Sunday, February 10, 2019

Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature' | Environment | The Guardian

The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, according to the first global scientific review.



More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5% a year, according to the best data available, suggesting they could vanish within a century.







 The rate of insect extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. Photograph: Courtesy of Entomologisher Verein Krefeld


Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature' | Environment | The Guardian

Adrian is Back on the Map to Monitor Air Pollution from Particulate Matter PM2.5

Adrian is back on the map to monitor air pollution from particulate matter PM2.5.
https://www.purpleair.com/map#7.19/42.453/-84.267






Monday, February 4, 2019

Animated Map: The Heartbeat of Nature's Productivity

Even the most ferocious predator must rely on simple plants for vitality. That’s because without the conversion of carbon dioxide to organic compounds, entire food chains would cease to exist.



Photosynthesis is quite the catalyst for life, yet it’s easy to overlook this humble chemical process. But what if you could see its results scaled across the globe?



THE PULSE OF NATURE



Nature's productivity static



Animated Map: The Heartbeat of Nature's Productivity

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Fracking, "safe" setback distances around drilling sites and health risks in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania – SkyTruth

Fracking, "safe" setback distances around drilling sites and health risks
Mapping potential “drill out” scenarios in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania – SkyTruth





Mapping potential “drill out” scenarios in Allegheny County, Pennsylvani
Mapping potential “drill out” scenarios in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania – SkyTruth

10 Reasons to Feel Hopeful About Climate Change in 2019 | Sierra Club

In 2018, hurricanes, floods, fires, and droughts wreaked a level of destruction on the planet that, according to scientists, is just a taste of what is to come. In October, the International Panel on Climate Change issued a report stating that we have about 12 years to avoid catastrophic climate change. Meanwhile, global greenhouse gas emissions reached a record high in 2018. So is it still reasonable to hope that we can wean ourselves off fossil fuels in time to avert global calamity?

SUNRISE MOVEMENT PROTEST INSIDE THE OFFICE OF REPRESENTATIVE NANCY PELOSI | PHOTO BY MICHAEL BROCHSTEIN/SIPA USA (SIPA VIA AP IMAGES)
10 Reasons to Feel Hopeful About Climate Change in 2019 | Sierra Club

One Earth Climate Model | The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation

A state-of-the-art climate model, funded by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and released by the prestigious scientific publisher Springer Nature, offers a roadmap for meeting -- and surpassing -- the targets set by the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement, proving that we can solve the global climate crisis with currently available technologies. The book, entitled Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement, was the culmination of a two-year scientific collaboration with 17 leading scientists at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), two institutes at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the University of Melbourne’s Climate & Energy College.




One Earth Climate Model | The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation