Category Archives: Climate

Converging atmospheric rivers (look north)

Posted on July 20, 2023 by William Calvin

Here we see the Puget Sound Convergence Zone, ordinarily found up north of the King County line. Moisture-laden westerly winds off the Pacific run into the Olympic Mountain range and split into a south-around branch (via southern Puget Sound) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, In the Neighborhood, Photography, Science and Technology | Tagged ITCZ | Comments Off

Canada Offers Lesson in the Economic Toll of Climate Change

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Wildfires are hurting many industries and could strain households across Canada, one of many countries reckoning with the impact of extreme weather Thanks to Mike C. By Lydia DePillis in the NYT Canada’s wildfires have burned 20 million acres, blanketed Canadian and U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Economics, environment, Essays, Health | 1 Comment

Giving Red America a Reason to Love Electric Vehicles

Posted on June 10, 2023 by Jim deMaine

By Binyamin Appelbaum in the NYT June 10th Photographs by Reva Keller Mr. Appelbaum is a member of the editorial board. Ms. Keller is a photographer based in Seattle. Electric vehicles are rare in Moses Lake, Wash., a small city in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Climate, Economics, environment, Government | Comments Off

The prescience of Tom Lehrer

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Jim deMaine

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My grandson’s phone in NYC today!

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Jim deMaine

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HIDDEN HYDROGEN

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mike C. A version of this story appeared in Science, Vol 379, Issue 6633. Download PDF IN THE SHADE of a mango tree, Mamadou Ngulo Konaré recounted the legendary event of his childhood. In 1987, well diggers had come … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Climate, Economics, environment | 1 Comment

When scientists tagged a curious seal, he led them to signs of a potential climate disaster

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Jim deMaine

from the Washington Post (thanks to Pam P.) This is a story about a curious seal, a wayward robot and a gigantic climate change disaster that may be waiting to happen. Scientists tagged a southern elephant seal on the island … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Nature, Science and Technology | Comments Off

France to require all large parking lots to be covered by solar panels

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. In France, solar just got a huge boost from new legislation approved through the Senate this week that will require all parking lots with spaces for at least 80 vehicles – both existing and new – to be … Continue reading →

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Billionaire No More: Patagonia Founder Gives Away the Company

Posted on September 15, 2022 by Jim deMaine

by David Gelles in the NYT A half century after founding the outdoor apparel maker Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, the eccentric rock climber who became a reluctant billionaire with his unconventional spin on capitalism, has given the company away. Rather than … Continue reading →

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Bill Gates: We’re on the Verge of a Remarkable Moment for Congress and the Country

Posted on August 6, 2022 by Jim deMaine

By Bill Gates Mr. Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft, is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy and the author of “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster.” Turn on the evening news and it immediately becomes clear that Americans are experiencing the … Continue reading →

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Dubai builds world’s largest vertical farm

Posted on July 27, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. The city known for importing almost all of its produce will now grow 2 million pounds of leafy greens each year inside the world’s largest vertical farm. As the world begins to turn its back on … Continue reading →

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Floating solar power could help fight climate change — let’s get it right

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Fascinating article about a possible future for solar panels. Click here to read. Thanks to Mike C.

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Lessons for climate from the gun problem

Posted on June 2, 2022 by William Calvin

Excerpt from my book ms: Now let me briefly borrow a direct analogy to our climate reasoning. People often believe that the gun problem can be fixed by limiting gun sales. The gun problem, however, is not proportional to this … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Guns | Comments Off

Who Gives A Crap toilet paper review: Our favorite recycled toilet paper (at CNN)

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. This article is a part of CNN Underscored’s Earth Week, a weeklong focus on our planet and ways to celebrate and preserve it. We’ll be featuring tips on how to live more sustainably, products to help you spend … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, Education, environment, Science and Technology | 1 Comment

Largest glacier calving ever filmed

Posted on February 15, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Mary Jane F.

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The world looks to Punxsutawney Phil on February 2nd

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P. When is Groundhog Day? Groundhog Day is on Feb. 2 every year. In 2022, Groundhog Day will be on a Wednesday. What is Groundhog Day? On Groundhog Day, the world looks to Punxsutawney Phil, a groundhog, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, History, Humor | Comments Off

Cascading climate consequences

Posted on December 2, 2021 by William Calvin

In describing climate consequences—the ones more serious than hotter summers—I feel as if I am describing top-down cascading failures. The classic example is the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, which in 2001 had collapsed, floor after floor, down to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, environment, Government, History, Politics, Race, Science and Technology, Uncategorized, War | Comments Off

The Cotton Tote Crisis

Posted on October 29, 2021 by Jim deMaine

By Grace Cook in the NYT Thanks to Diana C. Recently, Venetia Berry, an artist in London, counted up the free cotton tote bags that she had accumulated in her closet. There were at least 25. There were totes from the … Continue reading →

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How hot

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Ann M.

Posted in Climate, Humor | Comments Off

The Rise of the Climatarian

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Diana C. By Danielle Braff, May 20, 2021, Updated 1:31 p.m. In the NYT Torben Lonne, a 34-year-old scuba diver in Copenhagen, never eats without considering the carbon footprint and the emission level of the food he’s about to consume. … Continue reading →

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The Hoover Dam Made Life in the West Possible. Or So We Thought.

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Jim deMaine

By Timothy Egan in the NYT Mr. Egan is a contributing Opinion writer who covers the environment, the American West and politics. LAKE MEAD, Nev.— Few things force you to confront hubris and genius at the same time as much as … Continue reading →

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A rare snow cloud in Nepal

Posted on April 21, 2021 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Paul T. Even though this looks like snow… it is a CLOUD. An amazing phenomenon recently captured on video.A “cloud avalanche” occurred near the Kapuche Glacier Lake in the mountains of Nepal, March 2021. That scene is extremely rare, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate, environment, Nature | Comments Off

Better than videos of my talk

Posted on April 1, 2021 by William Calvin

Hello all, I have finished up the half-hour YouTube version of my second climate talk from March 23rd. It is at https://youtu.be/VUZ4jb2qWGM. The last ten minutes, on tipping points, will be new to you. I am now … Continue reading →