Daily Updates for June 2011

RochesterEnvironment.com

These Daily Updates for this month represent just one month in over a decade of connecting the dots on our area's environmental situation.

Find out what’s going on environmentally in our area—and why you should care? GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL STORY ABOUT THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA FROM A CREDIBLE SOURCE? SEND IT TO ME! Looking for something specific. Use Control + F and search for it on this page.

These daily updates pertain to what is going on in our environment in Rochester & around the world. Although I do not see RochesterEnvironment.com, or Global Environmental Resources, as environmental activist sites, I do view them as active. They are active conduits for all the environmental news, services, links, and an on-going discovery for the potential role that I believe the Internet will play in environmentalism. Your local news media is not doing its job in informing the public on the breath and depth of our environmental problems, so you are going to have to get on the Internet.

6/30/2011 - Clean beaches are a healthy environment – are we monitoring them sufficiently? A good indicator of an area’s Water Quality is the state of their beaches. How healthy are our beaches and how many of our beaches are we testing? This matters because it takes time and money to test our beaches, and (as the report below states) “Current water quality tests also take 24 hours or more to produce results, so beaches are not closed or placed under advisory until after beachgoers have spent a day swimming in water that did not meet water quality standards.” Our drinking water gets tested and treated to make sure that it is safe to drink. But, are our beaches tested as rigorously? When you check the beaches in our area in NRDC: Testing the Waters 2011 report you only get the status of one beach. NRDC: Testing the Waters 2011 “NRDC's annual survey of water quality and public notification at U.S. beaches finds that the number of beach closings and advisories in 2010 reached 24,091 — the second-highest level since NRDC began tracking these events 21 years ago, confirming that our nation's beaches continue to suffer from bacterial pollution that puts swimmers at risk.” NRDC: Natural Resources Defense Council - The Earth's Best Defense We have more beaches. Should we have extensive reports on all the beaches in our area for public review? Over the years, over the decades, we have put a lot of pollution—human and industrial waste—into our waters. Shouldn’t we be able to check to be sure that our children who swim in our beaches are swimming are safe? Ohio has on online system where the public can continually check their beaches: Ohio BeachGuard System “Ohio conducts a monitoring and notification program of selected public and semi-private beaches located along the Ohio/Lake Erie border. The purpose of beach monitoring is to test the water quality of the state’s swimming beach waters and to notify the public whenever bacteria levels present a potential health risk to those engaged in water activities. Beach Guard provides data on advisories as well as monitoring activity.”
6/29/2011 - If your media isn’t grilling GOP candidates on Climate Change, change your media! The GOP has successfully turned the media from discussing a budgetary crisis that they caused with tax cuts and wars to one where Obama gets the blame. All the time, while the Climate Change crisis is off the table. Not only is the GOP able to manipulate the press into believing there is still doubt about human-driven Climate Change, but the GOP cleared it from being one of the major issues the press calls them on. GOP presidential hopefuls dance around climate change - CSMonitor.com John McCain was an early and persistent supporter of cap-and-trade efforts to reduce the greenhouse gases (mainly carbon dioxide) associated with climate change. So was Newt Gingrich, who went on to make a YouTube video ad – with then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, no less – where he said, “Our country must take action to address climate change.” Now, Republican presidential hopefuls seem to be racing in the opposite direction – disavowing their past support for policy measures on climate – even any sense that there’s a problem to be addressed. (June 19, 2011) The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com How does this work? The planet is warming; our politicians are responsible for polices to address Climate Change so we can adapt to it and mitigate it from getting worse; but one of the major political parties doesn’t want to address it because it doesn’t fit into their ideology; so, the biggest crisis of our generation goes away. Sounds a bit fishy to me. I’m not the only one thinking this way. We need to get Climate Change into our political discussions: 'Green' positions on climate change can help all candidates, survey finds — Environmental Health News “A new national survey has found that by taking a “green position” on climate, candidates of either party can gain the votes of some citizens while not alienating others. Voters tend to favor candidates who believe that humans have contributed to global warming and that the nation should take action, according to Stanford University’s poll.” (June 29, 2011) Environmental Health News
6/29/2011 - Weather and Climate Change, time to connect the dots There is no way we should be watching a weather program that doesn’t include Climate Change. Meteorologists tended not to equate extreme weather events with Climate Change back in the day and still a sizeable number of meteorologists don’t believe Climate Change is happening. Read Hot Air : CJR “Why don’t TV weathermen believe in climate change?” Columbia Journalism Review Sitting in front of your favorite weather person who is actively denying the most important issue of this century and not connecting the dots is not simply a lifestyle decision. It’s blinding yourself to the day-to-day evidence that the predictions of Climate Change are occurring. There is no doubt, Climate Change is warming our planet and it is human caused. Global Warming Continues as Greenhouse Gas Grows - ABC News The world's climate is not only continuing to warm, it's adding heat-trapping greenhouse gases even faster than in the past, researchers said Tuesday. Indeed, the global temperature has been warmer than the 20th century average every month for more than 25 years, they said at a teleconference. (June 28, 2011) ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News [more on Climate Change in our area] We cannot go on with a large percent of our population blissfully ignoring Climate Change by only watching weather reports that does not include Climate Change. The public needs accurate information on our environment, not ideology shaped as science. Sure, it’s going to be difficult to connect specific extreme weather events with Climate Change, but meteorologists need to include Climate Change predictions in their reports. This is critical because what’s happening is that the public occasionally reads an article that says the recent extreme events are caused by Climate Change, but every day they watch weather reports that ignore the relationship altogether. The public becomes confuse and don’t act in their own best interest when they vote, when they buy goods, or when they heat their house. There is one way to solve that; switch channels.
6/29/2011 - Storm Warnings: Extreme Weather Is a Product of Climate Change: Scientific American "More violent and frequent storms, once merely a prediction of climate models, are now a matter of observation. Part 1 of a three-part series | In North Dakota the waters kept rising. Swollen by more than a month of record rains in Saskatchewan, the Souris River topped its all time record high, set back in 1881. The floodwaters poured into Minot, North Dakota's fourth-largest city, and spread across thousands of acres of farms and forests. More than 12,000 people were forced to evacuate. Many lost their homes to the floodwaters. Yet the disaster unfolding in North Dakota might be bringing even bigger headlines if such extreme events hadn't suddenly seemed more common. In this year alone massive blizzards have struck the U.S. Northeast, tornadoes have ripped through the nation, mighty rivers like the Mississippi and Missouri have flowed over their banks, and floodwaters have covered huge swaths of Australia as well as displaced more than five million people in China and devastated Colombia. And this year's natural disasters follow on the heels of a staggering litany of extreme weather in 2010, from record floods in Nashville, Tenn., and Pakistan, to Russia's crippling heat wave. (June 28, 2011) Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American
6/28/2011 - Get $30 to recycle old working frig & freezers: NYSEG and RG&E Launch Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling Program NYSEG and RG&E Launch Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling Program Customers receive $30 for recycling energy-wasting second units Binghamton, NY – NYSEG and RG&E customers now have an incentive and easy way to save up to $150 dollars a year in electricity costs racked up by older, energy-wasting refrigerators or freezers. All they need to do is call to schedule a free pick up – and they’ll receive a $30 incentive payment. Through the program, appliance recycler JACO Environmental removes the appliances from participating customers’ homes at no charge, then safely dismantles and recycles the energy-guzzling appliances in an environmentally responsible manner. NYSEG
6/27/2011 - Lots of rain this spring, means more mosquitoes, and mosquitoes bring the potential for West Nile Virus. Rainy weather means plentiful mosquitoes | www.WHEC.com Above-average rainfall is making for ideal breeding conditions for the pesky mosquito. Binghamton University entomologist Julian Shepherd tells the Binghamton Press that mosquitoes need mild temperatures and standing water for reproduction. The weather in upstate New York has provided both. (June 28, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com
6/28/2011 - Good document to become familiar with as it’s for recycling in our area, now that we recycle plastics 1-7. Monroe County CURBSIDE RECYCLING & RECOVERY "Monroe County residents are now able to place plastic products labeled 1-7 in their recycling bins for curbside recycling and recovery. Residents can now recycle drinking cups, yogurt containers and take-out containers, just to name a few. If the bottom of an item is marked with any number between 1 and 7, and is surrounded by the “recycle” logo, it is safe to go to the curb. Residents can now recycle metal cookware and foilware." from CEI: Center for Environmental Information
6/28/2011 - Read Al Gore’s description of the Climate Change issue as it stands now. Things are not going good to change the public’s opinion on Climate Change and Mr. Gore explains why that might be: StopGlobalWarming.org » Climate of Denial "Climate of Denial By Al Gore (Rolling Stone) - June 22, 2011 The first time I remember hearing the question “is it real?” was when I went as a young boy to see a traveling show put on by “professional wrestlers” one summer evening in the gym of the Forks River Elementary School in Elmwood, Tennessee. The evidence that it was real was palpable: “They’re really hurting each other! That’s real blood! Look a’there! They can’t fake that!” On the other hand, there was clearly a script (or in today’s language, a “narrative”), with good guys to cheer and bad guys to boo. " StopGlobalWarming.org
6/27/2011 - Active Transportation attitudes in Rochester, NY There is a transformation occurring on active transportation (mostly walking and bicycling) attitudes in the Rochester, NY region, but we’re still waiting for the tipping point. The tipping point will occur when both vehicle drivers and active transportation folks actually share the road, and obtain ‘complete streets’: Many in our region want active transportation to happen: I believe, as chair of the Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club’s Transportation Committee, that we here in Rochester can pass the tipping point and have active transportation become a major component of our transportation options. You can get a whiff of that movement from this report: We have an incredible amount of trails that help close the distance between streets and destinations, making it easier and safer to walk and bike to important destinations. We have bicycle groups, enthusiasts, universities, public health departments, and transportation authorities who all want to make our citizens healthier and reduce the negative effects of our present transportation system. A major government report emphasizes the importance of this matter: more...
