Happy New Year! Today, Earth got a little bit warmer.
*The Ghost Of Climate Change Past:
OO Arctic SOS Bottle 54 Years Ago Warned About Vanishing Glaciers Left by a concerned geologist in 1959, the glacier-buried bottle finally melted out and was discovered.
Bushfire in Tasmania, Australia, January 2013. Credit ToniFish at wikimedia commons.
*The Ghost of Climate Change Present:
OO 2013′s Most Terrifying Weather Disasters in PHOTOS.
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Which future will it be? More of this........................Or this?
Children died in the weather disasters of 2013. Which future will we choose for ours? wikipedia; right, credit Warren Gretz/NREL
*The Ghost Of Climate Change Yet To Come:
OO Unlike Scrooge, We Don't Get A Spirit To Show Us what the future holds, writes Joe Romm at Climate Progress. But we have nature's signs and the scientists who can read them. Every day of delay ensures more climate change for our children, and less control over it. We can stop delaying if we choose, through each of us investing in clean energy, and electing leaders who will switch from fossil fuels to clean energy as soon as possible. We have the technology - now we need to ACT with our hearts and minds.
Most Important 2014 Climate Message: "You CAN Do Something About It" is what people need to hear most, says a new study, reports Emily Atkin at Climate Progress. And it's true, now more than ever: individuals and families CAN do something important. People can invest in clean energy through crowdsourcing, buying or leasing solar panels, or having clean energy brokers buy clean energy for them (see below). Growing a clean energy market drives down fossil fuel use and pollution. Save money and energy by improving home insulation. Finally, vote for clean energy leaders, and let your leaders know today that you will do so. Don't wait for the next disaster to strike - you can act now.
If we ALL do it,
we can create a tidal wave of change
for our economy, our health, and our future.
Sheldon Whitehouse, a 2013 US Climate Champion, who speaks out weekly to his colleagues in Congress. Via Climate Progress
The Climate Champions Of 2013, reports Joanna Foster at Climate Progress, include: Naderev "Yeb" Saño, Michael Mann, LA TIMES, Sheldon Whitehouse, MASSACHUSETTS, AL JAZEERA AMERICA, Michael Bloomberg, and Bill McKibben, and more. For more, check out the article...
Putting the climate genie back into the lantern isn't an option, but cutting off the smoke fueling it is. Save money and buy a healthier future for those you love - invest in clean renewable energy today. For more options and actions, see below.
California Gripped By Driest Year Ever, No Relief In Sight say federal forecasters, as many urge Gov. Brown and President Obama to declare a drought emergency and federal disaster in California, reports Kiley Kroh at Climate Progress. "This is going to be a ... potentially catastrophic year for the Central Valley" noted Sen. Dianne Feinstein. She's talking about the nation's vegetable basket - you know, the place where most of our carrots come from, for example?
Outrage Over Climate Inaction Reaches Fever Pitch in 2013 reports Katherine Bagley at Climate Progress. Thousands protested fossil fuels, thousands of scientists warned of an increasingly dangerous climate and showed ways to avoid much of it, educators taught climate change in classrooms, religious people took a moral stand, and many thousands called for divestment from fossil fuels. Forward!
Via Climate Progress
Iconic Climate Photos and Stories Of 2013 span the drunken Arctic forests to a new energy independent home, and everything in between, reports Andrew Breiner at Climate Progress. Check it out!
☼☼☼ On the Bright Side ☼☼☼
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(>(>(> PEOPLE SPEAK OUT
OO Top 10 Climate Change Protests of 2013 - must see: "Reverend Billy and the Golden Toads" takes on Chase Bank, among other goodies...
OO Bluegrass Uprising: US Homeowners Protest Planned Backyard Pipelines
OO Judge Deals Blow To BP's Efforts To Dodge Oilspill Payments
OO Arctic 30 protester: 'Russia owes me a medal.'
OO 100 Days After Arrest For Protesting Offshore Drilling, Arctic 30 Released From Russia - as Putin tries to clean up his image before the first Olympians arrive.... That's alright, Vlad - we won't forget...
OO Greenpeace Requests Inquiry into Arctic Oil Production
Ohio: Elves protest drilling by erecting a mock oil dril on the governor's lawn. Via Rising Tide Chicago.
OO Ohio: Merry Frackness, Guv! "Elves" Erect Oil Drill In His Backyard
OO Coal Industry Gets Heat From Concerned Investors
OO US Coal Trains Run into Stiff Resistance - US Pacific Northwest citizens are fighting three different proposed coal terminals.
