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Archive for March 22nd, 2014
To Frack or Not to Frack, That is the Question
Posted by Town Hall: Bruce Bialosky on March 22nd, 2014
Town Hall: Five years ago almost no one knew the term – Fracking. Today it is one of the hottest topics in America and has become one of our hottest political footballs. The question is whether the fracking process harms underground water. It depends on who you ask.
Josh Fox received money from HBO to make a movie called Gasland. The documentary reached great heights as it was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary based on a small theatrical release. Josh Fox, a little known theater director,...
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Permafrost thaw exacerbates climate change
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 22nd, 2014
ScienceDaily: The climate is warming in the arctic at twice the rate of the rest of the globe creating a longer growing season and increased plant growth, which captures atmospheric carbon, and thawing permafrost, which releases carbon into the atmosphere. Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) Assistant Scientist Sue Natali and colleagues engineered first-of-a-kind warming experiments in the field to determine net gains or losses in carbon emissions. The study entitled "Permafrost degradation stimulates carbon loss...
Hague: Fracking can ‘weaken Russia’s grip over Europe’
Posted by ITV: None Given on March 22nd, 2014
ITV: Pushing ahead with controversial 'fracking' schemes could help reduce Russia's leverage over Europe, William Hague has suggested.
The Foreign Secretary urged a broader energy mix as he insisted nations should not "run scared" of Moscow's "bullying behaviour" in Ukraine.
The intervention - in an article for the Sunday Telegraph - came amid continuing tensions in Crimea, where pro-Russian forces have been storming Ukrainian military sites.
Oil spill response ‘inadequate’ on Great Lakes
Posted by Green Bay Press Gazette: Kate Golden on March 22nd, 2014
Green Bay Press Gazette: Oil that sinks is hard to clean up. That was the big lesson after energy giant Enbridge’s pipeline burst, causing oil to flow into Michigan’s Kalamazoo River in 2010, some 75 miles from where it empties into Lake Michigan. After more than three years and a billion dollars, oil remains in the river. So a refinery’s proposal to ship heavy crude oil from Superior across the Great Lakes has emergency responders gearing up to bolster gaps in current oil spill response plans. And the gaps are substantial,...
Global warming to hit Asia hardest, warns new report on climate change
Posted by Guaridan: Robin McKie on March 22nd, 2014
Guaridan: People in coastal regions of Asia, particularly those living in cities, could face some of the worst effects of global warming, climate experts will warn this week. Hundreds of millions of people are likely to lose their homes as flooding, famine and rising sea levels sweep the region, one of the most vulnerable on Earth to the impact of global warming, the UN states.
The report – Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability – makes it clear that for the first half of this century...
Historic “Pulse Flow” Brings Water to Parched Colorado River Delta
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 22nd, 2014
National Geographic: Thanks to a landmark agreement between the United States and Mexico, the parched Colorado River Delta will get a rejuvenating shot of water this spring for one of the first times in five decades, just in time for World Water Day on March 22.
On March 23, 2014, the gates of Morelos Dam on the Arizona-Mexico border will be lifted to allow a "pulse flow" of water into the final stretch of the Colorado River. Officials and scientists hope the water will help restore a landscape that has long been...
Be prepared for bad weather in future
Posted by Deleware Online: None Given on March 22nd, 2014
Deleware Online: Well below the eternal battles over climate change and politics is a simple reality: We cannot ignore weather extremes. Whether it is inland-flooding, record snowfalls or merely more powerful hurricanes, extreme weather is hitting us so often and so hard that it only makes sense to prepare for it. That may mean stocking up on flashlight batteries, developing a bad weather plan at work, or preparing homework packages for students. Delaware's school districts asked the state board of education for...
World water day: are filters the future?
Posted by Guardian: Kate Sharma on March 22nd, 2014
Guardian: Since 1990 more than 2 billion people have gained access to improved water sources. It's a huge achievement that has saved thousands of lives, but the biggest challenge will be getting water to the remaining 780 million, many of whom live in the most remote and underdeveloped places on earth.
Another considerable but necessary task is to provide clean water to those hit by humanitarian disasters. According to the UK government, diseases caused by dirty water and poor sanitation account for 80%...
World Water Day: Global efforts to conserve our most precious food resource
Posted by Christian Science Monitor: Danielle Nierenberg on March 22nd, 2014
Christian Science Monitor: This Saturday, March 22nd, the world celebrates World Water Day. Water and agriculture are inextricably interlinked and interdependent. Agriculture is a major user of both ground and surface water for irrigation--accounting for about 70 percent of water withdrawal worldwide.
Modern irrigation practices, including center pivot irrigation systems, can help improve crop productivity and yields. Unfortunately, irrigation is also the source of excessive water depletion from aquifers, erosion, and soil...
Coal and water around the world – in pictures
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 22nd, 2014
Guardian: UN World Water Day 2014 focuses on the relationship between water and energy. Coal remains a top energy source worldwide, requiring vast amounts of water and polluting rivers and streams. These pictures taken by Greenpeace show the lives of people who have been directly affected by coal-based power production around the world