Three stories caught my attention this past week. First, as reported in Reuters and according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), sea levels around the United States are expected to increase up to a foot over the next 30 years due to climate change—as much as they have risen in the last century. Sea levels will tend to be higher along the Atlantic and Gulf shores, because of greater land subsidence there, than along the Pacific coasts.
The NOAA study, designed as a planning tool to mitigate and adapt to rising sea levels predicted, has a high degree of certainty over the next three decades, regardless of any efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet, NOAA officials said. Tides and storm surges are expected to cause an increasing amount of damage. Sea level rise is caused primarily by melting ice sheets and glaciers as global temperatures increase.
Thinking about building close to the ocean or Gulf shores? Got a property within the probable zone of impact? You have good reason to be concerned.
Southwest’s Megadrought a Historic One
Meanwhile, as those in coastal areas worry about their beachfront land disappearing, The New York Times reported this past week that the megadrought that has gripped the American Southwest since 2000 is the worst stretch of dryness in at least 1,200 years and scientists studying the drought say climate change has a lot to do with it. Scientists analyzed tree-ring data to reconstruct past climate.
Says The New York Times: The Southwestern drought has been continuing for 22 years. Researchers say it is extremely likely to continue for a 23rd, and only somewhat less likely it will reach 30. “Warming has loaded the dice,” [scientists] say.
Food for Thought About Gas Stoves
Finally, a report in Environmental Science and Technology revealed that gas-burning stoves in kitchens across America may pose a greater risk to the planet and public health than previously thought. As reported by The Washington Post, the appliances release far more of the potent planet-warming gas methane than the EPA estimates. It was Stanford University scientists who conducted the study. The appliances also emit significant amounts of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant that can trigger asthma and other respiratory conditions.
“If you have the financial ability to swap out a gas stovetop for an electric induction stovetop, I do think that’s a good idea,” said Rob Jackson, a Stanford earth science professor and co-author of the study. “It’s a good idea for the planet and for air quality.”
Methane, the main component of natural gas, is second-largest contributor to climate change among greenhouse gases.
Interestingly, the researchers found that more than 75 percent of the methane emissions occurred when the gas stoves were turned off, suggesting that leaks persist even when the appliances are not being used for cooking or heating. When was the last time you had your gas stove checked for leaks?
Also, air quality was found to be worse when range hoods were not used or in more cramped kitchens.
Adds The Washington Post, “New York City last month became the largest municipality in the country to ban gas use in new buildings, overcoming opposition from the fossil fuel industry and real estate developers.”
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