Lets fight Global Warming

London: Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore are attempting to create an artificial Sun on Earth – an achievement that

By now, as an avid climate change tracker, you would be well aware of major innovations meant to be tackling this grave danger. Toyota's environment friendly cars, green packaging and so on. But here's another such innovation that intends to draw our attention to the issue of plastic waste.A noted scientist Helen Storey, along with Tony Ryans from the University of Sheffieldhave come together to create plastic dresses made out of similar materials to washing capsules which literally disappear on washing! It's meant to seek a solution to the large scale discarding of clothing and sending it to landfill sites. The plastic is made from polyvinyl alcohol.

Now here's another hugh leap in the field of fashion and glitz. This new kind of clothing does have a few problems, but if one looks at the aim at which it has been created, there's a lot to admire. More such innovations need to be worked upon especially with regards to stuff of daily use to keep our contribution to this serious problem at a minimum.

I'd like to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! While celebrating this special occasion, let us reaffirm our commitment towards making this menace of global warming history. Let us make a new year resolution to save our planet! Spread the word of peace and green all around. Together, we can and we will make a difference!

A few basic tips on how you can make a difference this holiday season by following simple steps:

Recycling gift wraps: Why not give green? Recycling gift wraps would do wonders. Lilienfield(co-author of the book Use Less Stuff: Environmental Solutions for Who We Really Are.), who has published a newsletter on reducing waste since 1996, notes that if every family reused just 2 feet [0.6 meter] of holiday ribbon, the 38,000 miles [61,000 kilometers] of ribbon saved could tie a bow around the entire planet. Also, if you could give gifts which do not need wrapping, nothing like it! They could be in the form of home made cakes, tickets to a movie or a play or something else!

Growing a tree: Takes little of your time to sow a seed and water it everyday. If a quite a lot of us do this much, it will not only beautify our surroundings but help equip our planet much better to fight this danger of global warming.

Using energy efficient lights: By going for energy saving lights either to decorate the Christmas tree or our homes, we can save significant amount of energy.

Go vegetarian: Go vegetarian, at least a few times a week. Producing meat takes more than eight times as much fossil fuel energy as raising plant foods, according to David Pimentel, professor of ecology in Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. And, he adds, for all that energy used, meat is only 1.4 times as nutritious as plant foods. (See "Livestock Production: Energy Inputs and the Environment" at Cornell University, http://www.cornell.edu)

By following only these 4 steps this holiday season, we can make such a hugh difference. Lets go for it! cheers!!

The world's first cargo ship partly propelled by solar power took to the seas on Friday in Japan, aiming to cut fuel costs and carbon emissions when automakers ship off their exports.The huge freighter, capable of carrying 6400 automobiles, is equipped with 328 solar panels at a cost of $1.68-million, the officials said. Company officials said the 60 213-ton, 200-metre-long ship is the first large vessel in the world with a solar-based propulsion system. So far solar energy has been limited to supporting lighting and crew's living quarters.

The solar power system can generate 40 kilowatts, which would initially cover only 0.2 percent of the ship's energy consumption for propulsion, but company officials said they hoped to raise the ratio.

source: iafrica.com

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The shipping industry has come under growing pressure to take part in efforts to curb global warming, which is blamed on carbon emissions and this is certainly a welcome step!

THE HAGUE (AFP) – The Dutch government on Thursday unveiled a multi-billion dollar plan to reinforce dykes and the coastline and augment fresh water supplies in the face of rising sea levels due to global warming.

Two-thirds of the Netherlands lies below sea-level and the country is increasingly worried about the threat of devastating floods.

The government's national water plan proposes strengthening hundreds of kilometres (miles) of dykes along the North Sea, adding massive sand deposits to the coast, increasing river drainage capacity, and expanding the freshwater Ijsselmeer (lake) north of Amsterdam.

"The Netherlands has good fresh water provision, but it won't always be guaranteed," said a government statement, warning about the "intrusion" of salt water due to the rising seas.