6/25/2011 - Fishing in the Great Lakes, how’s that working out for you? You’d think that the health of the fish in our Great Lakes would be a primary concern to the public—even in these lean budgetary times. Fish in the Great Lakes are changing and dwindling in population. Climate Change is going to change the fish populations because of warming waters (some fish like the Brown Trout are finicky about water temperatures) and many of the lakes invasive species are going to multiply. Maybe over the span of time, in our lifetimes, or since the Europeans came to these shores, we’ve not noticed the incredible changes in a short span of time how the fish in the Great Lakes are changing—not in a good way. Besides making a living by commercial fishing and sport fishing, fish are an excellent indicator of the overall health of the Great Lakes. And, things are not going so well. Read: The Environment Report: The Shrinking Commercial Fishing Industry "Today we begin a series called: "Swimming Upstream." It's about one of Michigan's most valuable natural resources: fish. These slimy, scaly water dwellers contribute to the ecology of the Great Lakes, our economy, and, of course, our dinner plate. Other than tribal fisherman, only about 50 people hold commercial fishing licenses in the state. Bill Petersen estimates that the number used to be a thousand. " (June 23, 2011) The Environment Report: Home
6/25/2011 - Great Lakes, dead zone, Climate Change: This catches our attention today as another Climate Change scenario for our region, that “But perhaps the most frightening potential scenario is the possibility for each of the Great Lakes to become a dead zone:” Read on: Because of climate change, fears of a Great Lakes ‘dead zone’ | WBEZ "This frightening prediction comes from the University of Michigan’s David Scavia, quoting data from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Scavia directs the university’s Environmental Sustainability Institute and teaches courses on the environment and civil and environmental engineering. When he spoke at the Field Museum last October he laid out a disturbing list of changes already taking place in the Great Lakes region as the result of climate change. According to Scavia these changes includes: The last frost in spring is coming earlier and earlier, while the first frost in fall is coming later and later. This is extending the growing season but is also changing what plants and crops can grow in the region. Storms are becoming more intense, and major weather events are happening more frequently. (Last week’s storms and the blizzard of 2010, anyone?) All five Great Lakes have less winter ice cover than in the past. Less ice in the winter leads to more evaporation in the summer, which leads to lower overall water levels. " (June 24, 2011) HOME | WBEZ
6/25/2011 - Exclusive: Find out the results of the very successful Greater Rochester Active Transportation Symposium (GRATS) in April. Rochester’s leaders, educators, and the public wants to make our regions more walk and bicycling friendly. Walk, Bike, Smile, Thrive: a report on the first Greater Rochester Active Transportation Symposium. Jon Schull, Ph.D. Interim Director, RIT Center for Student Innovation Scott MacRae, M.D. Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester Walking and biking is good for your health, good for your state of mind, and good for Rochester. And its about to get better. Less than a year after the newly-formed Rochester Cycling Alliance began advocating for comprehensive bike-friendly planning and development, the City of Rochester has developed and released a Bicycle Master Plan that will encourage better bike lanes, neighborhood greenways, and urban trails, and stimulate similar developments in neighboring municipalities. The Town of Brighton has just received a planning grant from the federally funded Genesee Transportation Council to develop a plan for bikeable and walkable connections between the University of Rochester, RIT, MCC, and downtown Rochester. more...
6/24/2011 - How do you keep them down at the carbon trough after they’ve seen the Climate Change figures? While the press is agog over the latest GOP candidates who are doing their hardest to say nothing on how to solve Climate Change, the laws of physics march on. And so are our environmental leaders who are calling the rest of us to highlight an impossibly craven attempt to flaunt the warnings of Climate Change and build “a proposed pipeline that would bring tar sands oil, allegedly toxic, from Canada to the United States.” Check it out: Environmental Leaders Call for Civil Disobedience to Stop the Keystone XL Pipeline by Naomi Klein, Wendell Berry, Maude Barlow, Bill McKibben and Others, Dear Friends, This will be a slightly longer letter than common for the internet age—it’s serious stuff. The short version is we want you to consider doing something hard: coming to Washington in the hottest and stickiest weeks of the summer and engaging in civil disobedience that will likely get you arrested.” (June 23, 2011) Common Dreams At a recent meeting I had with other folks concerned about Climate Change and the lack of interest by the public, it reminded me that I am not alone in my amazement. At this point in time when humanity is clearly faced with the most incredible crisis of our times, where we are quickly warming up our atmosphere to record heights, hardly anyone besides a relative few seem to notice. That’s odd. more...
6/24/2011 - Sounds like a worthwhile environmentally useful event: Renewable Rochester presents our grand opening July 18th – 22nd Long time solar energy conservationist Shawn Lessord, along with LEED AP, and home Energystar builder Dan Viola have joined forces to expand the ever growing renewable energy industry in Rochester and Monroe County! Come join us in a celebration of our new Renewable Education Center located at 780 Ridge Road, Webster, NY 14580. You will find ways to reduce your electric usage, save $$$ and be green for a lifetime!!! · TAX CREDITS, INCENTIVES, AND LOW 4% SOLAR FINANCING!!! · NEW PRODUCTS IN SOLAR TECHNOLOGY! · SUNPOWER SOLAR ENERGY DISPLAY · ENERGY MONITORING BY T.E.D. MONITORING · MICRO INVERTER TECHNOLOGY · LED LIGHTING · OFF GRID SOLAR LIGHTING · OFF-GRID WATER APPLICATIONS · OFF-GRID SECURITY · SOLAR INSTALLER TOOLS · RENEWABLE EDUCATION · GEO THERMAL INFORMATION AVAILABLE · JULY 21st THURSDAY- (5-7pm) AND ECO PAINT SHOP TOUR WITH A STATE OF THE ART ACCUDRAFT BOOTH WHICH IS ONE OF ONLY A FEW IN THE USA, ALONG WITH WATER BASED AUTO PAINTS! One of the first Renewable Education Centers in Monroe County, and the Rochester New York area!! Stop in and find out about the latest in solar energy technology, energy efficiency, and how incentives and tax credits can help you install one of these systems!! We hope to see you there! Contact-Shawn Lessord (585) 576-8092 for details 8AM – 4PM Monday - Friday (Thursday also 5-7pm) 780 Ridge Road, Webster, NY 14580 (Just look for the elephant in front!!)
