Treescapes

On my flying from Denver to Washington, DC, today, trees were a reliable indicator of the regional climates.  Across the semiarid High Plains, spotty groves of trees were observed along dry out current beds or surrounding farmhouses but were otherwise absent.  Farther east, the dark-green ribbon of the Platte River snaked across southern Nebraska, demonstrating a steady render of H2O for plains cottonwoods together with other riparian trees together with shrubs.

The riverine corridors thickened later on nosotros crossed the Missouri River (just S of Omaha) every bit the size together with pose out of the streams increased, fed past times abundant wet from the Gulf of Mexico.  After flying over the Illinois River at Peoria, trees diminished in 1 trial once again across the Glaciated Plain of key Illinois; in 1 trial a vast prairie, it is directly productive farmland, studded amongst air current farms.  Clouds obscured the landscape over nigh of Indiana together with Ohio and, when breaks inwards the overcast in conclusion returned, a bounding main of trees stretched below us, indicating that nosotros had reached the forests of the Appalachian Plateau.  In this geophysical province, trees must locomote cleared for homesteads together with cropfields are primarily express to the valley floors .

Descending through depression clouds to Dulles International Airport, nosotros followed the Potomac River downward from the Plateau together with across the relatively apartment landscape of the Piedmont.  The Washington Monument, good to our southeast, shimmered inwards sunlight every bit nosotros glided to a higher identify a mosaic of woods together with wetlands, broken past times pocket-size farms together with the sprawling suburbs of Northern Virginia.  Trees create simply fine inwards the relatively mild, humid climate of the Mid-Atlantic region.

Crossing Greenland

On our flying dorsum from Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday, the road took us over the southern tip of Greenland, the largest isle on our planet.  It was our start run across amongst that province of ice, stone together with scenic fjords and, for 20 minutes or so, nosotros were mesmerized past times the spectacle, 34,000 feet below.

Sparsely populated past times humans, this Arctic acre is an independent territory of Denmark.  Mountain ranges hold out along its due east together with westward coasts spell a massive H2O ice canvas covers 80% of the island's surface.  Icebergs speckled the fjords every bit nosotros passed over Greenland together with the majesty of its landscape was genuinely inspiring.

Of course, i cannot cite Greenland without invoking the fact that its Arctic ecosystem is threatened past times global warming.  The charge per unit of measurement of melting has sharply increased together with the full loss of Greenland's H2O ice canvas would heighten body of body of water levels past times 24 feet, a disaster for isle together with coastal communities together with ecosystems across the planet.

See also:  Greenland together with Iceland together with The Greenland Ice Sheet

Good Riddance, Mr. Pruitt

Scott Pruitt, Trump's Chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, resigned today next a serial of reports in addition to investigations spawned yesteryear his unethical behavior.   Of course, President Trump accepted his resignation piece praising his locomote at the E.P.A.

I, similar many Americans, was glad to run across him go, non in addition to hence much for his misuse of taxpayer funds simply for the environmental regulations that he diminished or abolished.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 closed ally of those inwards the fossil fuel industry, Pruitt is an outspoken climate alter denier who too demonstrated a lack of commitment to protecting the character of our air in addition to water.

Just the latest cabinet fellow member to larn out the Administration, Scott Pruitt was simply a conduit for Trump's misguided policies; to cause got chosen Pruitt to Pb the E.P.A. was maybe the nearly glaring prove of the President's disdain for environmentalism.  Until Trump in addition to his accomplices are voted out of office, the welfare of this planet in addition to its life-sustaining ecosystems volition endure at risk.      

Heat, Life & Survival

Wandering exterior this morning, it was slowly to encounter the terms that our hot, dry out summertime has taken on the leafage of our Littleton farm.  While oestrus as well as H2O are essential to life, the residual of these factors is crucial as well as this flavor has non been form to the plants.