OO US Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse: Except for Tea Party, Most Republicans Agree Earth Is Warming
OO Advocates Sue EPA Over Lack of Regulation for Utah Coal Plant
OO Fort Worth Sues Driller, Citing Millions In Lost Royalties
To find out how, check out Pear Energy and Ethical Electricity.
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OO Frack Water Recycling Plant Fires Up 'Warriors' Protestors
OO Interior Secretary Rejects Multi-Million Dollar 'Road to Nowhere' Through Alaska Wilderness
OO Canada: Families Seek Court Injunction Against Tar Sands Producer
OO Canada: Pipeline Has Govt Scrambling To Avoid Lawsuits
☼☼☼ BRIGHT DEVELOPMENTS ☼☼☼
OO China's Pollution Problems Threaten Australia's Coal Exports - shutting down climate change merchants can't happen soon enough...
OO EU, US Carbon Markets Look A Little Livelier
OO Puerto Rico Mandates Energy Storage in Green Power Mix
OO Clean Energy Investments Shine Globally
OO 4 Ways LEDs Are Brightening the Holiday Season - warehouses, metro station, street lights, you name it...
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OO Germany's Largest Utility Stops Two Big Contracts For Coal Power
OO Solar Micro-Grid Aims To Boost Power And Food In Haiti
☼☼☼ BRIGHT SIDE, STATE SIDE ☼☼☼
OO New Efficiency Rules For Cable Boxes Could Save A LOT of Power Yearly
OO Renewable Energy Accounted For All New US Electric Capacity In November - yessss!!!
OO Most Americans Want Govt To Tell Businesses What To Do On Climate Change
*****Ready to Invest Your Bucks in Solar? Check out Mosaic opportunities here!
OO Investor Offers $100 Million Green Bond for US Clean Energy
OO Cape Wind Signs Wind Turbine Building Deal with Siemens
OO New Ways To Pay For Solar Power Is Opening The Market
OO Tom Steyer: Liberals' Answer To Conservative Koch Heads - the CA billionaire is building a vast political network and inserting himself into elections nationwide, focusing on fossil fuels and global warming. http://lat.ms/JUUNGo
OO Experts: The Most Important Trends in Energy Efficiency
OO US Ski Industry Combats Climate Change Concerns
As warming winters shorten skiing seasons, the industry unites to address climate change. Via wikipedia
OO Ski Resorts Hope To Lead On Climate Change
OO California: Big Batteries Could Be Big Business as the state ordered installation of about $5 billion worth of batteries and other energy storage forms to help its power grid cope with input by wind and solar energy.
OO California: Electric Cars May Hold Solution For Power Storage
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OO Colorado: Near-Record Orders Spur Vestas Wind-Turbine Production And Hiring
OO New York: Solar Energy Finally Gets Another Push
OO Ohio: Fracker Wants Regulators to Regulate Proposed Plant
Beyoncé goes digital: it takes 26x more energy (~390 vs. ~15 Wh) to send a CD than to download it digitally. Multiply that by millions of buyers, and you know she's saving a lot of energy - maybe for her concerts... Courtesy Columbia Records.
OO Beyoncé Goes Green Digital With New Album
OO Coal Plants Shut Down Due To US Energy Efficiency, Cheap Natural Gas - coal in our stockings? No thank you, Santa!
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The flag flies, May 21, 2013.
At Moore, OK, the day after a huge tornado demolished it.
Credit Major Jon Quinlan/defenseimagery mil
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***** US Climate Change News *****
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OO Why 2014 Is A Critical Year For The Politics Of Climate Change
OO US Pipeline Safety Agency Says No To Pipeline Safety Improvements
OO To Clean Up Coal, Obama Pushes More Oil Production - he's a good president, but right now we need a truly courageous one...
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OO Weird Weather Hits America's Breadbasket
OO Strong Ice Storm Knocks Out Holiday Power to Half Million - climate change affects every storm.
OO Americans Divided or in the Dark About Fracking - how many know the link between fracking and earthquakes?
OO Flood Grant Program To Let Communities Consider Rising Seas Due To Climate Change
OO FEMA Knew Flood Maps Left NYC Unprepared For Sandy
*** CALIFORNIA DRYIN' ON SUCH A WINTER'S DAY....
OO California: Agency Says Valley Fever Is A Chief Concern Nationwide as climate change eases its spread with warmer, drier conditions.
OO Bay Area Christmas One Of Warmest Ever, With No End In Sight
Lack of rain often causes a buildup of hazardous smog, for which LA is notorious; scientists recently reported that California could be in the early part of a megadrought (ie, 30-100+ yrs long). Credit EPA via wikimedia commons.
