Finding the Truth
They say that the devil is in the detail; well the truth is also in the detail. Maybe that is why religious fundamentalists are so opposed to scientific inquiry - they realize that the details that are uncovered will lead us to uncomfortable propositions like for example that the earth is much older than the Bible and Koran claim.
Putting aside religion for a moment, one of the biggest debates currently raging concerns the changing weather patterns that we are experiencing. Rather than making proposal and counter-proposal the better method to proceed is to collect facts. One major source of information about climate change is found in the Arctic Circle. Scientists have been measuring ice levels and other factors for several years now, and from this they can begin to form theories about what is happening to the planet’s climate.
A study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Alaska Science Center shows that average annual erosion rates of ice along one part of the Beaufort Sea increased from historical levels of about 20 feet per year between the mid-1950s and late-1970s, to 28 feet per year between the late-1970s and early 2000s, to 45 feet per year between 2002 and 2007. The study was published in Geophysical Research Letters. (Source: http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2009/05/research2.html)
This study clearly shows a speeding up of ice erosion in the Arctic Circle. The results of this increased rate of erosion have been manifold - higher water levels, the loss of cultural sites connected to the Inuit people and the early whaling communities and negative impacts on wildlife habitats. The wider impacts are rising ocean levels leading to loss of coastal areas and the releasing of CO2 frozen in the ice, which if the theory of greenhouses gases causing climate change are correct will lead to a speeding up of the process of the earth becoming warmer.
The theory of greenhouse gases states that certain gases such as CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) when let off into the atmosphere do not react and form a barrier trapping the solar heat in the atmosphere. As more greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere so the amount of heat trapped will increase and the earth will warm up.
As I said, the devil is in the detail. There is a lot more to consider. First there are the Himalayas. The mountain range is still rising at 5mm a year. This mountain range increases the overall amount of rain, and rain washes CO2 out of the atmosphere. Secondly, there is the fact that a rise in temperature will actually increase plant growth in many areas and this too will reduce CO2 in the air.
Another pertinent fact is that we are coming out of the last glaciation period that started about 20,000 years. This fact is used by climate-change skeptics to prove that human activity has had no impact on climate change.
That seems unlikely when considering how the rate of greenhouse gases has been exponentially increasing since the start of the industrial revolution in the late Eighteenth Century.
William Ruddiman contests this theory claiming that human activity much earlier disrupted the flow and ebb of glaciers. He dates our impact on the climate to the time when agriculture became a large scale enterprise some 8,000 years ago. This greatly increased greenhouse gas levels speeding up our exit of the last Ice Age.
Prior to this, the cycle of ice ages was determined by Milankovitch cycles. These cycles refer to the changing orbit of the earth around the sun. At points the earth’s orbit is slightly further from the sun, causing the earth to cool down.
This brings us on to the final factor to consider - the sun itself. The sun is a continuous series of atomic explosions. It is constantly in change. Obviously, there have been times in the past when solar flares have caused a heating of the earth’s atmosphere. When the sun burns out we all die. It is our battery.
However, those who claim that it is the sun that is currently causing global warming are wrong. NASA has shown that since 1750 the sun has remained at a nearly constant temperature. Moreover, if the sun was behind global warming they would find higher temperatures in the outer layers of the atmosphere. That has not been the case.
In the end, NASA scientists along with other scientists around the world and the UN insist there is a 90% probability that human activity over the last 250 years has caused the ice erosion in the arctic, the rising water levels and the general increase in temperatures.
The truth comes down to percentages. Those who speak adamantly and dogmatically are not to be trusted. The purpose of www.arcticice.org is to show facets of the truth, to reveal the complexity behind the over-simplified point of view. It is to bring detail to the table, the devil’s advocate, to show we should be cautious in jumping to conclusions. Instead we should look at probabilities, we should look at the history of an idea, we should gain context. The goal is to seek the facts, not to stand still with the present conventional opinions.
