Dr Dorcas Otieno, the Executive Director, Kenya Organization of Environmental Education (KOEE) said in the sidelines of the ongoing meeting of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation in Nairobi, Kenya that the toolkit recognises that Faiths are managing the youth who represents the future of any society.

Dr Otieno said the toolkit is about sustainable development which espouses values that include a call for respect for the environment, equality in sharing the natural resources and environmental care.

She said these values appeared common and cross cutting through religious groups which included, the Catholic, the Protestant churches, Muslims, and Hindu at meetings held between the KOEE and the Faiths in the recent past.

Dr Otieno said the faiths recognise that the challenges of water, sanitation, and health, agriculture and waste management in the era of climate change need active participation of the Faith to be solved.

She said the toolkit aims to address these issues through empowering the youth and children in Schools and colleges managed by the faiths.
Already, she said, teachers have been identified from 35 schools across the country and trained on how to implement the toolkit.

The teachers have already formed eco-schools that emphasize hands on experience. Out of these, nine schools are already running pilot projects that implement the toolkit with clear demonstration of conservation with religious values.

Dr Otieno said environment care is proving to be one route through which many faiths and religious groups can be united.

Already churches like the Methodist Church in Kenya with three million members, a university, major hospital and 533 schools, has drawn up its own long-term environmental plan. It has commuted to set up an Intensive Agricultural Training Centre to train in environmentally friendly and sustainable farming techniques, and will also organize creation awareness courses in schools and on radio programmes.

“The initiative to draw an environmental policy for our church was born following a conference with ARC in 2011 in Nairobi,” said presiding bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya Rev Fr Stephen Kanyaru M’Impwii.

ARC’s head of Africa projects Alison Hilliard said it was inspiring to see all the extraordinary work being done by faiths in Africa. “I have been working on these programmes for many years, and I am constantly surprised and moved by the creative and energetic responses from faiths. Each plan is different, according to what the faith can do, and sees is important. I look forward, many years into the future, to seeing the fruits of these extraordinary initiatives being launched today.”

The programme emphasised the centrality in all faiths of thanksgiving and celebration for creation; it included singing and a chanted poem from the choir of All Saints Cathedral Primary School and the girl’s choir from the Muslim Academy, Nairobi.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

“In response I felt convicted that Gods’ call is for us to be caring over all that he has given us according to his wisdom and that our failure (sin) has lead to destruction, poverty and death of many. We therefore, as God’s children, must arise to our God-given responsibilities.”

Further north, the Ugandan Muslim Youth Assembly has concentrated on forest and tree planting, with 50,000 trees planted in the past two years, and more than 700,000 trees planned for the next two.

Immam Ibban Iddih Kasozi explained that people are cutting down trees for construction, furniture, and fuel: “Wood is the biggest fuel source in Uganda,” he said. “The only way of ensuring there is wood for the next generations is to do this programme.”

“Our community believes in community work. All is jama, all is congregation: we believe that everything that we do is a prayer: this is why we have undertaken this plan.”

Elimringi Abraham Maringo from the Northern Diocese of the Lutheran Church of Tanzania said a whole generation had grown up never planting a tree and they were the ones cutting the trees down. That is why all faith groups should engage young people in nurturing the care of trees so that this generation loves trees and sees them as their responsibility. The church plans to plant 8.5 million trees.

In Kenya, SUPKEM, an umbrella body of all Muslim organsiations, societies, mosque committees and groups with around six and a half million members across Kenya in over 4 thousand groups committed itself to launch a long-term programme of training for sheikhs, imams and madrasa teachers on the importance of environmental conservation from an Islamic perspective. It commits to getting that message out through local religious FM stations and through Friday prayers and through schools.

It will promote widespread tree planting activities, as tree planting is one of the greatest virtues in Islam- and start work on an educational kit on environmental conservation for use in madrassas.

A similar body in Nigeria, Qadiriyyah Movement, with an estimated 15 million followers, 1500 full time imams and it runs 118 primary schools, 34 secondary schools, two theological colleges and has 8000 mosques committed to develop tree nurseries to supply the schools with seedlings.

