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Groundwater depletion adding to global sea-level rise
Posted by Desert Sun: Ian James on December 21st, 2015
Desert Sun: Increasing amounts of water are being depleted from the world’s aquifers, and scientists have estimated that a large portion of the water ends up flowing into the oceans.
So much groundwater is being pumped from wells that researchers say it is contributing significantly to global sea-level rise.
Hydrologists Yoshihide Wada and Marc Bierkens have calculated estimates of the amounts of groundwater depleted annually since 1900, and their findings are striking. When plotted on a chart, their figures...
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Report: Food companies face growing water risk
Posted by Desert Sun: Ian James on May 8th, 2015
Desert Sun: Food companies should be taking stronger steps to use water more efficiently and adapt to growing water scarcity, a nonprofit advocacy group said in a report released Thursday.
The organization Ceres ranked 37 major food companies on how effectively they are managing water-related risks that can affect profits as well as food production. It concluded that while a relatively small number of companies are taking significant actions to address water risks in their businesses, "most have a long way...
Volunteers helping study climate change in Joshua Tree
Posted by Desert Sun: Ian James on April 12th, 2015
Desert Sun: Carrying notebooks and GPS devices, researchers walked through the desert of Joshua Tree National Park conducting a scientific survey, methodically scanning the ground for lizards.
Leading the group were ecologists from UC Riverside. But the rest of the researchers were "citizen scientists" – volunteers from Maine, Minnesota and Canada who signed up through the Earthwatch Institute to support a week of scientific research in the desert.
The volunteers have been providing critical support for...
Q&A: Sen. Boxer on climate change, California drought
Posted by Desert Sun: Ian James on August 10th, 2014
Desert Sun: Sen. Barbara Boxer, who leads the Environment and Public Works Committee, is on a trip to Amsterdam focusing on climate change. She is visiting the Dutch capital to see the city's adaptation techniques for coping with sea level rise, as well as to learn about the progress the city has made in moving toward clean energy to address climate change. Boxer, a Democrat from Rancho Mirage, was unavailable for a phone interview while traveling. But she responded by email to questions from The Desert Sun...