Global Warming Versus Climate Change

As you know, I live in the northeast US in Boston, Massachusetts. Our country, except a couple small pockets, has had an unseasonable cold snap in recent weeks, most notably places like southern Florida.

Online friends have posted photos of palm trees encrusted in ice, their own yards engulfed in the rare sight of frost and other odd occurrences due to this weather and although not all, some of these folks have accompanied these photos with statements like “So much for global warming huh?”

Actually, no. As a matter of fact the warming part of global warming has everything to do with the current state of affairs.

First of all let me define both terms, global warming and climate change.

Global Warming: An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere, especially a sustained increase sufficient to cause climatic change.

Climate Change: Any change in global temperatures and precipitation over time due to natural variability or to human activity.

Wait, so does that mean these two terms define the same basic thing? Well, sort of. They are not exactly the same, but one certainly can not occur without the other.

Here’s how I explained it to a friend who shared the photo of the ice encrusted palm leaves and who had also linked to an article indicating North Dakota had experienced temperatures at -52 degrees (with the wind chill), and she made reference to the ‘so much for…’ statement I talked about above:

It is actually BECAUSE of global warming this is happening...temps go up, water & polar ice shelf melts, more water is evaporated into atmosphere, less definitive line where the "cold" weather should be, more severe weather as more moisture falls from the sky :-(

That is in the simplest of terms, there are certainly loads of other factors and ways of explaining it, but the bottom line is that when the climate changes due to the overall temperature (global mean temp) increasing, a whole lot more extreme weather will most definitely be seen everywhere.

So what can we do?

One of the number one contributors to warming is greenhouse gas, sometimes referred to as CO2 but better known as emissions. Every time we turn up our heat, drive our car, run water, eat prepackaged foods, fly in an airplane, shop for new items and a plethora of other somewhat ingrained daily activities we are creating emissions. By focusing our lives in a more concerted effort to reduce our emissions we will all make a step toward a more regulated environment.

Use throw blankets, sweaters and fuzzy wool socks if alternative energy is not an option in your home. Plan so errands are done in bulk and closer to home on the same day to reduce the number of times you start your car. Try to work from home one or two days a week (this not only reduces driving but energy use in the office as lights and heat remain off or lower than average). Turn off the water while brushing teeth, only flush every other time, or drink filtered tap water to help conserve water resources. Shop at a weekly Farmer’s Market for local and organic produce (if that isn’t possible due to geographic location [like me], try to shop for regionally grown in-season produce) instead of buying prepackaged foods (something had to be run to create all that packaging right?). Take a train for your next trip or if you absolutely must fly be sure to get on a full flight and sit in coach as opposed to a private plane.

But most importantly spread the word! It is only by education that we are able to fully understand the meaning of a word or phrase so if someone in your life is blowing off global warming as ‘not real’ because of the frigid temperatures and record snowfall in their area, educate them! The more the word spreads the faster we can find ways to fix it.

Photo credit: Gary Braasch, Chicago, Illinois 1995, World View of Global Warming

Silly Sunday Fun

Good morning friends! Snowing like mad here in Boston, Massachusetts and I am planning to just relax with some tea and my manuscript all day so I can stay warm and cozy indoors. But I couldn’t very well leave everyone hanging with nothing on this fine Sunday morning now could I?

I received the following message from quite a few people and it is definitely something to consider, especially today in the northeast quadrant of the United States. I think after our storm is over there will be a whole lot more joining this cause.

Hundreds are gathered to discuss climate change and fight back against global warming!

Wherever your travels take you today I hope that you have a nice laugh, smile and think Green!

Never fear, The Ethical Man is here!

Note: Melissa here, blogging about someone I'd like to make my new BFF...

There's a new superhero on the scene...The Ethical Man. At this moment, BBC “Newsnight” reporter Justin Rowlatt, the aforesaid Ethical Man, is speeding across the U.S. (on a train, at last check), able to leap global-warming doubters in a single bound, promoting truth, justice, and hoping to reform the American way of gluttonous fossil-fuel and energy consumption.

I first heard about “The Ethical Man” on NPR about two weeks ago, when they announced he was coming stateside. The backstory is, the BBC assigned him the task of cutting his – and his family's – greenhouse gas emissions for their UK home by 20 percent in one year (2006-2007) and reporting about it on air.

You can watch most of that series online. It's a blend of reality TV – watching Justin and his family try to walk the walk – and Justin reporting on the science and news about climate change and government goals and policies related to it. Along the way, he explores efforts to change that range from the practical (switching to CFLs, installing rain barrels) to the fringe (getting into an airline's offices with protesters disguised as scientists).

I tuned in and had a blast. Justin points out that this experiment wasn't his idea, and watching him in action, that's not hard to believe. He's as befuddled as anyone else about the exact extent of the problem with climate change and as reluctant to let go of creature comforts. He stumbles, he tries to get away with things...in short, he's human. And it ups the comedic factor that he dresses and has a haircut remarkably like Mr. Bean (who I usually don't find that funny, but it works for Justin...go figure!).