6/24/2011 - Hydrofracking conference coming up: 2011 Finger Lakes Environment and Development Conference Proactive Approaches to Managing Impacts of Marcellus Shale Development Thursday, July 21- Friday, July, 22 at Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva, NY Keynote Speaker John H. Quigley Principal of John H. Quigley LLC, Strategic Advisor to Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future (PennFuture), and former Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Specific sessions of this conference will focus on: Health Impacts of hydraulic fracturing Local and state tax implications of hydraulic fracturing Current status of state regulation of hydraulic fracturing on private and public lands Lease negotiations and avoiding pitfalls of the oil and gas lease Proactive steps for municipalities, watershed groups and landowners 20 Speakers! Student Rate and Overnight Accomodations Available! Learn More and Register Registration closes July 14th
6/23/2011 - Solar panel leasing for Rochester? We are hearing about some movement in Solar Power for the Rochester, NY area. Not much, compared with the mad rush to frack for natural gas near our borders and put our water in jeopardy and kick up more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. Because our county won’t give the solar industry the kind of tax breaks it gives the oil industry (in the billions) we have to hunt and peck for those breaks that do exist for renewable power, like solar power, around here. We just caught this message about a limited program where Solar Liberty’ will install a 25 kW system for no money down and lease it to the organization for $100 a month (for 15 years) with guaranteed savings over previous bills.” Nonprofit Solar Lease And there is a major incentive by NYSERDA to replace electric hot water systems with solar hot water systems: NYSERDA - Press Releases - February 17, 2011 “NYSERDA Launches New York State’s First Solar Thermal Incentive Program to Spur Replacement of Electric Hot Water Systems with Solar Hot Water Systems 5-Year, $25 Million Program to Help State Move Toward Renewable Energy Goals To help New York State increase its use of renewable energy, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has launched the state’s first incentive program for solar thermal systems, which produce hot water from solar power.” New York State Energy Research and Development Authority According to this story, solar leasing may be coming to Rochester, NY: Lease options brighten prospects for solar panel market | The Ithaca Journal | theithacajournal.com Amid a booming U.S. solar market, more homeowners are able to lease rooftop panels -- some with no upfront costs -- and pay only for the power produced. A large provider, SolarCity, of San Mateo, Calif., announces this week a new lease option in which customers can "pick their price" in going solar: paying either nothing upfront with higher monthly fees or more initially and less monthly. To finance installations in 7,000 to 9,000 homes, Google is creating a $280 million fund. The biggest limitation is geography. Each company is offering leases only in certain states that offer financial incentives and have relatively high utility rates. Among the states, collectively, are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas. (June 19, 2011) The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, New York | theithacajournal.com At all sounds very grand and I hope we get renewable energy in enough quantities to do any good towards Climate Change. This program by the Sierra Club, though only for California at this point, may be just the ticket: Sierra Club: Go Solar with the Sierra Club “Join the solar movement with the Sierra Club. It's good for the planet, good for the Sierra Club, and good for you. Go solar today!” Here’s a description of the program: Every Rooftop Matters
6/23/2011 - Changing politics to change Climate Change: One of the issues that should be top priority for the media as our country ramps up to the madness that is our political season is to separate the science of Climate Change with the political rhetoric of Climate Change denial. We have gone too far with the media nonsense about how extremists dismiss and avoid Climate Change—and not called them on it. The media should not be taking a back step to the critical importance of what we need to do to adapt and mitigate the effects of Climate Change—not pander to a party that has been trying to make Climate Change a non-issue. Check out this thoughtful essay: Warm up to climate reality | The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment "The short-term Lowcountry warming of the past few sweltering days doesn't prove long-term global warming. But Republicans' rising rejection of the clear consensus on human-influenced climate change does prove that too many conservatives are ignoring scientific reality. " (June 23, 2011) The Post and Courier, Charleston SC - News, Sports, Entertainment When you have nothing else to do with your life, take a while and read this very comprehensive, official, readable (lot of charts and graphs) report on how Climate Change is going to impact the US. Don’t just dismiss this as the ravings of a group you don’t like, take some time and read about the best assessment of what our government thinks are coming as a result of Climate Change. It’s not a polemic, it’s a plan. Regional Climate Impacts: Northeast "Since 1970, the annual average temperature in the Northeast has increased by 2°F, with winter temperatures rising twice this much.150 Warming has resulted in many other climate-related changes, including: "--from Global Climate Change Impacts in the US (2009) Then, ask yourself: How are we going to solve these issues if we put a climate change denier in office? Despite all the loony fanfare over our elections, politics is not a beauty contest. Those who we elect are going to have to address the very pressing issues related to manmade Climate Change whether they believe in the tooth fairy or not. They will be accountable for protect future generations from the physics of more greenhouse gases in our atmosphere than we can tolerate.
6/23/2011 - A reminder about the importance of stopping lead poisoning in Monroe County and what you can do to help that happen. Let's Make Lead History "In 2010, nearly 300 children were poisoned just in Monroe County. Lead poisoning damages children’s brains and bones for the rest of their lives. We can all make a difference. We can make lead history. Throughout this site you’ll find specific things you can do to protect our entire community. See how easy it is to have your house or apartment inspected for lead, get your child tested for exposure to lead, or make your own home safer. "
6/22/2011 - Higher emissions scenarios are a certainty for Climate Change: One of the things that becomes crystal clear when you read studies about the possible scenarios that Climate Change will bring to our Rochester, NY region (or any region for that matter) is that the higher emissions scenarios are the ones that going to happen. Not the lower emissions scenarios. Take this study for example: Global Climate Change Impacts in the US (2009) “The report summarizes the science and the impacts of climate change on the United States, now and in the future. It focuses on climate change impacts in different regions of the U.S. and on various aspects of society and the economy such as energy, water, agriculture, and health. It’s also a report written in plain language, with the goal of better informing public and private decision making at all levels.” United States Global Change Research Program There are numerous graphs of what the impacts of Climate Change will be on Water Resources, Transportation, Ecosystems, Agriculture, Society, Human Health, Energy and they show what a particular region will look like in at the end of this century if there is a dramatic change in human behavior (lower emissions scenarios) and if things go on as they are (higher emission scenarios). They are computer projections models based on the best information possible at this time. They are not hysterical Chicken Little ravings from a group seized by an ever-present threat with the goal of undermining the existing power structure—as some of the major non-news outlets suggest. They are government studies based on the work of a lot of experts. more...
