animals and climate change

Round-up of some articles involving animal behavior and climate change

Climate Change Forcing Penguins North?, via IPS

In October of this year, 2,500 penguins found themselves in Brazil, 50% of them dead and the rest of them starving. The Magellan penguin, found in Patagonia, eat anchovies by following their migratory pattern through the cool water, during the winter, to fatten up for their hybernation.

It is thought that the penguins were confused after the anchovies were able to swim deeper into the colder waters. The penguins were not able to get deeper in the water, became disoriented and washed up on the shores dead or starving. Climate change is the suspect due to increase in surface temperature.

More polar bears going hungry, via The New Scientist

Warmer temperatures and earlier melting of sea ice are causing polar bears to go hungry. The number of undernourished bears has tripled in a 20-year period. The increase in fasting bears is explained by warmer temperatures and earlier spring melts. Polar bears use sea ice as a hunting platform, catching seals by sitting next to their breathing holes and waiting to pounce. Spring is usually a time of feasting for polar bears, filling up before summer when the ice retreats. “It is clear that the changes in the sea ice are affecting the hunting opportunities available to the bears,” says co-author Andrew Derocher of the University of Alberta.

The First Full Accounting of Colony Collapse Disorder, via The Daily Green

These discoveries have been extremely beneficial to beekeepers, but the basic act of taking good notes and gathering lots of data over time and from many places has been perhaps even more helpful for understanding CCD, and in helping beekeepers. Over the two years that Colony Collapse Disorder has been a recognized problem, no other researchers that I am aware of have visited as many beeyards suffering CCD, in as many locations, and over as long a time. In a full report prepared by this team to be released in the February issue of Bee Culture magazine, Bee Alert’s Scott Debnam and Jerry Bromenshenk from Missoula Montana, David Westervelt from Florida’s Apiary Inspections Bureau, and Randy Oliver, a commercial beekeeper with real-world honey bee research experience from Grass Valley, California detail the symptoms of CCD with respect to where it hits, and when it hits. This information is critical in making a diagnosis as the symptoms change as seasons progress and knowing what to look for, and when to look for it, is absolutely necessary in making a correct diagnosis. So far, to even answer the simple question: “Is this colony dying from CCD, or something else?” has been difficult to answer.

If you have any interest in Colony Collapse Disorder, this is a fascinating article.

energy (not so) star

So many of us think that we are doing something good by purchasing ‘Energy Star” appliances. For years, it has been a way for consumers to purchase new products, while creating the emotion that we are stopping a significant amount of waste from our homes.

Unfortunately, that is just not the case. A report released by the Inspector General of the U.S. EPA has found that the benefits touted by the Energy Star program cannot be verified.

In fact, in 2006 the program accounted for the program accounted for more than half of EPA’s claimed contributions to greenhouse gas reductions. However, that claim cannot be proven, therefore is deemed inaccurate and the reported savings unreliable. There hasn’t been any mention if these reports are used in understanding and quantifying the U.S. CO2 emissions, there by placing us in even dire straights than first imagined.

In 2006, the Energy Star program reported avoiding a total of 37.6 million metric tons of carbon equivalent. It further reported that Energy Star helped prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 25 million vehicles while saving Americans $14 billion on their energy bills.

But that claim did not stand up to the auditors’ examination. “Sales of formerly qualified products are used to determine Energy Star’s market transformation benefits, but we found that this benefit was computed inconsistently,” says the Inspector General’s report. “Also, the methodology used to compute the Energy Star commercial sector benefits uses unverified assumptions.”

What is also revealed in this report is that the standards for appliance qualification into the program are lax and out-of-date. In one example, it was cited that manufacturers self-certify that their products comply with the required specifications with no independent verification of what is reported.

Many state programs for combating climate change include a huge dependency on residents purchasing Energy Star products. Building in rebate benefits for consumers, the state relies on the citizenry to purchase these products as a way to reduce the overall footprint. If the products are not doing their job, then the program isn’t doing its job, unfortunately. Now, many are concerned that the time and effort put into statewide programs has to be reevaluated after the waiting game of finding out how the EPA plans to fix the issue.

This is one huge step backwards. The article can be found HERE, via Environmental News Service.

the carbon atlas

The Guardian UK published a very interesting chart. It is an interactive map in which you can view the carbon output of almost every country in the world. The data is from 2006, but I think we can assume it has gone up since then. And, since the numbers seem very high… I think that’s worrisome.

New figures confirm that China has overtaken the US as the largest emitter of CO2. This interactive emissions map shows how the rest of the world compares. Global C02 emissions totalled 29,195m tonnes in 2006 – up 2.4%.

Go HERE. It’s pretty cool.

for the kids

Last week, Los Angeles had its Environmental Youth Conference. I didn’t go, and there isn’t much out in the internet about its success or not. However, the one thing I found is their new program to encourage kids to be climate champions.

COOL CALIFORNIA

In a program sponsored by the California Air Resources Board, children are encouraged to apply to become climate champions.

We’re inviting young people from California who are concerned about the issue, interested in communicating about it and committed to taking action to become Climate Champions. As a champion, you will work within a network of people in your school, neighborhood, and across the International Climate Champions program, to help reduce the causes of climate change and raise awareness of what everyone can do to make a difference.

Through a competition, young Californians (in grades 9-12) will demonstrate that they have what it takes to develop local projects to raise awareness about climate change, and to engage their peers and communities in the effort. Up to 20 of the best applicants will become California Climate Champions.

I think this has the potential of being a phenomenal program. If you have children, or know of children who would be interested, direct to the website, HERE, to learn more about it.