Life kickoff evolved inwards warm, shallow seas as well as most hot smokers along mid oceanic ridges.  Even today, the vast bulk of species are establish inwards the Tropics, where wet is abundant, placing a banking concern fit on the air temperature.  In desert regions as well as semiarid landscapes, the depression humidity results inwards dense air which tin range much higher (and ofttimes deadly) temperatures; of course, animals as well as plants that inhabit deserts conduct maintain adapted to their surround inwards a multifariousness of anatomic, physiologic as well as behavioral ways.  While birds as well as mammals tin generate their ain internal heat, the depression temperatures inwards polar regions conduct maintain likewise required physical as well as physiologic adaptations for wild residents (fat insulation, thick fur as well as dense plumage, to advert a few).  We humans, having evolved inwards the Tropics, were able to colonize hot as well as mutual depression temperature landscapes due to our large brains; the role of clothing, wells, tents as well as AC come upwardly to mind.

Humans as well as wild fauna straightaway appear upwardly global warming, a production of fossil fuel consumption, which threatens the survival of many species.  Melting polar H2O ice sheets as well as mount glaciers are already stressing regional inhabitants as well as flooding coastal ecosystems (at all latitudes) every bit sea levels rise.  In concert, warming body of body of water waters are killing coral reefs, spawning deadly algal blooms as well as reducing the furnish of plankton, vital to marine nutrient chains.  It is imperative that nosotros humans role our large brains in i trial once to a greater extent than to mitigate climate alter as well as protect Earth's ecosystems.  

Benefits From A Ruddy Tide?

This past times week, the Governor of Florida declared a State of Emergency along the Southwest Coast, responding to the natural as well as economical harm wrought past times the toxic algal bloom.  Many marine species bring been killed as well as both the line-fishing as well as tourist industries are taking a hit.

But could at that topographic point move a natural produce goodness from these algal blooms?  Could they move of import inward marine ecosystems, thinning out populations, releasing nutrients as well as "re-setting" the regional spider web of life?  After all, many other natural phenomena are deemed to move harmful or vicious from the human perspective.

On a selfish note, the cherry tide has cleared out much of the human population on Longboat Key as well as nosotros close bring our condo complex to ourselves.  Then again, 1 cannot aid simply wonder if this bloom, similar those that lead house on inland lakes as well as coastal bays, is aggravated past times human activity.  We catch a huge total of nutritious effluent into our rivers as well as human-induced global warming volition certainly heighten algal blooms inward the future.  All of these issues are nutrient for idea as well as it is best that nosotros concentrate on protecting all natural ecosystems from pollution as well as climate change.

The Atlantic Comes Alive

After a tedious rootage to the Atlantic Hurricane Season, a chain of tropical storms, hurricanes in addition to tropical waves has developed inward the by few days.  Of course, September is to a greater extent than oft than non the acme calendar month of the annual Hurricane Season (which runs from June to early on November) in addition to electrical current atmospheric in addition to oceanic weather are favoring tempest development.

Just yesterday, Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall along the Mississippi Coast in addition to its flooding rains cash inward one's chips on to autumn most Pensacola in addition to Mobile; inward the coming days, that tropical organization volition inject copious wet into the Midwest which volition interact amongst a mutual frigidness front end to gain flooding from Arkansas to the Great Lakes.  Next inward trouble is Hurricane Florence, currently a Category 3 tempest inward the Central Atlantic; its hereafter degree remains uncertain simply it could potentially demeanor on the entire East Coast of the U.S.  Behind Florence are iii tropical waves, emerging from the West Coast of Africa every few days; since air current shear has currently diminished over the Atlantic in addition to sea temperatures are inward the upper 80s (F) off the Southeast Coast, the phase is gear upwards for potential landfalling hurricanes.

While the incidence of tropical storms in addition to hurricanes volition vary amongst a host of atmospheric in addition to oceanic patterns, our warming climate volition sure enough add together fuel to systems that gain develop.  Storms inward the Eastern Pacific bring dominated the headlines inward recent months simply the Atlantic has instantly come upwards alive!

Flooding Together With Federal Policy

As nosotros witness the tragic flooding from Hurricane Florence along the Southeast Coast, nosotros are reminded of the destruction inwards Houston caused past times Hurricane Harvey in addition to the repeated jump flooding along around American Rivers (the Red River of the Northern Plains comes right away to mind).

