An update on drought conditions in India (The Guardian). “Hundreds of Indian villages have been evacuated as a historic drought forces families to abandon their homes in search of water…..Estimates suggest up to 90% of the area’s population has fled, leaving the sick and elderly to fend for themselves…..The drought, which officials say is worse than the 1972 famine that affected 25 million people across the state, began early in December.” Thankfully, thousands of water tankers are being deployed, helping people survive.
Health has always cheap cialis prices been the priority of things in life just changes all of sudden. This approach and subsequent research led to new diagnostic Disorder with Dysphoria Irregular Temperament (TTID), which means cialis without prescription overnight a potential change in the diagnostic classification system of the DSM-V is scheduled for publication in May 2013. In western medicine, hormone and immunosuppressive drugs are usually cialis for sale canada used to cure impotence. You will need flour (of course) and a bowl of sildenafil side effects yogurt three times every day.
—–
Plant extinctions are occurring up to 500 times faster than what would be expected naturally (BBC News). By actual count, “Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Stockholm University found that 571 plant species had disappeared in the last two and a half centuries, a number that is more than twice the number of birds, mammals and amphibians recorded as extinct (a combined total of 217 species). The researchers believe even these numbers underestimate the true levels of ongoing plant extinction.” Every loss is bad news for other species that depend on them.
—–
Permafrost is thawing more rapidly than scientists have expected (CNN). From a new study made of the Canadian High Arctic, “Researchers found maximum thaw depths had already exceeded what they had expected to occur by 2090.” Just in the last two decades the rate of thawing greatly exceeds that which was observed toward the end of the 20th century, with the blame placed on a series of warm summers. The story concludes with this—“Because Arctic permafrost is now melting faster than before, higher amounts of greenhouse gases and carbon could be released. That would warm the planet up more quickly.”
—–
A new study, first of its type, links the future loss of ocean biomass to climate change (AP). The comprehensive study was conducted by 35 scientists, taking into account the varying effects of warmer water temperatures, acidification and loss of oxygen, but not from the overfishing that is also likely. Their main conclusion was that for each degree of global warming (above the surface) we should expect an overall decline of 5% of marine animal biomass, with species of the largest size being hurt the most.
—–
A new report shows why excessive consumerism is the main driver of climate change (New Republic). The logic is pretty straightforward—industries would not produce as much in the absence of customer demand. The report was issued by a consortium of 94 of the world’s largest cities, whose populations are on track to nearly double their consumption by 2050. “For cities to do their part to limit global warming to 1.5°C, the report says, they must limit their consumption-based emissions by 50 percent by 2030, and 80 percent by 2050. That will be extremely challenging.” Yes, indeed. How about starting a new kind of business, called ‘reverse advertising,’ that spends billions of dollars every day urging people not to buy things?
–Here is a link to the report. It is very readable, full of charts, good advice and so on.
Carl