At the schools to grow food organically for sale through kiosks in Kano city.

To organise weekly collections of the polythene water bags with up to 120,000 children every week collecting 100 each. These will be recycled or used as tree sapling bags.

To Green the Kano pilgrimage which brings up to 4 million pilgrims to the city and is a commitment as part of the Green Pilgrimage Network launched last year by ARC.

Not to be left behind is the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church with 43.5 million followers in 70,000 parish churches with 6.5 million children in Sunday Schools and 3000 monasteries.

45% of parish churches have forests and 75% of its monasteries are surrounded by faith protected forests. The church and monastery has traditionally been centres for protection of indigenous biodiversity as well as the centre for faith based respect for nature.

Their commitments include creating a full inventory of Church owned forests and developing a protection and management plan for them all.

Create within each monastery a centre for improved technology and skills for sustainable land management.

Install biogas digesters within all monasteries.

In Southern Africa, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa with 10 million believers and around 1000 clergy with 5000 parishes and mission centres in 53 countries committed to establish a new Environmental Centre in Johannesburg as the Church’s main training centre.

All churches will keep September 1 a day of prayer and action on the environment.

The Church will also advocate that no industrial products are brought to Africa and no waste discarded here if the country of origin would not itself accept such products or waste.

The Bhumi Africa, of the Hindu Council of Africa based in Nairobi, Kenya committed to conduct green audits on their buildings and land to be followed by environmental certification which will guide the Hindu community in creating environmentally buildings, manage the environment well and achieve sustainable development.

There are 1.7 million Hindus in Africa with 35,000 in Nairobi itself making up 1% of the city’s population. Between them they have set up 27 temples, 40 social, cultural and sports facilities, 22 schools, 9 medical facilities and 10 written and radio media outlets.

Hindu festivals add colour to our heritage and lives. However celebrating some of these festivals significantly contributes to pollution and waste. As part of their commitment Hindu communities will be encouraged and assisted to green these events by greatly reducing waste and pollution.

They will also phase out the use of plastic bags by introducing Bhumi bags, durable bags made from hemp to be promoted by Hindu temples, schools and shops.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

Addressing participants at the ongoing Alliance of Religions and Conservation conference in Nairobi, Mr Goumandakoye said “the responsibility taken by the faith groups and their long-term commitments for a living planet will help shape the beliefs, behavior and actions for a greener and better Africa and the world”.

He said this commitment by the faith groups in environment conservation for human well-being are among the driving forces for positive change as humanity is grappling with challenges of colossal consequences.

Mr Goumandakoye disclosed that many scientists now agree that the world has entered a new geologic time, the anthropocene era that is characterized by human deep alteration of earth, by massive impact on the planet.

“What science is telling us is that collectively, we have crossed several of the most prominent bio-physical tripping points at the planetary level,” he said.

He added that resources exploitation already exceeds the earth biological capacity by 25 per cent and that humanity increased its global ecological footprint from 0.5 earth planet in 1950 to 1.25 now. “If the trends continue, very soon we will need two planet earths to satisfy our needs,” he added.

For example, he said, the challenge of climate change alone continues to grow with an increase of carbon dioxide of about 40 per cent above pre-industrial levels.

At a recent African Ministers of Environment meeting in Arusha, Tanzania noted with concern that developed countries continue to increase their emissions.

The ministers expressed concern that the current inadequate mitigation pledges by developed countries are likely to lead to an increase of the global average temperature of greater than 2 degrees celsius and possibly 5. This, said Mr Goumandakoye will have a global impact and more so Africa due to its high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and low adaptive capacity.

Kenya’s Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Ali Mohamed said in a speech read on his behalf by Richard Mwendandu that environmental conservation is usually about moral values.

He said understanding the inter-dependence of the planetary systems, inter-dependence between living organisms and between living and no-living organisms are essential in maintaining the natural balances.

Mr Mohamed however said that this balance has over the years been affected through human action with the resultant effects manifesting in diverse ways that are yet to be fully understood.

