pollution •

Cloud Patterns Change with Warming Climate

July 18, 2016 By Rebecca McGhee Leave a Comment

The changing cloud patterns may be another proof of global warming.

The scientists observe a change in cloud patterns that might be driven by climate change.

The satellite images that were collected over a period of 26 years showed that clouds are migrating toward the Earth’s poles, and they are also rising higher into the atmosphere.

The change in cloud patterns may indicate that the mid-latitude zones are expanding, which makes the tropics go beyond the 20 to 30 degrees latitude. The scenario was previously predicted by climate change models. However, there was no actual proof until now that the situation might be real and happening during our lifetime.

The fact that the clouds rise high into the atmosphere shows that the barrier is thicker than before, and the thermal radiation is kept on Earth instead of escaping out into space. The phenomenon could explain the change in climate and the continuous increase in temperatures all over the globe.

The scientists discovered that Earth is, therefore, maintaining 98% of the thermal radiation which comes with the sun rays.

The temperature rise also makes the clouds reach high altitudes, as the low layer becomes warm and the top layer becomes cold. The radiation is no longer traveling through the cloud blanket to warm it up.

One of the researchers that contributed to the study explains that this might be one of the clearest proofs that the climate change is altering our planet during our lifetime, and it is not something of the future but a modification that impacts our lives.

While other climate change models have predicted that such a change in the atmosphere might occur, clouds are very difficult to be studied. The present study would be the first one to confirm that the models were correct, and the warming temperatures indeed change our planet.

There are two factors that might have influenced the cloud patterns. One is linked to human activity, and the second one is connected to volcanic eruptions. Scientists have yet to discover which one is the most dangerous, and in what percentage our behavior may help the process to stop.

Clouds are very difficult to study as the satellites are designed to take measurements that would help the short-term weather predictions. Previous analysis of the data had multiple flaws that could have been due to orbit shifts and instrument degradation.

The present study made a special point of trying to correct these inadequacies, and the authors of the research collaborated with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Colorado State University to ensure the quality of their analysis.

The study raises a new question for scientists. As there is now no doubt that climate change is affecting our planet while we speak, the even more severe problem would be to measure the magnitude of these phenomena. The following research will deal with this issue.

Image Source: Pixabay

Sand Mine Particles Debate in Wisconsin

July 11, 2016 By Chen Lai Leave a Comment

Sand mine particles can affect air quality and produce health issues, environmentalists say.

A report from the Department of Natural Resources in Wisconsin regarding sand mine dust particles generated a vivid reaction from environmental advocacy groups.

The report involved a 2012 analysis of sand mining, and it was published last week for public debates. The paper includes socioeconomic information and scientific measurements and has the purpose of inferring policy modifications.

There are currently 92 active sand mines in Wisconsin, most of which are used to support fracking activities. The facilities provide good quality silica which is later used to free petroleum and natural gas.

The state produces more than a half of the silica used in the US. The companies that own sand mines reported they had doubled their profits after the emergence of hydraulic fracturing.

There had been multiple concerns regarding air and water pollution, as the mining releases dust particles into the atmosphere and evacuates the sand into the local water sources.

One of the health issues related to sand mine particles is silicosis, an inflammation of the lungs caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust. It is categorized as an occupational lung disease, and it causes a cough, fever, shortness of breath, and bluish skin.

Sand mining is also a cause of erosion, as the soil degrades and the layers’ consistency diminishes. It has an impact on local wildlife, as it destroys habitat, and on tourism, as it brings substantial modifications to the landscape.

However, the recent report from the Department of Natural Resources states that pollutant particles are not a threat in the area. The air quality measurements made in the western part of Wisconsin, where the majority of sand mining facilities are placed, have not detected elevated levels of silica in the air.

The report concludes that the sand mines are not a pollutant factor, and the air quality in the zone falls into the state’s standards.

Midwest Environmental Advocates have a different opinion on the matter. They ask the DNR to repeat measurements and to ask advice from experts and the local population in order to get a clearer view on the situation.

One of the critiques of the report is that it contains data from industry-funded studies that show an acceptable level of pollutants. However, research from the Wisconsin-Eau Claire University showed the situation is entirely different, and that sand mines are a cause and a contributor to air pollution.

The environmental group states that the DNR analysis would improve if other data will be included in the report. Moreover, it requests the state officials to take appropriate legal and environmental actions towards the safety of the area.

