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Earthwatch: Climate Change
This is the place to talk about the impact of climate change—what’s happening in the world and what you can do about it.
Please introduce yourself and let everyone know something about you!
• Where do you live and how do people there view climate change?
• What have you read or heard recently that you’d like to share with others?
This group is for thoughtful, non-confrontational discussion
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28 days ago
Recent Messages
EarthwatchJohn
Want to do something about Climate Change?
Beat the Heat with Earthwatch!
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John
Beat the Heat with Earthwatch!
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John
Red, White, Blue and Green ?
I found this very relevant story in the Aspen Times today. A must read!
ASPEN — Humans have befouled the planet so severely that that they are going to have to think like Noah of Biblical times just to make sure some species survive, Thomas Friedman claimed at the Aspen Ideas Festival Thursday - see the link below for the entire story:
view link
ASPEN — Humans have befouled the planet so severely that that they are going to have to think like Noah of Biblical times just to make sure some species survive, Thomas Friedman claimed at the Aspen Ideas Festival Thursday - see the link below for the entire story:
view link
EarthwatchJohn
Hugely important study from the NOAA released yesterday. Please read and pass along to all you know...
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John
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John
What You All Should Really Be Worried About
If you know anything about geologic history you will know that during the Jurassic period atmospheric levels of CO2 were at an all-time high, as were the methane levels. You could go swimming in the waters of Antarctica. But you also had very violent thunderstorms and I mean VERY VIOLENT thunderstorms every single day, 365 days out of the year! The oceans were poisonous cesspools of hydrogen sulfide. That's why the oceanic fossils of that period are so well preserved, because no organism responsible for decomposition of a carcass could survive in such a toxic environment. What people who haven't studied geology at a university level don't realize is that the Earth's atmosphere was in what is called a runaway process and consequently was very unstable and could have very easily gone the way of its sister planet, Venus, with 900° F surface temperatures. And, it almost did! But is that what you should all really be worried about? NO!!!
Those who haven't studied geology at the university level, as have I, don't realize that global warming isn't the greatest threat to the survival of our species, nor are impacting asteroids or comets or Gamma-ray Bursts. A volcanic winter, on the other hand, is. And it's happened before, and it will happen again! When a caldera like the Yellowstone National Park caldera finally erupts it will put out such a large volume of suflides into the stratosphere that it will encircle the entire planet, blocking out almost all sunlight globally. The Earth's global temperature will quickly drop, and we will be in a perpetual global volcanic winter for approximately 10 years. During which time approximately 5.99 ±.01 BILLION people WILL die of starvation. When Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted back in May of 1994, it put out such a large volume of sulfides into the stratosphere that it actually stopped global warming for an entire year! And, Mount Pinatubo is a tiny firecracker compared to a caldera like Yellowstone National Park.
But don't take my word for it. Do some research on the history of calderas and see the data for yourselves. The Yellowstone caldera erupts approximately every 60,000 years and it's been roughly 65,000 thousand years since its last eruption. It's kind of ironic when you think about it. One of the greatest tourist attractions in the world ends up being the harbinger of the end of human civilization. And it's not the only caldera that there is to worry about. And what can we with all of our technology do to prepare for it? Absolutely nothing! Oh, it won't happen in your lifetime or even in your children's or grandchildren's lifetime. But your great grandchildren?........that's an entirely different story. So if you're worried about the future of this planet and the survival of humanity, then be afraid!.....be very afraid!!! And if you're going to talk about environmental issues, then at least know what the hell you're talking about! Thank you for reading. ;-)
Those who haven't studied geology at the university level, as have I, don't realize that global warming isn't the greatest threat to the survival of our species, nor are impacting asteroids or comets or Gamma-ray Bursts. A volcanic winter, on the other hand, is. And it's happened before, and it will happen again! When a caldera like the Yellowstone National Park caldera finally erupts it will put out such a large volume of suflides into the stratosphere that it will encircle the entire planet, blocking out almost all sunlight globally. The Earth's global temperature will quickly drop, and we will be in a perpetual global volcanic winter for approximately 10 years. During which time approximately 5.99 ±.01 BILLION people WILL die of starvation. When Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines erupted back in May of 1994, it put out such a large volume of sulfides into the stratosphere that it actually stopped global warming for an entire year! And, Mount Pinatubo is a tiny firecracker compared to a caldera like Yellowstone National Park.
But don't take my word for it. Do some research on the history of calderas and see the data for yourselves. The Yellowstone caldera erupts approximately every 60,000 years and it's been roughly 65,000 thousand years since its last eruption. It's kind of ironic when you think about it. One of the greatest tourist attractions in the world ends up being the harbinger of the end of human civilization. And it's not the only caldera that there is to worry about. And what can we with all of our technology do to prepare for it? Absolutely nothing! Oh, it won't happen in your lifetime or even in your children's or grandchildren's lifetime. But your great grandchildren?........that's an entirely different story. So if you're worried about the future of this planet and the survival of humanity, then be afraid!.....be very afraid!!! And if you're going to talk about environmental issues, then at least know what the hell you're talking about! Thank you for reading. ;-)
Hello From Your Moderator!
