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Archive for January, 2013
Climate change to profoundly affect the Midwest in coming decades
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on January 18th, 2013
EurekAlert: In the coming decades, climate change will lead to more frequent and more intense Midwest heat waves while degrading air and water quality and threatening public health. Intense rainstorms and floods will become more common, and existing risks to the Great Lakes will be exacerbated.
Those are some of the conclusions contained in the Midwest chapter of a draft report released last week by the federal government that assesses the key impacts of climate change on every region in the country and analyzes...
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on Climate change to profoundly affect the Midwest in coming decadesAmazon Rainforest Under Threat From Climate Change
Posted by redOrbit: April Flowers on January 18th, 2013
RedOrbit: A megadrought that started in 2005 is still affecting a portion of the Amazon Rainforest twice the size of California, a new study led by NASA`s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) finds.
The results of this study, combined with the observed recurrences of droughts every few years and associated damage to forests in both the southern and western Amazon over the past decade, reveal that the rainforest might be showing the initial signs of potential large-scale degradation due to climate change.
An...
What the FDA Isn’t Telling Us About GE Salmon
Posted by EcoWatch: Tim Schwab on January 18th, 2013
EcoWatch: In September 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appeared primed to approve AquaBounty’s genetically engineered (GE) salmon, the hormone-enhanced fish that, nevertheless, can’t live up to its fast-growth hype. Trumpeting unprecedented transparency, the FDA released to the public hundreds of pages of the agency’s favorable risk assessment, along with an announcement of a days-away public meeting in Rockville, Maryland. The extremely short timeline seemed designed to limit public participation...
No relief in sight for drought-stricken Plains
Posted by Reuters: Sam Nelson on January 18th, 2013
Reuters: Dry weather should continue through at least the end of January in the drought-stricken U.S. Plains and a blast of Arctic cold air in the Midwest early next week poses a threat to unprotected livestock and possibly some wheat, an agricultural meteorologist said on Friday.
"The hard red winter wheat belt in the Plains looks quiet, dry and cooler next week, but there shouldn't be a cold air threat in the Plains," said John Dee, meteorologist for Global Weather Monitoring.
Dee said temperatures...
Australia: Sydney experiences its hottest day on record
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on January 18th, 2013
Agence France-Presse: Temperatures in Sydney on Friday hit their highest levels since records began 150 years ago, after an Australian government agency warned of more frequent and intense heatwaves in the future.
While a vicious cold snap has recently hit Russia and eastern Europe and the Middle East has suffered its worst winter storm in a decade, Australian firefighters were battling scores of wildfires in stifling summer heat.
In Sydney, Australia's biggest city, the temperature smashed the previous hottest...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Australia: Sydney experiences its hottest day on recordAs drought persists, many scramble to save every drop of water
Posted by Reuters: Carey Gillam on January 18th, 2013
Reuters: The drought that crippled many communities across the nation last year shows little sign of retreating, and the threat of persistent water scarcity is spurring efforts to preserve every drop.
As the drought of 2012 creeps into 2013, experts say the slow-spreading catastrophe presents near-term problems for a key U.S. agricultural region and potential long-term challenges for millions of Americans.
"Everyone is wondering whether this dry weather is the new norm ... or an anomaly that will soon...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on As drought persists, many scramble to save every drop of waterSuperstorm destruction was good news for jolly prophet of doom
Posted by Greenwire: Annie Snider on January 18th, 2013
Greenwire: For more than 40 years, the renowned coastal geologist has preached a message of gloom: The beaches are moving. People need to get out of the way.
His message was unwelcome to many powerful people. Real estate developers slammed Pilkey in the press; wealthy alumni of his academic home, Duke University, heckled him during speeches; revelers in seaside bars challenged him to fistfights; and the town of Folly Beach, S.C., officially declared him persona non grata. Yet Pilkey has persisted and scored...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Superstorm destruction was good news for jolly prophet of doomMercury emissions threaten ocean, lake food webs
Posted by Environmental Health News: Brian Bienkowski on January 18th, 2013
Environmental Health News: As United Nations delegates end their mercury treaty talks today, scientists warn that ongoing emissions are more of a threat to food webs than the mercury already in the environment. At the same time, climate change is likely to alter food webs and patterns of mercury transport in places such as the Arctic, which will further complicate efforts to keep the contaminant out of people and their food. The discovery that new mercury seems to be more of a threat than old mercury could add impetus for...
Markell plans to address sea-level rise, teacher pay
Posted by Cape Gazette: None Given on January 18th, 2013
Cape Gazette: Officials are working to address sea-level rise, school safety and job creation for Delaware. Gov. Jack Markell delivered his state of the state address, surrounded by legislators and other elected officials, Jan. 17, at Legislative Hall in Dover.
In the speech, “This is the world we now live in,” Markell asked the General Assembly to help him pass legislation to fund infrastructure projects to address flooding, enact legislation to ban certain firearms and raise the pay for teachers.
The governor...
Thailand courts back locals in green fight
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on January 18th, 2013
Bangkok Post: Residents fighting for their rights to live in a clean environment and to participate in natural resource management have won two historic court cases in the past eight days.
On Jan 10, the Supreme Administrative Court ordered the Pollution Control Department (PCD) to pay nearly 4 million baht in compensation to 22 Karen villagers affected by lead contamination at Klity Creek, caused by a mining company in Kanchanaburi's Thong Pha Phum district.
The verdict awards each plaintiff 177,999.55...