Global Warming and Greenhouses
This summer, the world is experiencing heat waves like never before in history. This is due in large part to large farms that wear out the land and use farming practices that contribute to the greenhouse gases. But even worse than these large farms are meat farms. Farms that raise cows, pigs and chickens for slaughter contribute hugely to the methane pollution that is putting holes in the atmosphere. Global warming is a serious risk that we’re facing right now and something that everyone should be aware of at this point in time.
Even though the gases that are causing global warming are called “greenhouse gasses”, it doesn’t mean that greenhouses negatively affect the atmosphere. In fact, using personal greenhouses is a great way to cut down on global warming and improve your quality of life in general!
How Greenhouses Fight Global Warming
Using greenhouses and growing your own crops helps the atmosphere in two ways. Let’s take a look at how you can help save the environment by buying one of our greenhouses for sale!
Not Buying From the Polluters
First of all, you aren’t buying the crops or meats that are grown at huge farms that pollute with their tractors, pesticides and poor use of land. You’re growing your own vegetables and fruits in a self-sustainable greenhouse that sits on your own land. By taking matters into your own hands, you can run your own little protest against the corporations that are polluting our airways.
Making Oxygen, Not Carbon Dioxide
In a world of deforestation and carbon monoxide and dioxide output, it’s hard for oxygen to thrive! By having your own greenhouse, you can plant an entire room full of plants that will suck in carbon dioxide and output oxygen! You’ll be contributing to the well-being of the world as well as yourself.
Other Benefits of Greenhouses
Besides doing your part to help fight the oncoming global warming issues, buying one of our greenhouses for sale has a bunch of other great benefits. For a gardener, there is nothing better than being able to tend to your garden all year long! Greenhouses make that dream a reality. There is no more worrying about when the frost will come and kill all your plants; greenhouses stay warm and foster plant growth all year long.
Additionally, greenhouses allow you to grow plants that otherwise wouldn’t be able to grow in your climate. Greenhouses run at whatever temperature you want, so you can grow plants from any climate. So if you live in a colder weather area, you can finally grow tropical plants that will blow away friends and family!
But the best part about having your own greenhouse is the fact that you can grow your own food all year round. You can use this food for your meals and you can even resell it to friends and family! There are few things more rewarding than running your own self-sustaining garden where you can eat the seeds of your hard work.
Don’t Go Digging For The Answers We Have
We are constantly exploring and looking for miracle cures. In fact there have been researchers digging in the Arctic ice for years trying to find things that may have lay hidden in the ice but could provide answers regarding pollution, environmental issues as well as health issues for us.
Needless to say some environmental information has been extremely valuable in determining just how much damage to the earth we have done through industry and alike but it is still to be discovered what benefit there could be lying under the ice that could help us medically.
With all the incredible advancements in recent years that medicine has made should we really be wasting time digging in the ice or should we be concentrating on further developing great new method that make procedures that used to be difficult, dangerous and time consuming now simple, quick and easy. For more infor mation on such great new procedures click here.
Indeed such things as like mole removal that years ago would have been a serious procedure that could lead to scarring and complications is now done in a matter of minutes with patients actually able to return to work the same day. In fact if planned right someone could nip out on their lunch break for a quick procedure and be back without anyone realising what had even happened.
To me if this is possible now what will be possible in maybe fifty years from now? I think it would make sense for us to further improve on procedures using our technical know how and leave digging about in the Arctic Ice to the penguins and polar bears. We could be able to make new breakthroughs that could see the likes of heart surgery becoming a simple twenty minute procedure just like what has happened in cosmetic surgery.
Al Gore Has Convinced Me That Global Warming Is A Lie
Al Gore once was the Vice President of The United States. He ran for President and was narrowly defeated by George Bush. From that time on, he has become a very rich man.
How did he do it? If you want to learn how to make money (here are some interesting money making ideas), you should use Al Gore as an example: create controversy about something that might or might not be true and figure out every angle you can to profit from it. I guess it helps a bit if you are famous first though.