The DNR public hearing will be held on the 24^th of July, in Eau Claire. Before issuing the final version of the report, the agency will wait 45 days for public comments.

Image Source: Wikipedia

Coral Reef Seen From the Sky

June 13, 2016 By Deborah Nielsen Leave a Comment

The coral reef is home for many species of fish.

NASA will launch a new research program that will use high-tech imagery to take an extensive view at the coral reef all around the world.

The aim of the study is to make a map of the coral reef, which may help researchers to understand the changes that influence the marine ecosystems. Moreover, reefs are extremely sensitive to climate change and their preservation is crucial to human habitat.

The research team will focus on the reefs of Mariana Islands, Palau, Hawaii and the Great Barrier Reef from Australia.

Until now, scientists studied corals only by underground explorations and by taking direct samples from the waters.

The new approach will bring a wider view of the coral reefs as the images will be taken from 23,000 feet above the waters. The name of the project is CORAL – Coral Reef Airborne Laboratory. The campaign is programmed to last three years, and it will use special monitoring instruments.

The researchers hope to discover how pollution, acidification, and global warming influence the coral reefs. They want to create detailed models of how a reef ecosystem works. In order to do so, they will match the view from atop with baseline measurements in order to validate the data.

The instrument that will be used is PRISM, a portable remote imaging spectrometer that will be loaded into an uninhabited aerial vehicle and transported above the Pacific zone.

The coral reefs bear an enormous importance to humans. Not only they are tourist attractions, but they also constitute a habitat for the fish that are consumed by the population. Another one of their roles is to protect the lines of the shores against storms and the rising ocean levels.

More than this, scientists managed to extract medicinal substances from corals, including a painkiller that does not cause addiction.

The study is a part of the sustainable strategy approach, and the research team will try to develop theories and models that will support later interventions dedicated to saving and preserving coral reefs around the world.

A report from the International Society for Reef Studies shows that more than 50% of coral reefs were destroyed by both local factors and global warming. The degradation happened abruptly in a couple of decades.

Researchers involved in this project say that the new data will prove to be precious for the conservation community and the international scientists.

Consequently, all information will be made publicly available. Once all details are registered, the researchers will need another six months to process the data.

The traditional approach involves scientists going directly into the water in order to collect samples and make measurements. Even though the new method will not completely exclude the need for diving, it will offer additional information at a faster pace than that which was possible until now.

Image Source: Wikipedia

Toxic Moss in Portland Forests

June 9, 2016 By Jason Leathers Leave a Comment

Moss captures pollutants from the atmosphere.

Forest Service released a new study on air quality that involves the monitoring of toxic moss. The study covers data from Portland.

The researchers created an interactive map with the results of their investigation, showing the levels of toxicity all around the state.

The biologists examined moss samples taken from 300 different places in Portland. They focused on 22 elements which may be contained in moss, including six metals that are highly toxic to humans.

As moss can accumulate pollutants from the air, scientists used it as a guide to air quality. The final objective of the study was to create a map with pollution hotspots and to identify the toxic moss.

The researchers used histograms, dot maps and summary statistics to explain the importance of their data findings. More than fifteen metals were found to have high concentrations, and their presence in the moss composition was considered to be a pollution indicator.

The list of chemicals included cadmium, nickel, lead and arsenic, all metals that are considered to be high priority toxic substances.

Even though the study reveals pollution spots, its result cannot be interpreted in terms of air pollution. The authors say there is no clear evidence that toxic moss and toxic air are being connected. The study tries to suggest a correlation, even if a causality relation wasn’t proved yet.

The forest researchers used data coming from a monitoring operation in 2013, and they are now interested in gathering more recent information in order to have more accurate predictions.

One of the most relevant topics raised by the study was the analysis of cadmium concentration, a chemical element that is listed as a hazardous substance. Cadmium is released into the environment by fossil fuel combustion, industrial production, waste incineration, or by the use of phosphate fertilizers. Cadmium can produce renal abnormalities, osteoporosis, and cancer.

The study on moss components showed the presence of four metals that had a significantly higher concentration: cobalt, iron, aluminum and chromium.

For example, cobalt, that can cause lung problems, had been found in maximum concentrations in the moss samples from Cully. Thus, the forest researchers decided to start an air monitoring study in that area because the presence of elevated levels of metals in the moss could indicate higher air pollution.

