Category Archives: Climate Change

Climate change effects on hydropower in California

Posted on June 14, 2019 by

Preface. The main impact of climate change will be on hydropower in California, which is the largest source of renewable electric power. Besides natural gas, it is the only dispatchable form of power to balance unreliable, intermittent wind and solar … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Hydropower | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Escape to Mars after we’ve trashed the Earth?

Posted on October 30, 2018 by

The idea that we can go to Mars is touted by NASA, Elon Musk, and so many others that this dream seems just around the corner.  If we destroy our planet with climate change, pollution, and so on, no problem, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Extinction, Far Out, Human Nature, Planetary Boundaries, Where to Be or Not to Be | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Rising Sea Levels – What to do?

Posted on July 10, 2018 by

Preface. I first published this in June 2014, but thought I’d re-update it now that $2.5 million is going to be spent by Resilient by Design on 10 teams to come up with solutions for rising sea levels.  They failed … Continue reading →

Posted in Sea Level Rise, Transportation | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Richard Heinberg: Systemic change driven by moral awakening is our only hope

Posted on June 6, 2018 by

[ Although this was written over a year ago on August 14, 2017 by Richard Heinberg on Ecowatch, it’s as true today as it was then, and worth republishing since people forget what they’ve read in the past Alice Friedemann   … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Critical Thinking, Overpopulation, Overshoot, Population, Richard Heinberg | Tagged , , , | 20 Comments

Mass migration: Africa

Posted on June 4, 2018 by

Sengupta, S. 2016-12-15. Heat, Hunger and War Force Africans Onto a ‘Road on Fire’. New York Times. AGADEZ, Niger — The world dismisses them as economic migrants. The law treats them as criminals who show up at a nation’s borders … Continue reading →

Posted in Drought, Extreme Weather, Mass migrations | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

America’s energy security, jobs and climate challenges 2010 House of representatives hearing

Posted on May 4, 2018 by

Preface. In this 2010 House of Representatives hearing, General Wesley Clark foresaw in 1973 “that US military forces might have to become engaged to defend or protect oil-producer governments”.  Today “we can look back on the continuing failures of American … Continue reading →

Posted in Caused by Scarce Resources, Climate Change, Energy Dependence, Military | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

World’s first multi-million dollar carbon-capture plant does work of just $17,640 worth of trees

Posted on April 28, 2018 by

Preface. This is a shortened and reworded version of the original article.  Obviously, since we’re at the peak of global fossil fuel production, when the plateau ends sometime between now and 2025 and production declines exponentially, greenhouse gas emissions will … Continue reading →

Posted in CCS Carbon Capture & Storage, Climate Change | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

What can California do about sea level rise?

Posted on February 26, 2018 by

Projected sea level rise from one meter (dark red) to six meters (light orange) in California’s Bay Area. (Weiss and Overpeck 2011) Preface. Nearly all, if not all, possible solutions to rising sea levels along all the coasts in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy, Infrastructure, Railroads, Roads, Sea Level Rise, Sewage treatment, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on What can California do about sea level rise?

Hurricanes will lower Gulf and East Coast carrying capacity

Posted on February 1, 2018 by

Preface. New Orleans and much of the gulf and east coast remain vulnerable to severe weather, and require help from the federal government to recover.  Clearly as climate change worsens this will only become more of a problem in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Extreme Weather, Hurricanes, Sea Level Rise | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hurricanes will lower Gulf and East Coast carrying capacity

Human over-consumption causes far more biodiversity loss than climate change

Posted on January 23, 2018 by

2016-8-13. Climate change isn’t the biggest danger to Earth’s wildlife, our thirst for natural resources is even more damaging (2016-8-10 “Biodiversity: The ravages of guns, nets, and bulldozers” Nature) For better or worse, human society has developed into a force … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodiversity Loss, Climate Change, Extinction | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Human over-consumption causes far more biodiversity loss than climate change