November 2012 Temperatures 5th Highest Recorded
Part of the Human Induced Climate Change Experiment Also see: Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover is Retreating The globally-averaged temperature for November 2012 marked the fifth warmest November since record keeping began in 1880. November 2012 also marks the 36th consecutive November and 333rd…
I frequently kayak the Potomac River and the real-time stage data reported by USGS seem to be too high (or too low). Are the USGS data inaccurate?
There may be occasional equipment or database problems where erroneous data are reported for short periods of time until corrections can be made. This is why it is important to look at a record of streamflow such as the 7-day hydrograph plots rather than a single point in time. However, most of the…
What do I need to know to get my GPS into correct operation?
We generally emphasize the following four points: a) Select a coordinate system (also called a "position format") you feel comforatble using. We suggest using Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) or latitude/longitude. Most users find UTM coordinates easier to locate on USGS…
What is granite?
Granite is an igneous rock that is composed of four minerals. These minerals are quartz, feldspar, mica, and usually hornblende . Granite forms as magma cools far under the earth's surface. Because it hardens deep underground it cools very slowly. This allows crystals of the four minerals to…
Does the USGS monitor global warming?
Not specifically. Our charge is to understand characteristics of the earth, especially the earth's surface, that affect our Nation's land, water, and biological resources. That includes quite a bit of environmental monitoring. Other agencies, especially NOAA and NASA, are specifically funded…
Light and Darkness, Part II
By Amy Miller My affinity for winter’s darkness is inseparable from my love of light, including the cacophony of colored, white, LED, incandescent and just plain discordant bulbs that turn on the landscapes of New England each December. As I drive through my bejeweled town, though, niggling…
Statement of EDF President Fred Krupp
On the announcement that Lisa Jackson will leave the Environmental Protection Agency Lisa Jackson announces she is leaving EPA; Fred Krupp says she has helped move America toward cleaner air and a smaller carbon footprint …
“Promised Land”: A Love Letter To Longmont
By Mark Brownstein Source: The Daily Digger Promised Land is not a movie about “ fracking .” You will be sorely disappointed if you go to the theatre expecting to see lurid visuals of sinister-looking waste water ponds, plumes of diesel soot and road dust, or bucolic landscapes scarred by roads…
Environmental Defense Fund Offers Insight on the Impacts of Natural Gas Operations
Mark Brownstein, chief counsel of EDF’s Energy Program and EDF’s lead on natural gas, will comment on public health and environmental risks raised by the movie “Promised Land” Environmental Defense Fund Offers Insight on the Impacts of…
What New Projects Are You Planning For The New Year?
By Lina Younes As 2012 comes to an end and 2013 is about to begin, I would like to share some thoughts with you for the new year. I don’t want to call them New Year Resolutions because those don’t seem to survive longer than the month of January. So, how about talking about healthier [...]
Density of Invasive Reed, Phragmites Australis, Mapped in Great Lakes (Dec 17, 2012)
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- Density of Invasive Reed, Phragmites Australis , Mapped in Great Lakes (Dec 17, 2012) Phragmites australis , an invasive species of plant called common reed, grows rapidly into dense stands of tall plants that pose an extreme…
North American Invasive Plant Ecology and Management Short Course (NAIPSC) - Special Session on Biocontrol
Posted by USDA's National Invasive Species Information Center -- North American Invasive Plant Ecology and Management Short Course (NAIPSC) - Special Session on Biocontrol Jun 25-27, 2013 University of Nebraska-Lincoln, West Central Research and Extension Center, North Platte, Nebraska The…
West Antarctica Melting
by Eric Steig Regular followers of RealClimate will be aware of our publication in 2009 in Nature, showing that West Antarctica — the part of the Antarctic ice sheet that is currently contributing the most to sea level rise, and which has the potential to become unstable and contribute a lot more…
Tis the Season to Recycle
By Stuart Reed As the nation’s largest seller of appliances, Sears Holdings Corp. has long championed initiatives and programs that save energy, and respect and protect the environment. That’s why, as the first and largest retail partner to join EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD)…
2012 Texas Air Quality: A Year In Review
By Elena Craft, PhD As we come to the end of another year, we reflect on all that has happened in the world of Texas air quality. This year has brought new challenges and reminded us of how much remains to be done in the quest for healthier air across the state. Our work is critical to the millions…
Which Witch?
USA, EARTH — Can you remember which witch said, “I’m melting”? A: That would be the Wicked Witch of the West Do you know which witch said, “I’m melting Twice as Fast as Previously Thought”? A: That would be you and me. On December 24, 1968 the first color photograph of the world was…
NOAA Seeks Public Comment on Expanding Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Off Northern California
NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries announced today it will begin a public process to review the boundaries for its Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries off northern California.
Doha wrap-up: countries eke out modest deal on Kyoto, new agreement, and climate loss, but postpone many issues
By Jennifer Haverkamp In Doha, countries wrapped up loose ends on technical issues and began to lay the groundwork for an eventual agreement that will establish commitments starting in 2020. Photo credit: Flickr user UNclimatechange It’s now been a couple of weeks since the UN climate talks…
TERA’s Kids+Chemical Safety website: On non-profits, objectivity and independence
By Richard Denison Richard Denison, Ph.D. , is a Senior Scientist. My recent post about the new American Chemistry Council (ACC)-sponsored website, Kids + Chemical Safety, engendered some comments that go directly to the issues of scientific objectivity and independence. The website says “TERA…
New Study: Catch Shares Comply with Catch Limits
Fisheries operated under catch share management systems were more likely to stay within target catch limits and to stop overfishing than those operating under other management systems, according to a new study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) entitled “Estimating the…