Weather, Water, Energy 9-27-06

Good news. Acre, a Brazilian state, is taking action to force ranchers to reforest their Amazonian land and reduce loss of that precious forest. . . . In Britain the Environment Secretary is saying folks "should be scared" about global warming, that those who deny it are "the flat earthers of the 21st century" (actually Sen. Inhofe is 14th century), and that "something funny is going on with the weather." . . . He obviously didn't get this memo from the British Economic and Social Research Council saying scaring people and making them feel badly about themselves are the least effective ways to get people to set health and environmental goals. So let's just nicely coax everyone who's ignored the clear evidence around them for three decades to politely get off their ignorant a-ses and stop being so self-obsessed and demand action, you feckless fools . . . sorry, I'm Irish, not British. . . . One last BBC report, this one on Sir Richard Branson's follow-up to his recent $3 b. pledge to reduce carbon emissions. Just changing takeoff procedures and use of air traffic control apparently could save us tons of problems. . . . Nature is reporting that once again the Feds, this time the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have blocked an important report, this one on the contribution of global warming to the frequency and strength of hurricanes. Not so, say the feds, just delaying it for . . . really, really good reasons. I don't know how these folks sleep at night. . . . A study of how fresh river water flows into Liverpool Bay is helping scientists understand fresh/sea interaction and ultimately, hopefully, climate change. . . . Here's one closer to home (sort of) along the same line. U-Alaska (Fairbanks) scientists have documented "unprecedented" surges of warm water into the north Atlantic, with changes for the Arctic Ocean likely (not to mention ice cover and climate). . . . Another British study, trying to figure out how to control greenhouse gas nitrous oxide emissions from soil. Don't laugh. . . . Yet another is using satellite data to map plant use of carbon dioxide around the world to get a better picture of how gases are used by the planet (or not). . . . Speaking of satellites, this report shows how pictures from space reveal green areas after rains (which feedback into more rains), allowing better prediction of droughts and shortages. . . . From the potential water wars file, here's a story of how 7 western states are running a series of experiments on the Colorado River to figure out how to wring every last drop from it, I mean, how to reduce waste. The experiments include a test of a desalinization plant, a program that pays farmers not to plant, and building a small reservoir to catch water just before it makes it to Mexico. Won't solve how the saved water will be distributed and no mention of how Mexico will react. That's why it's in the potential water wars file. . . . In GA, the Repub gov is proposing, coincidentally before his Nov election, a tax incentive to get biofuel producers to move to the state and to help its farmers and failing timber industry. . . . Tsunami warning sirens are going up along the NW coast. Do not be alarmed . . . and move to higher ground immediately!!! . . . Opened on good news, closing on good news. There is a mining company in WY that is actually trying to reduce its co2 emissions (by turning off idling truck engines, for example), to the tune of a 9% cut since 1998. This story starts with focus on Rio Tinto Energy America, moves into carbon emission trading, touches on water and weather impacts, and invites folks to a public forum series on "energy futures." Truly good to see some people getting it (and not in the way Sen. Inhofe should get it).