“While governments around the world continue to respond to these challenges through policy, law and regulatory measures, the size and the complexity of the challenges continue to grow,” he noted.

He cited the destabilizing climatic systems, the loss of biological diversity, depletion of oceanic stocks and pollution of water systems as challenges that continue to baffle the global community.

“The problem, says Martin Palmer, Secretary General, Alliance for Religion Conservation, the UN and global governments’ approach to these problems is way out of touch. He adds that despite the many Conferences of Parties by the UN and many resolutions by governments, “no agreement is on sight”.

“Yet the religious groups have the answer,” he said adding that the religious groups have practical steps that can be emulated across many villages, regions and countries with action-oriented grassroots projects and programmes whose impacts are seen. “They are also more trusted by their local communities in ways that governments are not,” he added.

“With 90 per cent of Africa’s population being either Christian or Muslim, the way to the heart of Africa is through faith. And faith is at the heart of these plans,” said Mr Palmer.

He said faith groups all around Africa are rediscovering how the mandate to protect the richness of God’s Creation is clearly set out in their holy texts and this is leading to profound practical action – everything from restoring habitats and planting trees to reducing energy use and training young people in environmental care and protection.

He said many COPs are attended by people who do not believe in the processes they are involved in. “many of those delegations are either attending these COPs to help save their governments from paying money or make sure that their governments do nothing about climate change and conservation.

AUTHOR: Henry Neondo
URL: http:// www.africasciencenews.org
E-MAIL: neondohenry [at] yahoo.com

The study, authored by William Anderegg of Carnegie Institution for Science at Stanford University and Jeffrey Kane and Leander Anderegg of Northern Arizona University, reviews dozens of scientific papers dealing with the ecological impacts of climate change on forests.

Although forests reflect more light and decrease local temperatures, there are a host of other issues that are exacerbated by global warming. Forests reduce the impacts of climate change by sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen, however, less trees means more carbon and less oxygen. This constitutes a dangerous feedback loop. Declining forests are being impacted by global warming and this is interfering with the natural processes that mitigate climate change.

As reviewed in a Mongabay article, “Forests cover 42 million square kilometers or 30 percent of Earth’s land surface…Forests store 45 percent of the carbon found in terrestrial ecosystems and sequester as much as 25 percent of annual carbon emissions from human activities, helping mitigate a key driver of climate change…clear-cutting of forests in the tropics accounts for 8-15 percent of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.”

As stated in Science Daily, “From an ecosystem perspective, forest die-off will also likely affect hydrological processes and nutrient cycles…decomposition of fallen trees releases carbon into the atmosphere, thus producing a warming effect…Debris from fallen trees could also increase a forest’s fire risk.”

These impacts have a very real economic costs. Forests account for trillions of dollars of annual economic activity. Mass tree mortality will incur substantial losses to the timber industry and could cause declines in real-estate property values.

Forests cover 42 million square kilometers or 30 percent of Earth’s land surface. Every continent on Earth is being impacted by forests loss with the exception of Antarctica. In the US, there has been an increase in the incidence and severity of forest fires since 2000. A wide range of forest are being impacted including the Redwood forest in Marin, CA. Rainforest in Borneo. Forests in Southeast Asia, the Russian Far East, and the Amazon has been particularly affected by drought over the past 20 years. Roughly a million hectares of Amazon rainforest suffered from severe drought stress in 2010.

Although more research is required, the study suggest a troubling global trend that could cost billions of dollars and substantially accelerate climate change.

AUTHOR: Richard Matthews
URL: http://www.thegreenmarketoracle.com
E-MAIL: smallbusinessconsultants [at] gmail.com

The anomalies below were discovered by American scientific organizations such as NASA, USGS, NOAA, etc, and not by me. I am the one who put these anomalies together as evidence that proves the earth’s orbital around the sun is destabilization, and decaying. Keep in mind that these anomalies are in the beginning stages. I started researching this subject in May-1982 I been involved with global warming since July-1983. I am not an over night expert. The anomalies below are occurring simultaneously, and are slowly worsening. There is no information available to show how long earth’s orbit around the sun have been destabilizing, or which one of these anomalies below will cause death, and destruction, first. The scientific websites below are my references.

