Category: Enviroment

The New Geopolitics – By Jeffrey Sachs

Scientific American: The New Geopolitics
Each era has its own dominating themes of global politics. The 19th century had the politics of industrialization and empire. The first half of the 20th century bowed to world wars and economic depression. The second half was overshadowed by the cold war. Our era, I believe, will be dominated by the geopolitics of sustainability.

With that increase in economic output have come some phenomenal benefits, such as rising life expectancy and improved overall public health, and some planet-threatening adverse effects, such as massive tropical deforestation, ocean fisheries depletion, man-made climate change, violent competition over limited hydrocarbon resources, and newly emerging diseases such as SARS and avian flu (H5N1). Until now, the favorable outcomes have outweighed the bad.

Poison Ivy Getting Meaner

Poison Ivy Getting Meaner – Forbes.com
In their six-year experiment, Mohan and her colleagues showed that elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide in an intact forest ecosystem increases photosynthesis, water use efficiency, growth and biomass of poison ivy. "This was out in the real world," Mohan said.

Poison ivy plants exposed to elevated C02 levels averaged 149 percent faster growth compared with control plants, Mohan said. "Something we did not expect to happen, but indeed did — the form of the poison they make was more poisonous," she added.

"This is kind of sad news, not only for humans but for forests," Mohan said. "Increased vine abundance inhibits tree regeneration by killing young trees," she added.

African Farmers Anecdote

Parker Mitchell of Engineers Without Borders, a group that has shown how far you can get if you roll up your sleeves and start tackling the problems. Mitchell argued that antipoverty programs sometimes stall for want not of money or ideas, but of good implementation. He described how development specialists in southern Africa have long advised farmers to switch from corn to sorghum, a cereal native to Africa that is more resistant to both drought and floods. When Zambian farmers were reluctant to plant the crop, aid groups chalked it up to stubbornness and tried to force it on them. Continue reading “African Farmers Anecdote”

Kyoto promises are nothing but hot air

New Scientist News – Kyoto promises are nothing but hot air
Two teams that have monitored concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere say they have convincing evidence that the figures reported by many countries are wrong, especially for methane. Among the worst offenders are the UK, which may be emitting 92 per cent more methane than it declares under the Kyoto protocol, and France, which may be emitting 47 per cent more.

The Largest Artificial Reef Ever

Sinking of the Oriskany 17-May-2006

After several years of negotiations, and $20 million in renovations (to remove toxic materials and such), the "Mighty O" was sent to the bottom by 22 scuttling charges. It only took 35 minutes to go down, must faster than the estimated 4-5 hours. A small boat was seen on the flight deck. This contained a generator and controlled the detonation of the charges. This boat floated free as the "Mighty O" went down. As planned, the carrier landed on the bottom (212 feet down), upright, facing south. (Thanks to that old salt Peter Chance for this nautical blast).

Army called to fight toad invasion in Australia

– Army called to fight toad invasion in Australia

An Australian state government called for the army to be deployed against an invasion of toxic toads.

Battalions of imported cane toads are marching relentlessly across northern Australia and the West Australian government wants soldiers to intercept the environmental barbarians. Continue reading “Army called to fight toad invasion in Australia”

Trapping Carbon, Freeing Coal

Trapping Carbon, Freeing Coal: BLOG: SciAm Observations
The idea is to burn the coal but capture the carbon that the burning produces and pump it back underground.

It sounds simple. But millions of dollars have been spent–with the promise of billions more–in the thus far vain pursuit of a technology that can capture a diffuse gas (carbon dioxide), concentrate it and render it suitable for transport. Now the R.E. Burger Plant in Shadyside, Ohio, stands on the threshold of becoming the first coal-fired power plant to test both the capture and storage of the leading greenhouse gas.

Seal found in Anegada BVI

TCPalm: Local News
Plug the name of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution’s Greg Bossart into Google’s Internet search screen, and information about his work on dolphins, manatees and whales will pop up.

So Bossart, the director of marine mammal research and conservation, wasn’t surprised when he got a call from a biologist from the British Virgin Islands, asking for help with a beached animal. But he was surprised by the animal.

It seems a hooded seal — a marine mammal that lives on and around packed ice off the coast of Newfoundland — somehow found its way to the tiny island of Anegada in the Caribbean Sea.

“This is a very unusual occurrence,” Bossart said Friday. “They live on off-shore packed ice. They’re migratory, but the Caribbean is a little ridiculous.” (Thanks to Natalia Collier)

Daring rescue of whale off Farallones / Humpback nuzzled her saviors in thanks after they untangled her from crab lines, diver says

Daring rescue of whale off Farallones / Humpback nuzzled her saviors in thanks after they untangled her from crab lines, diver says

This story has been circulating around the net for awhile. Thanks to Randy Marks for this link to the original new article and pictures.

Initial Conditions for the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season

– Initial Conditions for the 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season
In 2005, by contrast, the entire hurricane-prone section of the Atlantic was much warmer than average. In fact, at the opening of the 2006 hurricane season, sea surface temperatures were 2 degrees cooler than they had been at opening of the 2005 season, said Adamec. The warm temperatures in 2005 allowed a record seven storms to form by the end of July. (Link to temperature maps)
The other major difference between conditions in 2005 and conditions in 2006 is the position of the Bermuda High, a semi-permanent high-pressure system that sits over the Central Atlantic. Hurricanes that form in the Atlantic tend to circle the Bermuda High. In 2004 and 2005, the Bermuda High expanded to the south and west, pushing storms into the Gulf of Mexico and Florida. But as of May 31, 2006, the Bermuda High remained small and in a position that would steer storms up the East Coast of the United States or out into the Atlantic.