 13 August 2010 issue, Science explores worldwide efforts to develop clean, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels. News stories highlight some of the challenges associated with making this energy transition, Perspectives take an in-depth look at how researchers hope to scale up biofuels development, and a Review discusses a two-stage approach for expanding nuclear power generation. An all-energy podcast features interviews with authors of the special section.
One such feature caught my eye, Do We Have the Energy for the Next Transition? by Richard A. Kerr
The history of past major energy transitions—from wood to coal, and from coal to oil and gas—suggests that it will be a long, tough road to scaling up alternatives to fossil fuels that don't stoke greenhouse warming. A big problem is that, for the first time, the world is moving to tap new energy sources that are, in many ways, less useful and convenient than the currently dominant sources: fossil fuels. Oil in particular is densely packed with energy, easily transported and stored, and efficient at releasing its energy in modern engines. Renewables are another matter. Fuel sources like corn kernels or wood chips tend to be bulky, and their energy content is diffuse. Planting energy crops and building solar or wind farms is a land-hungry process, and the energy they deliver is often intermittent and hard to store.
Ultimately, when talking about environmental issue, we must address energy resources, consumption and our lifestyles and in the conversation we have to talk about transitioning away from fossil fuels. It would be a much better thing for all concerned if we ramped this conversation up way before it becomes a dire necessity. So, how soon is now? As many have asked, when are we going to stop arguing about if peak has passed, if warming is happening but what we are going to do?
Some Action Items!
Plant A Fish & students will grow mangroves on Florida's shorelines
Goals
To 're-plant' mangroves on Florida's shorelines
To educate & engage local communities & schools in marine conservation
To empower underserved youth & inspire next gen. of conservationists
To strengthen Florida's natural storm barriers & marine nurseries
Overview
Plant A Fish is a hands-on outdoor education and restoration experience developed by Fabien Cousteau, third-generation ocean explorer, documentary filmmaker and environmental ambassador. It empowers individuals to become involved with responsible 're-planting' of key marine species in distressed bodies of water.
In Florida, PAF will educate local communities and students from schools including South Plantation High to grow mangroves along shorelines. Mangroves serve as nurseries for sea creatures and barriers against storms and erosion. Regrettably, modern development has reduced mangroves at alarming rates.
PAF will:
Grow mangrove forests by 10,000 plants in 1st year
Instill community-driven, sustainable re-planting practices
Educate 1,250 underserved youth from 5 schools to improve their marine environment/inspire them to become the next generation of marine scientists and conservationists
Secure 25 million natl/regional press impressions for communities/schools
Insist that Toxic Coal Ash be Treated as Hazardous Waste
Thanks to the efforts of friends of NC IPL and many others, North Carolina will be one of only a handful of states hosting an EPA hearing on proposed coal ash regulations. Coal ash is a toxic mix of substances, including heavy metals such as arsenic, that cause cancer and other nerve and immune disorders. In 2008 and 2009, North Carolina's electric utilities dumped over 3.8 million tons of coal ash into open-air ponds. In North Carolina, 13 coal ash ponds are leaking these substances into the surrounding groundwater. The EPA has already categorized 49 ponds as high-hazard, and amazingly there are 12 in N.C., more than in any other state. Yet coal ash is less regulated than ordinary household garbage. You may remember the Kingston, Tennessee Coal Ash Disaster on December 22, 2008. It was called "the Exxon Valdez of the fossil fuel industry," the worst environmental disaster in the United States prior to the BP Gulf Oil Disaster. We need you to tell the EPA that coal ash is hazardous material and should not be treated in the same manner as household waste. You can also attend the public hearing in Charlotte on September 14. For more information, or to send a letter instead of an e-mail, visit our website at http://www.ncipl.org. You can also order free post cards printed by the national IPL campaign and gather signatures from fellow congregants. Please visit our website for instructions.
Two Brothers with Two Buckets Take on World Hunger
A few weeks ago Daniel Vivarelli sent us a link to Global Buckets. and gushed about having come across "two young lads (brothers I believe) who have taken it upon themselves to cook up solutions for solving world hunger. WORLD FREAKIN' HUNGER ... I mean, no small challenge right? And they're onto an amazing solution."
The lads are 17 year old Grant Buster, and his 15 year old younger brother, Max. And their solution is two five gallon (20 litre) buckets set inside one another, to which they add some soil, water, bits of plastic pipe. and some strategically placed holes. Their system for food growing is said to reduce water usage between 50% and 80%, with a 100% reduction in weeds (and hence herbicides.) And they figure you can use it anywhere, from rooftops to industrial wastelands.
It's not often teenagers allocate their summer vacation to saving the world. Go guys!
