Catastrophic Weather and Ignorance

From: 350.org

350.org shared a photo.

Hurricane Sandy will be arriving on the East Coast in a matter of hours, so we're re-posting this.

Sandy is now the largest Atlantic hurricane by width ever measured. Storm surges are already higher than in last year's Hurricane Irene.

That's after the hottest summer in North American history, a massive drought and record Arctic melting. This is not a coincidence.

From the album: Timeline Photos

By 350.org

A storm unlike any that meteorologists have ever seen is heading for the East Coast of the United States. We're hoping that it won't be so bad, but if it is, we'll know why.

The media is not doing a good job reporting this part of the story -- SHARE this and connect the dots between climate change and extreme weather, even if they won't!

 

 

Bill McKibben joined meteorologist Jeff Masters and Climate Scientist Greg Jones this morning to discuss the connections between stronger storms and climate change. Do yourself a favor and listen all the way through--fascinating stuff.

350.org Activists Unfurl Giant “End Climate Silence” Banner in Times Square

A big crowd of volunteers joined 350.org in Times Square this afternoon to unfurl a giant parachute with the message “End Climate Silence” and an image of a hurricane.
"Meteorologists have called this 'the biggest storm ever to hit the U.S. mainland,' which is a reminder of how odd our weather has been in this hottest year in American history,” said 350.org founder Bill McKibben. “But mainly it's a reminder of how much we need to take care of each other when disaster strikes--we hope everyone will pitch in with the Red Cross, and with local relief efforts. Community is our greatest source of energy, and our cleanest!"

Photo: Adam Welz

 

As Hurricane Sandy barrels down on the East Coast, scientists are connecting the dots between increasingly extreme weather and global warming. Yet for most of this year’s presidential election, the words “climate change” have gone unmentioned. The issue was not raised in a presidential debate for the first time since 1988.

 

Scientists warn that climate change is loading the dice for extreme weather events like Hurricane Sandy. The Earth’s average global temperature has risen between 1.5 and 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century and the warmer temperatures mean that the atmosphere holds about 4% more moisture than it did in 1970, leading to greater rainfall.

Photo: Adam Welz

According to leading hurricane tracker and weatherman Jeff Masters, water temperature in the mid-Atlantic this year is 5°F warmer than average, allowing hurricanes to travel farther north and contributing to “an unusually large amount of water vapor available to make heavy rain.”

The recent string of extreme weather events -- especially the drought, heat wave, and wildfires that ravaged much of the United States this summer -- is making Americans more concerned about climate change. According to a recent report by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communications, 70% of Americans now say they believe global warming is a reality, the highest level since 2008.

This November 7, 350.org is launching a 20-city nationwide tour called “Do The Math” to connect the dots between extreme weather, climate change, and the fossil fuel industry, which is not only driving climate change but blocking the clean energy solutions that could solve the crisis. More information is available at math.350.org.

[Video includes Mitt Romney's buffoonery at the Republican Convention which does nothing beyond perpetuating ignorance.]