News Feed
Page 51
Rooftop Gardening In Chicago
“As the sun rises, the glowing lights in the huge rooftop greenhouse dim. Here, lettuce never sleeps. It grows, quickly — much more quickly than it would in a farm field. And there is a lot of it, as well as other types of salad greens and herbs.
At nearly two acres, this greenhouse atop a soap factory in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood is enormous. Its owners, New York-based Gotham Greens, claim there is no bigger rooftop greenhouse in the world.”
World’s Carbon Budget is Still Too Small
“Climate scientists have bad news for governments, energy companies, motorists, passengers and citizens everywhere in the world: to contain global warming to the limits agreed by 195 nations in Paris last December, they will have to cut fossil fuel combustion at an even faster rate than anybody had predicted.”
Sea Levels Rising Faster than Ever
“Sea levels in the 20th century rose faster than at any time in the last 3,000 years. And in the 21st century, the tides will climb ever higher—by at least 28 cms (11 inches) and possibly by as much as 130 cms (51 inches), according to two new studies.
Human activity is implicated in both studies and although neither delivers a new conclusion, each represents a new approach to studies of sea level rise as a consequence of climate change and each is a confirmation of previous research.”
The Sound of Climate Change
“Each instrument represents a specific part of the Northern Hemisphere. The cello matches the temperature of the equatorial zone. The viola tracks the mid latitudes. The two violins separately follow temperatures in the high latitudes and in the arctic.” The pitch of each note is tuned to the average annual temperature in each region, so low notes represent cold years and high notes represent warm years.
What are the Areas Most Sensitive To Climate Change?
“The prairie regions of central Asia and North America, rainforests in Central America and South America, and eastern Australia all have one thing in common: They are among the most sensitive land ecosystems on Earth when it comes to climate change.
That’s according to new research published in the journal Nature on Wednesday that identified where around the world vegetation has responded most to climate fluctuations.”
A Way to Help Save the Bees
“Bee hotels are making a huge impact for the better. Easy to build, they keep wild bees safe and warm all winter and provide a safe refuge away from pets and kids. Build one near your garden and keep your own pollinators nearby.”
January is already breaking records for hottest month
“NASA’s announcement that last month was hottest January ever recorded foreshadows some sizzling months ahead and sets a pace for 2016 that may rival 2015 for the title of hottest year on record…
January’s alarming new record comes on the heels of 2015’s record heat. With global warming influenced primarily by human-caused greenhouse gases, climate experts agree that we can expect a dangerously hot 2016 as part of the overall warming pattern. At this point, of course, it’s unclear whether the year will be another record-breaker.”
Madrid’s Plan to Fight Climate Change
“In an epic move to restore the balance between city and nature, Madrid, Spain is working on plans to cover pretty much every bit of unused city space with plants, in an effort to combat the city’s rising temperatures. Madrid has already taken big steps towards making their city more environmentally-friendly by redesigning twenty-four of their busiest streets for pedestrians only. Under their new plan-of-action to fight climate change with plants, the city’s Department of Environment may turn some of those streets into beautiful, tree-lined parks.”
Shell’s Heir Goes Green
“It is perhaps no surprise that a country house bequeathed to the nation by the family that made its fortune from Shell petroleum should run entirely on barrel after barrel of oil – 25,000 litres of it each year.
But after a green makeover, the Upton House estate in Warwickshire has ditched the polluting fossil fuel and is now producing the equivalent energy from two wood pellet boilers.”
The 5 Main Drivers of the Water Crisis
“The California drought has grabbed America’s attention, but our water problems — and the coming scarcity — stem from a lot more than a few years of diminished rain and snow. The U.S. government’s National Intelligence Council predicts that, in less than 10 years, many large countries will be at risk of “state failure,” directly due to the global water crisis.”