6/22/2011 - 06/21/2011: Take action this summer to reduce exposure to asthma triggers "PHILADELPHIA (June 21, 2011) - - Summer heat is here, and that means it is more important than ever for people with asthma or other respiratory ailments to pay close attention to the air quality where they live. Like the weather, air quality can change from day to day or even hour to hour. During the summer when ozone levels rise, the number of people with asthma related symptoms admitted to hospitals and emergency rooms increases. Asthma rates – especially among children – have increased dramatically. Asthma affects 25 million people in the United States, including seven million children. That’s 8 percent of the population. One out of every 10 school aged children is affected. " (June 21, 2011) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases
6/22/2011 - Climate Change: Public Skeptical, Scientists Sure : NPR The American public is less likely to believe in global warming than it was just five years ago. Yet, paradoxically, scientists are more confident than ever that climate change is real and caused largely by human activities. Something a bit strange is happening with public opinion and climate change. Anthony Leiserowitz, who directs the Yale University Project on Climate Change Communication, delved into this in a recent poll. He not only asked citizens what they thought of climate change, he also asked them to estimate how climate scientists feel about global warming. (June 21, 2011) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts : NPR
6/21/2011 - Update on Lyme disease, which could be increasing in our region because of Climate Change. : Secrets of Lyme Disease Revealed "Lyme disease is an infectious disease caused by several bacteria of the genus Borrelia. It is the most common tick-borne disease in the world, transmitted from deer ticks throughout the northern hemisphere. The disease was named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut where a number of cases were identified in 1975. A new study has now revealed that the deadly bacteria appears to hide within the lymph nodes. This finding may explain why some people suffer from repeat infections of Lyme disease. " (June 20, 2011) Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment
6/20/2011 - We keep digging deeper in the hole called Climate Change. They say ‘stop digging’ when you’re in a hole and trying to get out. But given the human capacity for tenacity, not digging ourselves in deeper is not so easy to do. Here in the Rochester, NY region if you look (and yeah, you have to look because mainstream media isn’t going to lay it out for you) you can see a how the great big carbon/Climate Change hole we’re in is just going to get deeper. The more we learn that Climate Change is happening and getting costly Counting the Cost, the more we ignore the dangers of existing energy sources (Federal nuclear regulators repeatedly weaken or fail to enforce safety standards - The Washington Post, Ohio taking in flood of Pennsylvania brine for disposal | The Columbus Dispatch) and the more we avoid changing to energy sources that don’t endanger our lives and heat the planet: Wind power faces multiple hurdles | Democrat and Chronicle. You can say it is just human nature to want better yourself by whatever means, like the coal mine owners vs. the coal mine workers in the film “Harlan County, USA” but the capacity to avoid something so large and unyielding as Climate Change has to be on another level of stubbornness for our species. This is given the incredible capacity to keep our present vehicular traffic no matter how many deaths per day it causes. (Have you ever checked the local news and not seen a car, truck, or motorcycle accident?) So, despite the unavoidable consequences of drilling for oil, mining for coal, and the fallout from nuclear power plants, we still fight tooth and nail to keep the businesses in power that put us in jeopardy and avoid making the changes to avoid a warming planet. The question we must ask ourselves is this: How long will be go before we switch direction and live sustainably? Will it be after we have exhausted all other options?
6/20/2011 - Climate Change will affect your insurance rates: Around the world, including the US, Climate Change is going to take its toll on economies. One way that will happen is that the insurance companies that back insurance companies will charge more. That will eventually affect you. See the connections between Climate Change and economies by a news service not afraid to connect the dots: Counting the Cost - Al Jazeera English "We look at the impact of extreme weather conditions and natural disasters on the world economy. "'
6/18/2011 - Climate Change and weather, we have to ask: Is this present extreme flooding (see below) in China due to Climate Change? Of course, there’s not enough information, not enough studies, not enough of this or that, but every time some weather out of the ordinary occurs, we are going to think Climate Change. It’s going to irritate and annoy a lot of folks, especially political parties that don’t believe in Climate Change. But Climate Change, which is going to have to be addressed long before all the facts and studies are in, must be thought of as a reasonable assumption. Why not put the burden of proof on the deniers that this catastrophe in China is not due to Climate Change? Why not, with something so profoundly altering as Climate Change, take the time pull out all the ideological plugs and find out if we are experiences these kinds of changes due to our putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere? Like it or not, extreme weather event are constantly going to be questioned about their relationship to Climate Change and no amount of dismissing this relationship is going to end until it can be proven that it’s not. There’s just too much evidence and science that our planet’s atmosphere is warming up and possibly causing these events: China evacuates 500,000 as flooding breaks worst drought in 50 years | Environment | The Guardian Water levels on 40 rivers, including the Yangtze, above safety limits as authorities warn of dykes and dams under pressure The dramatic shift is in line with weather trends identified by the Beijing Climate Centre, which says rain is coming in shorter, fiercer bursts, interspersed by protracted periods of drought. (June 17, 20110 Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk
6/18/2011 - Fully electric car, the Volt, comes to Rochester—get a peek, kick the tires, test drive: We’ve been hearing that the Chevy Volt is going to be sold in Rochester, a fully electric car that can drive on our highways. Now, at a special seminar at Rochester Institute of Technology (we just say RIT), you can get a sense of how this new technology might transform our local Transportation. The environmental community has long hoped for a vehicle that could operate like a gasoline-propelled car, keep up with traffic, have the stamina for long trips and not emit greenhouse gases. Come to this seminar and check it out: Golisano Institute for Sustainability Seminar An Inside Look at the Chevy Volt The Chevy Volt is an innovative vehicle that exists in a brand-new category of cars. Volt is a full performance, full speed electric vehicle with extended range. In its simplest form, the Volt operates two ways - EV mode (battery powered) and extended-range (gasoline powered). The Volt plugs into any standard 120 V household outlet. Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Program 1:00-2:00 PM Demonstration & Test Drives 2:00-3:00 PM Rochester Institute of Technology Slaughter Hall, Building 78, Conference Room 2240 It is free and open to the public.
6/17/2011 - Walking in Rochester, NY for our environment and health Walking, old as the hills, is a great way to get around. It is the one thing besides eating apple pie and playing cards that humans are especially good at. But sometimes, in our effort to accommodate our vehicular traffic, our very own communities can be difficult to walk around. Drivers predominately are watching other drivers and not pedestrians. Drivers get gadget distraction. Pedestrians sometimes don’t pay attention to signal lights. While mostly citizens want to do the right thing and obey traffic laws, from what I learned at a recent webinar at www.walkinginfo.org , there are a few who need ‘reminding’ of our laws that protect the safety of pedestrians. Considering the health and environmental benefits of walking, where you get some exercise and don’t contribute more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere, it’s a good way to get around your community. Yes, walking can help us adapt to Climate Change: DOT Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse “The Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse is designed as a one-stop source of information on transportation and climate change issues. It includes information on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, analytic methods and tools, GHG reduction strategies, potential impacts of climate change on transportation infrastructure, and approaches for integrating climate change considerations into transportation decision making.” –from U.S. Department of Transportation There are a lot of things that can be done to improve the safety of walking along our streets and with the rising gas prices, and the benefits for a calmer, more livable communities, why not try them out? Some ideas include increasing enforcement presents to let drivers know the enforcement community is watching out for pedestrians. But intimidation by the police is not the only (and usually not the best) way to make our communities safer to walk through. Neighborhoods can do a lot by just taking an interesting in this issue. Yards signs, asking speeders politely not to speed through your neighborhoods work. Better still, so drivers don’t get too used to the signs (habituating), some neighborhoods use stickers for their waste bins so they only appear when you set your waste bins out. Educational programs to inform drivers of pedestrian issues are important for both drivers and walkers. Also, engaging the media to remind the pubic of the laws already in our communities would go far in increasing pedestrian safety. I especially like the idea of those ‘count-down’ street lights that give both driver and pedestrians a clear visual queue that walkers have the right away and how long they have. If a pedestrian has to run across the street to make it to the other side, then it’s not enough time.