THE ANOMALIES

(1). The sun is getting hotter, and brighter due to the earth moving closer to the sun. Many people around the world notice the sun feels hotter on their skin. This anomaly will produce deadly events in the future.
(A). http://www.appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/GW_Part6_SolarEvidence.htm   
(B). http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/slideshow/warm-winter-weather-15488219
(C). http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1997/11.06/BrighteningSuni.html
(D). http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/0313irradiance.html.
(E). http://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/science/093097sci-sun.html
(F). http://bruderheim-rea.ca/warming13.htm

(2). The moon is continuing to move away from the earth 3.8 cm per year. Click on website “A” read last sentence in figure10. I don’t know the total distance the moon has traveled away from the earth, as this point.
(A). http://www.uni.edu/morgans/astro/course/Notes/section4/new17.html.

(3). The earth is developing a breach in its magnetic fields. The earth’s magnetic field is showing signs of collapsing. This anomaly will produce deadly events in the future.
(A). http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1611923/themis_project_discovers_breach_in_earths_magnetic_field/
(B). http://heavenawaits.wordpress.com/a-giant-breach-in-earths-magnetic-field-%E2%80%93-end-times/
(C). http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09/0909_040909_earthmagfield.htm
(D). http://www.appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/AAIndex.htm

(4). The earth has tilted on its axis 26.0 degrees beyond normal, and the tilting of the earth axis is worsening. This anomaly will produce deadly events in the future.
(A). http://divulgence.net/axis%20shift%202.html.
(B). http://www.divulgence.net/

(5). The earth’s magnetic poles are continuing to reverse at 40 miles per year.
(A). http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2003/29dec_magneticfield/
(B). http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/29dec_magneticfield.html
(C). http://www.psc.edu/science/glatzmaier.html

(6). The earth’s rotation is continuing to slow down. Due to the earth tilting on its axis.
(A). http://novan.com/earth.htm
(B). http://bowie.gsfc.nasa.gov/ggfc/tides/intro.html.

(7). The earth is wobbling on its axis, and the wobbling is continuing to worsen.
(A). http://www.michaelmandeville.com/earthmonitor/polarmotion/2006_wobble_anomaly.htm
(B). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_wobble
(C).  http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-earth-mantle-shown-high-pressure.html

(8). Both polar ice caps are being melted by the sun during each polar ice caps summer season, due to earth’s orbit destabilizing. The oceans are rising. This anomaly will produce deadly events in the future
(A). http://polaricecapsmelting.com/two-effects-of-polar-ice-caps-melting/

(9). The northern hemisphere, and the southern hemisphere are experiencing rare winter tornadoes. Due to the earth’s orbit destabilizing. It should be too cold for their development. Rare winter tornadoes are not rare anymore.
(A). http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/southern-storms.html
(B). http://www.canadianweather.org/forums/index.php?/topic/6237-central-us-hit-by-rare-winter-tornadoes/
(C).  http://earthsky.org/earth/two-tornadoes-strike-south-africa.
(D).  http://nashvillewx.com/2011/10/deadly-tornado-in-south-africa/

Earth’s core, and Nuclear Radiation

The molten activity in the core of the earth generates the earth’s magnetic, and gravitational fields. The earth’s core is being fuel starved, which is causing the temperature, and the pressure in the core to drop. As the core cools, and pressure drops the earth’s magnetic, and gravitational fields will weakens. This is causing the earth’s orbit around the sun to destabilize. The high temperature, and pressure in the earth’s core is not sustained by decaying nuclear material, or by a dynamo process. nuclear activity can’t generate pressure directly, unless its used in nuclear fusion, and explodes. The radiation would be so pervasive that it would have made its way to the surface of this planet via volcanic eruptions long ago, and contaminate the air, the water ways, and the land surrounding the volcano with deadly radiation. Radiation is deadly to the life forms, and is absorbed by all elements. Little to no radiation has ever been detected during, or after a volcanic eruption. The radiation levels are so small no radiation protection garments are needed when scientists come in contact with materials, and gases ejected from volcanoes. There has never been any dangerous radioactive fall out from volcanic eruptions.

