Climate Change / Global Warming Discussion

[ohmman]

I know better than to quibble with Ohmman, but will jump into the frying pan with full knowledge of getting toasted rather than sauteed:

My dim recollection of California's native perennial grasses in its interior valleys (from several articles in "California Agriculture," a research journal from UCCE) is that they are primarily bunch/clump grasses with a smattering of rhizomatous grasses as well. I cannot comment on the length of their roots. However they are not green year round. The leaves manufacture food throughout the growing season to sustain the eventual florescence and seed maturation plus they establish the nodes for the following year's growth, either with basal nodes in clump grasses or on the rhizomes that are about 1/2 to 3/4" beneath the soil surface. Once the seeds are mature, the foliage dies back and turns our lovely shade of California tan, only to green up again after the first good autumn rain. Our hot, long, and dry summers play in concert with this growing cycle. Moreover, the desiccated foliage provides additional cover for all sorts of animals in the food chain.

You may be correct, @cpa. My understanding about the Sonoma Valley in particular is that we have wide layers of ash lining the valley that were deposited during our volcanic period (mostly the Pliocene). That compacted ash layer is nearly impervious, and it creates a basin of relatively high groundwater that is tappable for deep rooted plants. Certainly purple needlegrass has very deep roots that could tap into that supply. My kids' tennis coach gives lessons at his parents' house. They have unirrigated purple needlegrass there, which stays green year-round. But it is relatively shaded and near a creek. Other areas may not stay quite as green.

One question remains for you Ohhman: When you are describing the "mini-sloughs" and their ultimate demise, are you referring to our vernal pools? These have been sucked dry over the decades and had been home to all sorts of invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and temporary homes to transient avians as they negotiated the Pacific Flyway.

I'm talking more about marshes that could hold water well into late summer. Kenwood, on the northern side of the valley, was an example of marshlands 150 years ago. Now, of course, it's mostly covered in wineries and homes.

 

[iPlug]

U.S. definitely needs to do more, but air pollution is the major cause of premature deaths from pollution, and it's only nominally ranked 7th because it is one of the largest populations by country (#3 to be precise). Per capita, it has one of the lowest premature death rates from air pollution.

Per the article:

Air pollution stands out as the biggest cause of death and disability linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, stroke, and certain cancers.
​

The U.S., for example, ranked quite low at only 19 out of ~250 countries for age-standardized death/100,000 attributable to air pollution. Other pollutants tend to be strongly associated with air pollution on a per country basis.

These are the countries with the highest death rates from air pollution:

The 13 countries with the highest death rates from air pollution

 

[mspohr]

U.S. definitely needs to do more, but air pollution is the major cause of premature deaths from pollution, and it's only nominally ranked 7th because it is one of the largest populations by country (#3 to be precise). Per capita, it has one of the lowest premature death rates from air pollution.

Per the article:

Air pollution stands out as the biggest cause of death and disability linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, stroke, and certain cancers.
​

The U.S., for example, ranked quite low at only 19 out of ~250 countries for age-standardized death/100,000 attributable to air pollution. Other pollutants tend to be strongly associated with air pollution on a per country basis.

These are the countries with the highest death rates from air pollution:

The 13 countries with the highest death rates from air pollution

Depression and suicide linked to air pollution in new global study

People living with air pollution have higher rates of depression and suicide, a systematic review of global data has found.
The particle pollution analysed in the study is produced by burning fossil fuels in vehicles, homes and industry. The researchers said the new evidence further strengthened calls to tackle what the World Health Organization calls the “silent public health emergency” of dirty air.

“We’ve shown that air pollution could be causing substantial harm to our mental health, making the case for cleaning up the air we breathe even more urgent,” said Isobel Braithwaite, at University College London (UCL), who led the research.

 

[ladysbff]

Not slashing emissions? See you in court

So there are now 50 ways for the government of the Netherlands to make up for its failure to protect its citizens from warming of more than 1.5 °C. The 700 partners are poised to help, once the government delivers the money and support that are needed.

It has been a long, hard road, with many ups and downs for the whole team, from tense discussions to nights without sleep. But I’m glad we stayed the course and inspired others around the world to say to their leaders: step up.

 

[SageBrush]

Not slashing emissions? See you in court

So there are now 50 ways for the government of the Netherlands to make up for its failure to protect its citizens from warming of more than 1.5 °C. The 700 partners are poised to help, once the government delivers the money and support that are needed.

