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Archive for January 27th, 2013
Wasted heat from large cities affects temperatures in distant regions
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on January 27th, 2013
Independent: The waste heat generated by large cities can affect temperatures in areas hundreds of miles away by changing wind patterns in the upper atmosphere, a study has found. Scientists have estimated that the heat released into the atmosphere from buildings, cars and factories could play a significant role in the warming – and the cooling – of locations in other countries. Using computer models of how heat is transported around the globe, the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change says that...
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Crude oil spills into Mississippi River after oil barges crash
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on January 27th, 2013
Reuters: Two oil barges pushed by a tugboat slammed into a railroad bridge in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on Sunday, causing one to leak crude oil into the Mississippi River, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Officials used an "absorbent boom" to contain the undetermined amount of oil that leaked into the river after the collision, which occurred shortly after midnight and damaged both barges, Lieutenant Ryan Gomez said. The barge that is leaking was holding 80,000 gallons of light crude oil, he said.
"A towing...
Blockade at PA Fracking Site Highlights Risks to Farms and Food
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on January 27th, 2013
EcoWatch: Residents of Western Pennsylvania and friends of Lawrence County farmer Maggie Henry locked themselves to a giant paper-mache pig today in the entrance to a Shell natural gas well site in order to protest the company’s threat to local agriculture and food safety. The newly-constructed gas well is located at 1545 PA Route 108, Bessemer, PA , 16102, less than 4,000 feet from Henry’s organic pig farm.
The farm has been in the Henry family for generations and has been maintained as a small business...
India: Climate change in UP: Hybrid variety of crops taking over
Posted by Daily Pioneer: Biswajeet Banerjee on January 27th, 2013
Daily Pioneer: Blame it on climate change as Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a shift from the traditional variety of foodgrains to hybrid ones as there is a sharp decline in production of conventional varieties of wheat and rice.
Officials in Agriculture Department vouch that lesser winter rains and reduced fog have affected the production of nutritious varieties of wheat and rice known as Ram Kali and Nargis respectively.
Agriculture Minister Anand Singh said that change in winter crop is perceptible. “There...
Heat from North American cities causing warmer winters, study finds
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on January 27th, 2013
Guardian: Those who wonder why large parts of North America seem to be skipping winter have a new answer in addition to climate change: big city life.
A study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, found that the heat thrown off by major metropolitan areas on America's east coast caused winter warming across large areas of North America, thousands of miles away from those cities.
Winter warming was detected as far away as the Canadian prairies. In some remote areas, temperature rose by as much...
Floods hit UK, with worse weather on the way
Posted by Guardian: Steven Morris on January 27th, 2013
Guardian: Homes were flooded, motorists stranded and travel disrupted as pelting rain combined with melted snow to cause problems across parts of the UK over the weekend – but much more severe weather could be on the way.
The worst of the flooding over the weekend was to be found in parts of the south-west of England, the Midlands, East Anglia and Wales, where hundreds of flood warnings and alerts were put in place.
However, harder rain, plus some gale force winds, are on the way, raising concerns that...
Hundreds Rally Against Proposed Tar Sands Pipeline
Posted by EcoWatch: Natural Resources Council Of Maine on January 27th, 2013
EcoWatch: Yesterday, in the largest protest in the Northeast against tar sands, hundreds of people from Maine, New England and Canada carried signs and marched across Portland to rally at the Maine State Pier.
The rally and march were held to oppose an emerging proposal to send dirty tar sands oil through the 236-mile long, 62-year-old Exxon/Enbridge pipeline across Canada, Maine and New England. Specifically, participants called on elected officials and the U.S. State Department to require a new Presidential...
State ready to get tougher on trash
Posted by Star Tribune: Laurie Blake on January 27th, 2013
Star Tribune: Burning more of Minnesota's garbage and putting less in landfills has been the state's goal for years, but every day in Elk River, full garbage trucks rumble past a garbage-to-energy recycling center to dump their contents at the landfill next door.
Last year alone, an extra 140,000 tons of waste from the metro area went into landfills, which are cheaper for haulers, instead of the more environmentally friendly burners.
But the state is getting ready to crack down on the practice. Next month...
Philippines: Duterte blames West, China for climate change, floods in Davao City
Posted by Inquirer: Germelina Lacorte on January 27th, 2013
Inquirer: “Don’t blame poor Filipinos for what’s wrong with the weather,” Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said as he lashed at critics who blamed illegal logging for the worst flooding that inundated some areas in Davao in water for the whole week. “Every time there’s something wrong with the weather, you start to crucify the Filipinos, when we don’t have a significant contribution to what ails the weather. We contribute the least to global warming, blame the Western world, blame the US and China,” Duterte said,...
Gretchen Bleiler on climate change: Do sweat the small stuff
Posted by Aspen Daily News: Dorothy Atkins on January 27th, 2013
Aspen Daily News: For snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, being environmentally conscious is about doing the small things in her daily life to prevent climate change.
If everyone decided to drink out of reusable water bottles or chose to recycle, it could be enough to deter the long-term impacts of global warming, the Olympic medalist said Wednesday before an audience of about 300 students at Roaring Fork High School.
Bleiler spoke about the importance of being environmentally conscious in light of climate change...