Nice quiet Friday, so let’s focus on the big picture/important stuff here: You will remember that back in March, when there was a flurry of news coverage about oceans rising that came out of a Scandinavian conference, that this would set an approximately 90-day timeline before we got to the ‘main events’ of Global Coastal Event coming into view.
Well, sure ‘nuf right on schedule we’re reading how “Scientists: Global warming has already changed oceans“ What’s more, senator Maria Cantwell of Washington issued a news release this week enumerating the whole litany of ocean/global coastal event impacts. Here’s her press release – normally not something I’d post, except that it shows very much the meeting the linguistic expectations. I’ve highlighted some of the archetype grabbers that were in the linguistics in case you’re still asleep, it being Friday and all:
“Climate Change Could Have Devastating Impact on Oceans and Puget Sound Warming Water Temperatures and Ocean Acidification Could Disrupt Ocean Food Chain and Displace Populations Due To Rising Sea Levels
Tuesday, May 27,2008
SEATTLE, WA – As part of her ongoing commitment to examine the health of our nation’s oceans and waterways, Tuesday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) chaired an official Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and the Coast Guard hearing at the Seattle Aquarium along with Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA-01) on the Effects of Climate Change on Marine and Coastal Ecosystems in Washington. During the hearing, Cantwell, Chair of the Subcommittee, received testimony from national and regional experts on the affects of climate change on the health of Puget Sound and oceans, and the impact rising sea levels could have on Washington state communities.
In addition, the hearing examined how ocean acidification is impacting Puget Sound, Washington’s other waterways, the world’s oceans at large, and vulnerable species of marine life. Cantwell has long been concerned about the effects of climate change on ocean health and marine life especially in the Puget Sound and has been working to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide through increased use of alternative sources of energy.
“We can no longer ignore the impact carbon dioxide is having on our oceans,” said Cantwell during the hearing. “We are already seeing the impacts of rising carbon dioxide levels and climate change in the Pacific Northwest and off our coasts. When it comes to ocean acidification, we risk not just damaging the ocean’s ecosystem we are threatening its very foundation. When we combine the impact of ocean acidification with the additional climate change effects of increasing ocean temperatures, changing winds and currents, and rising sea levels, the impacts our carbon emissions will have on marine environments like the Puget Sound will be far too devastating to ignore.”
As seawater becomes more acidic, it may begin to withhold the basic chemical building blocks needed by many marine organisms. In regions like Washington, scientists predict that a more acidic ocean could dissolve the shells of the tiny organisms that make up the base of the ocean’s food chain. Warmer, more acidic oceans can destroy important fisheries and food chains in the Pacific Ocean, impacting Pacific Northwest icons like Pacific Salmon. Reduced Salmon runs would harm Puget Sound’s endangered Southern Resident Orca populations that depend on the salmon as a major source of food.
In addition to damaging the environment, climate change also has the potential to significantly impact our communities and economy. Scientists have determined that the Southern Puget Sound is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, threatening cities like Tacoma and Olympia. For example, 80 percent of Washington’s GDP is generated in the state’s coastal areas. As sea levels rise from climate change, however, many of these areas could end up underwater. By 2050, scientists project that some parts of the Puget Sound could experience as much as a two-foot rise in sea levels. (Enough highlighting – but you see how the language fills out at the archetype level, right? – G)
“I thank Senator Cantwell for bringing a spotlight to the issue of marine health,” said U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.), a hearing participant who is a co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, co-sponsor of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act, H.R. 4174, and a member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. “Even though Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean look majestic and healthy, below the surface we know that these are fragile ecosystems struggling from the stresses of global warming and other threats.”
Washington’s commercial fishing industry, which is threatened by disruptions from ocean acidification, produces gross annual sales of more than $3.5 billion and accounts for nearly 10,000 jobs in the Greater Seattle area. The recreational fishing industry in the state is valued at $1.6 billion, and $4.5 billion for the entire west coast. Nationwide, commercial fisheries contribute over $30 billion annually to the U.S. economy.
“While obvious economic impacts due to climate change have been raised, such as the loss of coastal development, rebuilding of infrastructure or impacts to commercial fisheries, impacts associated with the relationship between a healthy environment and a healthy economy are less frequently discussed,” said Kevin Ranker, San Juan County Commissioner, during his testimony. “The economic impact of losing key ecosystem services will be severe and widespread throughout our statewide economy.”
Atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is driving climate change, is responsible for ocean acidification. Emissions of carbon dioxide have increased the global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration by 35 percent. Over half a trillion tons of carbon dioxide or one third of all CO2 emissions since the start of the industrial revolution have been absorbed by our oceans. Carbon dioxide reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, and in excess, causes oceans to become more acidic. This hinders the ability of reefs to rebuild and can dissolve the shells of animals such as plankton, scallops, clams, lobsters, and others forming the base of the food chain.