There are no report of any radiation sickness after volcanic eruptions. There is not enough nuclear material in the earth to support the large, and highly intensive molten activity in the core, but there is more, than enough hydrocarbons. Radioactive activity by its self can’t generate pressure, but ignited hydrocarbons can. If the high temperatures in the core were sustained by decaying nuclear materials it would be impossible for the magnetic field in earth’s core to retain all of the the radiation in the core, and lower mantle, so radiation would eventually make its way to the surface of this planet, long ago. Volcanoes are the earth’s exhaust system. They remove spent fuel, and regulate the high pressures in the outer core, and lower mantle. Only crude oil, and natural gas by-products are ejected from volcanoes such as the great pressures, Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, organic compounds, carbon enrich debris, carbon enriched lava, carbon enriched smoke, carbon enriched ash, sulfur, sulfur dioxide, oxygen, etc. The root causes for global warming is due to internal planetary sabotage, not external complications, beware of the sun.

(A). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_gas

How to Stop Earth’s Decaying orbit around the sun

The only way to reverse global warming is for the oil companies to re-pressurize the earth’s fuel systems, because the crude oil, and natural gas extraction process used by the oil companies reduces the pressure in crude oil, and natural gas wells (fuel system). One way this can be accomplished is by pumping the crude oil, and natural gas back into the ground, and igniting the natural gas in the crude oil, and natural gas well. The ignited gas will explode, and expand, and create the pressure need to force the remaining crude oil, and natural gas back into the lower mantle, and outer core. Air must be pumped into the crude oil, and natural gas well to compensate for a weak artificial ignition source used to ignite the mixture in the oil, and gas well. The high temperatures in the outer core, and lower mantle ignites the crude oil, and natural gas, when they come in contact with the high temperatures in the lower mantle. The lower mantle heats the outer core, and the outer core heats the inner core. Its the inner core that generates earth’s magnetic, and gravitational field. Some of the pressure generated by the combustion of hydrocarbons is vented out through the earth’s volcanic systems, and some of the pressure is used to pressurize earth’s crude oil, and natural gas wells.

The more hydrocarbons that are forced into the lower mantle, and outer core the higher the temperature in the core, and the stronger the earth’s magnetic, and gravitational fields, and the stronger volcanic eruption. When a oil, and gas well becomes over pressurized an earthquake is generated. The less hydrocarbons forced into the lower mantle, and outer core the lower the temperature, and the weaker the earth’s gravitational, and magnetic fields, and the weaker volcanic eruptions will become. The core is cooling slowly, because the core is receiving less fuel, and is surrounded by the best insulation known to man, and that is rock, and soil. It will take many decades to reheat the outer core, and many more decades to reheat the inner core to normal temperatures. Restoring earth’s fuel system back to normal pressures will stabilize earth’s orbit around the sun. If not done in time all life on this planet will cease to exist.

Crude oil, and natural gas was not created to fuel our industries, or automobiles. It was created to fuel this planet. Crude oil, and natural gas are the life blood of this planet. The earth is constantly creating more crude oil, and natural gas, but not at the rate it is extracted by the oil companies.

Global warming has nothing to do with a hole in the ozone, Co2 gases, natural gases, black carbon, the green house effect, sun flares, the sun going nova, and most importantly the earth is in no cycle of warmth. Tens of hundreds of scientists believe the green house gas theory is false. This should be a cause for an alarm. Global warming is based upon location, not greenhouse gas concentrations. The highest temperatures on earth are on the equator.