Hi,
I'm the Earthwatch webmaster. I've been at Earthwatch for 3 years, and so far I've been on 2 expeditions - Puerto Rico's Rainforest, and a paleontology expedition to southern Utah which has finished.
I hear many interesting tidbits of information about climate change and the impacts it could have. For example, Dr. Rolf Peterson studies moose and wolves on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. He has found that when winters are warmer than normal on the island, the tick population doesn't die off. This means that the moose are plagued by many more ticks, and become very debilitated.
Who would have thought that a study of predator-prey dynamics would discover a potential climate change impact?
Kathy
I'm the Earthwatch webmaster. I've been at Earthwatch for 3 years, and so far I've been on 2 expeditions - Puerto Rico's Rainforest, and a paleontology expedition to southern Utah which has finished.
I hear many interesting tidbits of information about climate change and the impacts it could have. For example, Dr. Rolf Peterson studies moose and wolves on Isle Royale in Lake Superior. He has found that when winters are warmer than normal on the island, the tick population doesn't die off. This means that the moose are plagued by many more ticks, and become very debilitated.
Who would have thought that a study of predator-prey dynamics would discover a potential climate change impact?
Kathy
Introduction
Just a note of introduction. My name is Jessi. I live with my partner and animals in Minneapolis, having moved here 8 years ago from Texas. Locally we like so many others have had a chance to see the effects of global climate change and there is considerable concern about it.
City wide there are several initiatives for greening the city and lowering our carbon footprint. At my church we have also taken the carbon pledge. That includes education of the church membership, local initiatives to stimulate environmental consciousness, and practicing what we preach. Around the house we have a small car for my partner who has some distance still to go to work. I use public transit whereever I go, and supplement that with bike travel. We use compact florescent bulbs, use certified energy saver appliances, set our A/C to energy save.
As much as possible we get our food locally from area farms, and during the summer we freeze and dry a lot of food to help get through the winter.
That is our little bit, and hopefully here others will share and offer their ideas as well. As I write, our neighbors to the south and east are homeless from the severe weather, the worse flooding on record. Climate change is upon us and the warnings are out there. Time now to fix what we can I think.
City wide there are several initiatives for greening the city and lowering our carbon footprint. At my church we have also taken the carbon pledge. That includes education of the church membership, local initiatives to stimulate environmental consciousness, and practicing what we preach. Around the house we have a small car for my partner who has some distance still to go to work. I use public transit whereever I go, and supplement that with bike travel. We use compact florescent bulbs, use certified energy saver appliances, set our A/C to energy save.
As much as possible we get our food locally from area farms, and during the summer we freeze and dry a lot of food to help get through the winter.
That is our little bit, and hopefully here others will share and offer their ideas as well. As I write, our neighbors to the south and east are homeless from the severe weather, the worse flooding on record. Climate change is upon us and the warnings are out there. Time now to fix what we can I think.
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE CARETAKERS....
We live here. This is our home. You don't use your home as a trash heap. Or you shouldn't. You don't use your home as a chemical waste depository. I been in some houses that appear to be - just that. You don't use your home to purposefully harm it's inhabitants because of greed, politics and human cruelty... apparently in OUR house we do all these things.
Yes, I'm involved - in cleaning house.
JAZZHAPPY 06/08
Yes, I'm involved - in cleaning house.
JAZZHAPPY 06/08
Global AND Local
Hello everyone. My name is Alana and I work at Earthwatch as the Head of Climate Change Field Centers. Over the past year we have been in the process of opening three regional climate centers in Europe (Oxford, UK), North America (Edgewater, MD) and Latin America (Antonina, Brazil) with the objective of creating an immersion learning experience for participants. Teams are already in place in Europe and North America, with Brazil coming online in a couple of months. Plans are also moving quickly for centers in India and China to bring a total of five regional climate centers.
Throughout the planning and fielding process, I have been able to see first hand the local climate change concerns as well as global concerns that participants are sharing during their fielding experience. I am inspired by their intellectual curiousity and determination to tackle carbon emmissions through thoughtful, individual actions. I look forward to learning and sharing more here with this group on Eons.
Alana
Throughout the planning and fielding process, I have been able to see first hand the local climate change concerns as well as global concerns that participants are sharing during their fielding experience. I am inspired by their intellectual curiousity and determination to tackle carbon emmissions through thoughtful, individual actions. I look forward to learning and sharing more here with this group on Eons.
Alana
Photos
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Iguazu Falls
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Caterpillar ...
2 months ago
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Kverkfjoll I...
3 months ago
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Endangered A...
3 months ago
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John Rollino...
3 months ago
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Measuring Ar...
3 months ago
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