6/16/2011 - ACTION: Complete Streets are green streets: Walking and bicycling are active transportation options that are now legally available to all, but there’s a problem. Most of our urban streets aren’t very friendly to pedestrians and bicyclists because they were built with mostly vehicles in mind. That’s a problem for the safety of active transportation and it means that less folks will use active transportation to get to their jobs, to shop, or just to move about their community. A bill for Complete Streets will change that” “States, cities and towns are asking their planners and engineers to build road networks that are safer, more livable, and welcoming to everyone.” Given that most transportation is for distances less than 6.5 miles from one’s home, that’s too bad. It’s too bad because 27% of our greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions (according to the Environmental Protection Agency) come from transportation and so if more and more folks are engaged in active transportation we would put less ghg into our atmosphere and the consequences for Climate Change would be less severe. So, you can affect that by making sure our streets are inviting to all by making a few calls: From the Rochester Cycling Alliance: "Take Action – Complete Streets NYS, Call your state representative today! on June 15th, 2011 Great News, Assembly bill A.8366 (Complete Streets) was introduced yesterday. However, we only have a couple of days left to get the Assembly to pass it. Please call Assemblyman Gantt and ask him to move this legislation through the Transportation Committee and help bring it to the Assembly floor for a vote. His local district office number is 454-3670. Also call the other members of the Assembly in the area and let them know that A.8366 has been introduced and we would like it brought to the assembly floor for a vote before session ends. Dan Burling – 585-786-0180 Sean Hanna – 585-334-5210 Steve Hawley – 585-589-5780 Mark Johns – 585-223-9130 Brian Kolb – 315-781-2030 Joe Morelle – 585-467-0410 Robert Oaks – 315-946-5166 Phil Palmesano – 607-776-9691 Bill Reilich – 585-225-4190 This legislation is expected to pass the NYS Senate this week and the Governor has also introduced Complete Streets legislation "
6/16/2011 - Get green tips from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on : Recycling , Lawn Care, Windows and Doors, Kitchen, Bathroom, Water Heater, Washing Machine --from DECTV - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
6/15/2011 - Environmental health: Find out about Harmful Algal Blooms in our region: Center of Excellence for Great Lakes and Human Health - Harmful Algal Bloom Data and Products "There are many species of single-celled organisms living in the Great Lakes, including algae. When certain conditions are present, such as high nutrient or light levels, these organisms can reproduce rapidly. This dense population of algae is called a bloom. Some of these blooms are harmless, but when the blooming organisms contain toxins, other noxious chemicals, or pathogens, it is known as a harmful algal bloom, or HAB. HAB's can cause the death of nearby fish and foul up nearby coastlines, and produce harmful conditions to aquatic life as well as humans.The focus of this research project is to determine the factors controlling microcystin production and to develop methods for determining cyanobacteria blooms from satellite imagery. Imagery is currently available, but we do not know how to discriminate toxic Microcystis blooms from other algal blooms within the images. The combined field data and satellite image data produced from the initial efforts of this project are critical first steps in the characterization of bloom dynamics and development of future bloom forecasting tools. " - from NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
6/15/2011 - Media not connecting the dots on local extreme weather and Climate Change. Until mainstream media begins reporting on extreme weather events as at least possibly related to Climate Change, the public will have no clue that Climate Change might be happening. Without daily reminders that the prediction of Climate Change are actually occurring, the issue of Climate Change seems merely the ravings of an extreme political party bent on changing the world order. But there are enough respected studies, enough climate scientists who agree, and enough of a worldwide concern to place many of the wildfires, droughts, floods, and in our case an abnormally wet spring (U.S. Had Most Extreme Spring on Record for Precipitation | ThinkProgress) to suggest that we are seeing the effects of human-caused Climate Change. Not only that, we should reasonably expect that our summers will be hotter and like all Climate Change predictions, we must prepare for hotter weather: more...
6/14/2011 - Another bad positive feedback loop on Climate Change As a report puts carbon dioxide at 395 part per million (ppm), prospects for future reductions seem dim. Expiry of emissions pact in 2012 bedevils talks - Yahoo! News BONN, Germany – Climate negotiators are exploring "constructive and creative" solutions so that wealthy countries keep trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even when binding commitments expire next year, the U.N. climate chief said Monday. Another report by the U.S. government monitoring station in Mauna Loa, Hawaii, recorded carbon levels in May of 395 parts per million, compared with 290 at the beginning of the industrial revolution 150 years ago. Scientists believe atmospheric concentration of carbon is trapping the Earth's heat and causing it to gradually warm. This is not good news, and not surprising either. Many put the limit of carbon dioxide at 350ppm (see 350.org) but it’s not catching on. The US, which has put 30% of the manmade carbon dioxide into our atmosphere since the industrial revolution, doesn’t want to move on limiting carbon dioxide until countries like China, which has put about 7% of the carbon dioxide since then, ante up. Though in truth, there are lots of reasons why we won’t stop putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere including notions of fairness, doubts about the issue of Climate Change, push back from the inconveniences changes would put on us, and a major political party in our country that doesn’t even believe in the science of Climate Change. more...
6/14/2011 -Big anti-fracking rally and informational event coming up: EPIC No-Frack Event "EPIC No Frack Event A Call to Action — Reserve this Date Now! Saturday June 25, 2011 at Ithaca College Announcing what is aiming to be the biggest no-frack event in history: Connect with others regarding ongoing issues and outrage surrounding hydrofracking. Experience the rare opportunity to listen to many well-known speakers in one venue — representing science, economics, health, legal opinion, and citizens with first-hand experience with fracking. Movies — Screen cutting-edge documentary films by independent filmmakers. Music — Hear live music with a message. Learn what you can do to be involved and protect your wealth, health and welfare. "
6/14/2011 - Besides the Emerald Ash Borer and Zebra Mussels, invasive species that have come and established themselves into our region’s environment, it looks like another invasive is on its way here: Behold the feral swine: Feral Swine - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation "Many people are aware of the feral swine problem in southern states like Texas and Florida, but these animals are also a growing problem in New York. Also called feral pigs, feral hogs, wild boar, wild hogs, razorbacks, Eurasian wild boar, and Russian wild boar, feral swine are a harmful and destructive invasive species. DEC's goal is to eradicate feral swine from New York's landscape. Feral swine in New York can have tremendous negative impacts on native plants, native wildlife, livestock, agriculture, and humans including " New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
6/11/2011 - Do you really want a government official who doesn’t believe in Climate Change? It is absolutely incredible that the American people would even considering voting for candidates who don’t believe that Climate Change is happening. Check out this amazing story: Rep. Fred Upton: GOP agenda turns a longtime Republican away from pro-environmental stances - latimes.com Long a moderate on environmental issues, Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan has changed course. Reporting from Kalamazoo, Mich.— For years, some conservatives called 13-term Rep. Fred Upton "Red Fred." The Michigan Republican voted for amendments strengthening the Clean Air Act. He cosponsored a bill to phase out incandescent light bulbs. His website said that "climate change is a serious problem that necessitates serious solutions." So conservatives fumed late last year when Upton took the gavel of the influential panel that oversees environmental regulation, the House Energy and Commerce Committee. But the rise of the "tea party" movement, with its attacks on the Environmental Protection Agency and climate science, has pushed Upton to reinvent himself. Once a moderate, Upton emerged from an unusually close primary against a tea party candidate and a tough fight for the panel chairmanship as the standard-bearer for the Republican push to block the Obama administration's major environmental initiatives. (June 11, 2011) Los Angeles Times - California, national and world news - latimes.com This may fit some folk’s idea of some great ideology, but not only is Climate Change happening, the folks we put into office are going to have to help us adapt and mitigate the consequences of Climate Change. Your public officials will be accountable when they get into office for our public health and safety. more...