Having decided that inundation insurance is a coin losing proposition, person insurance companies possess got backed away from such coverage, donating that pick to the Federal Government.  As is oft the case, the USA Government accepted the challenge in addition to is at nowadays billions of dollars inwards the ruby (even earlier the destruction caused past times Hurricane Florence).

One wonders whether Federal dollars would hold out ameliorate spent buying upward properties on floodplains in addition to barrier islands in addition to assisting alongside local engineering efforts rather than encouraging insurance holders to rebuild inwards those flood-prone areas.  After all, global warming is threatening coastal communities every bit body of body of water levels ascension in addition to volition probable intensify the ability of tropical storms in addition to hurricanes.  We cannot hold back leadership from the electrical flow Administration only both the fiscal in addition to climate realities volition eventually forcefulness the Federal Government to convey a to a greater extent than intelligent approach to this recurrent in addition to worsening problem.

Natural Solutions To Climate Change

While our President too his Administration turn down the testify too ramifications of global warming, nosotros must produce what nosotros tin to protect our abode planet for hereafter generations too for all life that shares Earth's ecosystems.

Though nosotros are all aware of efforts to wean mankind from fossil fuel, it is every bit good of import to empathise that nature tin play a major purpose inwards reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide.  For an overview of this concept too how y'all powerfulness participate, see the websites of Nature4Climate too The Forgotten Solution, sponsored inwards portion past times The Nature Conservancy.

Of course, nosotros tin every bit good brand a deviation past times reducing our personal unloosen energy consumption, past times planting trees, past times supporting conservation groups and, almost importantly, past times voting Trump too other climate alter deniers out of office.

Wildfires In Addition To Global Warming

The tragic wildfires inwards California are, inwards large part, related to an ongoing drought but at that spot has been about speculation that they are a lawsuit of global warming.  While stagnant conditions patterns cause got laid the phase for wildfires throughout the history of our planet, their electrical current human relationship to climate alter is less clear.  On the other hand, i tin reasonably speculate that a warmer climate volition brand dry out areas drier as well as moisture areas wetter; afterwards all, latitude, geography as well as body of body of water currents volition non alter (at to the lowest degree inwards the foreseeable shape of human history).

As alongside hurricanes, the incidence of wildfires may non hold upward straight affected past times global warming but their severity volition sure hold upward augmented.  Those who alive inwards fire-prone areas (e.g. semiarid forests), similar those who alive on barrier islands or inwards coastal lowlands, must bring the fact that the adventure of disaster volition croak on to ascent every bit the climate warms.  Economically, that adventure volition house a stress on gild every bit a whole; insurance rates cannot hold upward indefinitely raised for everyone inwards monastic state to embrace those inwards high adventure areas.  As a result, someone insurance companies volition probable reject to offering "fire insurance" inwards wildfire prone regions only every bit they cause got eliminated overflowing insurance coverage across nearly of the country.

In effect, global warming volition laid about to dictate where human dwelling household is both sustainable as well as affordable.  Urbanization, already a tendency inwards human society, volition probable accelerate as well as high adventure natural ecosystems volition hold upward handed dorsum to Mother Nature; of course, the survivability of wild animals inwards those ecosystems volition hold upward tested every bit well. 

A Brief December Spring

H5N1 rigid wintertime storm, currently centered over northwest Missouri, is dropping heavy snowfall across the Northern in addition to Central Plains.  Ahead of its mutual coldness front, spring-like weather condition has invaded key Missouri, courtesy of strong southeasterly winds that convey brought mild, humid Gulf of United Mexican United States air into the Heartland.

Heavy rains roughshod concluding night, leaving shallow pools across the regional farmlands, in addition to the southerly menses has continued today, pushing afternoon highs into the lower sixties (F).  Our belatedly Dec boundary volition survive short-lived, however, every bit the mutual coldness front end sweeps through the expanse this evening.  While nosotros are expected to escape the snow, highs volition rest inward the thirties for much of the week.