The sun is millions of times larger, than the earth. As the earth moves closer to the sun, its heat will continue to spread, and began to warm more, and more of the earth’s surface. Areas on the earth will begin to become sunny, and/ or warm in winter. The heat will spread towards both polar ice caps. As the heat spreads the more intense the sun’s heat will become. This effect has already begun on both sides of the equator in winter, and is responsible for winter tornadoes, snow storms accompanied by thunder, and lightening, and rain instead of snow. Warning.

SOURCES

• University of Leicester (UK): Vladimir Shaidurov of the Academy of Science (Russia)
• Environmental Protection Agency: The Natural Resources Defense Council:
• Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC): Tilburg University (The Netherland)
• The Global Warming Petition Project (www.petitionproject.org):
• NASA/ Goddard Space Flight Center: NOAA, USGS, and the American Astronomical Society:

REFERENCES

• Environmental effect of Increase Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide by Dr. A.B. Robinson, Dr. N.E. Robinson, and Dr. W. Soon (2007) J. Am. Phy. Sur. 12, 79-90.
• G.D. Roseberg, and S.K. Runcorn (eds.), 1975 Growth rhythms, and the history of the earth’s rotation:
• New York Wiley Interscience, Global Warming Sun Takes Some Heat, Environment (October2004), vol. 46 Issue (8), 7-7, 1/2p.
• Dr. Sami Solanki/ Max Planck Institute for Solar System
  Research; Gottingen, Germany.
• Speight, James G. (1999) The Chemistry, and technology of Petroleum. Mercel Dekker/ ISBN: 0824702174
• Kenneth A. McGee, and Terrence M. Gerlach 1995/ Volcanic Gas: USGS Open files report

AUTHOR: Mr. Willie McDonald
URL: http://www.orbital-decay1.blogspot.com
E-MAIL: cdnld30 [at] gmail.com

All throughout the Northeast there have been single day record breaking heat in July. The climate center reported that in July Washington’s Reagan National Airport hit 105 degrees, Baltimore and Newark recorded 104 degrees, Syracuse hit 101, and New York City’s LaGuardia Airport also saw temperatures of 101 degrees.

The US is not the only nation suffering from drought, extreme dry spells in China, Africa, Russia, Australia and Western Europe may be suggestive of a permanent change in climate patterns.

Last year was no better, as the summer of 2011 was marked by record heat and drought. Russia lost 13.3 million acres of crops, or about 17 percent of its production. Also in 2011, drought was so severe in the Horn of Africa that it killed 60 percent of Ethiopia’s cattle and 40 percent of its sheep.

If it were not for last year and the year before, this year could be easily dismissed as an anomaly. When you have consistent warming and a string of record breaking years for heat and drought all occurring in the last decade, it looks increasing like this represents a disturbing trend that is here to stay.

AUTHOR: Richard Matthews
URL: http://www.thegreenmarketoracle.com
E-MAIL: smallbusinessconsultants [at] gmail.com

According to an EPA report, seven of the top ten warmest years on record for the continental U.S. have occurred since 1990. The frequency of heat waves have also steadily risen since the 1960’s and the percentage of the US population experiencing heat waves has also increased. Perhaps most convincing is the fact that seventeen of the warmest years in recorded history have occurred over the last twenty years and the warmest years on record occurred in the most recent decade.

The summer of 2011 was one of the hottest on record and the summer of 2010 saw record-setting temperatures in more than a dozen nations. There were record-breaking temperatures all around the world in 2010 and a new record was set for the second highest average global temperature over a 12 month period. In 2011, the U.S. experienced widespread record-breaking heat waves and droughts, which along with other extreme weather events, have been linked to climate change.

In 2010, China recorded the second highest temperatures it had ever seen, and India recorded its warmest year ever. Many heat records were also set in the U.S. in 2010. According to NASA, 2010 was tied for the hottest year ever in the U.S. and NASA’s temperature record showed that it was the hottest January to April in recorded U.S. history. In the U.S. there were more than 4000 daily high temperature records that were tied or broken in June. There were also 159 reports of record high temperatures for June and 42 reports of all-time record hottest temperatures.

The Great Russian drought of 2010 prompted fires and destroyed 25 million acres of crops. Thousands died around the globe as many parts of the world suffered under the record-breaking heat. More recently, the Amazon faced its second “hundred-year drought” in the past five years.

