The Japanese have often been viewed as the villains in the harvesting of the ocean because of multiple short-sighted practices. For example, their practice of harvesting virtually all of the available krill in major feeding areas (to add a shine to face cream) means that the life that is larger and needs krill to survive … Continue reading China’s search for protein grows
Tag: climate crisis, global warming
If you think it’s hot now, just wait
Earth was 130 degrees this week. It will be much hotter one day. As temperatures set new records, the world is predicted to just get hotter. But how hot could it get? BY MADELEINE STONE PUBLISHED AUGUST 20, 2020 As a heat wave roasted the western United States this week, temperatures in California’s Death Valley soared to … Continue reading If you think it’s hot now, just wait
It’s too late to stop the disintegration of the Greenland ice sheet
Note that the sea level increase largely caused by this melting will be three feet -- enough to large parts of the coastal areas of the United States, particularly along the East Coast and Florida. Here's an interactive map: https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/#/layer/slr/0/-11581024.663779823/5095888.569004184/5/satellite/none/0.8/2050/interHigh/midAccretion https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/14/weather/greenland-ice-sheet/index.html Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, according to new … Continue reading It’s too late to stop the disintegration of the Greenland ice sheet
As if rolling power outages and firestorms aren’t enough, CA just had a “firenado”
Tornado strength winds and strong firestorms in California are combining in odd and frightening ways. Both articles discuss the warnings given, how the authorities analyzed the situation, and the eventual outcome as well as videos. It appears that the fire plus tornado killed at least one fire fighter. https://www.sacbee.com/news/weather-news/article244993335.html See also: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/16/california-wildfire-spawns-firenado-tornado-warning-issued
California getting hit (again) by rolling power outages and fire
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-16/california-faces-second-night-of-blackouts-amid-unrelenting-heat First Fires, Now Heat: Millions of Californians Back in the Dark By Mark Chediak , David R Baker , and Brian Eckhouse August 15, 2020, 9:43 PM EDT Updated on August 16, 2020, 10:58 AM EDT Scorcher is forecast to last through the middle of next weekRolling blackouts are the first since 2001 energy … Continue reading California getting hit (again) by rolling power outages and fire
Concerned about plastics in the ocean? Webinar 9AM EDT July 24
I'm already registered to attend. The PEW Charitable Trust does good things. View in web browserFriday 24th July 202009:00–10:30 EDT / 14:00–15:30 BST / 20:00–21:30 WIBThe Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ invite you to the global virtual launch of the new report "Breaking the Plastic Wave: A Comprehensive Assessment of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic … Continue reading Concerned about plastics in the ocean? Webinar 9AM EDT July 24
Yet another active methane source adding to climate crisis problems
Methane is already being added to the atmosphere from thawing of frozen tundra, bubbles coming up from the seabed off Siberia, and fossil fuel production. This is a new, possibly major, source. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/22/first-active-leak-of-sea-bed-methane-discovered-in-antarctica? First active leak of sea-bed methane discovered in Antarctica Researchers say potent climate-heating gas almost certainly escaping into atmosphere An image of … Continue reading Yet another active methane source adding to climate crisis problems
Too much talk about CO2 — look at those horrendous methane levels
Two interesting places where methane has been releasing in increasing volumes -- burbling up in the ocean off Siberia and releasing from what used to be frozen, but is not thawed, Arctic tundra. And then there are always those cows releasing it as part of their digestive process. That last one can be substantially mitigated … Continue reading Too much talk about CO2 — look at those horrendous methane levels
Biggest climate risk to NYC now? Heat
As one of those who made the choice to come to NYC, rather than just being born here, I chose again not to leave despite what should be a rugged next few years. Fortunately, despite its other problems, NYC's weather problems are few despite climate change. We get stronger storms but -- so far -- … Continue reading Biggest climate risk to NYC now? Heat
Pink ice showing up in glaciers is no good
https://www.sciencealert.com/italy-s-alps-have-turned-pink-prompting-an-investigation-into-the-sudden-algal-bloom? Mysterious Emergence of Pink Ice in The Alps Could Have Dire Consequences PASSO GAVIA, AFP6 JULY 2020 Scientists in Italy are investigating the mysterious appearance of pink glacial ice in the Alps, caused by algae that accelerate the effects of climate change. There is debate about where the algae come from, but Biagio Di Mauro … Continue reading Pink ice showing up in glaciers is no good
Yuval Noah “Sapiens” still sticks in my mind
This is quite a lengthy profile of Yuval Noah Harari who made a huge splash with his book "Sapiens" in 2014. It's one of my top ten memorable books for ideas. Recommended highly -- as is this article. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/02/17/yuval-noah-harari-gives-the-really-big-picture
100 degrees in Siberia is downright scary
The time during which we can reverse the accelerating increase in global temperatures is getting very short. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/17/climate-crisis-alarm-at-record-breaking-heatwave-in-siberia See also: https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/18/europe/siberia-warming-climate-crisis-intl-hnk/index.html Climate crisis: alarm at record-breaking heatwave in Siberia Unusually high temperatures in region linked to wildfires, oil spill and moth swarms A map showing places warmer (red) or cooler (blue) in May than the … Continue reading 100 degrees in Siberia is downright scary
Abycats' Thoughts 