6/11/2011 - Are we getting all the news we need? One of the complications of the present media crisis, where professional journalists are losing their jobs in droves and there’s no media able to hire them back, is the lack of investigative journalist monitoring our democracy and our environment. Without a close watch on both, we are in jeopardy. One concern is the possibility that for some reason or another there is much going on at the Japanese nuclear disaster at Fukushima and is not being reported on. (Check out this interview “Harvey Wasserman on Fukushima”, by FAIR’s CounterSpin ) Or, there is downright misinformation being spread about this nuclear power disaster that the public should know, but won’t because... Maybe, instead of checking our usual media sources, some of which helped mislead us into a war with Iraq, we should look to other dedicated online news sources that help us focus on what we need to know to survive. I don’t have the ability to vet this source, but perhaps here’s a place to find the nuclear power information we cannot get from the usual sources: Breaking Nuke News | NukeFree.org "The NukeFree.org website serves as an information hub providing up-to-the minute news on the most important nuclear power industry battles taking place across the country. We work closely with other groups monitoring energy issues and will let you know where key battles are shaping up and how you can help stop further funding for the nuclear power industry. It is also a resource providing background and references to learn more about nukes and alternative energy technologies. ∑ NukeFree.org works with the environmental / scientific communities to keep musicians, artists and others educated about nuclear and safe energy issues, as well as advising people how they can best impact energy legislation - using their voices and resources to support positive new green proposals and fight against boondoggles like the nuke loan guarantees. "
6/10/2011 - Voting is one of your strongest tools for helping environment: Now that we know Climate Change is coming to the Rochester, NY region, where the ‘Likely Changes’ are going to be awesome, it would be good to know how our local lawmakers are doing on that. You may have your pet issue that you want your lawmakers to vote on and you favorite political party who thinks like you do, but your lawmakers are going to have to protect you from Climate Change whether you believe in the most important issue of our century or not. They will be accountable for protecting you. This isn’t just environmental rhetoric; check out the plans ahead for dealing with Climate Change in the Northeast and the US: Regional Climate Impacts: Northeast "Since 1970, the annual average temperature in the Northeast has increased by 2°F, with winter temperatures rising twice this much.150 Warming has resulted in many other climate-related changes, including: "--from Global Climate Change Impacts in the US (2009) Too often folks believe that they cannot do much in their lives to address something so overwhelming as Climate Change. It is daunting because we need our planet’s atmosphere to move from its present 390 part per million molecules of carbon dioxide (the main greenhouse gas that warms our planet (though there are others)) to a manageable 350 ppm. But you can. Voting for representatives who have a strong record on environmental issues and don’t hesitate to claim they intend on solving Climate Change must be top on your to-do list. Even though politics has almost become dysfunctional, and political talk by the pundits completely insane (just what are those Sunday morning TV news shows talking about?) politicians are the main key to solving Climate Change. Our representatives control the purse strings, they make the laws, and they hold our officials to the fire. They represent our collected thoughts on the state of our environment. Voting against Climate Change by voting for candidates who work against work on solving Climate Change is incredibly shortsighted. Time is running out. Just check another story today about how Climate Change is changing our environment: Thinning Snows In Rockies Tied To Global Warming : NPR This fall there will be more elections and who you vote for is going to matter. While not specific recommendations on Climate Change related legislation in our area, these reports are indicative of the kind of measurements we are going to need on the voting records of our lawmakers in the future: About EPL Voters NEW YORK STATE'S ONLY ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT CARD You didn't vote to pollute New York State. Did your legislators? Voters Guide 2011 - The guide to the environmental records of New York Lawmakers. and check here for the records of Rochester area lawmakers Rochester
6/09/2011 - News from Color Bright Green "Curb Your Car Week Spring 2011: The Results Congratulations to all Curb Your Car Week participants! This spring, we had 123 registered participants. 61 households reported saving a total of — 4,664 miles, 182 gallons of gas, and 3,458 pounds of CO2! " --from Home Page - Color Brighton Green
6/09/2011 Where are those Brownfields in our area and are they getting cleaned up? Start your search here: Cleanups in My Community Use Cleanups in My Community to map and list areas where pollution is being or has been cleaned up throughout the United States. Find your community and drill down to cleanup specifics about: Sites, facilities and properties under EPA's Superfund, RCRA and/or Brownfields cleanup programs. Federal facilities under EPA's Superfund and/or RCRA cleanup programs. You can also add tribal lands, Brownfields grant areas and water monitoring stations to your map, and drill down to further information about grants and water quality.
6/09/2011 - How is that air quality outside of our Rochester, NY area’s schools? Using a school’s name and address, find the air quality outside a local school. It looks like some of the nation’s worst are in our area: Schools that ranked worst “A USA TODAY analysis of EPA data indicated the air outside these schools had the highest levels of dangerous toxic chemicals, most of which have never been tested for their effects on children.” You can also type in “Monroe County” and “New York” and get a sense of the air quality of many of our county’s air quality. Looks disturbing: USA TODAY Special Report – The Smokestack Effect – Toxic Air and America’s Schools "USA Today used and EPA model to track the path of industrial pollution and mapped the locations of almost 128, 000 schools to determine the levels of toxic chemicals outside. The potential problems that emerged were widespread, insidious and largely unaddressed. " News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com
6/08/2011 - Passing on this note: "Volunteers Needed: City to Plant Native Wildflowers in the Washington Grove Wednesday, June 15 9:00 AM As part of its program to restore the forest in the Washington Grove at Cobb's Hill, the City of Rochester is holding a volunteer day on Wednesday, June 15 at 9:00 AM to plant native wildflowers. Please bring gloves ,mosquito repellent, hat and shovel. We need wheelbarrows if you have one. If you have a large carboy or 5 gallon jug to transport water, please bring that too. Meet at the Nunda Entrance to the Washington Grove, 9:00 AM. Contact Person: Michael Warren Thomas, Michael@SavorLife.com "
6/08/2011 - Don’t be a Climate Change bystander: Take a look under the hood of Climate Change in New York State from the perspective of those who must address it. Just telling folks that Climate Change is coming and they’d better adapt and stop it doesn’t seem to have much effect. Maybe it’s too big an issue to get one’s head around. Or, maybe most folks think Climate Change is out of their control, like that awful music some restaurants play while you’re paying good money to eat there. We become so used to a certain unpleasant din in the background of our lives that we just tune it out—like the constant drone from someone like me that you’d better pay attention to Climate Change. Well, you’d better pay attention to Climate Change. If you take just one document, say, “Responding to Climate Change in New York State” by Effective Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in New York State (2011) you’ll get a strong whiff of what coming for our area with Climate Change. This isn’t a report by your favorite blogger, or an environmental group. This is a report by the state of New York who is charged with protecting you against potential dangers to you and your family and businesses. So, maybe you’re thinking that given that let them have at it. Well, it’s not that easy. Much of what the state needs to do to protect you from Climate Change in New York State requires that everyone understand Climate Change, what the prospects are, and that major changes in our collective behavior needs to happen. If you plan on staying around in our state for awhile (moving won’t do you much good as Climate Change is going to be happening everywhere on the planet) you should be aware of the myriad of changes coming to our state including, the possible loss of trout as game fish, a major upset in the skiing industry, which is the largest in the country, extreme changes in weather, changes in the crops that we can grow, changes in the diseases we will experience, and especially the changes in public health due to increase Ozone days that burn the membrane inside your lungs—a day just like today: Air quality alert issued for our region today | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com Remember, this isn’t a report from a greenie organization trying to scare the bejesus out of you. It’s your state government who has to get ready for the inevitable. It is a detailed account of what is going to be done to adapt in New York State to Climate Change and it’s going to affect you. Don’t be a Climate Change bystander; this change in Climate is due to our behavior and we can change our behavior to prevent the scenario in this report from getting worse for the next generation. Integrated Assessment for Effective Climate Change Adaptation Strategies in New York State (Project Update.pdf) This project addresses a key issue identified in the EMEP research plan. Prior to devoting limited research dollars to intensive studies, an integrated assessment of potential impacts and adaptation strategies will be useful in identifying impacts and needs specific to New York. Working interactively with stakeholders, the assessment will identify critical vulnerabilities, climate risks, and adaptation strategies specific to NYS, for a range of key sectors: agriculture, coastal zones, ecosystems, energy, infrastructure, public health, and water resources. For each sector, the economic costs and benefits of impacts and adaptation strategies also will be assessed. Responding to Climate Change in New York State [5.67MB .pdf] text only [263KB .pdf] Full Report Forthcoming" - from http://www.ny.gov/
6/07/2011 - Are our beaches safe? This article about testing the beaches in Michigan is a good template for determining any beach connected with the Great Lakes, or any beach for that matter. Does our area have sufficient funds for sufficient studies to make sure our beaches are safe to swim? It’s a question our local media should be checking up on continually. Like many areas of our environment monitoring that require public monies, beach monitoring cannot be shortchanged. Beach tests: Too little and too late | The Times Herald | thetimesherald.com "Delayed results, funding cuts may put swimmers at risk. Under the glare of a hot summer sun, the sparkling blue water in Lake Huron and the St. Clair River can be tantalizing. But the water hides many secrets -- including things that can make you sick. The St. Clair County Health Department tests public beaches every week for E. coli throughout the summer." (June 5, 2011) The Times Herald | Port Huron news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Port Huron, Michigan | thetimesherald.com
6/07/2011 - Important event coming up to help curb Climate Change in our area: “Moving Planet Planning Potluck Tuesday, June 21st 6-8pm, Brighton Town Park, 777 Westfall Rd., just west of Clinton Ave., Pavilion 1. Please bring a dish to pass, your own place setting and utensils and cup/mug/glass, and whatever you’d like to drink. (No alcohol is allowed in the park.) As you probably know from 350.org, Saturday, September 24 of this year will be a day of global climate change action and the theme is “Moving Planet.” As you also know, climate change is the biggest challenges humanity is facing, and we almost NEVER hear about it from our media or our leaders in the US. It is up to us to push from the bottom. See: http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/moving-planet and http://www.moving-planet.org/. This year, let’s work together to show that Rochester and the surrounding areas are part of our Moving Planet. The events need not be huge, need not be a major production. Look at the website for ideas, and come with your knowledge of what might work best in your neighborhood or town. Please come to the potluck- no commitment necessary. It will be nice to simply meet other folks in our area who are passionate about doing something about climate change!” Linda Isaacson Fedele.