Al Gore is now very wealthy because of his books, movie, speaking fees ($175,000 a pop) and other things he has invested in that have all turned to gold. Take a look at the pictures of his house and tell me whether you think he has any ulterior motives in the global warming debate?
Now maybe man does have a thing or two to do with global warming, shrinking arctic ice, and all the other things embroiled in the controversy. I don’t really know. But we all know that there was an ice age and many, many periods in earth’s history where the climate was VERY different from what it is now. No one really disputes that.
So the real question is whether what man may or may not be doing to the environment today will every really matter in the long run. Even if we still were living like cavemen did 1000′s of years ago, the earth may have warmed up on its own. Or it might have cooled. Who knows? The point is, nobody really knows.
Just seeing all the effort Gore has put into his crusade has convinced me that it is all a charade. That’s probably because I never liked Gore in the first place but seeing how pompous he is has convinced me that this whole man made global warming thing is pretty much all a lie.
Finance a Hybrid Vehicle to Help the Environment
Interested in doing your part in helping the environment? Consider purchasing a hybrid car! You can use online tools such as the PaymentBot to figure out how much it will cost you.
Getting a loan now is easy but most people are not really clear on how the repayment process works. Understanding loan payments is necessary to estimate how much the loan amount will eventually come to and how much the item will cost. Most lenders will have a loan representative who will explain the interest rates and the loan payment amounts to the customer at the time of taking the loan. However, if you still cannot understand the process, you can easily use an online calculator to understand the process.
How the payment calculator can help you?
Lenders calculate mortgage payments and they adjust the payments in such a way that each payment includes the loan amount and the interest amount. However, if you are planning to take a new loan we recommend you compare rates by using a good payment calculator. With an online calculator, you can easily calculate loan payments you have to make every month, average costs and payoff schedules. It will provide an accurate idea of how much you are borrowing and the actual eventual cost of the item. For example, taking a home loan for a $20,000 house may eventually cost you about $35,000 after you have completed payments. With the loan calculator, you can compare loan costs and procedures. A loan calculator will help you estimate costs and it will help you choose the most affordable loans for your requirement.
Finding a good online payment calculator: Using PaymentBot
There are several websites that offer online payment calculators but we recommend the one listed at PaymentBot. The PaymentBot is updated with the latest interest rates and loan repayment fees, which means that it is accurate. Users can also check the content update date located at the bottom of the page, which assures the latest information .
Conspiracy theories around Apple and Steve Jobs
For Free iPhone lovers, you may have come across a couple of criticism from your fiends and family over the product once in a while. The main thing that many people usually complain about is the pricing of the apple products. Nevertheless, you may be surprised to know a couple of conspiracies linked to the iPhone and Steve jobs. From apple collecting your personal data to Steve being part of devil worshiping, there are a couple of conspiracy theories that no one explains to us.
To start off with the most interesting conspiracy theory, Steve Jobs and his partner Wozniak are believed to have sold their very first apple product for $666.66. You know who the 666 digits are associated with, right? The conspiracy theory also suggests that apple’s logo which is a bitten apple suggests the forbidden fruit eaten by Adam and Eve in the Bible.
Another conspiracy associated with apple is traitorware which is a technology that can read your heartbeat every time you use an iPhone. Furthermore, apple also collects other private information such as your photos and surrounding regardless of the place you are. They say this technology is supposed to enable them track your phone when stolen but this seems to be a bit personal as other apple devices such as the macbook also have tracking capabilities that do not involve the use of this technology.
Another mysterious thing that apple came up with is the iSpy. This technology is said to record everything that you do with your iPhone and send it to the Apple headquarters. They send your personal identification number and a record of what you have been doing on the internet. Though nobody has proved this conspiracy unearthed by a hacker known as Hackintosh, tech gadflys warn that apple may be crossing the privacy line.
Climate Change on the Ground
The most obvious effects of climate change are of course in the air temperature, the weather and the sea levels. However it is also known to cause other problems indirectly such as damaging the soil. There is research though particularly with a group of American scientists to investigate how this can be changed.
