Green-News: Thursday 1.29.09
- Forests in the U.S. are shrinking. And scientists blame global warming. Over the last two decades tree death rates have doubled. Hotter temps reduce the snow pack, lengthening droughts, and may also increase insect populations; National Geographic News reports.
- Satellite imagery has revealed regions of Antarctica have warmed significantly in recent years, speeding up the disintegration of ice shelves. But officials still need to determine how much of the warming is natural or caused by burning fossil fuels; from The New York Times.
- Experts fear global warming could create dead zones in the ocean, carbon dioxide-heavy ecosystems devoid of sea life, and these pockets of environmental inactivity could last for up to two millennia. Runoff from agriculture is already causing dead zones; the AFP explains.
- Using available acreage for growing biofuel crops might exacerbate global food shortages and push up prices. That’s why South Korean scientists have developed a way to use marine algae or seaweed to produce ethanol, instead occupying land; NewScientist investigates.
- In 2007, renewable energy generation rose, specifically wind energy. In the summer, total net energy capacity increased 8,673 MW, with wind power accounting for 5,186 MW of that. But wood and wood derived fuels are still the largest source of energy; via CleanTechnia.
- The green industry could fire up the U.S. economy. In California, green-collar jobs are on the rise. Improved efficiency standards have created 1.5 million jobs over the last three decades, such as wind-energy technicians and solar panel installers; The Los Angeles Times reports.
Image credit: Clinton Steeds
