Climate 411

Plug-in Cars: The Lowdown

By Sheryl Canter / Published: July 30, 2007

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
Toyota Prius, plug-in version.

Read More »

Posted in Cars and Pollution / Read 23 Responses

Extreme Weather Across Europe

By Bill Chameides / Published: July 27, 2007

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.

Posted in Extreme Weather / Comments are closed

Gray's Hypothesis Doesn't Hold Water

By Bill Chameides / Published: July 26, 2007

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.

Read More »

Posted in News / Read 12 Responses

The Greenhouse Effect Explained

By Bill Chameides / Published: July 25, 2007

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.

The Greenhouse Effect

Source: National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Read More »

Posted in Basic Science of Global Warming / Read 4 Responses

Scientific Uncertainty

By Lisa Moore / Published: July 24, 2007

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?

Read More »

Posted in News / Read 4 Responses

Short-term Change and El Niño

By Bill Chameides / Published: July 23, 2007

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.

Read More »

Posted in News / Read 8 Responses