Usually, the jet flow settles into a "zonal flow" yesteryear winter, preventing broad swings inward the temperature hit across Temperate Latitudes.  As our climate warms, however, a less stable jet flow appears probable in addition to bouts of boundary inward wintertime volition for sure larn to a greater extent than common.  What effects that volition convey on Temperate ecosystems remains to survive seen.

Midwest Deep Freeze

Residents of the Upper Midwest are awaking to temperatures of twenty to xxx degrees below zippo (F) this morning; past times mid afternoon, tape depression high temperatures volition endure recorded across the share alongside nearly areas staying at or below minus 15.  In addition, steady winds volition create a wind-chill of minus 50 or lower.

The movement for this extreme weather condition final result is a dip inwards the northern jet stream, allowing Arctic air to plunge southward too and hence eastward; meanwhile, inwards Alaska, where the jet is curving northward, temperatures are good to a higher house normal.  As the atmospheric trough of frigid air drifts eastward, the atmospheric ridge that is forthwith over Alaska volition follow, allowing temperatures across the Upper Midwest to rebound inwards dramatic fashion; past times this weekend, highs close xl degrees F volition bathe the frozen landscape.

No doubt, those who deny global warming volition move this extreme, record-breaking chill to bolster their argument.  Of course, this is pure folly on their part; fifty-fifty every bit the climate warms, regional weather condition patterns volition permit polar air to fall southward at times.  It is the persistent ascent inwards global average temperature that has begun to threaten Earth's ecosystems and, eventually, the welfare of mankind.

The Instance For Kelp

After reading Melissa Clark's article on kelp inwards yesterday's New York Times, I was inspired to spread the give-and-take regarding this marine vegetable, an environment-friendly nutrient rootage that may play an of import business office inwards coming together the nutrition demands of our ever-expanding population.  Long "farmed" inwards other regions of the globe, kelp has piece of employment a substitute rootage of income for fisherman inwards northern regions of North America who bring suffered from dwindling fish populations together with limitations placed on their annual catch.

Per Ms. Clark, kelp is a tasty bird of seaweed, dissimilar or together with thence others that bring been farmed across the globe.  Furthermore, it is fast growing together with requires cypher to a greater extent than than an anchor rope, drawing its nutrition from the sea and, inwards concert, extracting pollutants such every bit carbon dioxide, nitrogen together with phosphorus (combating acidification of bounding main H2O together with potentially playing a meaning business office inwards our efforts to scrap global warming).

Already used inwards upscale restaurants across the country, kelp could piece of employment a staple inwards the American diet; indeed, it is rich inwards numerous vitamins together with minerals and, similar other vegetables, is a proficient rootage of fiber.  While I bring absolutely no qualifications when it comes to repast preparation, she reports that kelp is used inwards salads, pasta dishes together with every bit a garnish exceptional amongst fish together with diverse meats.  Watch for this nutritious together with environment-friendly exceptional at your local grocery together with laissez passer on it a attempt out for Mother Earth!

Phasing Out Meat

If today's Beyond Meat's IPO on Wall Street is whatever indication, investor reckon has shifted inward favor of plant-based food.  Indeed, Impossible Burger, roughly other fellowship that offers a plant-based inwardness substitute, volition presently hold out selling its production through Burger King restaurants.

No doubt, the younger generation's focus on a well for y'all diet too on minimizing our deport on on the surroundings is playing a major part inward this cultural shift.  In add-on to concerns regarding the inhumane handling of livestock, at that spot is a groovy bargain of prove that inwardness production wastes fresh water, consumes much (if non most) of our grain production too pollutes our air too water; marsh gas production past times cattle is idea to hold out a meaning element inward man-induced global warming.

Natural carnivores, humans won't hold out giving upwardly inwardness anytime presently exactly unbridled population increase too unchecked climate alter may forcefulness a shift to plant-based nutrition.  Fortunately, Millennials too their children, facing a planetary crisis, volition probable accelerate that transition.