The year 2008 could be the 10th warmest year since 1850, ever since the introduction of instrumental climate records, with a temperature of 0.31°C above normal, according to the UN meteorological agency. In South Asia, including India, Pakistan and Vietnam, heavy monsoon rains and torrential downpours killed 2,600 people while in South America, above normal rainfall in Brazil and Colombia affect millions of people. Myanmar was devastated with cyclone Nargis which took lives of 78,000 people.16 tropical storms formed in the Atlantic including 8 hurricanes, 5 of which were major causing casualties and widespread destruction. The average temperature was moderated by La Nia, a weather phenomenon that shrinks the warm pool water in central and western pacific. Australia experienced a severe heat wave with Adelaide having to bear temperatures of above 35°C on record 15 consecutive days. Several heat waves also occurred across Europe, Middle-East and Asia.

source: PTI

The US space agency is set to launch a satellite that can map in detail where carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere.

Nasa's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) will pinpoint the key locations on the Earth's surface where CO2 is being emitted and absorbed.

CO2 from human activities is thought to be driving climate changes, but important facts about its movement through the atmosphere remain elusive.

The agency believes the technology on OCO can end some of the mysteries.

Washington: While many world leaders take little notice of this mammoth issue of global warming, another shocking stat has emerged. According to new NASA satellite data, about 2 trillion tonnes of ice has gone since 2003, especaially in Greenland. This rapid melting of ice is seen as a result of this grave problem of global warming as per scientists. Due to such melting in Greenland, Antartica and Alaska, the global sea level has risen to about one-fifth of an inch in the past five years.

The Arctic too has been warming at a faster rate than what the experts had expected. It is said that this time around, the temperature out there was higher by as much as ten degrees celcius this past fall.

As this serious menace of global warming is still being debated in the political circles, lets hope it's not too late!

picture: geology.com

Several villages in an Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have seen "Land-splitting" which has caused panic amongst the villagers, who believe this occurance means doomsday is coming... some say this is a result of the drastic change in the environment conditions while some say this has happened due to the depleting groundwater due to human activities like pumping.

For the first time in human history the ice in the Arctic is set to disappear, one of the biggest signs of Global Warming, as per scientists. This could spell doom to marine life and also affect those who reside along the coast of this region. The natives will bear the brunt since there will arise a danger of them getting swamped by the water from melting ice and it might prove to be sufficient enough to sound the death knell of their culture as a whole. And hold your breath... the mass melting of ice will affect regions beyond the Arctic as well. Due to the dramatic rise in sea-level, major cities around the world would face the negative side of mother nature. And whats more... according to some experts the North Pole could lose all it's ice cover by the end of this year! According to a leading newspaper in India, "The Times of India", this disappearance of the Arctic sea ice will make it possible to reach the North Pole in a boat through open water...

The question which immediately pops in ones mind... is it already too late? Have we lost the battle against Global Warming? The answer is No! It's never too late than ever... but waiting for too long will only make matters worst. Lets start doing our bit to save our planet from today... or right now!!

picture(source):- National Geographic

Well... it's so good to see the media here in India doing it's bit to spread awareness about Global warming and climate change. I've seen quite a few news channels, English and Hindi, showing various programs on this man-made disaster recently. One of them has even collaborated with a company and is on a hunt for the best environmentalist of the country. One of my favorite programs was the one where they brought out the effects of Global warming on sea-plants and animals under water.

If only other nations follow suit... the media can be an instrumental tool in saving our planet if utilized in a productive manner.

I've been hearing so much about the world coming to a grinding halt on 21st December 2012. Some say that the Maya civilization's calender ends on this date which exemplifies the end of our age. Some say that the winter Sun will be crossing the point of Galactic Equator which would spell doom, some say there would be a world war which would result in a nuclear outburst while some say Global warming would result in natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes and droughts.

Well... it sounds scary at first... but some experts say this could be a way to earn quick bucks... lets not come to conclusions. If we are to die, it could be today, tomorrow or anyday... so why think too much! Lets focus on other important things in life!

5 nations that ring the Arctic ocean namely Canada, The United States, Russia, Denmark and Norway, have affirmed their desire to protect it's environment. They are basically aiming at preserving the fragile environment of the Arctic ocean, according to an official statement. There has been a lot of concern about the oil-pollution caused by ships which has now been addressed and will be worked upon to make things in the Arctic ocean better and environment friendly. This is really good news since a problem of such magnitude deserves attention.

