"A chunk of ice spreading across seven square miles has broken off a Canadian ice shelf in the Arctic, scientists said Tuesday.
Derek Mueller, a research at Trent University, was careful not to blame global warming, but said it the event was consistent with the theory that the current Arctic climate isn't rebuilding ice sheets."
"We're in a different climate now," he said. "It's not conducive to regrowing them. It's a one-way process."
While no blame is directly placed on global warming it is very clear the accusations are floating just below the melting ice surface. It wasn't until reading this AP article that I was able to visualize and more firmly understand the glacier dilemma. It is true glaciers have been under going changes over the last century. Pointing a finger at global warming could easily be refuted, but time line aside it is obvious. If massive pieces of ice are melting and breaking off mile wide glaciers one could assume the temperature is a factor. Then to further conclude ice is not reforming elsewhere...well I'll leave you to your own thoughts on that one.
The Canadian Press/AP took and captioned the included photograph.
"Ice drifts off Canada's Ellesmere Island on Sunday after separating from the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf. The shelf lost a sheet of ice that covers seven square miles. A scientist said the cause was a "different climate" that isn't rebuilding Arctic ice, though he stopped short of directly blaming global warming."
San Fransisco is installing a network of wireless sensors in the asphalt based on the "smart dust" technology to come out of UC Berkeley. Once in place, battery-operated "bumps" will not only relay information about open parking spots to drivers via street signs and smart phones, they'll also convey real-time information about congestion and traffic and flow to city planners.
Parking policy might seem like a minor matter, but the numbers tell a different story. Professor Donald Shoup, the godfather of parking reform, has conducted research showing that drivers cruising for parking are responsible for up to 30% of traffic in central business districts. In one small area studied, cruising burned an additional 47,000 gallons of gasoline per year.
Price increases inevitably encounter resistance from consumers. But if the promises of variable-price parking live up to the hype - reduced traffic, improved city services, and less time spent hunting for spots - this could end up being a change that residents demand.
One clear sign that the search for alternatives to oil has reached a fever pitch is when Ferrari, one of the world's most renowned sports car manufacturers, announces its intention to build vehicles powered by biofuels and electricity, as well as hybrid drivetrains. Ferrari, of course, isn't doing this out of the goodness of its heart: it has to meet more stringent European emissions standards and the company has set a goal of reducing "CO2 emissions by 40 percent between now and 2012."
Weehoo!
I have always wanted a red Ferrari Spyder. They are small, I don't need the speed I just like the look. Though I am sure it will be over $100K if it goes hybrid.
According to Andrew Posner who writes for Treehugger.com, "from Ferrari to Ford to Toyota, are looking to get around the high cost and environmental/geopolitical stigma of oil."
Whether or not this EnergyGlobe can actually do anything didn't matter to me when I first saw it because it's just so cool to look at, but it does have a purpose.
Teaming up with Intuity Media Lab GmbH, MESO Digital Interiors came up with this innovative yet informative projected dome with surrounding information terminals about climate change for EnBW.
The interactive project can show various scenarios concerning earth warming and CO2 emissions. This visualization is meant to enlighten people regarding the severity of our planet's environmental challenges.
Visitors are able to select different scenarios with four touch screens which are mounted on the surrounding panel.
