Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 13:33
Connecting the Dots Between Extreme Weather and Climate Change
Extreme weather and climate change
The recent report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) helps connect the dots between extreme weather events and climate change. The findings confirm what millions of us around the world are beginning to see with our own eyes: climate change isn’t a future problem – it’s happening here and now.
Here at 350.org, we think that starting to make the connection between extreme weather and climate change is crucial. Last week, we announced plans for a new global day of action called “Climate Impacts Day” for people from the flood zones of Pakistan to the drought stricken fields of Texas to come together and “Connect the Dots” between extreme weather and other impacts, climate change, and the root causes of the crisis.
The site also has a great climate infographic.
- Connect the Dots on May 5(planetsave.com)
- Connect The Dots(firstheretheneverywhere.wordpress.com)
- Connect the Dots in Aspen – May 5(thelittlenell.wordpress.com)
Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 22:08
A beautiful piece of nature writing – reminds me of the style of Aldo Leopold.
Will Climate Change Ruin Pancakes? | Island Press Field Notes.
Spring is one of the wonderful results of higher latitudes, where significant change in day length and temperature have resulted in adaptations that dramatically play out, not only in chickadees and maples, but in every native species, including humans. No wonder spring is a favorite of poets and farmers, lovers and philosophers. No doubt in days before modern technology removed most of the discomfort and risks of months of long nights, snow, and freezing conditions, spring represented survival for another year, and the relief and joy lies deep in our subconscious like the stored sugars in the roots of the maple. Perhaps it is projection, but it takes no imagination to hear the joy in the song of returning bluebirds, or in the delighted cries of the cranes, or excited talking among the flocks of geese passing overhead. I thrill at those sounds, and never tire of hearing them. Still, for me, the tap-tap-tap of the maple sap in the bucket reaches deep and pulls forth a feeling of wholeness and connectedness.
Maple sap being transformed to maple syrup at a sugar shack in Pakenham, Ontario. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Monday, April 30th, 2012 at 21:03
Not strictly scientific, but more an emotional appeal – and perhaps an approach that may be more effective than dry numbers? Via Brooke Jarvis on Twitter. Click here for larger image.
Friday, April 20th, 2012 at 20:16
Climate Change Linked to Waterborne Diseases in Inuit Communities
As global warming triggers heavier rainfall and faster snowmelt in the Arctic, Inuit communities in Canada are reporting more cases of illness attributed to pathogens that have washed into surface water and groundwater, according to a new study.
“Scientists often talk about how if global temperature increases by 4 degrees Celsius [7°F], there will be catastrophic climate change effects, Ford said, “but where I work in the Arctic, we’ve already seen that 4-degree Celsius change.”
The findings corroborate past research that suggests indigenous people worldwide are being disproportionately affected by climate change. This is because many of them live in regions where the effects are felt first and most strongly, and they might come into closer contact with the natural environment on a daily basis. For example, some indigenous communities lack access to treated water because they are far from urban areas. ”In the north, a lot of [Inuit] communities prefer to drink brook water instead of treated tap water. It’s just a preference,” explained study lead author Sherilee Harper, a Vanier Canada graduate scholar in epidemiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. ”Also, when they’re out on the land and hunting or fishing, they don’t have access to tap water, so they drink brook water.”
The research is part of the larger, multiyear Indigenous Health Adaptation to Climate Change, (IHACC) project.
Thursday, April 19th, 2012 at 15:38
Harvard physician warns of climate change health hazards
Dr. Aaron Bernstein climate change can damage your health
Dr. Aaron Bernstein of Harvard University spoke about how climate change can damage your health, the focus of his talk at Northwestern University’s Climate Change Symposium. Rising temperatures and more heat waves due to climate change can cause heat stroke, heart attacks, dehydration and even increased incidences of violent crime and suicide, said Dr. Aaron Bernstein, associate director of Harvard University’s Center for Health and the Global Environment. Bernstein kicked off a day of provocative presentations at Northwestern University’s third annual Climate Change Symposium, held Thursday. He showed how seemingly small changes in average temperatures translate into much longer cycles of very hot days and record hot days - LISA BARBELLA MARCH 09, 2012.
Thursday, April 19th, 2012 at 10:49
Moving to a sustainable and carbon-neutral society is, ultimately, not about science but behaviour. Understanding the reasons why people choose to act (or not act) in a certain way, and how these choices can be positively influenced, is emerging as the key to tackling climate change and many of the myriad social and environmental issues currently confronting us. This article is a good summary (albeit a little dated now) of why people choose not to act.
