July 31, 2007 | Posted by John Balbus in Health, Lightbulbs
The author of today's post, John Balbus, M.D., is Chief Health Officer at Environmental Defense.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use dramatically less energy than incandescent bulbs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But they also contain mercury - a dangerous toxin.
What if you drop a CFL and it breaks? How much trouble are you in?
July 30, 2007 | Posted by Sheryl Canter in Automobiles & Fuels
This is Part 1 of a three-part series on Vehicle Fuels and Technology.
1. Plug-in Cars: The Lowdown
2. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
3. Fossil Fuels and Biofuels
The author of today's post, Sheryl Canter, is an Online Writer and Editor Manager at Environmental Defense.
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, or PHEVs, have been in the news a lot lately. It's an appealing idea - virtually no emissions, just plug in your car at night and go. Plus the batteries that drive them could store electricity for homes and offices. When cars are parked and plugged in, the electric utility could draw on stored battery power during times of peak demand (with compensation to the car owner).
But will plug-in cars really be ready for widespread use by 2010?
Toyota Prius, plug-in version.
July 27, 2007 | Posted by Bill Chameides in Extreme Weather
The author of today's post, Bill Chameides, Ph.D., is Chief Scientist at Environmental Defense.
A week or so ago I wrote about all the recent extreme weather in the United States. Well, it's not just happening here. Great Britain is being hit by the worst flooding in decades, and it keeps on raining. A heatwave blanketing south-eastern Europe has killed hundreds of people, and out-of-control wildfires are burning across Greece.
Is this global warming? It's impossible to say for sure what causes a particular weather event, but global warming does make extreme weather events more likely. Whether or not the events in Europe are due to global warming, I do think the Europeans are, unfortunately, getting a taste of things to come. For more, visit our Web page on global warming and extreme weather.
July 26, 2007 | Posted by Bill Chameides in Science - General
The author of today's post, Bill Chameides, Ph.D., is Chief Scientist at Environmental Defense.
This morning, the Wall Street Journal published an Op-Ed by Dr. William Gray titled "Hurricanes and Hot Air". In it, Dr. Gray argues that there is no link between global warming and the recent "increase in major hurricanes".
Unfortunately, this piece has several inaccuracies and omissions. Let me clear them up.
July 25, 2007 | Posted by Bill Chameides in Basic Science of Global Warming
The author of today's post, Bill Chameides, is Chief Scientist at Environmental Defense.
Last week we got a request to explain the Greenhouse Effect. Here goes.
Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
July 24, 2007 | Posted by Lisa Moore in Scientists & Methods
The author of today's post, Lisa Moore, is a scientist in the Climate and Air Program.
I've been reading a great book called Uncertain Science… Uncertain World by Henry Pollack - a readable and engaging discussion of decision-making in the face of uncertainty. Pollack argues that decision-makers use uncertainty as an excuse for inaction, when in fact it should be a stimulus for creativity and progress.
How sure do you have to be that something will happen to act on the possibility?
July 23, 2007 | Posted by Bill Chameides in Science - General
The author of today's post, Bill Chameides, is Chief Scientist at Environmental Defense.
Last week in our Suggestion Box we got this question:
I've compiled a NCDC state by state average temperature map and trends from 1895 thru 2006. 1998 was the warmest year, but years since then are showing either the same as 1998 or cooler in most states. How can I explain to people why average temps haven't been warming EVERY year since 1998 instead of going up and down?
This is a good question, and one I get fairly often, so let me try to explain.
July 20, 2007 | Posted by Sheryl Canter in Science - General
In reading the news this week, I was struck by how many reports there were from around the world of problems related to global warming. Here's what I found:
Warming poses threat to Chesapeake
Washington Post, July 20, 2007
China says climate change drying up major rivers
Yahoo! News - Reuters, July 16, 2007
Warming may bring hurricanes to Mediterranean
Yahoo! News - Reuters, July 16, 2007
Glacier in retreat
New York Times, July 17, 2007
Climate change threatens Italy's Po River delta
Yahoo! News - AFP, July 17, 2007
I also came across an interesting article in the Washington Post about by a guy who went around the world visiting places affected by global warming. The descriptions are, um, chilling.
July 19, 2007 | Posted by Lisa Moore in Arctic & Antarctic
The author of today’s post, Lisa Moore, is a scientist in the Climate and Air Program.
Most people don't realize it, but "black carbon" or soot - the same stuff that dirties up chimney flues and car mufflers - is a significant contributor to global warming. Today's best estimates place it next in line behind the greenhouse gases CO2 and methane (see Table 2.13 in the IPCC report).
Soot particle under a microscope. Credit: D.M. Smith, University of Denver.
July 18, 2007 | Posted by Lisa Moore in Scientists & Methods
The author of today's post, Lisa Moore, is a scientist in the Climate and Air Program.
Stephen Colbert once quipped, "It's not that I don't believe in climate change, it's that I don't believe in climate. Have you ever heard anyone say, "How's the climate?" No! They say, "How's the weather?""
People often confuse climate and weather. They wonder how scientists can reliably predict climate 50 years from now when they can't predict the weather a few weeks from now. The answer is that climate and weather are different, and it's easier to predict climate than weather.
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