Urs Hölzle, Senior Vice President of Technical Infrastructure, Google: “The following data [72 page report/PDF] summarize key highlights of our environmental initiatives discussed in our environmental report published in December 2016. They provide a snapshot of our performance and together demonstrate how we’re strengthening our business by reducing the environmental impact of our operations and… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Climate Change
Google is Mapping the invisible: Street View cars add air pollution sensors
Google Environment: “There are 1.3 million miles of natural gas distribution pipelines in the U.S. These pipelines exist pretty much everywhere that people do, and when they leak, the escaping methane — the main ingredient in natural gas — is a potent greenhouse gas, with 84 times the short-term warming effect of carbon dioxide. These… Continue Reading
Atlas of the Human Planet 2017: Global Exposure to Natural Hazards
EU Science Hub – “The Atlas of the Human Planet 2017. Global Exposure to Natural Hazards summarizes the global multi-temporal analysis of exposure to six major natural hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, tropical cyclone winds, and sea level surge. The exposure focuses on human settlements assessed through two variables: the global built-up and the global… Continue Reading
How a Melting Arctic Changes Everything Part I: The Bare Arctic
Joshua New/Center for Data Innovation: “Bloomberg has created a series of data visualizations and maps illustrating the accelerating rate of ice melt in the Arctic as part of a series of articles examining the political implications of this change. The visualizations show that from 1985 to 2016, the amount of Arctic sea ice that was… Continue Reading
2017 Guide to Sunscreens
Environmental Working Group (EWG) – “Since 2007, when EWG published its first Sunscreen Guide, many sun protection products sold in the U.S. are safer and federal regulators have cracked down on some of the worst phony marketing claims. But our investigation of more than 880 beach and sport sunscreens, 480 moisturizers and 120 lip products… Continue Reading
Note with concern – Arctic Council’s 10th declaration
John Crump/Grid Arendal: “As awareness about the implications about Arctic climate change has grown, so has interest in the region as a potential reservoir of oil, gas and other resources. When the Arctic Council was formed in 1996, it didn’t need a large venue to hold its meetings. The recent Ministerial meeting at the end… Continue Reading
Our National Marine Sanctuary System
“Within the National Marine Sanctuary System, you’ll find places of hope, inspiration, biodiversity, and resilience. The system encompasses more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters, and contains amazing cultural and historical resources, as well as vibrant ecosystems as diverse as coral reefs and kelp forests. A healthy ocean is the basis… Continue Reading
Politoco – Inside Trump’s war on regulations
“The chaos of Donald Trump’s first four months as president has overshadowed a series of actions that could reshape American life for decades — efforts to rewrite or wipe out regulations affecting everything from student loans and restaurant menus to internet privacy, workplace injuries and climate change. Trump and his agencies have already wielded executive… Continue Reading
Dartmouth-led study finds heavier precipitation in northeast began in 1996
For those of us on the east coast experiencing a very rainy, chilly May, this new study, via EurekAlert warrants a read: “Over the past century, the Northeast has experienced an increase in the number of storms with extreme precipitation. A Dartmouth-led study finds that the increase in extreme Northeast storms occurred as an abrupt… Continue Reading
The end of the Arctic as we know it?
“A new report released at the International Conference on Arctic Science in the United States this week shows that profound changes are under way in the Arctic. Driven by increasing levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases and a warming Arctic Ocean, these changes are so dramatic, and so rapid, that they are creating a new Arctic… Continue Reading
Atlas of the Human Planet 2017 Global Exposure to Natural Hazards
European Commission (Free PDF) – “The Atlas of the Human Planet 2017. Global Exposure to Natural Hazards summarizes the global multi-temporal analysis of exposure to six major natural hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, floods, tropical cyclone winds, and sea level surge. The exposure focuses on human settlements assessed through two variables: the global built-up and the… Continue Reading
Climate change already forcing 17 U.S. communities to move, new analysis says
“…a new report, released (May 3) by the Center for Progressive Reform, lays out other ways for indigenous communities to buy land as their homes buckle from melting permafrost or are swallowed by rising seas. One of the report’s three authors, Loyola University law professor Robert R.M. Verchick, said he hopes that the analysis achieves two things: That… Continue Reading
