Glaciers and Glacial Warming, Receding Glaciers

The first photographs made for World View of Global Warming, ten years ago, were of glaciers in Antarctica and Peru. This page shows a selection of the locations where we have documented glacier and ice cap retreat -- a small set of images illustrating the overwhelming evidence from hundreds of glaciers and ice caps on every continent that global warming is severely affecting the water and glacial cycles of the planet. This is a profound change that unlike natural cycles like the Little Ice Age of the 16th and 17th centuries is proceeding very rapidly and appears tied to no natural cycles. The best correlation for this change to all but a handful of the 160,000 land glaciers and parts of the great ice caps is to rising atmospheric temperatures tied to increasing amounts of greenhouse gases.

The largest implication of this loss of glaciers is not the change in scenery, but the fact that the seasonal meltwater from glaciers, especially in Asia and South America, is the life support for billions of people. Large cities like Lima get much of their water from glaciers. In other parts of the world, glacier water keeps streams cool and full for salmon and other important wildlife. And as more and more water reaches the ocean, it is increasing sea level at a faster rate --- which threatens every coastal city and shoreline. New scientific projections show at least a three foot (one meter) rise in ocean levels by the end of this century, part of which is also due to the expansion of warming sea water. This will inundate rice fields and estuaries that feed billions, and push into the heart of the worlds largest cities --- and make each storm a threat of more devastating waves and surges.

1919 image of Athbasca Glacier, Jasper National Park, Canada, courtesy National Archives of Canada, from the Wheeler Survery; 2005 image © Gary Braasch

Albay, DENR ink partnership on climate change adaptation

via Malaya

Albay province has struck anew with another first of its kind partnership with DENR on two memoranda of agreement on climate change adaptation and countryside development.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda signed recently a Comprehensive Partnership on Climate Change and Countryside Development with Environment Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio, who represented Secretary Lito Atienza.

The accord was witnessed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

The other MOA was for the "establishment, enrichment and protection of mangrove forests and plantations in the province. It was signed by Salceda with Joselin Marcus Fragada, DENR Bicol regional executive director.

Salceda said the MOA signing also highlighted Albay’s observance this year of Independence Day since protecting the environment is key to preserving the country’s independence for future generations.

The agreements affirmed Albay’s commitments to climate change adaptation as the centerpiece program for safe and shared development mode, Salceda said.

Under the first MOA, Albay and DENR will conduct collaborative programs, pooling their resources to implement climate change adaptation and countryside development agenda dubbed as DENR-Albay Comprehensive Partnership Program.

Top 10 List of Emerging Influential Blogs of 2009

Top 10 List of Emerging Influential Blogs of 2009

It's a yearly writing project by Ms Janette Toral of Influential Blogger.

These are blogs that started anytime from May 1, 2008 to the present. They are gradually gaining a considerable amount of readership and influence. They also blog for various reasons such as expression of thoughts, sharing of knowledge and insights, events reporting or coverage, and some for profit.

Here is my top ten nominees

1. Zorlone by Doc Z
2. The Struggling Blogger by Roy
3. Father Blogger by Angel
4. Writing to Exhale by Jan
5. Tales from the Mom Side by Dee
6. Kelvinonian by Kelvin
7. A walk in the dark by Luke
8. It's all a matter of perspective, mine by Holly
9. Ukay Manila by Lauren
10. Jed Chan by Jed


For more information about this contest, please visit Ms. Janette Toral's page.

This writing project will not be possible without the support of sponsors such as Absolute Traders, My Brute Cheats, Business Summaries, Fitness Advantage Club, Events and Corporate Video, Events at Work, Dominguez Marketing Communications, Red Mobile, Budget hotel in Makati, Lucio C. Tan Group of Companies, and Blog4Reviews.com.

Disclaimer: The abovementioned blogs does not necessarily reflect the author's own interpretation of influence. Given the parameters of the contest, these are what seem to be "influential" considering the strict construction of the word.

Greenpeace Releases Latest Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide

Greenpeace has released its latest Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide, recommending brands like Green Forest, Seventh Generation and 365.

The group says the recommended brands aren’t eliminating ancient forests and don’t use toxic chlorine compounds. Whereas Kimberly-Clark products ranked low on the guide because the company is “literally wiping away ancient forests to make their disposable products,” writes mikeg on Greenpeace’s blog.

