https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc Made with love en-us 2017-10-17 22:56:11 UTC 2018-05-15 00:21:31 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Xmastree.png 19darmoj https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/198048821 A shocking new discovery made by researchers suggests that clams and worms at the bottom of the ocean are causing climate change. These worms and clams may be producing enormous amounts of greenhouse gases, which are one of the main contributors to climate change. This study published in the Science Reports found that 10% of the methane emissions from the Baltic Sea come from these worms and clams. Methane is one of the most potent of the greenhouse gases, and is 30 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. This methane emission produced by these creatures is equivalent to 20,000 cows. This study was held specifically in the Baltic Sea, but if this effect is also occurring around the world then the impact that these clams and worms on the bottom of the ocean would be significant to climate change and global warming. These recent findings might impact more people as businesses are looking to continue expanding shellfish farming. Even though, the Baltic Sea is only a very small part of the world, the clams and worms at the bottom are contributing to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. ]]> 2017-10-17 23:09:02 UTC https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/198048821 19darmoj https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/198916953 The climate change could change the quality of your coffee according to this article. By the end of the year, a new study finds that Ethiopia, one of the world's largest coffee producing countries, could lose up to 60% of its suitable farmland due to climate change. This study was published in "Nature Plants", which found that low rainfall and raising temperatures could have major effects on the land which coffee grows. By 2050, the demand for coffee will continue to increase, and even double, while the suitable land to grow coffee will be almost cut in half. With climate change, the quality of coffee will also decrease . In colder temperatures, coffee is able to develop slowly, which makes its flavors more prominent, and have elements like acidity and sweetness. So the increasing temperatures, especially in Ethiopia have caused the coffee beans to ripen much too quickly, which takes the flavor out. This climate change can also have major effects on the Ethiopian economy. Many of the coffee growers are centralized in small farms, so many will lose the resources needed to continue growing the beans. In Ethiopia, the effects of climate change include: warmer nights, a shorter wet season, irregular precipitation patterns and more extreme weather. ]]> 2017-10-20 01:37:16 UTC https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/198916953 19darmoj https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/199586452 This article discussed the potential for energy in seaweed. The US Department of Energy has invested nearly $1.5 million in projects that research the possible renewable energy form in seaweed. These two projects will help develop seaweed farms and explore harvesting methods. Seaweed can be used for renewable energy because it can be processed into a biofuel used to power our homes and cars. The DOE wants to make the large-scale cultivation of seaweed possible. $995, 978 went to Makai Ocean Engineering of Honolulu, which would be used to build an ocean simulating model that would aid researchers in designing offshore seaweed farms. The remaining $500,00 went to Kampachi Farms of Kailua-Kona. This project would test harvesting methods for seaweed growth on large-scale farms. In addition, they will also develop an offshore seaweed farm. Researchers and innovators are constantly looking for new forms of renewable sources of energy, and seaweed is the top new option. Recently, a team of researchers from Fudan University in China have created a power generator that will be able to convert blood flowing in your body into energy. This recent innovation could help to store hydrogen power in seaweed into hydrogen fuel. These developments make the steps to a fossil fuel free future closer. ]]> 2017-10-23 14:15:30 UTC https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/199586452 19darmoj https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/199992773 Natural disasters cost the government tens of billions of dollars each year, and these costs are predicted to increase with climate change in the upcoming years. A report by the Government Accountability Office urges the Trump Administration to take climate change seriously to begin to form a response. The report includes details on the economy and different parts of the country, and how they will be harmed. It acknowledges that it would be difficult to predict the costs due to climate change. Senators Maria Cantwell,  Democrat of Washington, and Susan Collins, Republican of Maine are the people who requested the report. This report has been two years in the making, and comes as the Senate prepares to vote on a $36.5 billion disaster relief package to fund hurricane relief, flood insurance programs, and wildfire recovery efforts in the West. These senators hope that by bringing this report forward that Congress will look past their partisan roles, and look toward solutions. Although, this may be tough because the Trump Administration has pushed back environmental efforts and pushed aside climate change. They also hope that they will realize the economic effect these disasters have. Many different studies conducted by various scholars point out doubts that the Congress will do anything about this, or work toward a feasible solution.]]> 2017-10-24 14:08:29 UTC https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/199992773 19darmoj https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/200428158 In Iceland, the country lost most of its trees thousands of years ago, which attributes to its mostly barren landscape. Viking settlers axed down most of the trees, and now the Icelandic people are working to get their forests back to improve the country's harsh soils, help agriculture, and fight climate change. The process to restoring the forest is a slow despite the three million trees planted in recent years. The amount of land covered by forest has increased only half a percent from 1% in the last century. Most of this process is carried out by volunteers, or foresters who work for the private Icelandic Forestry Association, or other forestry groups. Although, the unique landscapes attracts millions of tourists and the entertainment business for filming movies, without the trees there has been consequences. The ash and larger pieces of volcanic rock has led to severe soil erosion.The erosion does not allow vegetation like trees to thrive, and the loose soil can cause sandstorms because of Iceland's severe winds. After a major sandstorm in 1882, the government established reforestation and soil conservation efforts. Reforestation would help the country meet its climate goals. Iceland has high per-capita greenhouse gas emissions, and the government is working to lower that. Planting more trees would help this problem because they take in carbon dioxide, which could offset the emissions. ]]> 2017-10-25 14:31:37 UTC https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/200428158 19darmoj https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/202521355 The raising sea levels caused by the climate change have increased the chance for stronger storms, especially near New York City. Paths of future storms may shift offshore, this will change the coastal risk of the city. Micheal E. Mann, a professor of Meteorology, says that if we can prevent sea-level rise then the coastal risk will go down, with the exception of storm surges. Coastal damage occurs when the sea-level is high before a storm. In the future, storms that strike NYC will be stronger and bigger, but there will be fewer as the storm tracks steer the storms away from NYC and towards other places. Researchers looked at the history and future of sea level and storm surge through 2300. They focused on results from simulations with rapid carbon dioxide release. In the future, changes in sea level and storms would be smaller if we focused on taking action to slow climate change. Although, sea level is rising and will continue to rise because the warming of the earth will melt the ice. The Antarctic ice sheet might cause a much greater rise that is often included. Researchers simulated this, and found that with the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet would result in large increases of sea level in NYC and globally. If sea level remains about the same then the risk to NYC would be storm surges. These findings on rising sea-level cause problems for coastal-planners, but highlights understanding the projection of future storms. Humans will have to make decisions about energy that are important in determining how the sea-level will rise, how much damage we will face, and how we can project storms to help prevent risks. ]]> 2017-11-01 14:30:32 UTC https://padlet.com/19darmoj/k3pogxlzv0gc/wish/202521355