Carbon guru, wife and kids on board
Lucky for him, he was also assigned a “carbon reduction guru” to give him advice – and occasionally a kick in the pants – as needed (where can I get one of these?). It's his guru who spurs him to give up his family car and who takes Justin to task during one episode after he takes an air trip to Jamaica to demonstrate the idea of carbon-offsetting.

Justin's wife, Bee, is not just along for the ride, either. She adapts to the car-free lifestyle with reasonable grace, and even acts as lookout while Justin wets down his compost pile (at the suggestion of an “expert”) with, well, pee. But she goes further: She, too, gives Justin grief for the carbon offset stunt, and she reviews his portfolio of retirement investments and, finding that one is an oil company, does some research of her own to determine whether they can “ethically” continue that investment or keep the income it has generated.

Other highlights, for me: Justin pedaling a crazy-looking, but ingenious, contraption that demonstrates the amount of human-power required to light an incandescent bulb; an interview with a member of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement conducted with Justin's and his sisters' many children having a party in the background, and his very young daughters' brutally honest responses to of some of his efforts.

When the year was up, Justin's family had met their goal. But with all the strides they made toward reducing their family's energy consumption, they still just barely achieved their 20-percent target.

On to America
One could pause for frustration here. After all, as Justin's blog notes, “...according to the scientists, we need to cut our emissions by 80 percent by 2050 just to keep climate change within two degrees centigrade of current world temperatures. Clearly the efforts of ethical men and women acting alone are not the answer.”

But The Ethical Man hasn't paused (or, not for long anyway). Now he's here, trying to get to the root of the issue in “one of the most polluting countries on Earth.”

He observes, “Each American is responsible for 20 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, more than twice that of the average European. But America is also one of the most innovative and most powerful nations on earth and has a president who says he is serious about tackling global warming.... The idea of the trip is simple - if we can solve it here we can solve it anywhere.”

With that in mind, he is spending the next stretch of months criss-crossing 6,500 miles of the U.S., talking to anyone and everyone with ideas on how to make meaningful inroads against climate change. He even wants to see any crazy invention you might have been dreaming up or building in your garage that could help solve the climate change crisis.

And in keeping with the theme of this journey, he's attempting to tread as carbon-lightly as possible along the way (he already got a warning for hitchhiking on the first leg of the trip). So join the Ethical Man Climate Change Challenge Facebook group and share your thoughts... and for Pete's sake, offer him a ride or a vegan meal if he's in your neck of the woods!

Follow Up Discussion on the Save A Seed Coalition

Back on January 12 I posted a link over to our friends at SuperForest who have started an initiative called the Save A Seed Coalition which is working to raise awareness as well as money to support just one seed in the Millennium Seed Bank. As global warming becomes an ever increasing threat and extinction rates for many species sky rocket it is comforting to know that there are people out there doing what they can to ensure the collection of over a billion seeds for plants that can sustain life on this planet. I joined in the fight with SF and began spreading the word through that first post. I want to keep the ball rolling however and share a video they posted last Friday which discusses some of the initiatives Kew has undertaken with regard to this endeavor.



If we all donate just a little either through monetary contribution or by spreading the word about the initiative (or both!) SF will be able to adopt their seed. A worthy cause indeed and I hope everyone has a chance to get involved.

Polar Ice Shelf in Immediate Trouble

We all know that the Polar Ice Cap is a hot topic of environmental conversation due to its rapidly decreasing size due to rapid melting however just a few short hours ago this video was released on YouTube by Sky News out of the United Kingdom detailing that the west side of Antarctica is melting faster than originally thought. This news story has taken two spots on the front page of their website this morning. Certainly, as a small land mass, in comparison to the United States for example, the UK is concerned with what the melting could mean for their shores and island on the whole.

Please pay special attention to the line when the reporter mentions it could collapse in days.

Whatchu Talkin Bout?

Here I am rambling on about all this environmental whoo-ha and it just occurred to me that some readers may be new to the eco lifestyle and have no idea what we are all going on about over here. How dare I post a bunch of bloggity blogs without first sharing what all of those fancy terms even mean?! Well before those fantastic people glaze over and click away, I will share a list of a bunch of environmental based terms and what they mean to me. I encourage everyone to post in the comments if you have questions about certain terms or have a different opinion on what it means to you. Please note there are some terms I will just post the dictionary definition for because they just seem to sum it up so nicely. Now in no particular order, let’s get talking people!

