On Tuesday, for the first time, government scientists are saying recent extreme weather events are likely connected to man-made climate change. It’s the conclusion of a report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The report says last year’s record drought in Texas was made “roughly 20 times more likely” because of man made climate change, specifically meaning warming that comes from greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide. The study, requested by NOAA, looked at 50 years of weather data in Texas and concluded that man-made warming had to be a factor in the drought.
The head of NOAA’s climate office, Tom Karl, said: “What we’re seeing, not only in Texas but in other phenomena in other parts of the world, where we can’t explain these events by natural variability alone. They’re just too rare, too uncommon.”
More at the link.
Up next: Famine!
Tags: environment, science and technology, science vs religion
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While I like NOAA’s ability to monitor the sun, tho it isn’t as good as solarham, I do not agree with them here, … on this. Of course, you are quoting a fringe government agency. And governments lie all the time,… all the time!
I will listen to this a bit more after the solar maximum. The Solar Maximum comes in 2013.
It used to be that above 100 degree temps were extremely common. Now it is rare and newsworthy. I grew up in 100+ degree weather. I grew up with earth cracks and droughts. It was common.
On another topic, somewhat similar:
I wonder just what the smoke from the fires have to do with temps. Wonder what their effects are. -
http://www.naturalclimatechange.us/
I listened to him talk on a podcast tpnight. I dont
know much about him, except that he lived here for a while, and went to KU.But look at it with an open mind. It doesn’t cost you anything, in great contrast to Gore’s Stuff. And the science is there for one to look at, unlike Gore’s stuff.
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“It doesn’t cost you anything, in great contrast to Gore’s Stuff.”
None of this costs much, if anything:
Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl).
Move your thermostat down 2 degrees in winter and up 2 degrees in summer.
Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner.
Install a programmable thermostat.
Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases.
Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket.
Use less hot water.
Buy fresh foods instead of frozen.
Seek out and support local farmers markets.
Buy organic foods as much as possible.
Eat less meat.
Only run your dishwasher when it is full and use the energy-saving setting.
Insulate and weatherize your home.
Buy recycled paper products.
Plant a tree.
Get a home energy audit.
Switch to green power.
Buy locally grown and produced foods.
Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible.
Turn off electronic devices you’re not using.
Unplug electronics from the wall when you’re not using them.Don’t let some misplaced hatred of a good man stop you from doing it.
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Yes, to hear what gore had to say, you have to pay. I will not pay for a mind-set. I won’t do it. Not one that I don’t already lean towards via my own thinking.
There has never been a time when I believed in anthropomorphic climate change. I am a pole-shift believer. Rather than place man again at the center of the universe, I keep the sun in it’s rightful place.
I have always wanted to ask this:
Those energy-saving lights, don’t they have mercury in them? And if ithey do, won’t that harm the environment more? Enlighten me on this. I was using them, and then gave them up because the world has enough mercury taint.Actually I liked Gore until this crazy climate change stuff. NOw I don’at trust him. But I wouldn’t say I don’t like him.
In your list, I do all those things, almost. I really, really want a roof-mounted turbine. And I want off the grid, with generator. Here’s praying for revolutions in generators and things that store what the wind creates.
I spent most of day outside. I AM a nature person. I grew up in it. I was my playpen.
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Are talking about paying for the movie? You can see it free, now, and I’ve always thought he made the movie to get the word out, not to make money on it.
At any rate, yes, CFLs contain mercury. You need to dispose of them properly, which I agree is a problem in a country where 40-some percent are still stupid enough to reliably vote for Republicans. When you’ve got that many stupid people you can be sure that mercury will get into the environment.
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I don’t see anything expensive here, either:
Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible.
When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle.
Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates.
Try car sharing.
Keep your car tuned up.
Try telecommuting from home.
Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated.
Fly less.
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Having a passing familiarity with “the butterfly effect“, I find it hard to relate to anyone who would deny that a global population of BILLIONS of humans has zero impact on our environment. I don’t really know how to reach someone who, for example, has seen the air in Chinese industrial towns and still argues that it has ZERO effect on the world we live in.
Maybe it’s because I’m trained as a chemist, and I understand what an absorption spectra means; light of certain wavelengths is absorbed by certain molecules, increasing their energy. Increased energy IS increased heat, so putting more molecules into the atmosphere that will absorb sunlight inevitably leads to heating of the atmosphere. That’s not speculation, it’s observation of physical facts.
Scientists have begun to make a connection between human activities and warming of the atmosphere. In a year or two we will see if that connection is made stronger or disproved. In the meantime, given the possibility that man’s activities are destroying the planet, we should be taking steps to cut back on that harmful activity.
I believe that it’s already too late. What we’ve already done will kill off a large number of species. We will be reading about localized, if not global, famine soon, perhaps as soon as this year. I know that the extreme heat in the US has already led to the failure of crops. Vast fields of corn will produce tall stalks but no “fruit”, this year.
I’m not going to stop driving my car tomorrow, and I expect most people won’t, so even if I’m wrong about it being too late we’ll only make things worse. What we need is an international effort to stop what we’re doing (burning shit), and it’s definitely not happening.
I’m not saying the human race is too stupid to survive because it gives me some perverse pleasure. I’m not making this post because I believe it will make any difference. I’m not even hoping to say, some day, “Neener neener I told you so.” All I’m doing is laying out the facts as I see them, so that maybe some will know what to prepare for.
Move to where food is grown. That way you’ll have access to it before the diminished supply is shipped to high population (and low food production) areas.
Do simple things like planning your trips. Make a circle route to reduce your driving, and therefore your gas consumption and carbon footprint.
Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Etc.
Even if you can’t move closer to the sources of food, there’s no reason not to do the simple things. It will save you money, so you don’t even have to acknowledge that global climate change is real, and already here.
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I am not saying we have zero effect. I am saying we are not totally responsible. Our act in this change is minimal.
Today, I wondered just who labeled rising CO2 levels as a bad thing. Maybe it isn’t that bad at all. Where is the science? Where is the exact (!!!) research?
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I forgot to mention the X-Class solar flare today. X1.6. Don’t know where it is going to hit the earth, or if it is earth-directed, and it will surely hit more to the south, I think.
I love the sun.-
I saw a news report on this. It’s definitely headed our way. At the very least, enhanced aurora is expected. They’re also trying to shield satellites where possible.
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“Where is the science?”
There’s a lot of science on this.
A) I lack the time to find it for you.
B) It would be best if you find it on your own. That way, you’ll find it more believable.
I can give you a chemist’s perspective. Do you have any understanding of what atomic absorbance is? How fluorescence works? If I used the phrase “electronic transition state”, or “pi-star orbital”, or delved into a little bit of thermodynamics (where chemistry and physics meet) would it make sense, or do I need to give more background.
In layman’s terms, CO2 absorbs sunlight at wavelengths that heat the atmosphere. Oxygen and nitrogen, the two biggest components of the atmosphere, don’t. Increase the percentage of CO2 and you’ve increased absorption of the heat from the sun.
You can also do a simple experiment that shows that increased CO2 in the atmosphere increases the pH of the oceans, if you have a pH meter. Pour some distilled water into a beaker and put the pH probe in it. The pH will slowly decrease due to formation of carbonic acid, H2CO3, as the CO2 is absorbed from the air. Like all chemical reactions, the equilibrium is pushed one way or the other by an increase in any single component, in this case increasing CO2 forces the equilibrium toward formation of more H2CO3.
These two things aren’t “breaking news” in the science world, they’re well-established facts.
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