[GWSG] Hawthorn Aquifer; NPR on cc; 2010 records; albedo change; CA storms; cc lawsuits; coal extinction; attached paper

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Vijay Satoskar with Jacksonville’s Environmental Quality Division believes that a little-known local aquifer can provide major assistance in NE Florida’s looming water shortage.   “Recently, I have been promoting the Intermediate Aquifer (Hawthorn) to bridge the anticipated shortfall of 65 mgd by 2030. I have been reviewing the Aquifer for some time now, which I referred to as the ‘neglected aquifer’ and I strongly feel that, if properly managed, it can provide the necessary alternative water supplies for Duval County, instead of our traditional approach of seeking expensive, technology-based solutions such as R/O or de-salination.”  (R/O=reverse osmosis; mgd=millions of gallons per day)  For the PowerPoint Vijay wrote to accompany his talk on the topic last July, look under Morning Session B in the following link.  http://www.coj.net/Departments/Environmental+and+Compliance/Environmental+Quality/Environmental+Symposium+2010.htm

2.  On January 21 NPR ran an extended panel show on climate change, concerning particularly its effect on the oceans.  It was a straight presentation with no allowance for propaganda.  Thanks to Toby Kidd for alerting me to the show.  http://www.npr.org/2011/01/21/133117332/changing-climate-means-changing-oceans?ft=1&f=1025

3.  Greenland’s loss of ice accelerated in 2010.  The melt was twice the average of the last 30 years; every year since 1996 has topped that average.   http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i_Q3N9N_oF9GXOP4vkabAahe80YQ?docId=CNG.d4bf2493e23bbda63c1a68cd11283f06.ee1 2010 was tied within the margin of error with 1998 and 2005 for the hottest year of the industrial era, and Arctic sea ice was at a record minimum.  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/arctic-sea-ice-at-low-as-2010-the-warmest-year-on-record-un/story-e6frg8y6-1225992318616

4.  Almost 30% of the heating due to CO2 buildup comes from the change of reflectivity as sea ice melts.  According to a new study the climate models have underestimated by half the contribution of albedo change to warming.   The impact if the study holds good would be to compress the time scale of projected change.  http://www.miller-mccune.com/environment/nature%e2%80%99s-cooling-albedo-disappearing-faster-than-thought-27599/

5.   One consequence of climate change is stronger storms.  A recent conference considered what that might mean for California. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mega-storm-20110123,0,1868244.story

6.  While no law suit has yet collected damages for climate change, 132 climate-related suits were filed in the US last year (many on regulatory issues, not for damages) and the number is expanding rapidly.   http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jLQy3ze-D7N4ZQzyDjvLA8ChIEhQ?docId=CNG.0974f2ca1c91adea909b6017dc4d554e.471

7.  Coal ignited by volcanoes appears to have caused the world’s greatest extinction event 255 million years ago. http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/11012305-researchers-find-smoking-gun-world-biggest-extinction.html

8.  I have attached a paper (now in press) on the possibility of providing renewable energy for a sustainable future by 2050 (all new energy to be renewable by 2030). The energy cost would be similar to today’s.  The paper features an extended consideration, and rejection, of nuclear options, as well as consideration of the material support necessary to energy conversion using today’s technologies.  Thanks to Stephen Mulkey for forwarding it.
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