News from the Arctic: 21 November 2010

by billlaurelMD

This is the next in a series of diaries on the state of Arctic sea ice (and other topics as warranted) in memory of Johnny Rook, who passed away in early 2009. He was the author of the Climaticide Chronicles.

This diary will be relatively short; not the Climate Change News Digest, but just news from the Arctic last week.  Headlines:

• Ice extent increased more slowly than usual last week.
• The general circulation set up in something like what's called a positive Arctic Oscillation, with stronger-than-normal cyclonic circulation at high latitudes, and higher than normal pressures toward the south.
• Sea ice extent is less than it was after the record melt of 2007.

Here's a picture of the scene from the Barrow AK Arctic sea ice web camera taken last weekend.

More below the fold.

continued at Daily Kos....

Plastic state of mind

by A Siegel

PLASTIC
Fossil product all your crap's made of
There's one thing we can do
Ban bags made of plastic

Thanks to BenZolno ...  Full Lyrics after the fold along with thoughts re plastic in our lives ...

continued at Daily Kos....

Polar bears, clouds, and climate change: eKos Earthship Wednesday

by eKos

Welcome to the eKos Earthship, your one-stop-shop for green diaries and series.

Beneath the fold you will find news and notes, community announcements, and our eco-diary roundup.

Peruse the eKos Library to find previously listed diaries. You can also follow eKos on Twitter.

Tonight's editor: patrickz

With contributions from: citisven and WarrenS

continued at Daily Kos....

Night Train: Transporting a Lame Duck with the Oil Independence Tariff

by BruceMcF

Burning the Midnight Oil for Living Energy Independence

We are in the Lame Duck Period. We have real unemployment rates of approximately 14% (counting headline unemployment, marginally attached, and involuntary unemployment as roughly 50% employed, 50% unemployed), and if the economy still sucks this bad in November in two years times, all manner of absurdly idiotic reactions could be elicited from an angry electorate by skillful corporate marketers.

And if the the Republicans are willing to sabotage the security on loose nuclear bomb making material for political gain, surely they will sabotage the economy, as they have been doing.

And with transportation from the Recovery Act creating 630,000 direct and indirect jobs ~ a larger share of jobs than share of funding ... attacking transport funding is a critical step in sabotaging the economy.

So, an idea on what can be done about it.

continued at Daily Kos....

EPA: Three Letters to Be Thankful For

by Michael Brune

The Environmental Protection Agency celebrates its 40th anniversary next week. But I think it's worth taking a moment this week to be thankful for what the EPA has accomplished during four decades (and that's in spite of eight not-so-great years as part of the Bush administration). These are just some highlights.

For a start, Ohio's Cuyahoga River has stopped catching fire. Time magazine's 1969 cover story on the combustible, polluted river led to the Clean Water Act, the first Earth Day, and the creation of the EPA. Since then, the agency has been on the job to protect all of America's rivers, lakes, streams and, most importantly, drinking water. Factories and corporations don't always require clean drinking water, but wildlife and people do.

continued at Daily Kos....

Polar Bears Get Protected Habitat in Arctic!

by greendem

Here's a bit of great news for you greenies, animal lovers, and humans who want to protect the climate that is the basis for human civilization.

The Obama administration is setting aside 187,000 square miles in Alaska as a "critical habitat" for polar bears, an action that could add restrictions to future offshore drilling for oil and gas.

The total, which includes areas of sea ice off the Alaska coast, is about 13,000 acres less than in a preliminary plan released last year.

Tom Strickland, assistant Interior secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, said the designation would help polar bears stave off extinction, recognizing that the greatest threat is the melting of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change.

continued at Daily Kos....

Village Green: Giving Thanks to Builders of Hope, Creating Community with Recycled Houses

by Kaid at NRDC

Builders of Hope is a remarkable North Carolina-based charity that saves older houses from demolition (frequently moving them to a new site), thoroughly rehabbing them to green standards.  They then put the homes up for sale at below-market rates to qualifying buyers.  (In addition, some of the organization's homes are sold at market rates.)  Even better, although the organization benefits from a lot of volunteer help, they also make a concerted effort to hire homeless and other people in transitional situations for their moving and construction work.  That is worthy of a Thanksgiving post.

continued at Daily Kos....

Nourishing the Planet TV: Handling Pests with Care Instead of Pesticide

by NourishingthePlanet

Crossposted from the Worldwatch Institute's Nourishing the Planet project.

In this week’s episode, Nourishing the Planet research intern, Matt Styslinger, explains how farmers in Cambodia, with training from organizations supported by the UN Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) and its Regional Vegetable Integrated Pest Management Program, are combining various strategies and practices to grow healthy crops without the aid of expensive and hazardous chemical inputs. This alternative approach is called Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

continued at Daily Kos....

Gulf Watchers Wednesday - Critical Commission Document Pulled - BP Catastrophe AUV #431

by peraspera

You are in the current Gulf Watchers BP Catastrophe - AUV #431. ROV #430 is here.

Bookmark this link to find the latest Gulf Watchers diaries.

Please RECOMMEND THIS DIARY, the motherships have been discontinued.

On this coming Thanksgiving weekend there won't be a morning Friday Gulf Watchers AUV diary but there will be a Gulf Watchers Friday Block Party.

Gulf Watchers Diary Schedule
Monday - evening drive time
Wednesday - morning
Friday - morning
Friday Block Party - evening
Sunday - morning

Part one of the digest of diaries is here and part two is here.

Please be kind to kossacks with bandwidth issues. Please do not post images or videos. Again, many thanks for this.

continued at Daily Kos....