Archive for February 14th, 2014

Despite Leaky Methane, is Natural Gas is Still Worth the Switch?

Wall Street Journal: The U.S. is in a golden age for natural gas. Will leaky infrastructure bring it to an end? A new report, issued today in Science, is the latest to tackle the difficult issue of how much gas - and its primary ingredient, methane - leaks into the atmosphere. This may seem a bit arcane, but it's a critical issue for the future of the energy industry and the transportation sector as well. Here's a quick rundown: Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, more potent than carbon dioxide. Natural gas has...

Environment Agency job cuts on hold due to UK floods crisis

Guardian: Plans for hundreds of redundancies at the Environment Agency have been put on hold because of the floods crisis sweeping the country. The agency's chief executive has sent an email to staff saying that the response to the flooding is taking priority over other work. Paul Leinster said: "We are quite rightly prioritising incident response above all other work. With this in mind, we are reviewing the timetable for the change programme. "We will not be taking further decisions on work stream...

United Kingdom: Prince William and Prince Harry join flood relief effort

Guardian: Princes William and Harry on Friday went on a private mission to help the flood response, working to lug sandbags in Datchet. The Guardian came across the pair by the railway crossing in the flood-hit Berkshire village where they were quietly working with a team of 20 members of the Household Cavalry and Network Rail staff to load dozens of sandbags on to a railway truck. The princes, dressed in waterproofs and wellingtons, formed part of a human chain hauling the heavy sandbags out of the...

Rise in malaria forecast for tropical highlands

SciDevNet: More people may contract malaria in the tropical highlands of Africa, Asia and South America as global warming makes the climate in these areas more suitable for the disease's transmission, according to a study. While the study focuses on the effects of global warming, it notes that further studies will be needed to account for other factors that may influence the disease's spread, including economic development, changes in human population patterns and adaptations in the mosquitoes that transmit...

Why has British weather been so bad?

Guardian: Weather vs climate Just so we are clear on the distinction between weather and climate, the Nasa website says the fundamental difference between the two is time. What weather means Weather is basically the way the atmosphere is behaving, mainly with respect to its effects upon life and human activities. The difference between weather and climate is that weather consists of the short-term (minutes to months) changes in the atmosphere. Most people think of weather in terms of temperature,...

Great Lakes nearly frozen. Why it means less snow

Christian Science Monitor: From the bridge of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw, northern Lake Huron of the Great Lakes looks like a vast, snow-covered field dotted with ice slabs as big as boulders -- a battleground for the icebreaker's 58-member crew during one of the roughest winters in memory. It's been so bitterly cold for so long in the Upper Midwest that the Great Lakes are almost completely covered with ice. The last time they came this close was in 1994, when 94 percent of the lakes' surface was frozen. As of...

President Obama releases drought plan ahead Valley visit

KFSN: Final preparations are underway for President Obama's Valley visit. Farmers and ranchers are anxious to hear what he has to say about California's historic drought. The administration's new drought plan was releases early Friday morning -- ahead of the president's first trip to Fresno. The plan promises money and resources to everyone impacted by drought. Mr. Obama's plan will expedite assistance. Items that usually take 6-8 months to process will be available in 60 days -- around April 15th....

After Four Centuries, Southwest US Irrigation System Faces Decline

Nature World: Dwindling snowmelt runoff, combined with social and economic factors favoring modernism over tradition, has lead to the decline of communal irrigation systems known as acequias that have sustained farming villages in the arid southerwestern US for centuries, according to a Dartmouth College study. The study, which appears in the journal of Global Environmental Change, reflects similar changes seen around the world in which isolated communities become integrated into a larger economy. This integration...

Solar is keeping California’s lights on as hydro dries up

Grist: We told you recently that wind turbines kept the heaters working in Texas during a cold snap that shut down several natural-gas power plants. And now we have similar superhero news from that other great renewable energy source - the sun. The San Jose Mercury News reports that solar energy is helping to meet California`s power needs amid a drought that has caused hydroelectric supplies to shrivel: Despite last week`s showers, the lack of rain in California this winter is having a dire impact...

South Australia weather warning as floods follow record heatwave

Guardian: A severe weather warning remains in place for parts of South Australia, as Adelaide had its wettest February day since 1974. Emergency services on Friday are responding to dozens of call-outs, as flooded roads and fallen trees cause chaos to drivers and residents in the city. SES state duty officer Graeme Wynwood has warned drivers to take care. “Following a long period of very dry weather, the roads are extremely slippery so it is imperative that motorists drive to the conditions,” he said....