Heatwave sees record temperatures hit the Arctic
Uncharacteristically clear summer skies (Yes, really; the clouds were mostly sent our way –Ed) have caused havoc in the Arctic, allowing sunlight to filter through and melt huge volumes of ice.
Scientists from Canada's Queen's University were shocked to see temperatures rise from the usual average summer temperature of 5C to an astonishing 22C on a field trip to the Arctic in July. Sea levels sank accordingly, and by September were the lowest ever on record. What makes the discovery even more shocking is that the temperature recordings were taken in one of the coldest places in the whole of North America, Melville Island.
Posted by Charlotte Dingle on October 3, 2007 10:42 AM
in Carbon Neutral Living| Green News| Planet saving
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French president Nicolas Sarkozy is keeping his pre-election pledge for a ‘green revolution’ in France. The first stage is a massive consultation exercise using an internet questionnaire and public meetings around the country. The consultation will not decide policy, but it will directly influence policy. There are of course critics of the president that are calling this a publicity stunt, but the fact is the president is doing something constructive and bringing the public into the process of reducing France’s carbon emissions. The public are basically being asked whether they want to save the planet. They are also being asked to voice their opinion on specific policies. For example, they are being asked if they would accept a 10kph speed limit reduction, given that this measure alone can save 1.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions a year. 
Gaia Thinking is a new book series with titles addressing climate change, environmental and ethical issues. Eco political figure, Zac Goldsmith, has called them “a ground breaking series that addresses the most important issues we face today.” The books examine key concerns including carbon emissions, the state of our oceans and how the 21st-century lifestyle impacts on our physical and mental wellbeing. The publishers have commissioned leading authors, all experts in their fields, to explain the challenges we face and to inform and enlighten. Gaia Thinking is aimed at a mainstream audience and market themselves as practical books that reveal how our choices make real difference to our future. Sounds obvious, but we often need reminding of it. They’re also printed on Cyclus Print which is 100% totally chlorine-free (TCF) and 100% post consumer waste (PCW).
In a bizarre twist on the viability of carbon off-setting, there is now evidence that some of the schemes are causing an increase in child labour in poorer countries. In an example of such a scheme, Climate Care is paying poor and impoverished families in India to stop using diesel-powered pumps to irrigate their fields and replace them with human-powered treadles instead. One family ‘benefiting’ from Climate Care’s scheme is the Ram family. Their six year old daughter and her four young brothers now work flat out in the searing sun to pump water into their family field. Climate Care is the company that sells off-sets to British Airways customers, so they can feel better about their long-haul flights. 
