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Ida Kills 42 in Salvador, Heads Northward
November 8, 2009 12:31 PM - Michael O'Boyle, Reuters, NOAA
Hurricane Ida strengthened off the Mexican resort city of Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula on Sunday as the storm's heavy rains killed at least 42 people in El Salvador. El Salvador's interior minister said more victims were expected to be found as rescue workers moved into areas cut off by mudslides in the Central American nation.
Midwest Weather Looks Good for Harvest
November 7, 2009 09:45 AM - Reuters
U.S. Midwest weather is seen mostly dry through the next week, ideal for the corn and soybean harvest, a forecaster said on Friday. "This is outstanding weather. Considering the time of the year, this is about as good as you're going to get," said Mike Palmerino with DTN Meteorlogix.
Climate Summit to host 40 heads of state
November 6, 2009 05:15 PM - Reuters
Some 40 heads of state plan to attend a U.N. meeting in December in Copenhagen meant to agree a global warming deal, the U.N. climate chief said on Friday.
Geoengineering Being Discussed in Washington
November 6, 2009 06:47 AM - Roger Greenway, ENN
Dr. Ken Caldeira, of the Carnegie Institution of Washington provided a balanced look at the potential benefits and also the costs and possible harm that geoengineering techniques could offer in our quest to find a “Magic Bullet” to counter global warming. Can global warming be mitigated by a technological fix such as injecting light-blocking particles into the atmosphere or chemically “scrubbing” excess greenhouse gases from the atmosphere? Department of Global Ecology scientist Ken Caldeira addressed this question in his testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology in a hearing titled “Geoengineering: Assessing the Implications of Large-Scale Climate Intervention” on November 5, 2009.
America’s Most Toxic Cities List Released With Surprising Results
November 5, 2009 09:58 AM - Jonathan Bardelline, Green Biz
Las Vegas has far from a clean reputation, but in Forbes' list of America's Most Toxic Cities, Las Vegas is named the least toxic of 40 major metropolitan areas. Forbes ranked the cities based on the number of Superfund sites in the principal city, number of facilities that release toxic chemicals, amount of toxic chemicals released in the area and air quality ranking.
Washington, Stop Dithering, US Goals on Climate Urgently Needed
November 5, 2009 05:47 AM - Ben Jervey, Triple Pundit
As the last round of "intersessional" climate talks before Copenhagen opened today in Barcelona, all eyes were looking in the same direction they were when we left Bangkok three weeks earlier: at the United States. Without American numbers on mitigation (or emissions reductions) and finance (for developing nations to build their own clean energy economies, and also to adapt to the impacts of climate change), any real forward progress in the talks is just about impossible.
Ethiopian Rift Shows How Continents Can Split, Create New Ocean
November 4, 2009 08:10 AM - Roger Greenway, ENN
A new study reported by the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and the University of Rochester sheds light on how the continents move, and oceans are created. In 2005, a gigantic, 35-mile-long rift broke open the desert ground in Ethiopia. At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial. Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world's oceans, and the rift is indeed likely the beginning of a new sea.
Margaret Thatcher, Lyndon Johnson were Right!
November 4, 2009 06:26 AM - Alister Doyle, Reuters
President Lyndon Johnson and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher made stark warnings about global warming decades ago, but convincing evidence for action only amassed in recent years, experts say. A 190-nation U.N. conference in Copenhagen in December is due to agree a new U.N. pact to curb greenhouse gas emissions to slow a rise in temperatures to prevent floods, droughts, wildfires or rising sea levels.
Cast Your Vote Today for the Environment (and Other Important Issues!)
November 3, 2009 11:14 AM - Brian Clark Howard, The Daily Green
Do your part to help shape the course of local and world events by casting your vote for your candidate of choice this Election Day. Your decision could have a big impact on the environment, as well as on other important issues, from the economy to healthcare, education, taxes, human rights and much more.
Ohio State Glaciologist Team Gets Important Ice Cores in Andes
November 3, 2009 06:46 AM - Roger Greenway, ENN
Ice cores are important tools to identify Earth’s past climate. They enable us to peer back in time to identify species of insects trapped in ice as well as isotopes oxygen and dust particles that were deposited at various time in the past. The ratio of oxygen isotopes in the ice allows researchers to determine whether temperatures were warmer or cooler when the snow that eventually turned to ice was deposited on the glacier. The dust content gives scientists clues about the rate of precipitation at the site. The thicker the core (longer cores) the longer into the past we can see.