Report: Global Warming Has Hastened Glacial Melt

A startling new look at the state of the United States's glaciers reveals little to be excited about. This new report confirmed what scientists have been telling us for a while now: that global warming is hastening the melting of the nation's glaciers. Not only does this glacial melt contribute to rising sea levels, but it also means an unstable water supply in places such as Washington that rely on the glaciers for water.

One glacier in Washington's Cascades lost a quarter of its mass in the last 50 years. The glacier data also revealed that the melting has accelerated over the last 20 years. In addition to dwindling supplies for irrigation and drinking water, a decrease in glacial runoff could mean trouble for the hydroelectric plants so prevalent in the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle: Green in More Than One Way

One of the great things about living in Seattle has been the city's activism related to climate change. Not only is there an emphasis on sustainable development and increasing density within the city limits, but also a city-sponsored Environmental Action Agenda to reduce the city's GHG emissions.

Part of the agenda is the Climate Action Plan. According to the website,

"The City will reduce its climate pollution through broad-ranging strategies including investing in transportation choices, encouraging compact communities, promoting clean energy and conservation, leading by example, and inspiring others to take action."

It's definitely exciting to see large cities with significant carbon footprints, like Los Angeles and Seattle, taking the necessary steps to help fight climate change.

New York Times Green Inc. Blog

Here's an interesting blog I just came across--the Green Inc. Blog at the New York Times. It covers the "green" and clean energy movements as they pertain to business. It's a great source for the latest news on how the business community is adapting to (and resisting) movement away from fossil fuels and other players in anthropomorphic climate change.

One of the interesting things about this blog is that its comments section is actually pretty civil and thought-provoking, oftentimes offering critiques of the articles posted. This site is definitely one to follow if you're interested in seeing how the business community in America is embracing green technology.

Church Vandalized in SLO

A sad sight from my hometown appeared this morning when a sign outside the United Church of Christ proclaiming that "all are welcome" was vandalized. This is the fourth time that the church has been a target. At the bottom right of the sign is a small symbol of a rainbow, indicating that the church is inclusive of the LGBT community.

It is disheartening that a church willing to accept a group that many others shun is being threatened by these vandals. Thankfully, the church is not backing down, and is instead installing security cameras to ensure that repeat vandalization does not occur.

Some Startling Statistics on Climate Change & Public Perception

(Sorry for the overly alliterative title!) A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle detailed a new Rassmussen poll showing that only 34 percent of Americans believe that climate change is caused by human activity. This is actually a pretty disturbing number, considering that the mounting urgency of climate change requires immediate action. Combine that with the overwhelming consensus among the scientific community, and it is clear that the message is not getting across.

What we need is some sort of education program to show not only the effects of climate change, but how Americans can reduce their impact. This way, we can not only show that human activities do indeed have an impact on climate change, but that each individual is responsible in this monumental fight.

Gay Marriage in the Heartland--Iowa Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Same-sex marriage is no longer simply a coastal phenomenon. Iowa's state supreme court unanimously voted in favor of same-sex marriage. The Iowa court ruling addressed religious concerns by saying "civil marriage must be judged under our constitutional standards of equal protection and not under religious doctrines or the religious views of individuals."

This is certainly an exciting development because it debunks the notion that gay marriage, at least in the near term, can only occur on the east and west coasts. It'll be interesting to see whether or not a constitutional amendment springs up, considering that it is significantly difficult to even get one on the ballot in Iowa. The state constitution requires two consecutive sessions of the state legislature to approve a ballot initiative by a 2/3rds majority before it can move on to the voters.

The Skinny On Wind Energy...

Here is a website about an alternative source of energy I have been thinking about a lot today (since it's so windy here in Seattle!)--wind power. The site has some interesting info like wind maps and animations. Enjoy!