WTF Climate Change News

[Chalice Yao]

I figured this fits in here:

Pollution: 'Forever chemicals' in rainwater exceed safe levels

From Antarctica to Tibet, long-lasting chemicals in rainwater are well above US safety guidelines.

www.bbc.com

This new study, which looks at four specific chemicals in the class, suggests that levels of one PFAS in rainwater around the globe often "greatly exceed" US drinking water advisory levels.
Soil around the world is similarly contaminated, evidence suggests.
The study's findings lead the authors to conclude that a planetary boundary has been crossed - that there simply is no safe space on Earth to avoid these substances.
"We argue here that we're not within this safe operating space anymore, because we now have these chemicals everywhere, and these safety advisories, we can't achieve them anymore," said Prof Ian Cousins, the lead author from Stockholm University.
"I'm not saying that we're all going to die of these effects. But we're in a place now where you can't live anywhere on the planet, and be sure that the environment is safe."

TL;DR: You can be in the most remote location on earth, and still get to enjoy chemically contaminated water on top of the microplastics you can't avoid anymore.
We are at that point in time, right now.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

I figured this fits in here:

Pollution: 'Forever chemicals' in rainwater exceed safe levels

From Antarctica to Tibet, long-lasting chemicals in rainwater are well above US safety guidelines.

www.bbc.com

TL;DR: You can be in the most remote location on earth, and still get to enjoy chemically contaminated water on top of the microplastics you can't avoid anymore.
We are at that point in time, right now.

Maybe that explains why the GM page says they are aiming to completely convert their vehicles to electric asap.... the people in charge realize they aren't just ruining the world most of us live in, but that they live in too.... ;.;

 

[Beebo Brink]

Recent studies find previously unknown loss of Antarctic ice

New research on Antarctica, including the first map of iceberg calving, doubles the previous estimates of loss from ice shelves and details how the continent is changing.

phys.org

 

[Archer]

Massive, Unregulated Source of Plastic Pollution That is Killing the Planet

A nurdle is a bead of pure plastic. It is the basic building block of almost all plastic products, like some sort of synthetic ore; their creators call them “pre-production plastic pellets” or “resins.” Every year, trillions of nurdles are produced from natural gas or oil, shipped to factories around the world, and then melted and poured into molds that churn out water bottles and sewage pipes and steering wheels and the millions of other plastic products we use every day.

Nurdles are not classified as pollutants or hazardous materials, so the Coast Guard, which usually handles cleanups of oil or other toxic substances that enter waterways, bears no responsibility for them.
Likewise, most state governments have no rules in place around monitoring, preventing, or cleaning up nurdle spills

 

[Beebo Brink]

 

[Innula Zenovka]

 

[Beebo Brink]

'We are waiting for rain, for winter, for God' - Fighting a megafire in France

On the frontline of the wildfires in France is a tactical team trying to stay ahead of the flames.

www.bbc.com

 

[Beebo Brink]

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

A disastrous megaflood is coming to California, experts say, and it could be the most expensive natural disaster in history

Many Californians fear the "Big One," but it might not be what you think.It's not an earthquake. And it isn't the mega drought. It's actually the exact opposite.A megaflood.

www.kcra.com

Where I live is expected to be underwater when - not if - this megaflood happens.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

The Coming California Megastorm (Published 2022)

A different ‘Big One’ is approaching. Climate change is hastening its arrival.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Arkady Arkright]

IMHO Part of the behaviour exhibited here is the vacuum in the top of the closed container slowing down the flow, as it does when emptying an inverted bottle. I'd be more convinced with this demonstration if the if the containers were open-topped.

 

[Soen Eber]

IMHO Part of the behaviour exhibited here is the vacuum in the top of the closed container slowing down the flow, as it does when emptying an inverted bottle. I'd be more convinced with this demonstration if the if the containers were open-topped.

You'd have to remove the sides, too. Oops! Water runs off, doesn't soak in. Your shoes get wet! But they don't get wet (or as wet) in the other soils because the water soaked in. [inserts philosorapture meme].

 

[Arkady Arkright]

You'd have to remove the sides, too. Oops! Water runs off, doesn't soak in. Your shoes get wet! But they don't get wet (or as wet) in the other soils because the water soaked in. [inserts philosorapture meme].

You could see the bubbles of air rising in the water, the same effect as if you up-end a narrow-necked bottle, so the vacuum does have some effect. I'm not saying that what's being demonstrated is incorrect, just that there are other factors influencing the result that could have been excluded from the demonstration..

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

 

[Tirellia]

You could see the bubbles of air rising in the water, the same effect as if you up-end a narrow-necked bottle, so the vacuum does have some effect. I'm not saying that what's being demonstrated is incorrect, just that there are other factors influencing the result that could have been excluded from the demonstration..

Agreed. A series of simple tubes filled with water would be more reasonable.

 

[Soen Eber]

You could see the bubbles of air rising in the water, the same effect as if you up-end a narrow-necked bottle, so the vacuum does have some effect. I'm not saying that what's being demonstrated is incorrect, just that there are other factors influencing the result that could have been excluded from the demonstration..

My own belief is the closed tubes are more accurate, as they remove the factor of gravity in measuring a soil's ability to absorb moisture. The dryer soil is more packed down, meaning there is less surface area to exchange air for water, while healthier soil is looser and has more surface area to work with.

It's a good question though. I'll look around for someplace to get a more informed answer.

 

[Beebo Brink]

The Bigger This Fungus Gets, the Worse We’re Doing

Human actions have turned a usually beneficial fungus into a bringer of death.

www.theatlantic.com

 

[Sid]

One hardly can see the difference.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

The century of climate migration: why we need to plan for the great upheaval

The long read: People driven from their homes by climate disaster need protection. And ageing nations need them

www.theguardian.com

Evernote link

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]