Seventh Generation uses 100 percent recycled and 80 percent post-consumer content to produce its products. The company also uses chlorine-free manufacturing processes that prevent the release of toxic dioxins.

Some retailers have come under fire for promoting dubious toilet paper products as environmentally friendly. Australia’s Woolworths was criticized for its Select brand of toilet paper, which it claimed to be certified environmentally, socially and economically responsible.

via EnvironmentLeader.com

El Niño continues to develop

SYDNEY—An El Nino continues to develop in the Pacific Ocean with sea temperatures above average, but other weather indicators are fluctuating, Australia’s weather bureau said on Wednesday in its latest report.

"While El Nino indicators have fluctuated over the past few weeks, the overall picture remains one of a developing El Nino event," the Bureau of Meteorology said.

"Ocean conditions in the Pacific Basin remain at El Nino levels. Should they persist at such levels through the remainder of the southern winter and into spring, as predicted by the world’s leading climate models, 2009 will be considered an El Nino year."

El Nino, meaning "little boy" in Spanish, is driven by an abnormal warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean and creates havoc in weather patterns across the Asia-Pacific region.

It is associated with drought conditions in parts of Australia and Asia and wetter-than-normal weather in parts of South America.

India this year suffered its worst start to the vital monsoon rains in eight decades, causing drought in some states.

The last severe El Nino in 1998 killed over 2,000 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage to crops, mines and infrastructure in Australia and Asia.

The Australian weather bureau said Pacific Ocean temperatures remained at about 1 degree Celsius above average and that cloud patterns and rainfall along the equator were now becoming consistent with a developing El Nino event.

However a major indicator of an El Nino, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), was running contrary to a normal El Nino development.

The SOI, which measures the pressure difference between the Pacific island of Tahiti and the Australian city of Darwin, was currently at a positive 12, while a consistently negative SOI indicates an El Nino.

The bureau said the positive SOI was due to a high pressure system near Tahiti and warmer than expected sea temperatures in the western Pacific and Coral Sea.

via Malaya

Simple Ways to Save Energy

Now that we are in a midst of an energy crisis, here are some tips to use fuel and electricity efficiently so as not only to save money, but the environment as well.

Cooking

• Only heat the amount of water you need.
  
• Use boiled water immediately rather than leaving it and then reboiling.
  
• Put well-fitting lids on pans.
  
• Keep heat on the base of the saucepan, do not let flames lick the sides of the pan.
  

Fridges and Freezers

• Door seals should be able to grip a piece of paper tightly.
  
• Keep your fridge temperature at 2 to 3°C and freezer at -15°C. Check the fridge is not near a cooker or any other heat sources.
  
• Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly.
  
• Use old newspaper to fill gaps in the freezer when you are not storing much food - this improves efficiency.
  

Appliances

• Turn televisions and other appliances off. Leaving appliances on standby still uses energy.
  
• Energy efficient light bulbs are more expensive than standard bulbs but they will last up to 10 times longer which conserves significant energy. They are most effective when used for lights that are left switched on for long periods of time
  
• If possible, buy the most energy efficient products possible. Ask retailers and manufacturers for information

These little things, when done more often, will save large amounts of energy. By following these simple suggestions, we are doing our own parts in the call to save the environment. Spread the news so that more people will take actions to save the environment.

Community-based Forest Management

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has been encouraging local communities to preserve forest parks. Community-based forest management is a key to the rehabilitation and regeneration of what is left to our forests.

Studies show that only 4% of the country’s forests are intact. Some of the most depleted forests are Oriental Mindoro, Cebu and Batangas.

Forests, rainforests in particular, are abundant with thousands of plant species. They are the most structurally-complex and diverse of land ecosystems, with the greatest number of species. In the global setting, rainforests only cover 6% of Earth’s surface. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of earth’s oxygen. Hence, the continuing depletion of forests would yield to the dwindling supply of the air we breathe.

Forest depletion is a product of human activity. Among the causes of depletion are deforestation, slash and burn and road constructions.

Reforestation is the primary answer to forest depletion. One of the strategies of the DENR is the planting of past growing trees such as acacia and gmelina. These trees can regenerate forests within a year.

Let us take part in preserving our forests by joining tree-planting activities. Moreover, let us start in our own homes. Why don’t we try planting seeds in our yards and see how these tiny little seeds would grow into beautiful plants.