The psychology of climate change: why we do nothing – The Ecologist
Well-publicised simple steps like using energy-saving light bulbs may be making it more difficult to prepare people for the bigger changes needed to tackle climate change, argue psychologists Upwards of 75 per cent of the general public, going by recent polls in the US and UK, say climate change is an important issue. But few of us are doing much to actually tackle the problem and reduce our own emissions. It is a conundrum that we are, perhaps belatedly, realising should be seen as a psychological one - (Tom Levitt 12th August, 2009).
Related articles, courtesy of Zemanta:
Monday, April 16th, 2012 at 16:25
climate change infographic - wwf's coral triangle program
Great infographic from the WWF – Coral Triangle program via Philanthrophy.com.
I like this image because it starkly presents us with two possible futures, based on the choice we make now.
Graphics like this convey a lot of information quickly, are attractive and appealing without being overwhelming, and are in an easy-to-share format for social networks.
Producers of such campaigns hope to inform and raise awareness, with the added attraction of generating backlinks and viral traffic.
The World Wildlife Fund uses the infographics it’s created to start conversations both online and off, says Paolo P. Mangahas, communications manager for the organization’s Coral Triangle program: “It’s like a calling card” – Philanthrophy.com
So why use infographics? According to Matthew Scharpnick (co-founder of non-profit infographic designer Elefint Designs) “…..statistics about an organization’s work aren’t as emotionally engaging as a photograph of a child in need. Numbers and percentages don’t appeal to our sense of compassion, and looking at graphs feels too academic to be enjoyable for most people.
Conservation Infographic: WWF's Sea Turtle / Coral Triangle Campaign
And what are some of the key features of effective infographics? According to Philanthrophy.com:
- Emphasize key numbers
- Choose relevant images
- Explain the data briefly (in 1-2 sentences)
- Offer more information about your issue or related programs
Consider these points while examining the climate change infographic above, or this one about sea turtles from the same series:
Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 at 22:54
A great climate change infographic here by the very clever David McCandless (who calls himself an “independent data journalist and information designer). He says that he is “interested in how designed information can help us understand the world, cut through BS and reveal the hidden connections, patterns and stories underneath….” He’s also designed a graphic of sea level rise which I will feature later this week.
An interesting note about this graphic – McCandless writes that he only used publicly-available on-line data to create this graphic, in order to simulate what someone researching this subject for the first time would discover (more below).
Climate Change Deniers vs The Consensus (via Uncharted Atolls blog)
climate change infographic - skeptics vs scientists.
I researched this subject in a very particular way. I deliberately chose not speak directly to any climate experts or leading scientists in the field. I used only publicly available web sources. Why? Because I wanted to simulate what it’s like for people trying to learn about climate change online. My conclusion is “what a nightmare”. I was generally shocked and appalled by how difficult it was to source counter arguments. The data was often tucked away on extremely ancient or byzantine websites. The key counter arguments I often found, 16 scrolls down, on comment 342 on a far flung realclimate.org post from three years ago. And even when I found an answer, the answers were excessively jargonized or technical. Most of the info for this image is sourced from Realclimate.org. It’s an amazing blog staffed tirelessly by some of the world’s leading climatologists.
other version – black text on white background
Related articles
Monday, April 9th, 2012 at 07:15
Global warming affects Russia more than others – meteorologists — RT
Russia is suffering from global warming more than any other country, say state meteorologists.
The weathermen’s latest report focuses on climate indicators in 2011, as well as on the trends of the last 35 years. The scientists say that climate change in Russia appears to be double that in other countries.
In the last 35 years, the average temperature in Russia went up by 1.5 degrees, while the average figure across the world is 0.8 degrees. “The report shows that global warming is not a gradual process,” said Aleksey Kokorin, the head of WWF Russia climate service. “Although the average temperatures are going up slowly, the temperatures’ actual leaps are 10 times bigger. The number of alarming climate phenomena has gone up by two times.”
Some parts of Russia have shown even worse results. In the Arctic, south Chukotka and the Kamchatka region, the temperatures have risen 1.5 to two times more than in the rest of the country.
Northern Russia's Kamchatka region thawing fast due to global warming
Monday, April 9th, 2012 at 07:15
Climate science predicts that the poles will be one of the regions hardest-hit by climate change. And the physical evidence supporting this prediction just keeps rolling on. This short video from Australia’s ABC-TV discusses the most recent evidence of the accelerated warming and destruction of Antarctica’s Larsen B ice shelf.
Climate change expert on diminishing ice shelf – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