Late last year, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill by Cantwell and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) to study and address ocean acidification. Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK), John Kerry (D-MA), and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) are also co-sponsors.”
Of course, on top of this, we know that ocean dead zones are developing, and some of our own research suggests that ‘oceans rising’ will go nonlinear at some point, far beyond what the current expectations are. I mean, throw in a good handful of ‘dancing mountains/ new lands emerging’ over the rest of the year and you have what? I mean besides a global crisis?
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It is possible that the first of the $10-summary ALTA reports from the newest data run will be released by Cliff (www.halfpasthuman.com) next Tuesday or Wednesday. But when I talked to him yesterday, he was a seriously bummed out dude.
Since putting the linguistics together is such a (horrible/awful/screaming/depressing) bummer, the reports will likely not be done on a weekly basis. more like: As he gets recovered from looking at depressing change enough to do another. Looks like next week’s report will be in the 15-17 page kinda range… I’ll let you know when it’s posted.
Import Price Message?
So, with this morning’s report that import prices to the US rose 1.3% in May driven largely by petroleum prices, is that because oil is going up OR that the purchasing power in real terms of the US dollar overseas is going down?
Cracking Down on Smoking
A new federal cigarette bill is in the works. Like the old song (“Cigarettes and Whiskey and Wild Wild Women”) explains smoking: “There’s a fire on the one end and a fool on t’other.” And the fools cost $100-billion in health case. Had my last one in 1987…
Celling Taxes
What’s this? IRS is reported considering a bill which would put a tax on use of a work cell phone in proportion to how many personal versus business calls are made on it. think of it as a presently untaxed ‘fringe benefit’.
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Why can’t we just go to a simple flat rate consumption tax? Why next thing you know, employers who put toilet paper in restrooms won’t be able to write off that expense unless they serve food and water on the premises…I mean where does this extensible to absurdity end?
Pokers and Pokees’
Government is going after online poker operations, it seems. I think this is the deal: If the government was getting reliable 1099’s from all the online outfits, I don’t know as this would be happening. Not sure, though.
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However the gray area is whether people playing online (as in where the server is located in a Poke-allowed state) from a state that bans poker, constitutes a crime. And when did this become something of the fed’s interest? I’m a little slow, so could someone point out where the power to control gambling was ceded by Texas (or any other state) to the central government?
Seems in many areas, the central government just takes power by shoving things through Congrease without States agreeing to it, or ceding the specific power. Which I seem to recall as being reserved for the States is not specifically ceded.
It’s all about money, though: I figure if the federal government were really going after illegal gambling they’d do something about the damn naked short selling problem, wouldn’t they? Just saying’ poker is a game of skill, not gambling, any more than putting money in a 401(k) is gambling her lately, know what I mean?
World’s Glowing Future
North Korea seems to be about to lay another bomb ‘test’ on the world.
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One of these days, these countries that scoff at the NPT are actually going to set some off in something other than the ‘test’ mode…otherwise, I figure, they wouldn’t be building them.
And you saw where Iran and North Korea have formed an alliance to work on delivery systems?
Where’s the Boogie Man? Department
As long as we’re on ‘who to fear’, you saw this? “CIA: Bin Laden still believed to be in Pakistan“. Right….
Gassing Geese
Here’s a fine example of how humans don’t connect dots very well. New York is planning to gas 2,000 geese to prevent then from causing problems for jets going in and out of JFK. I can see that, but if we look just a little ways into the future, we can see how air traffic will likely be shutting down this fall due to the pandemic flu which the WHO has declared, so the amount of jet traffic should collapse – along with airline, hotel, car rental, eat-out restaurants – this fall.
In case you haven’t been keeping count, there were 13,217 cases of swine/hybrid flu and 27 deaths in the USA as of last week, and I would expect the number of cases to be over 16-thousand when new figures come out tonight.
And you can guess what that will mean for air travel this fall, right? Restrictions on travel, anyone?
Strong-Arming and Squirming
Reports today suggest that Ken Lewis of Bank of America ticked off congress on Thursday by not using emotionally hot terms like strong-arm as the Federal Reserve and former Treasury boss Hank Paulson encouraged BofA to bailout Merrill Lynch.
Whose Bonds?
Where’s the financial novelist who could come up with one this good? “2 Japanese Carrying $134 Billion In U.S. Bonds Detained In Italy...” Say, that’s some flash roll, huh? Wonder if they are real or counterfeit?
Head in the Clouds
Is there a new kind of cloud out there? Or just the chemies?
Truth Leaks In headlines
“Confusion expected as analog TV Broadcasts end.”
It’s simple: If you watch TV, you’re confused. Is that so difficult to grasp?