Citizen Science During the Flint, Michigan Federal Water Emergency: Ethical Dilemmas and Lessons Learned

A citizen science collaboration between Flint residents, the Virginia Tech “Flint Water Study” team, and others helped to uncover the Flint Lead-in-Drinking Water Crisis and a community-wide outbreak of Legionella. The resulting Federal Emergency declaration in January 2016 resulted in more than $600 million in relief funding, an acknowledged case of environmental injustice, and resignations/indictments of some public officials. But after responsible government entities apologized and attempted to make amends and help with the recovery, some “citizen scientists” began making public statements that were in direct conflict with public health messaging of scientific authorities. A general state of science anarchy resulted, which created further distrust and confusion.



Citizen Science During the Flint, Michigan Federal Water Emergency: Ethical Dilemmas and Lessons Learned

US airlines have an abysmal carbon footprint - Vox

Air travel is surging. That’s a huge problem for the climate.

Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States appear to be on the rise again after years of decline. The Rhodium Group recently released preliminary estimates showing carbon dioxide emissions overall surged 3.4 percent in 2018, with the transportation sector leading the way as the largest source of emissions for the third year in a row.


Greenhouse gas emissions from air travel increased in 2018 and are poised to surge in the coming decades. Silas Stein/picture alliance/Getty Image

US airlines have an abysmal carbon footprint - Vox

Earth's fish are disappearing because of climate change, study says - CNN

Climate change is endangering fish worldwide, shrinking populations by up to 35% in coastal regions near China and Japan, scientists say.



Ocean warming has led to a 4% global decline in sustainable catches, the greatest amount of fish that can be caught without depleting stocks long-term, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science.

Using global data on fisheries and ocean temperature maps, scientists from Rutgers University in New Jersey analyzed changes in sustainable catches triggered by temperature rises between 1930 and 2010.

The scientists said they were "stunned" to discover that global warming has significantly affected fish stocks worldwide and warned that the decline could threaten the livelihoods and food supplies of millions of people.



Earth's fish are disappearing because of climate change, study says - CNN

A Growing Majority of Americans Think Global Warming is Happening and are Worried - Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

FYI. Not where public opinion should be and far away from other countries but it is getting better…

Data from our Climate Change in the American Mind surveys show that, over the past five years, the proportion of Americans who think global warming is happening and who worry about it has increased sharply. During this time, Americans have become increasingly convinced that global warming is happening (+11 percentage points), is human-caused (+15), and that most scientists agree it is happening (+15). The proportion of Americans who say they have personally experienced the effects of global warming has also increased (+13).



A Growing Majority of Americans Think Global Warming is Happening and are Worried - Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Warmer world + more hungry people = BIG challenges » Yale Climate Connections

Feed the world and reduce the climate crisis? Yes, it is possible.

Feeding the world’s rapidly expanding population – currently at 7.6 billion and expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 – without exacerbating climate change will require the closing of three significant gaps, according to a new report, “Creating a Sustainable Food Future.”
The gaps highlighted in a recent World Resources Institute (WRI) report involve:
food supply, simply producing enough to meet rising demand;
land for food production: The report estimates that if current production rates continue with the same yields, an additional area almost twice the size of India would be required to produce enough food; and
mitigating increased greenhouse gas emissions likely to be produced by the additional food production needed by 2050.



Warmer world + more hungry people = BIG challenges » Yale Climate Connections

World's food supply under 'severe threat' from loss of biodiversity

Plants, insects and organisms crucial to food production in steep decline, says UN
The world’s capacity to produce food is being undermined by humanity’s failure to protect biodiversity, according to the first UN study of the plants, animals and micro-organisms that help to put meals on our plates.

The stark warning was issued by the Food and Agriculture Organisation after scientists found evidence the natural support systems that underpin the human diet are deteriorating around the world as farms, cities and factories gobble up land and pump out chemicals.

 Organic carrot harvest in Germany. Organic agriculture makes up just 1% of global farmland. Photograph: Julian Stratenschulte/EPA

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/feb/21/worlds-food-supply-under-severe-threat-from-loss-of-biodiversity

Greta Thunberg tells EU: your climate targets need doubling | Environment | The Guardian

A 16-years old Swedish school kid organizes school strikes and tells politicians and business leaders what to do about the Climate Crisis.
Check out this great video – and story – makes me feel hopeful:

Swede, 16, says EU cannot just ‘wait for us to grow up and become the ones in charge’

The EU should double its climate change reduction targets to do its fair share in keeping the planet below a dangerous level of global warming, the Swedish activist Greta Thunberg has told political and business leaders in Brussels.

Flanked by students from the Belgian and German school strike movements, the Swedish teenager said it was not enough to hope that young people were going to save the world.


(The Associated Press) Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, center, speaks during an event at the EU Charlemagne building in Brussels, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019.

Full story and video:

Greta Thunberg tells EU: your climate targets need doubling | Environment | The Guardian