Environment -- The most important of all the terms. To me this is the all encompassing, includes everything term. The environment is not just the untouchable ozone layer or air we breathe but also the house we live in, the car we drive, outer space, the job we work at, the websites we surf, the water we swim in, fish, drink, the tiny little ant that crawls across the sidewalk to the greatest desert, the smallest creature on the planet, the polar ice shelf, You, me, all breathing things, you get the picture. If you experience it at any time with any of your six senses then it is the environment. Treat it well.

Green -- This is a toughie because everyone has a slightly different take on what this means but to me, green means being, doing and promoting the betterment of the environment as much and as often as possible. What is your take on this word as used in an environmental capacity?

Recycle -- Probably the most widely used and recognized term where environmental living is concerned. The dictionary defines this as: to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse. This is important to remember – anything recycled in a traditionally adopted manner must go through another process to become something else. It will save that thing from being placed in a landfill (trash heap) but a process must be completed again to make the new item.

Upcycle -- Sort of like recycling except the item in question is generally not completely reprocessed, just repurposed or reused. Here is the difference: With recycling, I put a plastic bottle in my bin, it is taken to a plant, melted down and reformed into a plastic shopping bag. With upcycling I take a plastic bottle, cut it in half, coat the bottom with sticky back felt and use it as a pen holder. There is a process involved in repurposing that bottle but a lower impact process environmentally speaking. And I have a personalized, kick ass new pen holder to boot.

Eco -- This is simply the prefix used to shorten the length of an ecologically responsible word. Instead of saying “that shopping bag purse is an environmentally responsible item” we can be lazy and say “I love her eco-friendly purse!”. Eco-conscious, eco-responsible, eco-blogger, eco-mom, etc. What eco- do you define yourself as?

Repurpose -- Dictionary says: To use or convert for use in another format or product. This is another term for recycling, upcycling or reuse.

Earth Day – This is the day we greenies get to share the love of our blue and green marble in space with a whole slew of people that may not be focused on it any other time of year. There are amazing conventions, group meet ups, talks, discussions, actions and many other activities planned all over, you guessed it, the Earth on this day. In 2009 it is on April 22. Get involved!

Solar -- Fun in the sun baby! The heat and energy produced by everyone’s favorite flaming ball of gas is known as solar.

Passive Solar -- Collecting and using the rays of the sun without any mechanics. This is something I do every day and discussed here.

Photovoltaic Panels -- Cells in the form of flat panels (photodiodes) used to collect the suns rays and regenerate that into electric energy. This is known as Active Solar and they are sometimes referred to as PV’s.

Wind Turbine -- Wind, or kinetic, is harnessed through the rotating turbines (blades) and converted into energy. It is deemed a turbine when that energy is converted to electricity. Windmills use the power of wind to run machinery strictly.

Compost -- The dictionary tells us this is: a mixture of various decaying organic substances, as dead leaves or manure, used for fertilizing soil. Scraps of dinner or yard waste (like lawn clippings) can be saved and put back into the Earth to make a more nutrient friendly soil for planting.

Emission -- Basically a fancy-schmancy term for release or discharge. Every time we start and run our cars there is an emission created from the tail pipe for example. Emissions from many sources (methane gas, fossil fuels, etc), has led to increased air pollution across the planet. Using clean power such as solar or wind will help to keep emissions to a minimum.

Sustainable -- Anything that will continue to provide forever is sustainable. Wikipedia states “sustainability has been expressed as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. A fantastic explanation.

Renewable Resource -- Anything in nature that can be reproduced (or naturally recycled if you will) is renewable. A great example of a rapidly renewing resource used for many items would be bamboo. It grows quickly and can be easily replenished (also allowing for sustainability). A non renewable resource would be fossil fuel.

Global Warming -- The dictionary has a nice definition here: an increase in the earth's average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. So let’s break that down. The greenhouse effect happens when solar radiation is absorbed by gas in the atmosphere. It is natural and not a bad thing. When more of that radiation is trapped than escapes however it will lead to an increase in the temperature of the atmosphere in question. Temperatures in an overall sense go up and that results in warmer air and water. In our case the temperature on Earth has gone up by one degree in the past century. Now many people might be saying “big deal, one degree is barely noticeable so who really cares?”

Climate Change -- Here is where caring about the one degree really comes into play. Due to that seemingly tiny temperate increase so many things within our global ecosystem have shifted and not in a good way. Beach erosion is directly related as the sea levels begin to rise. When the sea becomes warmer the ice melts, just like in a glass of water. In that glass of water however is not an entire species that relies on the ice being there to survive. Ever wonder why there has been a significant increase in bizarre weather events of late like a tornado in Brooklyn or snow in southern California? All of this is a direct result of climate change.

Carbon Footprint -- Each of us have one because it is the measurable impact we all have on the planet. We can determine how much greenhouse gas is released through our individual daily activities (our personal emissions checklist). There are predictable and non predictable questions in a Life Cycle Assessment that help determine where we each stand and then we can truly gauge the areas we could cut back to help protect the first and most important term -- our Environment.