The Arctic ice is melting at an accelerating pace, with this year already showing record retreat. There is still a month or so left of summer heating, but the record minimum ice melt has already been reached. "It is therefore almost certain that the previous 2005 record will be annihilated by the final 2007 annual minima closer to the end of this summer."(1)
That means more area for oil development.....right?
Well, yea....if you care only about money and nothing about the climate.
The governments of Russia and Canada are moving to claim the Arctic
Ocean in the hope of drilling fossil fuels. That is just what the Arctic does
not need!
"But there is an even more dangerous aspect to the unfolding drama in
the Arctic. While governments and oil giants are hoping the melting ice
will allow them access to the world's last treasure trove of oil and gas,
climatologists are deeply worried about something else buried under the
ice that, if unearthed, could wreak havoc on the biosphere, with dire
consequences for human life."(2)
THE PERMAFROST IS MELTING!
Researchers in Russia are finding that vast areas of peat bog are melting
in the presence of water which means it will release methane instead of
CO2. Methane is 23 times as potent a greenhouse gas as CO2.
"Scientists calculate that thousands of tons of methane will be released
from Arctic lakes as the permafrost thaws. A global tragedy of monumental
proportions is unfolding at the top of the world, and the human race is all
but oblivious to what's happening."(2)
JULY WAS SEVENTH WARMEST ON RECORD
NOAA released it's monthly report stating "RECORD WARMTH IN WESTERN
U.S. IN JULY...." and that July was the seventh warmest global mean average on
record......fitting right in with the past twelve years being the hottest years since
record keeping began, except for one.(3)
Does that sound like the energy giants should continue using fossil fuels and
simply piddle around with alternative energy like hydrogen - the most abundant
substance in the universe, and a totally green fuel? (It can be produced with solar
power very easily.)
Internal combustion engines could and should have been switched to hydrogen
in the Eighties. With stainless steel valves and exhaust systems they will operate
exactly as they do with gasoline - no expensive fuel-cell required.
The politicians in Canada and Russia who were prodded by the energy giants
to follow this archaic, insane and ridiculous path of getting rights to drill in the
arctic should be wise enough by now to turn these investment dollars towards
alternative green energy, but don't hold your breath.
The oil industry would have to invest in new infrastructure......and their
oil would stay in the ground and loose value. They don't really like that idea.
So things are not looking real good for the Arctic.......or any other place on
Earth for that matter.
The energy giants and the industrial war complex are proving to be the worst
things ever developed on this planet, with the exception of the dinosaurs. Just
as their profits have reached astronomical heights, it will be a very difficult task
to get them to change their ways. That's the problem we are faced with......and
it IS a gigantic problem.
Cross your fingers - is all I can offer at this point as the American public seems
to be confused by the global warming deniers, or distracted by the reality of
urban life, or complacent with 120 TV channels to choose from to care about
any civil responsibility they may have.
And once again, these news items were not given the coverage that they deserve
by the corporate media, but they are available below.
****************
References:
1) New historic sea ice minimum, 8/9/07
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/
2) Ticking Time Bomb Under the Ice, 8/13/07
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/08/13/008.html
3) RECORD WARMTH IN WESTERN U.S. IN JULY, DROUGHT SEVERITY WORSENED,
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE 7th WARMEST FOR JULY, 8/15/07
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/s2908.htm
Well, yea....if you care only about money and nothing about the climate.
The governments of Russia and Canada are moving to claim the Arctic
Ocean in the hope of drilling fossil fuels. That is just what the Arctic does
not need!
"But there is an even more dangerous aspect to the unfolding drama in
the Arctic. While governments and oil giants are hoping the melting ice
will allow them access to the world's last treasure trove of oil and gas,
climatologists are deeply worried about something else buried under the
ice that, if unearthed, could wreak havoc on the biosphere, with dire
consequences for human life."(2)
THE PERMAFROST IS MELTING!
Researchers in Russia are finding that vast areas of peat bog are melting
in the presence of water which means it will release methane instead of
CO2. Methane is 23 times as potent a greenhouse gas as CO2.
"Scientists calculate that thousands of tons of methane will be released
from Arctic lakes as the permafrost thaws. A global tragedy of monumental
proportions is unfolding at the top of the world, and the human race is all
but oblivious to what's happening."(2)
JULY WAS SEVENTH WARMEST ON RECORD
NOAA released it's monthly report stating "RECORD WARMTH IN WESTERN
U.S. IN JULY...." and that July was the seventh warmest global mean average on
record......fitting right in with the past twelve years being the hottest years since
record keeping began, except for one.(3)
Does that sound like the energy giants should continue using fossil fuels and
simply piddle around with alternative energy like hydrogen - the most abundant
substance in the universe, and a totally green fuel? (It can be produced with solar
power very easily.)
Internal combustion engines could and should have been switched to hydrogen
in the Eighties. With stainless steel valves and exhaust systems they will operate
exactly as they do with gasoline - no expensive fuel-cell required.
The politicians in Canada and Russia who were prodded by the energy giants
to follow this archaic, insane and ridiculous path of getting rights to drill in the
arctic should be wise enough by now to turn these investment dollars towards
alternative green energy, but don't hold your breath.
The oil industry would have to invest in new infrastructure......and their
oil would stay in the ground and loose value. They don't really like that idea.
So things are not looking real good for the Arctic.......or any other place on
Earth for that matter.
The energy giants and the industrial war complex are proving to be the worst
things ever developed on this planet, with the exception of the dinosaurs. Just
as their profits have reached astronomical heights, it will be a very difficult task
to get them to change their ways. That's the problem we are faced with......and
it IS a gigantic problem.
Cross your fingers - is all I can offer at this point as the American public seems
to be confused by the global warming deniers, or distracted by the reality of
urban life, or complacent with 120 TV channels to choose from to care about
any civil responsibility they may have.
And once again, these news items were not given the coverage that they deserve
by the corporate media, but they are available below.
****************
References:
1) New historic sea ice minimum, 8/9/07
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/ 2) Ticking Time Bomb Under the Ice, 8/13/07
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/08/13/008.html 3) RECORD WARMTH IN WESTERN U.S. IN JULY, DROUGHT SEVERITY WORSENED,
GLOBAL TEMPERATURE 7th WARMEST FOR JULY, 8/15/07
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2007/s2908.htm
