Another Good Climate Change Resource

New Scientist has published a comprehensive guide to help rebut many of the most common talking points used by people who want to either deny the reality of climate change or to deny that it is caused by human produced carbon dioxide emissions.

I have seen many arguments against climate change or against human causes, but I have yet to see a serious debate in actual peer-reviewed scientific literature that undercuts the consensus that we are warming the planet overall and that this will cause major problems for the global ecology that all species depend on. We are treating earth as a big uncontrolled experiment and if some of the more dire predictions of anthropogenic global warming are correct it will be of small comfort for our descendants to hear "Well, I guess those scientists were right after all" as they struggle to survive in a ruined ecosystem.

Are we really willing to gamble our future on the slim chance that the science is wrong?

Tribal Healthy Homes Program Completes Testing On First Group Of Homes

Last week was a busy one for me, training with the American Lung Association tech team testing homes for air quality in Grand Portage. We tested six homes - looking for mold and moisture problems, carbon monoxide from furnaces and ovens, ventilation, humidity, and more.

The testing went well, and after the reports for each home are complete then we will develop a plan to improve the air in the homes through remediation. The goal of the project is to improve the health of the people living in the homes, and since the program is through the ALA the priority is to identify and repair homes of persons with asthma and other breathing problems.

One finding that surprised me was that the newest stoves tested gave off the most carbon monoxide - in some cases over 5 times more than some of the older, simpler stoves. This shows the importance of using your kitchen fan when cooking. Carbon monoxide is deadly in large enough concentrations, and is odorless and colorless. If you are unsure about your stove and want me to test it call me at 475-2415 ext. 35, or e-mail soberg@boreal.org, or stop by my office at the Trust Lands building.

World Class Air Pollution

I am a big Olympics fan, particularly of the winter games, but I feel very sorry for the athletes that have to breathe the toxic soup that passes for air in Beijing. The outdoor distance events must be brutal

The government of China has spent millions to try to clean the air there in time for the games, but the sheer volume of unregulated pollution cannot be mitigated by shutting down some nearby factories and reducing the number of cars in the city.

Current estimates of the air quality in China do not include fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), one of the most hazardous forms of pollution for long term lung problems. They have said they will begin monitoring for PM 2.5 after the games, so it will be interesting to compare the readings of the Air Quality Index after they release that data.

I will bet that the Grand Portage AQI is better!

Great New Climate Website From JPL

There is an excellent new website on climate change from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This website puts the relevant science in one easy to use place, and it is a great place to refer someone who wants to learn the basics of climate science as well as a good reference to bookmark even if you are well versed in climatology.

Thanks to Climate Progress