They also have a great carbon calculator to check out.

clean coal

A lot of people are throwing around these words…. clean coal. I have wanted to write an article for a long time about it, but have yet to find the time. Expect something soon because this will be discussed by your government. In the meantime, here is a funny little commercial:

Make no mistake: There is no such thing as ‘clean coal’; there is only ‘dirty’ coal. And that’s true no matter how it’s mined, processed or burned. In fact, environmental experts all agree that coal is the dirtiest fuel America uses to produce electricity.

a list of midnight rulings

Propublica published a list of all the Bush Administration’s Midnight Rulings that are on the table prior to his leaving office. HERE is the link to the full site. Below are the items I am the most concerned about. Many of these will require immediate focus by the Obama Adminstration to overturn, taking away valuable time for other causes… like employment.

EPA Won’t Regulate a Contaminant in Drinking Water

FDA Rule Would Cover Genetically Engineered Meat and Milk

The Interior Department Could Approve Construction Projects with Less Concern for Protected Species

Public Lands May Be Leased for the Development of Oil Shale

EPA Lets Factory Farms Decide If They Need A Permit to Discharge Animal Waste into Waterways

and the list goes on… there are 36 regulations of the table. There are things on there that WILL affect your daily life.

edit. note: I will write about the individual environmental ones in more detail as the weeks go on.

four truths about climate change

Gwynn Dyer is a journalist that has written about war. In fact, he was part of a series of documentaries on wars that led to an Academy Award nomination. I think lately he has been focusing on climate change, which I think started because of his coverage of war:

I realized that the militaries in various countries were starting to do climate change scenarios in-house — scenarios that started with the scientific predictions about rising temperatures, falling crop yields and other physical effects — and examine what that would do to politics and strategy.

I came across an opinion piece by him today in which he listed his four truths about climate change. I have to tell you, I am in full agreement.

1.) The scientists are really scared. Their observations over the past two or three years suggest that everything is happening a lot faster than their climate models predicted.

2.) Food is the key issue, and world food supply is already very tight: We have eaten up about two-thirds of the world grain reserve in the past five years, leaving only 50 days’ worth in store. Even a 1.8-degree rise in average global temperature will take a major bite out of food production in almost all the countries that are closer to the equator than to the poles, and that includes almost all of the planet’s breadbaskets.

3.) there is a point of no return after which warming becomes unstoppable — and we are probably going to sail right through it.

4.) we will have to cheat. In the past two years, various scientists have suggested several “geo-engineering” techniques for holding the temperature down directly.

go HERE for the full article.

moving backwards. not good.

The annual report of the United States greenhouse gas emissions was released today, and unfortunately, we seem to be moving in the wrong direction.

The United States emissions were 7,282 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent in 2007 – an increase of 1.4 percent from the 2006 level, federal government figures show.

Per the Kyoto protocol, we track and monitor six gases.

Total estimated U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2007 consisted of 6,022 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, which represents 82.6 percent of the total greenhouse gases emitted from U.S. sources.

In 2007, the U.S. emitted 700 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent of methane (9.6 percent of total emissions); 384 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent of nitrous oxide (5.3 percent of total emissions); and 177 million metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent of hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride (2.4 percent of total emissions).

It should also be noted that what is deemed the most dangerous greenhouse gas, nitrogen triflouride, is not required to be measured, yet is increasing. This is a gas released during the process of making plasma televisions and other devices using plasma etching. It was once thought inert, but new data has indicated otherwise. You can go HERE to find out more information.

What is also confirmed in this report is that the United States is still the leader in emissions, with China in a close second at 6,200 million metric tons.

The good news is that, especially now with a new president, we are committed to reducing our levels of emissions by 2030 per the new Kyoto Protocol, expected to be ratified sometime next year.

You can find the report on greenhouse gases HERE.

how nice to wake up to good news

The Bureau of Land Management on Tuesday partially backed off from unpopular plans to open land near Utah national parks to oil and gas drilling. BLM deferred leasing about one-third of the 93 tracts that the National Park Service had objected could contaminate parks with noise, water, and air pollution; the rest will still go on the auction block Dec. 19.

via Grist.org

useful links, 11/20

This may become a regular feature, since there seems to be so much to post on a daily basis. Here are some links that I think are valuable.

President for 60 more days, Bush tearing apart protection for America’s wilderness, from the Guardian, UK.
The new regulations include a provision that would free industrial-scale pig and cattle farms from complying with the Clean Water Act so long as they declare they are not dumping animal waste in lakes and rivers. The rule was finalised on October 31. Mountain-top mining operations will also be exempt from the Clean Water Act, allowing them to dump debris in rivers and lakes. The rule is still under review at the OMB. Coal-fired power plants will no longer be required to install pollution controls or clean up soot and smog pollution. Yet another of the new rules, which has generated publicity, would allow the Pentagon and other government agencies to embark on new projects without first undertaking studies on the potential dangers to wildlife.

Green Gift Guide: Low-Impact, Eco-Friendly Ideas For the Holidays, via Huffington Post
Copious gift-giving can seem inherently detrimental to the environment, as nary a gift is carbon-free. Luckily, there’s no need to abstain completely as there are plenty of low-impact options that your friends and family will surely enjoy.

Diet For a Warm Planet, via Mother Jones
So what would a 22 percent diet look like? Step Two is all about losing weight. Seriously. Body fat. My personal flab is not just a private matter between me and my coronary arteries. Nineteen percent of US energy usage—about as much as is used to fuel our cars—is spent growing and delivering food to the average American who consumes 2,200 pounds of food a year. That’s a whopping 3,747 calories a day—or 1,200 to 1,700 more than needed for personal or planetary health. The skinny truth is that as much as 7.6 percent of total energy in the United States today is used to grow human fat, fat that translates to 3,300 pounds of carbon per person.