The study is centred around Antartica, one of the toughest environments on the face of the Earth. These areas are so barren that in fact up until a few decades ago many scientists thought it incapable of supporting life. However if you dig down underneath the icy surface, there are millions of microscopic worms called nematodes which are positively thriving here. These little creatures are helping scientists to understand the effects of climate change.
This years Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement has actually been awarded to one of these researchers – Soil scientist Diana Wall. She has spent twenty years studying these creatures mainly in the Antartic. The Nematodes capture and store the carbon which is otherwise released into the atmosphere. Unfortunately the nematode that lives in this harsh environment is struggling due to the rising temperatures and being replaced by a rival organism. The problem is that the new Nematode doesn’t store carbon which suggests more will be released into the environment.
The study of soil and the organisms that live in it, is mainly quite a new science. However advances in molecular biology and ecology, have meant that scientists are continuing to find new life forms with different functions all the time. The link in with climate change is obvious with a huge US Government project now looking at how farmers can slow climate change by conserving the release of carbon into the atmosphere by storing it into the soil.
There are also studies using salt marshes which are being used to model the effects of climate change particularly in coastal areas. The realisation is growing that climate change through it’s changes in temperature, rainfall and plant activity all have an impact on the soil’s ability to store carbon. There is hope that better soil management techniques can actually encourage the soil to store more carbon rather than impacting the already high levels in the atmosphere.
Here’s a great little video about one of the more common nematodes. Everyone should be able to see it although there may be some countries that can’t if you get the message – video not available in your country, then try using a proxy server or VPN to bypass the blocks.
Growing Levels of Antartic Sea Ice
It might seem a bit confusing but apparently climate change is reponsible for the expansion of the sea ice in Antartic. A report in Nature Geoscience the well repected journal has reported on the strange phenomenon. It is believed to be caused by the very cold plumes of fresh water which have been created by the melting that is happening below the ice shelves.
Because the density of this melted water is very low it tends to accumulate at the very highest level of the ocean. This creates a very cold surface which is much more likely to freeze again during any cold periods particularly in Autumn and Winter. As a result of this the sea ice levels have been growing year after year despite the threat of global warming.
It is important to remember the reasons for this growing amount of sea ice and not use it for some sort of excuse for people who don’t believe in global warming. The sea ice is being created because the ice shelves are melting much further below. Although it has to be said this is only a theory albeit a very plausible one.
There are other explanations circulating in the scientific communities including shifts in wind patterns. Paul Holland from the British Antartic Survey has made this suggestion – saying that the winds blow away ice from the coast making some sea areas to have more exposed water. This is always more likely to free and hence causing higher levels of sea ice than previously.
For more information all the journals mentioned are available online. For general information and lots of links then it’s worth checking out the environmental section of the BBC website. There are also freqent news and documentaries available on this subject although if you live outside the UK you’ll need modify your IP address like this illustration - English TV online. It enables you to switch your address at will to the country you require, which is very useful especially for ex pats and people travelling away from their home country.
Global Warming and It’s Affects
After watching the program No Impact Man, it made me think of global warming. Unfortunately, I don’t trust humanity to take the steps necessary to solve our issues with global warming, but instead I couldn’t help but think of all the farmers and local producers who were likely to be negatively affected by the changes which are coming to the environment.
Dairy farmers are going to see their fields drying up. Of course, for an organic dairy farmer they can’t simply buy more feed for their cattle because buying feed makes sure that they are no longer organic and their entire distribution and sales system is likely to be disrupted by such a change. How many similar industries are likely to see similar crazy changes where people who have done things the right way are going to be negatively affected?
Isn’t that reason enough to do something about it?