Although two of the six metals that were found are not a hazard for health, their presence could also be taken as a pollution indicator. The toxic moss was found near an industrialized area, and scientists believe that it was contaminated by elements resulting from air pollution.

Image Source: Pixabay

Stop Throwing Plastic In The Oceans – It Is Hurting The Baby Oysters

February 4, 2016 By Deborah Nielsen Leave a Comment

It doesn’t look very good, does it?

As imperative as it may sound: we must stop throwing plastic in the oceans – it is hurting the baby oysters.

Everybody likes them. They are known for their aphrodisiac effects. They are a culinary delicacy and considered a staple of fine dining establishments. They have many health benefits. They help plants grow. That’s right – the oysters. Now, mankind is making the lives of these little shellfish a hell on earth via its polluting ways.

A recent study has revealed that micro-plastics which are found in cosmetic products are adversely affecting the reproductive lives of oysters – from the movement of their sperm to the growth of their babies. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The experts conducted their experiment in a laboratory setting using Pacific oysters, a species native to the Asian Pacific coast, but now introduced and cultivated throughout much of the rest of the world. In the lab, the researchers exposed adult oysters to two different sizes of microplastics: 2 micrometers and 6 micrometers. These are on the small side for microplastics – a micrometer is just one thousandth of a millimeter.

First of all, the researchers discovered that while the oysters ingested both sizes of microplastics, they consumed far more of the larger ones – possibly because these microplastics were closer to the size of the plankton that the oysters are typically most efficient at filtering.

Secondly, the researchers came to the conclusion that there is a physiological response coming from the oysters, in regards to ingesting the microplastics. The most obvious effect was on the animals’ reproduction. Oysters that were exposed to microplastics produced fewer and smaller egg cells and slower sperm. Exposed oysters also produced fewer larvae — about 41 percent fewer, in fact — and their offspring tended to grow more slowly.

Another theory shows that the microplastics somehow had a negative effect on the oysters’ endocrine function — essentially, the production of hormones that regulate all kinds of body processes, including sexual function and reproduction. The researchers observed that certain genetic information in charge of regulating hormones was expressed differently in exposed oysters, suggesting that endocrine disruption may have been a factor.

The history of the effects of these micro-plastics goes way back in the past decade, when capturing the experts’ special attention over the unique threats they pose to marine life. The fact that they are so tiny makes them easy to accidentally ingest, particularly for filter feeders such as clams, mussels, sea cucumbers and many marine worms, who feed by straining tiny organisms out of the water.

It is not that micro-plastics are harmful that is the sad news. This was already known. Even more depressing is what these toxic materials do to future generations of marine animals.

All in all, this paper highlights just one more problem in an already long list of ways that plastic in the ocean is harming ocean life and disrupting marine ecology. Experts advise us to take it as an ‘early warning system‘ about these dangerous effects and to try ourselves to be the change we would like to see in the world.

Image Source: cloudfront.net.

U.N Report: Climate Change Dangers Are ‘Higher Than Ever’

November 2, 2014 By Rebecca McGhee 1 Comment

According to a report released by a United Nation Panel on Sunday, “Pollution and climate change due to human influence is ‘clear’, and the observed effects are ‘unprecedented.’”

The 116-page report prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the 5^th since 1990. The environmental scientists arrived at new conclusions by synthesizing the findings of the previous four reports. The last report was released in 2007.

The report concludes, “Economic and population growth have contributed to greenhouse emissions, which are ‘higher than ever,’ and caused the earth to warm.”

“The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, and sea level has risen,” the report said, adding that this has caused extreme weather all over the world. “It is very likely that heat waves will occur more often and last longer, and that extreme precipitation events will become more intense and frequent in many regions.” The risks that these extreme weather conditions present affect a wide range of people but are most devastating to disadvantaged populations, the report said.

Moreover, the report has recommended to allocate finances to encourage people and governments to come up with new ideas to tackle climate change. Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, the vice chairman of IPCC wrote on Twitter that ‘ordinary people’ can make choices that reduce climate change, ‘but lawmakers have liability to facilitate.’

“Global Warming by the end of the 21^st century, even with adaptation will lead to high to very high risk of severe, widespread, and irreversible impacts globally,” the report warned.

John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of State said Sunday in response to the report, “We can’t prevent such a massive disaster if we don’t notice this kind of hard science. The longer we are stuck in a debate over ideology and politics, the more the costs of inaction grow and grow.”

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