“2014 Breaks Heat Record, Challenging Global Warming Skeptics” – New York Times, 16 January 2015

Posted on January 28, 2015 by subodh

Climate change skeptics might no longer have a leg to stand on, as it has now been reported that 2014 has been the hottest year since weather patterns were first recorded in 1880.

The previous warmest year was 2010; the 10 hottest years on record have taken place after 1997, generating intense heat waves across the western US coast and extreme cold fronts across the eastern US coast. This is further proof that climate change is spurred by human activity and will have a disastrous impact on the Earth.

Moreover, 2014 didn’t have a prominent El Niño — or the warming of the Pacific Ocean that sends excessive heat into the atmosphere — which is odd. It’s easy to imagine that now the effects of climate change have gotten to the point where the world doesn’t need an extra push to reach excessively hot temperatures.

Climate skeptics assert that global warming stopped in 1998, the year of the last extremely strong El Niño. That year was also the warmest year on record in the 20th century. The hottest years have occurred after 1998, in 2005, 2010, and 2014; climate skeptics’ insistence is unjustified at this point.

Human activity continues to take a toll on our environment, causing temperatures to increase, killing flora and fauna, and making sea levels increase. Records for 2014 have been released from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and a Japan-based agency. A British group is also slated to issue their findings in a few weeks.

Interestingly, satellite temperature readings indicate that 2014 wasn’t the hottest year, though they do reveal that last year was very close. Satellites study atmospheric temperatures and not temperatures on the surface of the earth, which accounts for the disparity.

Though climate change seems to be old news at this point, any headway on the matter has been recent. Last year, 300,000 marched in New York City in hopes to mobilize the issue; and last month, almost 200 nations met in Lima, Peru to discuss a global accord to combat the effects of climate change.

(From New York Times)

Developed and Written by Dr. Subodh Das and Tara Mahadevan

January 19, 2015

www.phinix.net skdas@phinix.net

“Pentagon unveils plan for military’s response to climate change” – Los Angeles Times, 13 October 2014

Posted on November 24, 2014 by subodh

In addition to its climactic effects — growing temperatures and increasingly volatile natural disasters — global warming will soon also test global stability, and test the US military’s ability to handle new demands, including food and water deficits, widespread disease, and conflicts over supplies.

Last month, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel presented a plan for the US military to combat the probable outcomes of climate change in what the Pentagon calls, “2014 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap.” According to the report, the US Military faces more challenges, such as, “Coastal military installations that are vulnerable to flooding will need to be altered; humanitarian assistance missions will be more frequent in the face of more intense natural disasters; weapons and other critical military equipment will need to work under more severe weather conditions.”

Hagel has also assessed the situation with representatives from Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago; and took part in the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas, which brought together 34 nations for two days. The UN is sponsoring another event in Peru in December to further discuss the effects of climate change. Hagel strongly believes that all the nations of the Americas should take part in the upcoming event, since climate change can incite more epidemics than just Ebola, and strengthen terrorism.

Developed and Written by Dr. Subodh Das and Tara Mahadevan

October 15, 2014

www.phinix.net skdas@phinix.net

“5 things you can do about climate change” – CNN, 6 May 2014

Posted on June 2, 2014 by subodh

We here at Phinix are huge proponents of doing what you can at home to prevent any further impacts of climate change. The disastrous effects of global warming are stacking up, leading to higher temperatures and rising sea levels. More flooding, wildfires, and droughts are to be expected. Here are five things you can do to lend a helping hand to the environment.

Become Informed

Staying informed about what policy makers are doing and saying is paramount. If you stay educated on climate change, then you can make knowledgeable decisions when voting and electing politicians into office. It also wouldn’t hurt to know what the policy makers are discussing:

Lowering carbon dioxide levels—for example, establishing carbon taxes and carbon caps;
Changing the Earth’s response to the effects of climate change—for example, building seawalls to combat the rising sea levels; and
Adapting the Earth to counteract climate change—for example, changing our oceans to absorb more CO2.

Make Changes at Home

The EPA suggests you do the following to curb your greenhouse gas emissions, which will also save you money:

Change your five most-used light bulbs to products that have the EPA’s Energy Star label;
Heat and cool more efficiently, such as by using a programmable thermostat, changing air filters, and replacing old equipment with Energy Star products;
Seal and insulate your home;
Make use of recycling programs, and compost food and yard waste;
Reduce water waste;
Use green power, such as solar panels; and
Estimate how much greenhouse gas you emit with the EPA’s calculator.

Be Greener at the Office

You can also help out at the office. Here’s how:

Set computers and other office equipment to power down during periods when you’re not using them;
Use Energy Star equipment; and
Recycle and reuse whenever possible.

Reduce Emissions in Transit

You can reduce your emissions both in your daily and cross-country commutes:

Rely on public transportation, biking, walking, carpooling, or telecommuting instead of driving;
Use the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide to help you make an informed choice about buying a car;
While driving, try to avoid hard accelerations, don’t spend more than 30 seconds idling, and go easy on the gas pedal and brakes; and
Make sure to regularly check your tire pressure.

When you’re traveling by plane, try these tricks:

Consider packing lighter because less fuel is consumed with less weight on the plane;
Fly during the day because night flights have a bigger impact on the climate; and
Buy carbon credits to compensate for the emissions on your flight.

Get Involved and Educate Others About the Bigger Picture

Though one person’s efforts might only have a small influence, involving and educating others will allow our impact to grow. Together, we can help to prevent any further damaging effects of climate change.

Developed and Written by Dr. Subodh Das and Tara Mahadevan

May 13, 2014

www.phinix.net skdas@phinix.net

“Climate Change Will Cause More Energy Breakdowns, U.S. Warns” – New York Times, 11 July 2013

Posted on July 22, 2013 by subodh

The US’s energy system — oil wells, hydroelectric dams, nuclear power plants — is becoming more and more defenseless to the effects of climate change; a prime example were the blackouts experienced during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The condition of our energy system will only worsen, as the world endures harsher storms, climbing temperatures and drier seasons.

At the beginning of this year, the NOAA reported that 2012 was the hottest year on record for the lower 48 states. The effects are seen from power plants, which are either shutting down or downsizing, to barges transporting oil and coal, which can’t make it through waterways due to low water levels.

Last year’s record-high temperatures led way to a record-setting drought, affecting large portions of the Southwest and Midwest, and leaving litter water available to cool fossil fuel plants and generate hydroelectric power. Almost 60% of the nation’s coal plants can be found in parts of the US with possible water deficiencies spurred by climate change.

The US Department of Energy predicts that air conditioning demand on the west coast will necessitate an additional 34 gigawatts of electricity production by 2050 — equal to building 100 new power plants — and will come with a hefty price tag of over $40 billion.

Steps towards reducing the emissions that have greatly reshaped our climate are much needed, but won’t be felt for a long time. The increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have shifted our climate into total disarray, the last 150 years of rising emissions built into our energy system.

In the meantime, states and the federal government should begin efforts to reinforce their cities against the increasingly relentless weather.

Developed and Written by Dr. Subodh Das and Tara Mahadevan

July 18, 2013

Phinix, LLC

My Thoughts and Experiences

Category Archives: hottest year

“2014 Breaks Heat Record, Challenging Global Warming Skeptics” – New York Times, 16 January 2015

“Pentagon unveils plan for military’s response to climate change” – Los Angeles Times, 13 October 2014

“5 things you can do about climate change” – CNN, 6 May 2014

“Climate Change Will Cause More Energy Breakdowns, U.S. Warns” – New York Times, 11 July 2013

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