Earth Sky Stars » global warming http://earthskystars.net/blog blog for earthskystars Mon, 26 Jul 2010 08:35:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 “Extreme Ice” on PBS’ NOVA series http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/29/extreme-ice-on-pbs-nova-series/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/29/extreme-ice-on-pbs-nova-series/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:40:37 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=166 Want some real evidence of Climate Change? If you missed the PBS program “Extreme Ice” you missed a lot. The program, a collaboration between PBS (Public Broadcasting) and National Geographic, highlights the rapid decline of glaciers around the planet. And even more worrisome, the unexpected changes in the Greenland and Antarctic ice caps. While losing the mountain glaciers will only bring sea level increases of one to three feet by the end of this century the loss of the major ice caps would cause changes in the hundreds of feet! This would be very bad news for any major coastal cities.

Still think Climate Change is BS? Time to wake up.

Also check out the supporting National Geographic Extreme Ice Survey site.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/03/29/extreme-ice-on-pbs-nova-series/feed/ 0 How long can Global Warming last? 100,000 years if you’re an ocean! http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/27/how-long-can-global-warming-last-100000-years-if-youre-an-ocean/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/27/how-long-can-global-warming-last-100000-years-if-youre-an-ocean/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:27:06 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=115 An interesting post on Wired.com’s science blog states that Global Warming could be around a lot longer than we first thought — about 100,000 years longer! If the planet continues on a “business as usual” path (no change in greenhouse gases) recent studies indicate earth’s oceans could be compromised for as long as 100,000 years. Read the report for the full details.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/27/how-long-can-global-warming-last-100000-years-if-youre-an-ocean/feed/ 0 My solar power hits a snag — the electrical inspector! http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/18/my-solar-power-hits-a-snag-the-electrical-inspector/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/18/my-solar-power-hits-a-snag-the-electrical-inspector/#comments Sun, 18 Jan 2009 21:51:49 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=103 Well my solar power setup looked all ready to go until the electrical inspector inspected the system. Mary Ness, of the Washington State Dept. of Labor and Industries, cited two complaints, one was arguable either way, the second I found confusing. Apparently Dave Cozine has worked with inspectors that allowed photographs in lieu of climbing the roof  to inspect connections. Mary does not, and wanted the panels removed so she could inspect the Enphase quick-disconnects. I think we’ve resolved this issue, but we’ll see Monday when the inspector comes again.

The lesson I take away from this is have your installer call the inspector before the install begins and ask what they want to see. Dave, who has a spotless record and excellent references, has worked with 47 different inspectors with few snags. But there are no standards between inspectors. There probably should be, but L&I hasn’t set any in place.

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/18/my-solar-power-hits-a-snag-the-electrical-inspector/feed/ 0 The oceans are warming, not cooling — a climate skeptic myth dispelled … http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/18/the-oceans-are-warming-not-cooling-a-climate-skeptic-myth-dispelled/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/18/the-oceans-are-warming-not-cooling-a-climate-skeptic-myth-dispelled/#comments Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:48:13 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=99 A study published in 2006 by John Lyman at Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and Josh Willis of NASA reported a surprising finding, the world’s oceans were cooling rather than warming as would be expected with global climate change. This report was immediately hailed by climate change skeptics as proof that global warming was a myth, just a normal aberration in the earth’s climate cycle. Unfortunately, for the skeptics, it wasn’t true.

Josh started to see disturbing errors in his data, and like all scientific data, his data was subject to review and correction. Josh found the largest problem in his data came from a robot floating sensor called Argo. A chunk of the temperature data was from Argos with defective temperature sensors. With the defective readingswarming removed from the data the cooling almost disappeared. A second piece of sensor data, readings from a expendable thermometer called a XBT, made the early readings of ocean temperature appear to warm. Read the full tale of Josh Willis’ scientific sleuthing at the NASA Earth Observatory.

Sorry skeptics, better luck next time!

Bill Clugston, a Climate Change believer

]]> http://earthskystars.net/blog/2009/01/18/the-oceans-are-warming-not-cooling-a-climate-skeptic-myth-dispelled/feed/ 0 How The Netherlands is dealing with Climate Change http://earthskystars.net/blog/2008/12/28/how-the-netherlands-is-dealing-with-climate-change/ http://earthskystars.net/blog/2008/12/28/how-the-netherlands-is-dealing-with-climate-change/#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:30:14 +0000 Bill Clugston http://earthskystars.net/blog/?p=70 Global Climate Change has many potential hazards. One of the more likely hazards is a planet-wide rise in sea level. Rising sea levels make already low-lying coastal regions (Bangladesh, Netherlands, New Orleans, to name a few) more vulnerable to flooding from storms.

The Netherlands (Holland) is dealing with Climate Change on several fronts. To deal with Global Warming, Holland has a massive wind power program to reduce the production of greenhouse gases. To deal with the rising ocean (24% of the country is below sea level), the Dutch have instituted a massive public works program. An excellent Wired.com article details how the Dutch, masters of dealing with flooding and storm, are coping with Climate Change.

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