From the monthly archives: April 2010

EPA’s “Climate Change Indicators in the US” report: Issues for Society and Ecosystems

By On April 29, 2010

The last major section from the EPA’s new Climate Change Indicators in the US report is society and ecosystems. Below are key summary points.

Clear changes in growing seasons, bird migration leaf growth and blooming dates have occurred and the trends suggest that they will continue. Heat-related deaths show much more variability, despite clear [...]

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Researchers Find Alaskan Megaflood Happened 17,000 Years Too Early

By On April 29, 2010

New research from the University of Washington indicates that one of the planet’s largest fresh-water megafloods happened some 17,000 years ago and inundated a large area of Alaska.

The comedic value of this story comes from the location of the megaflood, which flooded areas down what is now the Matanuska River in Alaska [...]

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Did Earth’s Water Arrive on a Meteor?

By On April 29, 2010

Scientists believe that the discovery of ice and organic molecules on an asteroid lingering in orbit between Mars and Jupiter hints at the origin of Earth’s oceans and life 4 billion years ago.

“What we’ve found suggests that an asteroid like this one may have hit Earth and brought our planet its water,” [...]

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New Southern Ocean Current Discovered

By On April 29, 2010

Ocean currents are one of the driving forces behind our planet’s climate, and according to Japanese and Australian scientists a new current has been discovered in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean.

In a paper published in Nature Geoscience the researchers describe an ocean current, approximately 4,200 kilometres [...]

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EPA’s “Climate Change Indicators in the US” report: News from the Oceans

By On April 28, 2010

Next in our coverage of the EPA’s new Climate Change Indicators in the US report, below are key summary findings regarding the oceans.

From very concerning increases in ocean acidity to a relatively fast-rising sea level to a heating ocean, all of our concerns are not in the atmosphere or on land.

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Millennium Group Seeks to Alter Behavior & Halt Global Collapse

By On April 28, 2010

“To lead decent lives, at least two billion people are in dire need of more consumption, but extending American consumption patterns to even today’s 6.8 billion people is not only unsustainable but likely a biophysical impossibility.” — Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University

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EPA’s “Climate Change Indicators in the US” report: What’s Happening with Snow and Ice?

By On April 28, 2010

Continuing our coverage of the EPA’s new Climate Change Indicators in the US report, below are key summary findings regarding snow and ice.

Despite what you may have heard in false science circles, we definitely have less snow cover, snowpack and ice than in the past these days.

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US EPA Climte Change Indicators Weather and Climate

EPA’s “Climate Change Indicators in the US” report: What’s Up with Weather and Climate?

By On April 28, 2010

Continuing our coverage of the EPA’s new Climate Change Indicators in the US report, below are key summary findings regarding weather and climate.

More heat waves, tropical cyclones, floods, precipitation, and also perhaps drought in some areas — watch out!

The following text comes directly from the US EPA’s [...]

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EPA Releases Illuminating “Climate Change Indicators in the US” Report

By On April 28, 2010

The US EPA just released an excellent report on climate change indicators in the US. In this first of a series of Planetsave posts summarizing the report, we look at greenhouse gases.

The US Environmental Protection Agency just released Climate Change Indicators in the U.S., a report showing “compelling evidence that the [...]

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Russian Winds Reducing Arctic Sea Ice

By On April 28, 2010

The diminishing Arctic sea ice cover has largely been blamed on climate change and human global warming. New research from Norway suggests this may not be the case.

The past 30 years have seen the ice cover surrounding the North Pole diminish significantly, specifically within the last decade. Many experts, including the UN [...]

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Economy over Environment: The Limited Coverage of Louisiana’s Oil Spill

By On April 27, 2010

Louisiana’s oil spill is releasing 42,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, sure to threaten wildlife and resources.

It’s not hard to wonder why people are seemingly apathetic when it comes to environmental issues when there isn’t more focus going towards environmental emergencies that could cause [...]

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1st Restaurant Menu to Show Carbon Footprints

By On April 27, 2010

The first restaurant chain to show carbon footprints of its menu items, Otarian, just opened its first store in New York.

The first restaurant chain in the world to show the carbon footprint of its menu items, believe it or not, is not McDonald’s. It is vegetarian restaurant chain Otarian. Otarian debuted [...]

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city green space economic advantage as well

Green Spaces Provide Great Economic Potential

By On April 26, 2010

Guest author Jack Lundee of Everything Left provides us with this thoughtful and thought-provoking article on green spaces, green architecture and green infrastructure.

The addition and/or substitution of green spaces have been quite controversial topics as of late. Senior resident of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Ed T. McMahon states: “Green space [...]

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American’s Growing Apathy to Environmental Movement

By On April 23, 2010

On the anniversary of the 40th Earth Day the latest Gallup poll shows that attitudes towards the environmental movement in America are declining.

Despite Gallup’s attempt to spin this as a “still positive” result, the 8 point drop in American’s attitudes towards the environmental movement is indicative of a growing trend. Whether as [...]

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Extensive Release of Methane Gas from Arctic Shelf Confirmed

By On April 22, 2010

A research team confirms “extensive out-gassing of methane to the atmosphere” over the Eastern Siberian Arctic Shelf, and confirm its source to be venting from sea-bed sediments. Though acknowledging their findings do not seriously alter climate change predictions, the team also asserts that the sub-sea permafrost layer is failing and advise more urgent investigation.

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reflection and the water

What to do on Earth Day?

By On April 22, 2010

What can we do on Earth Day to help the planet? Change our lives.

I have read articles from and communicated with many leading environmental bloggers in the past week or so about Earth Day. As many are right and eager to say, Earth Day is not enough, not anymore. Today should still [...]

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