Laptop saves five times the energy as compared to that used by desktop. So use a laptop instead of a desktop if possible. If using a desktop, using LCD is advisable.

Mumbai:- In an article published in one of the leading newspapers in India, "The Times of India", as per a non-governmental organisation "Greenpeace", Mumbai, India's financial hub would be under water by 2100! Not only Mumbai, some other major cities would face the dreadful effects of Global Warming too. This would happen due to the rise in temperatures by 4-5 degrees. This in turn would imply that approximately 50 million Indians would be left homeless and become "climate migrants".

Greenpeace envisages that human migration 92 years hence would be equivalent to 10 times the movement seen during the India-Pakistan partition.

Inspite of all these studies and the results popping out of these on a regular basis, we still have some ignorant people who call Global warming a "hoax"... get a life!

TOKYO - Japanese households and businesses could end up paying more than $500 billion to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 11 percent over the next decade, the trade and industry ministry said Wednesday.

The report mapped out the changes that consumers and industry would have to make in order to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases blamed for global warming below 2005 levels by 2020.

The forecast, by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, comes as Japan is struggling to meet obligations under the kyoto global warming pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 6 percent under 1990 levels by 2012.

source:- Yahoo News

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Mumbai, the financial capital of the largest democracy of the world(India) is really setting an example for other major cities in the world. Not long ago, a group of youngsters had come forward to start a "batti band" campaign as a step towards reducing the consumption of energy. They tried to spread their message of switching off the lights for two hours in the evening for one day through every medium. Their campaign received a mixed response but atleast they tried to do their bit. Now, there's a lot of talk going around Mumbai about making one of the days in the first week of April a "no-honking day", where horns would be used only if extremely necessary. This is to reduce the noise pollution as far as I know. Whether this campaign would receive a good response or not is to be seen... but atleast this city is trying...

Scientists measuring the health of almost 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006, the U.N. agency said.

UNEP warned that further ice loss could have dramatic consequences particularly in India, whose rivers are fed by Himalayan glaciers.

The west coast of North America, which gets much of its water from glaciers in mountain ranges such as the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, also would be affected, it said.

"There are many canaries emerging in the climate change coal mine," UNEP's executive director Achim Steiner said in a statement. "The glaciers are perhaps among those making the most noise and it is absolutely essential that everyone sits up and takes notice."

source:- CNN

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NEW DELHI: India could lead the world in renewable energy technologies as part of a solution to the climate change crisis, said the former United States Vice-President, Al Gore.

India had proven its capability in information technology, pharma and other sophisticated sectors, and could be a leader in developing new energy technologies to combat climate change, the Nobel Peace Prize winner said.

Mr. Gore was speaking at a function to mark the launch of the India chapter of ‘The Climate Project’ here on Saturday.

“Fast-developing countries like India have a right to aspire for higher standards of living and set whatever goals they think are appropriate.”

Mr. Gore said this to a question on the differences between the developed and developing countries on greenhouse gas emission cuts. “India itself is vulnerable to effects of climate change and can be a part of the solution.”

Mr. Gore, who is championing the cause of combating climate change, said the U.S. was the largest source of pollution and most responsible for creating the problem, and that there was need for a change in the U.S. policy on climate. Whoever comes to the White House after the presidential polls would have to take necessary steps.

EU leaders have agreed to finish talks by the end of the year on an ambitious plan to fight climate change.

After a two-day summit in Brussels, leaders for the 27 nations said they hoped new legislation would be enacted in early 2009.

The bloc aims to implement a 20% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.

Source:- BBC news
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PARIS: Global warming could be heating Mars four times faster than Earth due to a mutually reinforcing interplay of wind-swept dust and changes in reflected heat from the Sun, according to a study released on Wednesday.

Scientists have long observed a correlation on Mars between its fluctuating temperatures — which range from -87 C to -5 C depending on the season and the location — and the darkening or lightening of swathes of the planet’s surface.

The explanation is in the dirt.

Glistening Martian dust lying on the ground reflects the Sun’s light — and its heat — back into space, a phenomenon called albedo.