Environmental Safety – Say No To Global Warming
It is not new to us when we hear about global warming, most of us would surely know and aware about this. However, with the numbers of people know global warming can’t beat the numbers of people who don’t know the reason why it happens. Yes, this is true; most people know about global warming but they don’t know what the reason why it happened. And another thing, some don’t know about global warming but they are already aware that it can cause global warming. Mainly because they don’t care about it or either they don’t have any concern about our environment. The most popular environmental problems today are the pollutions. Yet, there are people who are not aware on the several kinds of pollution but there are also a few knows how their works affect the environmental safety. If you would be asked on, do you care about your environment? If you answered it yes, then do you know, what are the things that might destruct and might put our environment at risk? There are helpful ways to save our environment from putting it at risk through visiting kostumeoutlet.dk.
Probably, you would answer yes but you are always doing over and over again the things that you knew already that it can harm the environment and that is simply because you don’t care our environment. You simply say that you cared the environment but that only comes from your mouth but you indeed that cared about it. Without doubt, the human activities are the obvious cause of global warming. Since humans are the culprit of global warming, humans should be the responsible to stop this serious issue. It is possible to do that global warming will be stopped through human since they are the one who start it. You will surely discover how to simply stop global warming from kostumeoutlet.dk. To stop global warming is not just the possible thing to do since it is mandatory thing. Every single individual in this planet should participate. It is simple to stop global warming if all of the human cooperate on this plan.
You need to educate yourself if you don’t know how to deal with global warming. And if you are not aware on this, you need to learn and let yourself know lots of things about it so that you are already aware if you are doing right or wrong. Having care on our environment is just like taking good care of yourself. If you are not aware on the things that might cause global warming, then this is the right time to start. Whatever human face in this world is actually the result of their doings. So, the essential of safety environment would assure that you have a safety life. Living a healthy life and a healthy person and you will learn a lot of things about it through browsing kostumeoutlet.dk. It is good news that we are now living in a safety world with a healthy environment.
Education the Key to Environmental Responsibility
In order to form a more perfect planet and encourage the conservation of the environment, we must promote academic success and equip our youth with the tools to do so. A gpa calculator is one example of this type of tool.
In every educational institution, standards are established through the grading system to ensure that a high level of quality education is achieved and maintained. A Grade Point Average is used to determine a student’s academic performance. The GPA calculator is a tool used to compute academic accomplishments in numerical equivalent. Although its name may vary in different schools, the method, process and computation is a standard.
To get one’s GPA; divide the points earned for all subjects taken for a period by the total number of credits for classes taken. An above average GPA can increase a student’s chances in college admissions and job opportunities.
If a student does well in academic pursuits, with good grades, benefits will surely be reaped. Scholarships are granted to pupils with excellent grades with the continuous of extension financial support through loan approvals. Some schools even offer cash incentives to further motivate students to score high and impressively on state exams.
One can be granted admission to colleges and universities with a high GPA and overall academic achievement. But not every student will have the opening to further enhance his educational status. But for those who do, college is where everything one has learned in high school will be tested. College can be demanding and yet rewarding. Preparations for college or universities start in high school. Focus placed on academics and extracurricular activities and tests taken will be extremely vital in one’s eligibility for universities.
An academic success is one who is effective in leadership, analysis and communication. A scholastic achiever is well updated in global affairs and can easily adapt and fraternize with various changes in settings.
Good grades and a high GPA are advantages which can aid in one’s goal of attaining a college degree. The gpa calculator is indeed a stable standard to keep and guarantee an exceptional educational system
Education the Key to Environmental Responsibility
In order to form a more perfect planet and encourage the conservation of the environment, we must promote academic success and equip our youth with the tools to do so. A gpa calculator is one example of this type of tool.
In every educational institution, standards are established through the grading system to ensure that a high level of quality education is achieved and maintained. A Grade Point Average is used to determine a student’s academic performance. The GPA calculator is a tool used to compute academic accomplishments in numerical equivalent. Although its name may vary in different schools, the method, process and computation is a standard.
To get one’s GPA; divide the points earned for all subjects taken for a period by the total number of credits for classes taken. An above average GPA can increase a student’s chances in college admissions and job opportunities.