Even before 2010, the evidence for a warming trend was building. Researchers have been pointing to a link between weather and climate for decades. Eight years ago, a study published in NatureNews indicated that global warming was partially responsible for the deadly heat wave that scorched Europe in 2003. Hurricane Irene pushed the U.S. yearly record for billion-dollar natural disasters to 10 in 2011, smashing the 2008 record of nine.

The extreme heat and drought we are experiencing in 2012 looks increasingly like the years that preceded it. We may very well be dealing with global weather patterns that have been permanently changed by global warming.

AUTHOR: Richard Matthews
URL: http://www.thegreenmarketoracle.com
E-MAIL: smallbusinessconsultants [at] gmail.com

The new research published by Harvard University found that extreme weather like climate-driven summer thunderstorms might introduce more water into the stratosphere, which can erode the protective ozone layer over the US and elsewhere.

This study draws attention to the urgency of our efforts to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) including black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Reducing SLCPs could cut the rate of global warming by at least half for the next several decades, prevent up to 4.7 million premature deaths each year and prevent billions of dollars in crop losses.

“The possibility of significant ozone depletion over North America is only the newest in a litany of accelerating impacts of climate change,” stated Durwood Zaelke, President of IGSD. “We cannot afford to wait to take fast-action.”

There are many unanticipated harmful consequences of global warming, which makes the point that we had better take precautions rather than wait to deal with the potentially irreversible side effects.

This study is one of the first to experimentally prove this hypothesize so other studies will need to follow. However it does make the point that is it better to act now rather than wait and see what kinds of devastation will come from a warming world.

AUTHOR: Richard Matthews
URL: http://www.thegreenmarketoracle.com
E-MAIL: smallbusinessconsultants [at] gmail.com

Ashrafuzzaman Ujjal and Muntasir Mamun with their tandem bike in USA. Image courtesy Trashmaniac.com

For many people the idea of climate change is of growing concern as they are not directly threatened. The people of Bangladesh however are becoming increasingly alarmed at the potentially devastating consequences of the sea level rise and climate change. The USA has the highest consumption of plastic based product and the largest consumer market for bottled water. Each year, Americans throw away some 28 million tons of plastic waste.

Muntasir Mamun and Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Ujjal, two activists from Bangladesh are riding this summer on a tandem bike to collect and measure the amount of plastic and other waste they come across during their 5000 mile journey from Seattle to New York.

Rayhan Rashid introduces them [bn] and their efforts in Nirmaan Blog:

Bangladesh is a country riddled with the perils of climate change. Two young men from this Asian country are riding on a tandem bike from one corner of USA to the other. They are collecting trashes like empty bottles and cans on the way and are recording them on their mobile phones. They are enduring the pain of riding through the deserts, with shortage of cash, constantly worrying about food and lodging. They are forging ahead overcoming all these obstacles to carry a simple but strong message on behalf of the people from a green delta near the Bay of Bengal.

The consumerism and waste of the developed countries are among the reasons for climate change and USA is one of those responsible countries. They have chosen the citizens of USA as the target audience of their message so that they can be more aware how their lifestyles are causing wastes. Also these citizens will be able to realize how these wasteful lifestyle can be fatal for the people on the other side of the world as they are subjected to the effects of climate change. This planet was ours, everybody had the same right in it, this we forgot.

Muntasir has developed a an Android App to count the number of plastic based debris within eye sight. The data is being continuously uploaded to an website named www.trashmaniac.com where people can see their progress.