See also: A Plant-based Diet 

Flooding As Well As Our Future

Driving dorsum from Northeast Ohio, where heavy rains had brought Sandy Lake, southeast of Kent, to a tape score too closed local roadways, nosotros passed through flooded terrain from key Ohio to eastern Missouri.  Every creek too river was bank-full or had spilled across its floodplain too pelting was notwithstanding falling inwards most areas; across the water-logged fields, crops were unplanted or good behind schedule.

Of course, extensive flooding inwards the Missouri, Arkansas too Mississippi Valleys has been inwards the tidings for months, including structural harm inwards towns too cities too disruption of agriculture too transportation inwards those massive watersheds.  Meanwhile, hurricane flavor is underway too the get-go tropical organisation of the twelvemonth brought torrential rains to the western Gulf Coast.  Even if they dodge tropical storms too hurricanes, coastal cities are threatened past times ascension sea levels, a work that volition solely worsen over the coming decades.

Mention global warming too most humans (assuming they bring the science) worry nigh drought too H2O shortages.  Those problems volition for certain hold upward severe inwards unopen to regions merely warmer air tin carry larger quantities of H2O from oceans too lakes, providing to a greater extent than fuel for thunderstorms, snowstorms, tropical storms too hurricanes.  Combined amongst coastal flooding from ascension seas, which is already displacing human settlements across the globe, excessive atmospheric precipitation may hold upward the principal threat unleashed past times climate change.

Back Inward Drier Country

After 10 days inwards the soggy Midwest, I am dorsum at our Littleton, Colorado, farm, enjoying drier air together with warm temperatures.  While the greenery hither reflects an unusually wet spring, nosotros are non dealing amongst flooded rivers together with soiled landscapes.

On the other hand, belatedly afternoon thunderstorms boot the bucket on to lash the region, disrupting air traffic together with posing the threat of damaging hail.  Indeed, equally I write this post, a severe thunderstorm over Denver International Airport is tardily drifting eastward, allowing arrivals together with departures to resume.  Other storms tower due east of the Front Range, creating an atmospheric wall that is forcing air traffic to hold upwardly routed good to the northward together with southward of our region.

But away from these brief together with widely scattered downpours, in that place is no humidity to suppress outdoor action together with sunny skies dominate inwards nearly areas.  Unlike the Midwest, nosotros are far from the feather of Gulf wet that tempest systems tap equally they motility across the country; inwards addition, the mount ranges to our due west "take out" atmospheric precipitation arriving from the Pacific.  Our semiarid climate may come upwardly amongst confine snow, June thunderstorms together with a belatedly summertime monsoon, simply I'll stimulate got the dry out air, cool nights together with abundant sunshine.

The Flavour Of Acknowledgement

As nosotros come inwards the middle of summertime inwards the Northern Hemisphere, many of us volition sense oestrus waves, severe storms, hurricanes, floods, drought, wildfires together with H2O shortages, focusing our attending on the projected deport on of global warming.  Even climate alter deniers may endure forced to admit the reality of our predicament.

For all who tending virtually the scientific discipline of climatology together with the deport on of global warming on human populations, I recommend reading Welcome to Climate Change, the May/June, 2019 upshot of MIT Technology Review.  Drawn to my attending past times my son, the review covers efforts to cut the severity of global warming, the diverse technological agency of adapting to a warmer climate together with the suffering (present together with future) that has together with volition endure borne (inequitably) past times human societies.

No doubt, those who assay out together with read this review volition endure those who are already alarmed past times the potential deport on of climate alter together with are doing their piece of job to mitigate global warming; Trump together with his legions volition toss it inwards their collective barrel of mistaken news.  Fortunately, local governments, many countries, conservation organizations together with an increasing number of small-scale together with large industries (that sympathise the economic science of climate alter together with the importance of beingness on the correct side of this issue) are adopting together with promoting greenish technology scientific discipline despite the rhetoric together with policies of the electrical flow American Administration.

Barry Retests Human Folly

Approaching the Louisiana coast, Tropical Storm Barry volition presently retest the folly of edifice a large metropolis at the oral fissure of North America's largest river system, one-half below sea degree in addition to subject on the protection of pumps in addition to levees.  Up to twenty inches of pelting is expected inwards some areas in addition to the Mississippi River is already inwards overflowing stage.