If a student does well in academic pursuits, with good grades, benefits will surely be reaped. Scholarships are granted to pupils with excellent grades with the continuous of extension financial support through loan approvals. Some schools even offer cash incentives to further motivate students to score high and impressively on state exams.
One can be granted admission to colleges and universities with a high GPA and overall academic achievement. But not every student will have the opening to further enhance his educational status. But for those who do, college is where everything one has learned in high school will be tested. College can be demanding and yet rewarding. Preparations for college or universities start in high school. Focus placed on academics and extracurricular activities and tests taken will be extremely vital in one’s eligibility for universities.
An academic success is one who is effective in leadership, analysis and communication. A scholastic achiever is well updated in global affairs and can easily adapt and fraternize with various changes in settings.
Good grades and a high GPA are advantages which can aid in one’s goal of attaining a college degree. The gpa calculator is indeed a stable standard to keep and guarantee an exceptional educational system
The Expedition
To get the best results and evidence of global warming getting out into the field to conduct research is essential. It is an extremely expensive venture so we rely heavily on fundraising and donations to be able to do it and months of planning go into any trip to ensure that we get the best opportunity to conduct our experiments and record our findings as well as making sure the whole crew get there and back safely.
It is clear that any expedition has to look into all aspects of safety and that covers everything from being ready for the weather and conditions to making sure that the security is tight and people are safe. Getting training and tips on maritime security and other such things can set you and your crew up for as safe a trip as possible.
These trips are essential in showing the danger we are all in and can also give us an idea of the changes that need to be made to turn things around.
It will be a long road to recovery but every journey has to start somewhere and the sooner we start doing this the sooner we can make the world a better place.
China Starting to Choke
If you have ever studied economics at any level you would have come across a term – externality. The term refers to that in response to any activity there maybe an additional cost or benefit that someone, somewhere must bear. The example often given in economic text books is that of pollution. A factory producing goods and products for sale and profit, may also be creating air and environmental pollution. The externality or external cost in this case is the pollution, this will either affect the local community or will result in clean up costs in order to protect them.
It seems that the concept of these external costs has not really been factored in to the massive economic boom that has transformed the Chinese economy. But now the people are beginning to see the real cost of ignoring the environmental issues whilst pursuing a strategy of economic growth. As economists will tell us if you do not factor in these negative factors your not truly evaluating the real cost of production. The Chinese people are now seeing these problems for themselves – the choking air of big Chinese manufacturing towns.
In the town of Guiyu, on the edge of the South Chinese Sea you can smell it in the air. The rough, nasty nut like smell which is emitted when you burn plastic and electronic goods. This is how Guiyu has bought prosperity, it destroys and processes electronic waste. There is a town on the Pearl River where there is a much different smell to the air. Here you can almost taste the gases that are released when you bleach tons of denim and clothing. This of course brings jobs and wealth to the locals but it also poisons the air they breathe.
This is a just a sample, if you follow a trail of economic prosperity you’ll find a similar tale in hundreds of Chinese towns. It might be a different poison but it wil be there seeping into the lungs of the local inhabitants. In Beijing it is no better, the air quality index results are horrific. There have been extensive efforts to improve the air and it has improved greatly however the pollution level is still twenty times the level deemed safe by the World Health Organisation.
This Winter has seen the issue come to ahead, all over the country are stories of environmental disaster. Pollution in the ground, the air and the water supply are the number one issues for many Chinese. The State are understanderbly very sensitive to this criticism – especially the fact that economic success has been achieved at such a huge environmental cost. The Chinese firewalls and ISPs are censoring many such stories about the environment already. A student in Beijing trying to watch a video about the pollution of Chinese Rivers which is circulating now – will likely receive the message this video is not available when they try and access it.
The estimate is that nearly 3/4 million people in China die every year as a result of air pollution. It’s an issue that the current regime know they need to tackle with extreme urgency, for many it is already too late.