Muntasir & Ujjal are also updating their own travel blogs (in Bengali). Here are a few quotes fromMuntasir Mamun’s blog:

The Trashmaniac ride is going great. It was the quickest 87 miles and after 12:00PM it was a bit warm. We rested a bit but had to go ahead as still there is a long way to go. Indiana is reminding me of Pixito, the father of my college, he was from here. The roads are plain, waiting for the temperature to fall so that we can go ahead one more day…. Crawfords Valley, Indiana. (6th of August, 2012)

The roads of Illinois are reminding me of Bangladesh every time. The cows on the streetside, the shadows of the trees and the friendly people, all are reminding me of home. I want to go home as soon as possible. …. Normal, Illinois. (1 August, 2012)

When a christian conservative lady prays for you to God with motherly love then I don’t know whether God needs anything more to make our travel safe. Also we will never forget her sandwiches and pancakes for breakfast. … Clinton, Illinois (29 July, 2012)

He is also posting photos in his blog, Facebook and in Flickr.

Patrick Runkel at the Minitab blog is inspired by what the Trashmaniac team is doing. He acknowledges that simple acts like avoiding the use of plastic grocery bags and choosing products with minimal packaging can make a lot of difference. Patrick writes:

We just all need to get on a bike together—one built for about 9 billion people.

Follow the Trashmaniac team on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Also published in Global Voices Online.

AUTHOR: Rezwan
URL: http://rezwanul.blogspot.com/
E-MAIL: i_rezwan [at] hotmail.com

Global warming is real, there are clear evidences, but not everyone believes. Geoengineering, a scientific answer that offer temporary solutions, to prevent temperature rise of the earth to an irreversible level, is facing opposition because of its risks. Gay rights in our present world is touchy, many are revealing, expecting acceptance, for further legalization.

The trine have evolved in new ways that may not have been projected half a century ago. Scientists are shrieking the reality of global warming, people and communities are ravaged by climate change, geoengineering is increasingly seen as adoptable, and the sitting US President and his Vice, have voiced support for gays –- broadly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender.

Gay and sexuality is an area that can spark outrage, or cause a buzz over a person or organization that pinches or supports it. Just this week, the President and COO of Chick-fil-A, a US Chicken restaurant chain, Dan T. Cathy, was in the spotlight, because of his belief in traditional marriage.

He is a Christian and believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. This and his organization’s stance against gay marriage, that saw them donate to groups working against legalization, made gay marriage activists call for^, boycott of Chick-fil-A restaurants on August 1.

They called for protests and kissing in front of the restaurants, nationally. The organization came under criticism, with communities and universities seeking its withdrawal from their jurisdiction. Many have declared the restaurant unwanted in their communities, signaling new challenges for the business.

Sexuality stance, and donation to aligned groups, for a business is not advised, if overt. It will drive some people away and attract some others. People want services and enjoy products but may not favor products from an organization aligned. Gay right is a hotspot presently, and high profile people prefer to skirt their stance or put that ‘they should not be discriminated against.

Gay people are like a powerful minority, fighting for acceptance. A number of US states have legalized gay marriage, and churches are advised to join gay partners. Gay rights supporters already have some attention, but will have to wait some years or far into the future to see a global reality for their dreams.

Gays understand issues people have with their sexuality, but want people to reason with their realities. Gay folks will likely be cool with “a freedom to certain personal choices, within the law and passed into law”. Gays are unlikely to discriminate against people of a religion that don’t attack their sexuality.

Gays are also likely to support certain subject that most people are expected to immediately rebuff. Gays will likely support geoengineering, a proposition that is harder to accept, than to believe in its firebrand, global warming. Gays, currently battling legalization and further acceptance, may not have the will, to tear geoengineering, in opposition.

Geoengineering is not in line for large scale-deployment soon, but work is ongoing with research on policy and technicalities. Geoengineering has too many possibilities for bad and for good, with people and the earth. It is considered as a usable stopgap, if mitigating global warming-causing emissions, fall short.

Geoengineering is coming for the necessity and the reality that global warming may maltreat the earth within a foreseeable future, with no alternative for ease but it. Most people believe in global warming, or simply, understand that recent weather anomalies may be tied to it, most gays too believe. Gays want the rest of us to see from their goggles, but whether we totally do or not, substantial opposition to global warming and geoengineering is not expected from gay folks.

AUTHOR: David Stephen
URL: http://www.trpns.com
E-MAIL: Stephen [at] trpns.com