Of course, New Orleans is non the exclusively coastal American metropolis to blossom some an early on seafaring port precisely i would intend that nosotros accept learned our lesson over the past times 500 years.  Long enamored amongst the beauty in addition to utility of rivers in addition to the ocean, nosotros humans tin no longer crimp upward our tents or deed to a higher cave when threatened past times high water.  Even inwards the seem upward of ascent sea levels in addition to destructive annual floods, many United States of America of America cities in addition to towns stand upward their ground, determined to rebuild (with Federal assistance assured).

While port facilities in addition to historic structures cannot or should non move moved, it is fourth dimension for humans to abandon floodplains in addition to high conduct chances coastal areas.  If nosotros create non initiate the procedure (while likewise doing what nosotros tin to mitigate global warming), nature volition forcefulness our hand.

Falling Population Growth

Earlier this week, I watched a word programme that revealed the the United States of America population increment charge per unit of measurement is falling.  This is a effect of women putting off pregnancy until after inwards life in addition to a slight contraction of life expectancy.  The reporters were a fleck alarmed past times the data, focusing on the economical comport upon of fewer consumers.

But, for anyone concerned virtually global warming in addition to the wellness of natural ecosystems, this is proficient news, though the benefits volition probable live on outweighed past times continued high fertility rates inwards developing countries.  Human overpopulation, recognized every mo an environmental threat for at to the lowest degree fifty years, places stress on marine in addition to terrestrial ecosystems across the globe; depletion of natural resources, pollution, climate alter in addition to habitat devastation all play a role.

No doubt, corporations in addition to investors are alarmed past times the prospect of diminished global consumption.  But, unless nosotros reign inwards our burgeoning population, in that location volition live on far greater impacts on the economic scheme (and on the welfare of human civilization) every mo the wellness of Planet populace continues to deteriorate.

Counting On The Monsoon

As a summertime oestrus moving ridge continues along the Colorado Front Range, many of us are counting on the Southwest Monsoon to intermission this stagnant conditions pattern.  After all, the monsoon commonly reaches the Front Range past times mid August, bringing cooler conditions too daily episodes of precipitation.

This year, a persistent high pressure level dome over the Four Corners portion is blocking the inflow of wet from the Gulf of United Mexican United States too the Sea of Cortez; until that dome breaks downward or moves eastward, the monsoon cannot develop.  Recent extreme oestrus inward Phoenix too Las Vegas reverberate that "blocking high" too nosotros are expected to approach 100 degrees F inward Denver inside the adjacent few days.

While this Southwest oestrus moving ridge is related to a greater extent than to a persistent atmospheric ridge than to global warming, i suspects that climate alter volition disrupt seasonal patterns across the planet.  For now, we're but counting on a normal, if tardy, belatedly summertime monsoon.

Pollution Begets Pollution

As nosotros humans view carbon dioxide too marsh gas into the atmosphere, our climate warms, glaciers too H2O ice sheets melt, sea levels rising too hurricanes larn to a greater extent than potent.  Dorian, forthwith pummeling the coast of the Carolinas later on producing devastation across the northern Bahamas, offers a prime number example.

Since humans are fond of tropical islands, barrier islands too coastal cities, a sizable segment of our population lives inward flood-prone areas, discipline to the effects of tempest surge too torrential rain.  These coastal too isle residents are non exactly inconvenienced past times hurricanes too tropical storms; lives are lost, homes too businesses are destroyed too the nation is scoured past times the sea, dragging debris too pollutants into the marine ecosystem.

In our efforts to fighting global warming, nosotros must address both the pollution that is triggering climate alter too the marine pollution that comes from cities, towns, industrial areas too farms.  Watching coverage of Dorian's devastation across the Bahamas, i feels for the victims too those who lost their homes but likewise worries well-nigh the harm done to the isle ecology too the surrounding sea environment.  In lite of our warming climate too rising sea levels, i wonders if re-building inward storm-prone areas is wise.