A satellite view shows sediments flowing into Lake Erie. Phosphorus runoff is contributing to algae blooms this summer.
Forty years after Lake Erie became a national poster child for water pollution, and only two decades after it was declared restored, the troubled lake is serving as a warning sign for the nation’s waters this summer.
...
Erie has long been considered a “canary in a coal mine” presaging pollution problems elsewhere. Uncertainty about the causes of Erie’s surprising renewed decline should raise concerns about other water bodies across the U.S. Harmful land use practices and antiquated sewage systems are not unique to the Erie basin.
Source
And on a much lighter note, this gorgeous photo of a pilot whale which was released just last week.
These remarkable 'mugshots' of a group of pilot whales were snapped last week in the clear blue waters of the Straits Of Gibraltar, the gateway to the Mediterranean sea.
After several loud 'barks' this whale stopped to gaze at its own reflection in the lens.
Source
Continued efforts for Pakistan.
pakistan III: the human face of climate change: ecojustice
A father carries his sons through Pakistan flood waters. Photo credit: REUTERS/ Andrees Latif
"We can no longer think of climate an enviromental issue. Climate is a civilizational issue." Paul Hawkin, Aug 14, 2010.
"Climate change, when you really look at it, seems to be really all about water, too much water or too little water. Africa as a continent is a great example of that. There's a lot of parts of Africa that are going through massive droughts right now. They can't grow food. They can't really supply crops for the people who are there. And then you have places like Mozambique, where you have these massive floods. And that's what's happening all over the world that we saw. It's all about water." Filmaker Michael Nash, Aug. 14, 2010
(All times Eastern!)
eKos diaries from Monday, August 16, 2010 |
Diary | Author | Time (Eastern) | Tags |
Macca's Meatless Monday...sitting on a Cornflake | beach babe in fl | 19:32:52 | meat production, eKos, climate change, global warming, green |
Urgent: Pavlovsk Seed Repository In Jeopardy - Action Item | the fan man | 17:01:18 | Food, Agriculture, Biodiversity, eKos |
Science Tidbits | possum | 15:34:51 | Teaching, Learning, Science, eKos |
Chortling the end of the world: this week's PANIQuiz | mwmwm | 10:59:44 | humor, converging emergencies, environment, ekos, dk-greenroots |
Credit where credit is due | DarkSyde | 10:50:03 | science, ekos |
Brilliant | Laurence Lewis | 10:16:03 | Climate Change, renewable energy, Portugal, coal, Senate |
BP Catastrophe Liveblog Mothership: 83 | Gulf Watchers | 06:00:08 | Recommended, Oilpocalypse, BP, Deepwater Horizon, Gulf of Mexico, LMRP |
Climate Dominoes | Stranded Wind | 00:22:29 | Recommended, climate, Afghanistan, Pakistan, eKos |
Green diary rescue & open thread | Meteor Blades | 00:15:20 | green diary rescue, environment, green, eKos |
eKos diaries from Sunday, August 15, 2010 |
Diary | Author | Time (Eastern) | Tags |
Overnight News Digest: David Kelly update | ScottyUrb | 23:51:29 | Recommended, Overnight News Digest, eKos |
Daily Kos to the Climate Change Rescue | Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse | 21:57:16 | Recommended, Gulf Recovery Blogathon, BP, ekos, environment, climate change |
Can We Avoid Extinction through Science? | RobertConnors | 19:12:19 | methane, global climate change, global warming, human extinction, methane crisis |
Sunday Train: Richard Florida and the End of the Automobile Age | BruceMcF | 19:03:17 | Living Energy Independence, ekos, rail electrification, passenger rail, HSR |
It does beg the question ... How many, Where to, Why for ? | jamess | 15:01:13 | Flight Restrictions, Humane Society, Edward Clark, Wildlife Center of Virigina, Karl Burkart |
Climate News: Week ending 14 August 2010 | billlaurelMD | 12:05:56 | environment, DKos GreenRoots, eKos, global warming, climate change |
BP Catastrophe Liveblog Mothership: 82 | Gulf Watchers | 11:31:09 | Recommended, Oilpocalypse, BP, Deepwater Horizon, Gulf of Mexico |
24 Hours of Wonder: Gulf Region Nature Photodiary | matching mole | 10:01:49 | teaching, learning, wildlife, gulf coast, St Marks National Wildlife Refuge |
New method uses Sunlight to remove CO2 from Atmosphere: Updated | yuriwho | 00:33:59 | Recommended, Stuart Licht, carbon sequestration, solar energy, eKos |
Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (2010 Perseid Meteor Shower edition) | Neon Vincent | 00:10:14 | Recommended, Overnight News Digest, OND, science, space, environment |
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