6/06/2011 - Food and Climate Change won’t be solved by fiddling with seeds. Check out this article from the New York Times (see below) on how Climate Change is going to change our ability to feed ourselves. Seems, according to this article, that one perceived benefits of Global Warming was an increase of carbon dioxide that would help food plants grow. That’s not working out so well. Some of the other consequences of Climate Change are that there will be extreme weather, droughts, floods, and changes in growing season that wreak havoc on our production of food. It seems as though anyone who thinks there are going to be positive outcomes of Climate Change just hasn’t considered all the effects of warming our planet. Our planet’s climate system is just too big to predict with any precision what warming it even a little is going to do to any one thing—like food production. Maybe we shouldn’t have put so much extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in the first place. But it’s too late for those regrets. And putting our hopes into fiddling with plant genes will only have a modicum of benefits because more likely than not the negatives will overshadow the positives because we evolved in a very specific and stable environment for hundreds of thousands of years. Now all that is changing in a very short time. Hope for mankind to change our plant seeds so they can survive Climate Change is misguided and a dangerous illusion. Rather, we should bite the bullet and drastically cut back our use of greenhouse gases and not hope for silver bullets to solve a problem that needs to be addressed by the wholesale change in releasing greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. Food Supply Under Strain on a Warming Planet - NYTimes.com CIUDAD OBREGÓN, Mexico — The dun wheat field spreading out at Ravi P. Singh’s feet offered a possible clue to human destiny. Baked by a desert sun and deliberately starved of water, the plants were parched and nearly dead. Dr. Singh, a wheat breeder, grabbed seed heads that should have been plump with the staff of life. His practiced fingers found empty husks. “You’re not going to feed the people with that,” he said. (June 4, 2011) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia
6/06/2011 - From Dr. James Hansen, an appeal to stop the pipe line through the US for tar sands oil. It could put us over the top on greenhouse gas emissions. Silence is Deadly "The U.S. Department of State seems likely to approve a huge pipeline to carry tar sands oil (about 830,000 barrels per day) to Texas refineries unless sufficient objections are raised. The scientific community needs to get involved in this fray now. If this project gains approval, it will become exceedingly difficult to control the tar sands monster. Although there are multiple objections to tar sands development and the pipeline, including destruction of the environment in Canada1 An overwhelming objection is that exploitation of tar sands would make it implausible to stabilize climate and avoid disastrous global climate impacts. The tar sands are estimated (e.g., see IPCC AR4 WG3 report) to contain at least 400 GtC (equivalent to about 200 ppm CO2). and the likelihood of spills along the " (June 3, 2011) Dr. James E. Hansen
6/04/2011 - Are the media missing the elephant in the room that one of the main culprits in a news story about health is the environmental problems we have created? How often do news items about the spread of disease, and other health problems in an area miss or just don’t report of obvious environmental health aspects of the story? We are flying blind with present day news. Article misses the potential role of the environment in rise of disabilities. — Environmental Health News A recent story by Frederik Joelving of the Reuters News Service highlights an important government report that shows that developmental disabilities in U.S. children have been on the rise in recent years. While the story points out that part of the increase may be due to a change in risk factors – such as increasing parental age – the article misses an opportunity to highlight the potential role of broader environmental exposures in such trends. When rates of disability or disease begin to rise quickly, many scientists begin to suspect a role for the environment in the development of those diseases. (June 2, 2011) Environmental Health News: Front Page
6/04/2011 - World Environment Day (WED) is June 5th, tomorrow. It’s not looking good and it shouldn’t be presented as though it is. Considering the horrible state our environment is in and what little governments, business, and individuals are willing to do to stop Climate Change there isn’t much to celebrate. Reports and studies I have read about the state of our environment and what can be done seem impossibly framed as if we have the will and capacity to actually make a dent in the various environmental issues around with world—loss of biodiversity, over population, pollution of our land, air, and water—that will all compounded by Climate Change. We are a delusional species bent on wanting our cake and eating it too. Despite the positive wording that we can save our forests and our oceans and create a sustainable existence with a few simple steps, it is not so. Environmentalists are getting murdered. There no lessening of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere even though a recession should have squelched people’s ability to pay for more greenhouse gas (GHG) put into our air. The public refuses to change how they get their news, even though their present news is blinding them with ideologies that reinforce the delusion that fossil fuels are OK and the future is bright. The future isn’t bright for our environment, and we shouldn’t feel festive. I don’t think that those organizations trying to get the public engaged on our environmental issues should bend over backwards to frame our environmental plight in a ridiculous fashion where only a few simple changes in our lives will make our environment sustainable. This isn’t even close to being true. We nearing critical tipping points, where species will disappear from our planet, where our oceans are acidifying rapidly and changing all life in them, and our planet is warming up at an alarming rate. We should start focusing on the problems at hand and finding a way to tackle them in the face of very powerful polluters and ideologies that think less government and more freedoms for corporations to do anything to make a profit should rule. We have yet to get serious about Climate Change and our other environmental issues. World Environment Day - United Nations Environment Programme "World Environment Day (WED) is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. WED activities take place all year round but climax on 5 June every year, involving everyone from everywhere. WED celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become the one of the main vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action. Through WED, the UN Environment Programme is able to personalize environmental issues and enable everyone to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development. WED is also a day for people from all walks of life to come together to ensure a cleaner, greener and brighter outlook for themselves and future generations. Everyone counts in this initiative and WED relies on you to make this happen! We call for action – organize a neighborhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and get your community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organize a collective tree planting effort, walk to work, start a recycling drive . . . the possibilities are endless. Check out the WED pack for interesting suggestions on what you could do Whatever you do, tell us about it! We will post your activities on this website and make it part of the Wide World of WED map. So what are you going to do for WED? "
6/03/2011 - Controlling invasive species in Rochester, NY with poisons: We thought because the City of Rochester is going to start a massive insecticide program to slow down the spread of Ash tree deaths, it might be interesting to find out a little something about the insecticide considering the city is going to treat over 4, 400 trees. The city is using is an insecticide and it will be injected “directly into the tree’s vascular system through several plugs that seal it inside the tree.” City of Rochester | News Release - Forestry Division Aims to Protect City’s Ash Trees You might have a lot of question about such a comprehensive program of poison being applied in our environment like: What kind of poison is this insecticide? Does the insecticide radiate out of the tree and into our environment at some point? And more questions about the use of pesticides. If you are concerned about the use of insecticides to curb the Emerald Ash Borer, check out this general information on this: Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Potential Side Effects of Systemic Insecticides Used To Control Emerald Ash Borer -from Treatment Information | Emerald Ash Borer Information Network