It has been a long, hard road, with many ups and downs for the whole team, from tense discussions to nights without sleep. But I’m glad we stayed the course and inspired others around the world to say to their leaders: step up.

WOW

Are you Marjan Minnesma ? This has to be just about the most inspiring story I have ever read.

 

[mspohr]

Not slashing emissions? See you in court

So there are now 50 ways for the government of the Netherlands to make up for its failure to protect its citizens from warming of more than 1.5 °C. The 700 partners are poised to help, once the government delivers the money and support that are needed.

It has been a long, hard road, with many ups and downs for the whole team, from tense discussions to nights without sleep. But I’m glad we stayed the course and inspired others around the world to say to their leaders: step up.

It's clear that governments around the world have been corrupted by fossil fuel money and that they are not going to do anything about the climate. Court is one answer to force them to do something. Good to see this action.

 

[ladysbff]

It's clear that governments around the world have been corrupted by fossil fuel money and that they are not going to do anything about the climate. Court is one answer to force them to do something. Good to see this action.

Hit 'em where it hurts: the pocketbook, always.

WOW

Are you Marjan Minnesma ? This has to be just about the most inspiring story I have ever read.

Just another person inspired and feeling hopeful by her perseverance. She is one BAMF.

 

[S'toon]

So much for the "It's the sun!" denier theory.
The Sun's Quietest Period Is Finally Upon Us

 

[SageBrush]

So much for the "It's the sun!" denier theory.

Not to worry. The Moon is the next candidate

 

[JRP3]

This has been worrying me for years, in a period of low solar activity we are still seeing higher temperatures. What happens when solar activity starts to increase again?

 

[DragonWatch]

How a closed-door meeting shows farmers are waking up on climate change

Farmers are waking up on climate change
Perdue, Vilsack and leading agricultural groups gathered in a Maryland barn to talk about the farm-country issue that dare not speak its name.

Woman! (said instead of Man)

“I’m not denying the climate is changing,” he stated. “I’ve been told there were once glaciers where I am sitting. I’m not denying that humans have an effect on the climate. What I am saying is, I don’t know. What I do know is that for 30 of my 39 years on Earth, climate ‘scientists’ have been saying we have 10 years left.”

Spoken like a true coward. Bison once roamed by the thousands over our countryside, today we may take the time to see two or three that are held in captivity. That is not climate change, it is the “Human Affect.” Man caused. That is the result of “One Dimension” thinking.

* * * *

My son-in-law recently turned me onto “Mars” a TV series available thru Netflix. My article on waterfalls caused him to bring the show to my attention. The show bounces between 2016 and 2033 and later. Funny to think I could be around for the landing on Mars. I was about four when my Mom told me we would land on the moon some day.

We have binge watched the two seasons. I highly recommend watch this show. Our or my hero Elon appears from time to time as the show progresses. I would be happier watching a third leg of the triangle ~ looking seriously at our current decline here on Earth. While it shows the political side of international control from Earth in 2033, it does not attempt/pretend to guess what life will be like by 2033.

* * * *

We are caught up in single/one dimensional thinking. Our entire educational system is single dimensional; includes government, private for profit and religious systems. In recent time Truth has been driven into extinction. It began with the statement to the effect, “I am here from the government, and I want to help you.” Recently the FBI had its head cut off and handed back on a platter.

Single/one dimensional thinking is all about me and god is like me. This type of thinking or person is not just a homeless person looking Like crap and talking stupid thoughts. It can, and often is the very highly revered or educated people. Elitists.

Twenty years ago, probably embarrassed my wife, at a Climate Conference in Canada; as a guest of my wife, I challenged the panel of experts/scientists to get off their butts and grow a pair. I told them if they did not push their findings, nothing would happen, and I told them it would take money. Sorry, it is my soldier/defender side that just does not know how to behave in public.

Fifteen years ago as a budding artist; I wanted to carve human figures out of Azul marble. This blue marble looks like an iceberg, but is more sand/grainy making it difficult to work with as asculptor. This stone also oxidizes quickly. The affect as it oxidizes ~ turns flaky white; thus loosing the beautiful blue it represents humanities demise ~ death. My problem as an artist; and I did not mind the $2K a year income, it was the Bush/Republicon depression and being close to sixty; playing with big rocks just does not work well.

