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Mt. Kilimanjaro Ice Cap rapidly retreats, 85% of 1912's ice cover vanished..recent surface melting not occurred over 11700 yrs
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The ice atop Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania has continued to retreat rapidly, declining 26 percent since 2000, scientists say in a new report. 85% of the ice cover that was present in 1912 has vanished. It is anticipated to be completely gone in 20 years. Surface melting like that seen in recent years has not occurred over the last 11,700 years.
The impact of these events and the precursor that they offer of the trends to follow e.g. - droughts, intensified storms, floods, sea level increase and famine, are all a result of global warming which, according to an organization (IPCC) of 2,500 scientists from 130 countries is a result of human-caused activities that produce greenhouse gases.
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Photos courtesy of Yann Arthus-Bertrand / HOME, National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) for Tanzania, and Wikipedia read more »
Vietnam: 1/3 of delta, where 17 mil ppl live, half country's rice is grown, may be submerged if sea rises by 3 ft
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In a worse-case projection, a Vietnamese government report released last month says that more than one-third of the delta, where 17 million people live and nearly half the country’s rice is grown, could be submerged if sea levels rise by 3 feet in the decades to come. In a more modest projection, it calculates that one-fifth of the delta would be flooded, said Tran Thuc, who leads Vietnam’s National Institute for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Sciences and is the chief author of the report. Storm surges could periodically raise that level, he said, and experts say an intrusion of salt water and industrial pollution could contaminate much of the remaining delta area.
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Photos courtesy of AFP / Getty and EPA
Original Source: NY Times
Skip the plastic, save a fish. Texas-sized ocean garbage vortex found in Pacific, plastic sea trash doesn't biodegrade
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Shocking gigantic sight of ocean debris is found in the Pacific. The Texas-sized Pacific Ocean garbage patch is a vortex formed by ocean currents & collects human-produced trash. Plastic sea trash doesn't biodegrade and often floats at the surface. Bottlecaps, bags and wrappers that end up in the ocean from the wind or through overflowing sewage systems can then drift thousands of miles. "Seeing that influence just floating out here in the middle of nowhere makes our power painfully obvious, and the consequences of the industrial age plain." Plastics have entangled birds and turned up in the bellies of fish, and one paper cited by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates 100,000 marine mammals die trash-related deaths each year. read more »
Bravo! Most creative, productive int'l competition to save planet: Pakistan, 300 people planted 541176 trees a day
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WWF has awarded Pakistan’s Environment Minister Leaders of the Planet title, an award to recognize individuals making a significant personal contribution to the global fight against climate change. Without mechanical equipment, covered in mud, and sweating in temperatures up to 37° Celsius, Pakistan set the Guinness World Record for tree planting, beating India in a most healthy & productive international competition contributing to endangered forests. 541,176 young mangroves trees were planted by 300 volunteers in just one day, breaking the previous 447,874 record held by India.
Pakistan set the Guinness World Record for tree planting, beating India in a healthy and productive international competition contributing to preserving fragile and endangered forests. With 541,176 young mangroves trees planted by 300 volunteers from the local fishermen communities just in one day, the country broke the previous 447,874 record held by historical rival India.
Of 679 whales killed in 2008-09 hunt in Antarctica, 304 were female. 4 lactating & 192 pregnant at time of death
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MADEIRA, Portugal - Data provided by the Japanese government has revealed a large number of pregnant and lactating female whales killed. The data was made public at the International Whaling Commission meeting Monday, June 22, 2009.
Pandemic swine flu spreads easily, cases reach 30000, 18000 in US; New Orleans mayor out of quarantine in China
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*update*
Pig to Person
Person to Pig
FLU CAN SPREAD BETWEEN PIGS AND PEOPLE for people exposed to pigs
The 2009 H1N1 virus (known as swine flu), ended in August 2010
US swine flu cases grow to nearly 18,000
ATLANTA (AP) - Nearly 5,000 new U.S. swine flu cases have been reported in the last week, due partly to its continuing spread in the Northeast. The number of deaths rose from 27 to 45. That's according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which released new figures Friday. There are nearly 18,000 probable and confirmed cases now, found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The pandemic seems to be waning in many parts of the country. However, cases continue to spread in New England, New York and New Jersey. read more »
Brazil a leader in green power: 50% of cars able to use 100% biofuel, 70% of electricity sourced from hydropower
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*update* Mar 15, 2018
Brazil is the third largest renewable energy generator
In addition to clean energy, Brazil stands out for its biofuel production. Influenced mainly by ethanol, Brazil is the second largest biofuel producer in the world.
The largest national use of ethanol biofuel exists in Brazil (gasoline sold in Brazil contains at least 20% ethanol and hydrous ethanol is also used as fuel). In order for ethanol (ethyl alcohol) to be suitable for use as a replacement to petrol in its pure form, it must be distilled to at least 70-80% purity by volume before use.
Today almost 50% of Brazilian cars are able to use 100% ethanol biofuel, that includes ethanol only engines and flex fuel engines. Flex fuel engines are able to work with all ethanol, all gasoline or any mixture of both, giving the buyer a choice between price and performance.