But when this reddish dust is churned up by violent winds, the storm-ravaged surface loses its reflective qualities and more of the Sun’s heat is absorbed into the atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise.

Source:- DNA(Daily News and Analysis)

WASHINGTON: New evidence has suggested that the sleeping patterns of hibernating animals have been altered due to rising temperatures from global warming, which could bring them to the brink of extinction.

These abbreviated hibernations are part of a growing body of evidence suggesting that hibernating animals are waking up earlier—or not going to sleep at all.

According to a report in National Geographic News , this new finding was done by researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab in Crested Butte, Colorado, who took the case of the change observed in the marmot's hibernation patterns.

When these animals were studied in the 1970s, it was seen that rarely awoke before the third week of May.

But these days, according to the scientists, marmots regularly end their winter naps a month beforehand—by the third week of April.

source:- The Times of India

Mumbai,India: February has been quite chilly for those living in India's financial hub Mumbai. Infact, it has been so cold this time around that records have been broken. Mumbai recorded it's second lowest temperature(8.5 degrees) in it's history this month. The lowest ever recorded was 7.4 degrees celcius. However, when the temperature dropped to 8.5, two records were made. One was of the second lowest temperature recorded in the city and the other was of beating the capital New Delhi in terms of minimum temperature in a day, which had never happened until now. Mumbaities aren't used to covering themselves in wind cheaters and sweaters but this time around it's a different scene altogether. Mumbai is experiencing such cold weather after so long!

North India is reeling under severe cold as well... it's scorching hot during summer and extremely chilly during winter. This proves the effect of global warming on our atmospheric environment. But it's quite enjoyable in this cold weather here in Mumbai, which we aren't used to...

This is for my readers. Since I'm busy with my academics these days, I'm not able to keep this blog updated. I assure you that I will be back and this blog will get a kick start again once my academical pressure ceases... which won't be too long!


So... keep checking this blog out... I WILL BE BACK SOON!

cheers... God bless.

British weather experts have predicted that the world temperature will come down slightly in 2008 due to the La Nina* climate pattern over the Pacific area. Inspite of this, this year(2008) will be among the top 10 hottest years on record...Phew! atleast we have something relating to cooling in this burning world... but don't start rejoicing...since the climate will once again give in to the scorching heat once the La Nina declines.


* La Nina is a spanish word which stands for "little girl". During the La Nina period, the sea temperatures get lowered by 0.5°C.

Here's a piece of news which should inspire other nations... Germany is set to ban cars which cause excessive air pollution from running in city centres and central places. There would be labels on the cars which show the amount of damage they do... from light to excessive and based on that it'll be decided as to whether cars would be allowed to run or not. Initially, this policy is to be implemented in Berlin, Cologne and one other city... in due course, it will be implemented in other cities too. Thumbs up to Germany for that!

Some are debating as to whether global warming actually exists... but to tell you the fact, studies have shown that even if we start stabilizing Greenhouse emissions now, the effects of global warming will last for decades. This has been confirmed by the Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Rajendra Pachauri to a leading Indian newspaper "The Times of India". So... if you still haven't started doing your bit to save our planet, it's never too late than ever!
(on tips about how you can make a difference, click on the "Older posts" link on the right of the last post on this page and scroll to find the desired article)

Here's a slap on the face to those who say Global Warming is hoax. It has been let out that Global warming is affecting Europe like never before. To support this claim, I'd like to tell you about what happened in Catigloine, a village in Italy supporting about 2000 people. In August 2007, there was a scare since more and more people started complaining about exhaustion, fever, headache and pain in the joints. No one knew what this epidemic was called. It was then that they learned that it was "chikungunya", a disease of the "Tropical regions" which is caused by warming. It is caused by Tiger Mosquitoes which survive well on climate change and rising temperatures. It's evident that this outbreak was an effect of global warming. I came to know about this in a local newspaper. Thus, a disease which was unknown to Europe for so long finally made it's mark... thanks to Global warming! This is just the beginning... if we continue emitting Greenhouse gases at this rate, such problems will only aggrevate. This time it was Italy, tomorrow it could be England, or Portugal, or Greece!