So, when “farmers tout that they are waking up” and I read the statement above, I have no respect for their one dimensional thinking. Why, because they do not have a pair to come out of the closet and put their all into funding change for the better. My granddaughter and grandson’s lives depend on it.

Multidimensional thinking, not intellectual thinking, must go beyond the Arc.

 

[mspohr]

Fossil fuels fall to record low in Britain's energy mix, data shows
Fossil fuels fall to record low in Britain's energy mix, data shows

 

[mspohr]

How water is helping to end 'the first climate change war'
How water is helping to end 'the first climate change war'

The Darfur conflict was labelled “the first climate change war” by some observers, with the then-UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon saying in 2007: “Amid the diverse social and political causes, it began as an ecological crisis, arising at least in part from climate change.” Research has shown that climate impacts such as drought and increasing temperatures increase the risk of armed struggles, particularly in regions where populations are already divided.

The weirs are a “pioneer project”, says Enaam Ismail Abdalla, director general at the ministry of production in North Darfur, adding that the timing of the rains has completely changed due to climate change. The weirs are enabling people to return to their villages and adapt to the changing climate, which would otherwise drive them away once again, she says. She hopes they will be replicated in other parts of Darfur, Sudan and beyond.

The collaborative climate-proofing provided by the Wadi El Ku project shows a way to tackle the complex mix of climate impacts, conflict and migration that are thought to be rising around the world.

 

[SmartElectric]

Opinion: Ontario’s Environment Minister is playing batty politics with wind-turbine decision

Ontario is literally pulling turbines out of the ground. This time claimed to be saving bats. But the truth is more sinister and troubling.

 

[S'toon]

Opinion: Ontario’s Environment Minister is playing batty politics with wind-turbine decision

Ontario is literally pulling turbines out of the ground. This time claimed to be saving bats. But the truth is more sinister and troubling.

WTF?! This is worse than what I expected.

 

[ggr]

Opinion: Ontario’s Environment Minister is playing batty politics with wind-turbine decision

Ontario is literally pulling turbines out of the ground. This time claimed to be saving bats. But the truth is more sinister and troubling.

Stupid. I can't find a reference at the moment but some years ago there were dead fruit bats littering parts of Brisbane after an unusual heat wave. So to save a few bats (I know, it's actually just the excuse) they're going to doom them all, and us too.

 

[mspohr]

2019 has been a year of climate disaster. Yet still our leaders procrastinate

2019 has been a year of climate disaster. Yet still our leaders procrastinate | Geoff Goldrick

2019 may go down in history as Year Zero of the climate apocalypse. The tsunami of extreme events has been so relentless that each is quickly forgotten in favour of its successor.

So before the year ends we should pause, remember just how extraordinary it was, and reflect on what this might mean for our future.

 

[mspohr]

World's oldest known fossil forest found in New York quarry

World's oldest known fossil forest found in New York quarry

The emergence of forests is one of the most transformative events in Earth’s history, marking permanent changes to ecology, atmospheric CO2 levels and climate. Before forests, CO2 levels were far higher and the Earth’s climate was hotter with no ice caps. By the end of the Devonian period, about 350m years ago, there were glaciers and, soon after, polar ice became permanent

Today, forests cover about 30% of the planet and are being cleared on a massive scale. Between 1990 and 2016, the world lost 502,000 square miles of forest, according to the World Bank – an area larger than South Africa – and about 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared over the past 50 years. Even without accounting for the impact of burning fossil fuels, deforestation could lead to profound changes to the world’s ecosystem and climate. “If you reverse that process [of forestation] you probably lose the ice,” said Berry.

 

[DragonWatch]

This is what the first stage of Climate Change looks like. Their white coral reefs apparently are not enough to wake them up. At what point will migration begin taking place? Where will they go?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weat...t-wave-sydney-faces-catastrophic-fire-danger/

FYI ~ climate change is already impacting beaches on Hawaii ~ jumped here because Australia Prime Minister forced to return from Hawaii.

 

[DragonWatch]

Been raining here for roughly three days, in Grapeview. My wife the climate change guru, just informed me there is flooding in Olympia. No, not the first time, but it has not rained enough to fill up the sound Most likely a combination of sea level rise/storm and runoff.

I have seen sea level rise projections for Olympia, and the newly minted City Hall may have to move yet again. It’s funny, if you are not a tax payer.