6/03/2011 - Ozone alerts, Climate Change, and Rochester, NY Just the other day (Tuesday, May 31, 2011) when temperatures reached over 90 degrees, we had an ozone alert here in Rochester, NY. That isn’t really news in the sense that there’s something odd and strikingly abnormal about high ozone days in Rochester, like say the recent tornado in Massachusetts. But it is news in the sense that we are experiencing more ground-level ozone alerts because there are more hot days in our area. This is a prediction of Climate Change and because Rochester, like all cities, is a heat island because of the amount of brick, pavement, and mortar that heats up more than the surrounding areas we need to be concerned. Ground-level ozone (as opposed to atmospheric ozone, which we need to filter ultraviolet light from the sun and keep skin cancer in check) is not good for you. Ground-level ozone “which exacerbates lung diseases such as asthma and can cause breathing difficulties even in healthy individuals” (see report below) must be seen as a condition that is human-caused. This isn’t extreme weather that our hearty forefathers and mothers adapted to reminding us of their courage and determination to survive. We are tough species. The increase in ground-level ozone is a Climate Change phenomenon that we humans exacerbate because of our use of greenhouse gases. It is our natural inclination to tough out incidents of tough weather and prove how hearty we are, but this is not the proper response from an intelligent species on a new phenomenon that they have caused. Yes, our ancestors could survive what Nature dished out—storms, freezing weather, droughts, and hurricanes—where even in the worst of times they pick up the pieces of their lives and go on. But something has changed. We, not just Nature, are driving the world-wide temperatures of this planet up beyond what any of our ancestors experienced. We are in new territory. And, the proper response would be to stop putting greenhouse gas into the atmosphere—not push ourselves harder and harder so we can go faster and faster over the cliff. Check this out: Report: Climate Change Could Worsen Ozone Pollution, Threatening Our Health and Economy | Union of Concerned Scientists "Report demonstrates how climate change could increase "bad" ozone, threatening health and economy " Millions of Americans suffer from the harmful effects of ground-level ozone pollution, which exacerbates lung diseases such as asthma and can cause breathing difficulties even in healthy individuals. Our new report, Climate Change and Your Health: Rising Temperatures, Worsening Ozone Pollution, finds that unchecked global warming could increase ground-level ozone, threatening public health and the economy. All told, health-related impacts could cost approximately $5.4 billion in 2020. And if global warming pollution continues unabated, these impacts and costs could be significantly higher. Read the report: "Climate Change and Your Health Rising Temperatures, Worsening Ozone Pollution " --from Climate Change | Union of Concerned Scientists
6/02/2011 - Recycle locally: Here the latest update of one of the most useful recycling lists in our region: Donate Recycle Reuse (DRR) (Updated June 02, 2011) Check out this special resource for recycling opportunities for the Rochester area. This "Donate Recycle Reuse" list by one of your neighbors makes it easy to recycle in our area.
6/02/2011 - Mainstreaming Climate Change This article (see below) by Newsweek is very strong statement about the reality of Climate Change and how we are not prepared for it. No equivocation here about whether Climate Change is the realm of the loony’s or not. Climate Change is not only happening, we are not ready for it. I suspect soon, sooner than they had even expected it, major news media will begin connecting the dots (showing how local events may be connected to world-wide Climate Change) on Climate Change as a matter of our daily news diet. With continual focus on local extreme weather events and comparing them with what is predicted for Climate Change, it is going to be very difficult for the public to deny the most important issue of this century. It’s going to be hard for politicians and political parties to deny Climate Change because they are going to have to prove instead that they have a record on their efforts to help us prepare for Climate Change. And because mainstream media will demonstrate how pervasive and destructive putting all those greenhouse gas (GHG) has wreaked havoc with our environment, politicians are not going to be able to simply ‘greenwash’ their records. There will still be folks who say that each extreme event, more tornadoes (like the one that hit in Mass today Tornadoes Slam Massachusetts | NEWSRADIO 1180 WHAM), more floods, more droughts, warmer winters and hotter summers are not related to Climate Change. But they will be alone in their views. Too much evidence is accruing on the relationship between the manmade release of GHG and our whacky weather for anyone to deny it. It’s interesting too that this article talks about “catch up” meaning we’ll have to quickly work on doing what we didn’t do earlier to mitigate the effects of Climate Change. That is true. But ‘catch up’ may be the wrong phrase to use. There are already many changes that our going to occur in our region and all regions around the world due to Climate Change because of lag time. We are going to pay dearly for not addressing Climate Change in the past and all we will be able to do is adapt to those changes. We won’t be able to reverse what’s coming down the pipe. What we can and must do is dramatically stop and turn back our putting GHG into our atmosphere. That will insure that things don’t get worse—and to be honest ‘worse’ doesn’t just cover it. If we get anywhere near Climate Change tipping points, there will be no ‘catching up’. So, when you read this article, remember who you are reading it from—it’s Newsweek, not my little blog. The Reality of Global Climate Change is Upon Us - Newsweek "Even those who deny the existence of global climate change are having trouble dismissing the evidence of the last year. In the U.S. alone, nearly 1,000 tornadoes have ripped across the heartland, killing more than 500 people and inflicting $9 billion in damage. The Midwest suffered the wettest April in 116 years, forcing the Mississippi to flood thousands of square miles, even as drought-plagued Texas suffered the driest month in a century. Worldwide, the litany of weather’s extremes has reached biblical proportions. The 2010 heat wave in Russia killed an estimated 15,000 people. Floods in Australia and Pakistan killed 2,000 and left large swaths of each country under water. A months-long drought in China has devastated millions of acres of farmland. And the temperature keeps rising: 2010 was the hottest year on earth since weather records began. " Newsweek - National News, World News, Business, Health, Technology, Entertainment, and more - Newsweek
6/01/2011 The Internet and Climate Change - a new strategy. It’s probably not news that your local media avoids Climate Change connections: Yesterday, there was an ozone alert for New York State Ozone advisory issued for Western New York - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow and last week there were local articles about the spread of Lyme disease and the spread of the Emerald Ash borer. Not one of these news stories mentioned that these issues are related to Climate Change predictions in our area. There will be more high ozone days in our area, more incidents of Lyme disease and the Emerald Ash Borer will be able to winter at this higher North American latitude because our climate is warming up. There is no sign that greenhouse gas emissions are abating either: Worst ever carbon emissions leave climate on the brink | Environment | The Guardian. This is just the latest avoidance of connecting the dots on the most important issue of this century—Climate Change—with local media. And that’s not the half of it: Western New York State is considering the New York State Power Authority’s (NAPA) Great Lakes Off-shore Wind project (Glow) and making a real attempt to add a sizeable portion of our electricity needs with renewable energy, but there’s no mentioning this relationship in the news or in the discussions about wind turbines in our area and the importance curbing greenhouse gases (GHS). Then, the biggest issue of this summer is whether hydrofracking will be allowed in New York State (note the NYS Attorney General’s news today: A.G. SCHNEIDERMAN TO SUE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TODAY FOR FAILURE TO STUDY “FRACKING” ) is never associated with the fact the natural gas is a GHS and the process of fracking releases methane too—which is even a more potent GHG. There’s also been a rash of news reports about local nuclear power plants because of the possible issues that the Japan nuclear disaster has brought up about the possible safety issues we might have in our area—but, still nothing about energy use and Climate Change. What is one to make of it all? more...

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Daily Updates for June 2011

RochesterEnvironment.com