OO Los Angeles Is On Track To Set Dry-Weather Record
OO Drought Brings Water Rationing Orders
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OO Arkansas: In 2013, Exxon Spill Showed Dangers Of Pipelines Buried Under Backyards
OO Michigan: Dilbit Spill Still Not Cleaned Up as 2013 Ends, Irritating EPA
OO Pennsylvania: 3rd Landmark Forest Hit By Invasive Pest, Possible Climate Change Link
OO Wyoming: As Frackers Disappear They Leave a Costly Mess for Taxpayers
<><><><> GOPPING IT UP <><><><>
Even elephants can't survive on oil. Credit: Mary Ellen Harte
OO Conservative Groups Spending Big via Hidden Donations to Fight Global Warming Action
OO Thanks To GOP Congressional House, 2014 Will Bring Uncertainty For The Wind Industry - the house rarely passes a clean energy bill, all by itself; given that, what the Senate does is irrelevant.
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Via the University of East Anglia Climate Change webpage
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<<<< Climate Change Round the World >>>>
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OO The Coming 'Instant Planetary Emergency' Scientists predict a nightmarish climate change future; some fear that we may be at--and over--a climate change precipice hair-raisingly quickly.
OO Climate Change Fuels Water Scarcity And Hunger As the growing world population's consumption of water increases, fresh water resources are also becoming scarcer due to climate change.
OO Global Warming Will Intensify Drought says new study.
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OO Sea Change: Food For Millions At Risk - As the source, marine life, is threatened by warming temperatures and ocean acidification, the souring of seas from carbon dioxide emitted by burning fossil fuels.
Oh, no!! Not sushi, too!!! The marine life that make up sushi are threatened from warming, souring oceans, besides overfishing. Wikimedia commons.
OO Disastrous Christmas Deluge in Caribbean; Requests Climate Change Adaptation Aid
OO Adapting to Climate Change Difficult for Caribbean Poor
OO Global Warming Is Changing Scotland's Marine Life
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OO Australia's Hottest Year On Record: 2013
OO Australia: Emissions Plan 'Unlikely To Meet Targets'
Smog over the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Credit Brian Jeffrey Beggerly via wikimedia commons.
OO China Struggling To Meet 2011-2015 Environment Goals amidst plagues of severe pollution.
OO Exploited Destruction of Amazon Forest Threatens South America
OO Philippines: Catastrophic Climate Change Brings Colossal Debt
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OO UK: Without Power, People Face Further Storms, Floods
OO Canada: Alberta's Tar Sands to Be Regulated by Fossil Fuels-Funded Group
OO Canada: Utilities To Spend Billions For Weather Protection - with further climate change though, this might just be the start.
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Ten Global Warming Indicators. Credit NOAA
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(((((((( Seeking the Science ))))))))
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OO 'Massive' Reservoir Of Melt Water Found Under Greenland Ice
OO Florida mangroves Expand northward with Climate Change
OO West Antarctic Ice Loss Has Accelerated Over Past Four Years
A capsized iceberg in Antarctica. Credit Uwe Kils at wikimedia commons.
OO Hockey Sticks To Methane Burps: Five Papers That Shaped Climate Science In 2013
OO Bird Count A Barometer Of Climate Change
Common Tent-Making Bats snuggle in their Costa Rican home. Bats are plummeting in numbers and scientists say that their ability to find food, done by echo-location, will be more difficult in a warming world.
OO Climate Change May Bode Ill for Bat Populations - bad news for these creatures, who are already plummeting in numbers due to puzzling fungal infections and loss of habitat from humans.
The Alps are warming at twice the global rate, says a new study. Via wikipedia.
OO Alps Warming At Twice Global Rate - and an ancient evergreen needle helps confirm it, says a new study.
OO Global Warming: Reducing Livestock Emissions Could Help Significantly
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@@@ Climate Change in the Media @@@
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@@ LIVING ON EARTH @@ PRI's Environmental News Magazine, covers climate change and other fascinating topics as well. Check it out!
!!!! Want to Save Energy & Help the Planet? Check out these helpful EPA Climate Change youtubers here! !!!!
@@ At Last, a Green Radio Show to counter the Lush Bimbaugh wasteland. Check out On the Green Front with Betsy Rosenberg at Progressive Radio Network to keep updated on climate change, and other green topics.
@@ Video: America's Dangerous Pipelines - the title says it all; compelling ....
To help you understand just what science does and does NOT do, check this out!
Every day is Earth Day, folks, as I was reminded by this beautiful subalpine scene I photographed this summer. 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.