Monday, May 28, 2012

New article on methane release by melting ice caps

Hello Readers,

Just a quick update:

The New York Times pointed me to a journal article from an Alaskan researcher about the release of methane caused by melting arctic ice caps. You will need access to the Nature Geoscience journal to read beyond the abstract.

Overall, the NYT article downplays the role that melting permafrost could play as a climate change 'tipping element', describing how news articles and blog posts blow the risks associated with this issue out of proportion. However, the NYT article makes some effort to distinguish between recent releases of methane in the atmosphere (much of which, the article suggests, may have more to do with hydraulic fracturing drilling - fracking) and the uncertainty of potential future releases.

Warmly,

Sean

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Fuel Efficiency Lowers Gas Price, Keystone XL Raises It

Hello Readers,

A recent Treehugger article caught my eye with a snippet of a report from the NRDC about how the Keystone XL pipeline will raise gas prices in the United States if it is implemented (see the full pdf version of the report). The report provides an in-depth analysis economic nega-benefit that the pipeline will offer drivers in the US and Canada.

In fact, the report shows how the "Keystone XL is not a pipeline to the United States, but one through it" with many quotes from the would-be beneficiaries of the pipeline (e.g. TransCanada executives) and an explanation of how regional oil refineries are impacted by international crude oil markets.

On the very last page of the report, the NRDC goes beyond gasoline price and discusses the true negative impact of that the Keystone XL pipeline, the environmental damage. If the pipeline is built, there will be an economic incentive for oil companies to rapidly expand tar sands extraction (Note: this expansion will not decrease the price of gasoline at the pump at all!) and increase the localized watershed and forestry destruction as well as the global release of greenhouse gases (and decrease of carbon sequestration capacity).

Instead, the NRDC suggests that the US could simultaneously decrease the price of gasoline at the pump and avoid the environmental destruction through increase fuel efficiency. Or as pointed out in a recent letter by Amory Lovins (and similar TED Talk), which highlights all of the possible savings from improved energy efficiency and shifts away from fossil fuels, the US should be focused on encouraging companies to provide the solutions to climate change and environmental issues rather than condoning the perpetuation of fossil fuel use.

Drive Less and Drive Smarter,

Sean

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Almost Food SNL clip

Hello Readers,

For those of you interested in eating real food and concerned about overly-processed food-like food substitutes, I think you will enjoy this clip from Saturday Night Live (embedded from Hulu).



Enjoy,

Sean

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Food: Low Energy Storage, Local, In Season

Hello Readers,

I recently came across an article from TreeHugger about storing produce without using plastic containers. At the bottom of the article, they included a Youtube video:



The video is from a website: http://www.savefoodfromthefridge.com/, which features several tips for storing food without using the a refrigerator (or electricity). In fact, it seems like some of the tips allow the food to keep better for even longer.

Of course, what is the point of storing food without using electricity, if it has already been shipped from a thousand miles away or more? Here are a few websites that can help you figure out what food is in season in your area:
  • Epicurious' Seasonal Ingredient Map - This website has a map of the United States with some of the fruits and vegetables that are in season each month in each state. The map does not appear to be entirely complete, but each state will list up to ten in-season fruits and vegetables per state per month at a time.
  • NRDC's Smarter Living "Eat Local" Page - This website seems to have a more comprehensive list of what is in-season. The map of the US can be filtered by the early and late parts of any month, and when a state is selected you are given a full list of the produce throughout the year. Also, there is a tab that allows you to find nearby farmer's markets and an option to download an iPhone app.
  • Eat the Seasons UK Website - This appears to be a fairly comprehensive list of the in-season food in the UK and Ireland, including fruits, vegetables, and meat/fish. It offers an in-season 'food of the week' and denotes foods that are imported. In some cases, the foods contain links to lengthy descriptions, including history, nutrition, tips and recipes. This website has a US/Canada version, but it generalizes for the entire continent and many of the links do not seem to function.
  • Local Harvest - This is perhaps the best known and most comprehensive website about local and in-season foods. Users can search for CSAs, Farmer's Markets, and even buy in-season food from the website. If you are looking for where to buy food, this is a great website; however, if you just want to know what is in-season in your state from a quick online-only search, this website may not be for you.
Good Luck,

Sean Diamond

Saturday, May 12, 2012

The Earth is Full TED Talk

Hello Readers,

I found a new TED talk that I believe represents an appropriate call to action for the Warmest Generation.

Please enjoy the talk, but do not stop part way through. The inspiring part is towards the end.

Cheers,

Sean Diamond

Friday, May 11, 2012

Getting Rid of Fossil Fuels

Hello Readers,

Here is a video synopsis of a recent study about the climate change benefits of different energy production alternatives to coal-powered electricity grids.



You can find more information on the Carnegie Institution for Science website or view the full journal article by following the link below.

Myhrvold, N.P., and K. Caldeira, 2012. Greenhouse gases, climate change, and the transition from coal to low-carbon electricity. Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 7, 014019 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/7/1/014019. 2012.

Nerd-ly,

Sean Diamond

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Electric Vehicle GHG Emissions

Hello Readers,

Perhaps the question that I get most often from skeptics of electric vehicles is: "Don't the coal plants used to power an electric vehicle give off more (GHG) emissions than a gas powered vehicle?"

Well, the Union of Concerned Scientists have just released a study that investigated exactly that! And as it turns out, the answer is "No!"

I encourage you to take a look at the study, on the UCS website or download the full pdf version of the report. Although, the info graphic below (linked from the website) gives you the general idea:


Even in the areas of the US with the dirtiest (most coal-reliant) electric utility grids, the emissions from an a fully electric vehicle are still better than a 27 mpg sedan. Of course, some of the most efficient hybrids may tip that balance in the dirtiest regions; however, by charging up your EV with solar and wind you can ensure that the EV will come out on top!

So if you are in the market for a new vehicle, check out a list of the electric vehicles that are commercially available in the US today.

Cheers,

Sean

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Energy Future TED Talk

Hello Readers,

This is potentially the most important and informative TED Talk you will see this decade. The speaker is the head of the Rocky Mountain Institute.

Please watch this.

Thanks,

Sean


Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Clouds and Climate Change

Hello Readers,

It has been a while since I have seen a solid news article about climate change, and I cannot remember the last time I read an article about climate change that was clear about the levels of certainty of the various components of climate change science. Thus, I thought I would share one with you from the New York Times: Clouds’ Effect on Climate Change Is Last Bastion for Dissenters by Justin Gillis.

I do not have any commentary to add, but I have pulled together a list of some of the academic articles and other things mentioned in the news article.

Richard S. Lindzen, Ming-Dah Chou, and Arthur Y. Hou (2001), “Does the Earth Have an Adaptive Infrared Iris?” Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, v82#3. pp 417-431.
Found at: http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~harrison/reports/iris.pdf

Lindzen, R. S., and Y.-S. Choi (2009), On the determination of climate feedbacks from ERBE data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L16705, doi:10.1029/2009GL039628.
Found at: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2009/2009GL039628.shtml
And at: http://www.drroyspencer.com/Lindzen-and-Choi-GRL-2009.pdf

The US DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement 'Southern Great Plains' facility where new radar systems have been installed to get "a better view of the innards of clouds" according to the article.
Information found at: http://www.arm.gov/sites/sgp

I hope that helps those of you looking to keep your head (and studies) in the clouds.

Cheers,

Sean