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Are You Aware? Wildfires
This is part IV in our “Concerning Climate” Awareness Wednesday series. Read the other posts in the series here. Wildfires have been a part of the American landscape for centuries. Fire is a part of nature. Grasslands have historically burned every 15 to 30 years, and many forests have burned every 60 to 150 years. Burning is known to maintain forage and open woodlands, creating important wildlife habitats. Plants, such as the ponderosa pine tree with its thick bark, can survive low-intensity fires, and the seeds germinate in the fertile, recently burned soil. Thousands of acres have burned every year, often with few consequences but occasionally with tragic outcomes. During the hot dry…
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Are You Aware? Love for Africa
This is part III in our “Concerning Climate” Awareness Wednesday series. Read the other posts in the series here. Africa accounts for only two to three percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy and industrial sources. According to the World Resources Institute, Africa’s per capita emissions of carbon dioxide in the year 2000 were 0.8 metric tons per person, compared with a global figure of 3.9 tons per person. The U.S. per capita emissions are 16.2 tons per person. In the fight against climate change, Africa’s contribution is negligible. Of course, Africa is not a monolith. African countries have varying levels of development and utilization of energy sources. The…
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Are You Aware? Water Is Critical
This is part II in our “Concerning Climate” Awareness Wednesday series. Read the other posts in the series here. Water is critical to the sustenance of life. Creating and maintaining life is impossible without this vital resource. Throughout the history of the world, people and civilizations have followed the water. Any threat to our water sources is a threat to life itself. While the western U.S. has always had periods of drought, many are now experiencing historic drought levels. Drought typically starts with less than normal rainfall. But temperatures also impact this. Since the industrial era began, our earth has warmed by about 1.2 degrees Celsius (about 2 degrees Fahrenheit). While…
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Are You Aware? Taking Our Temperature
This is part I in our “Concerning Climate” Awareness Wednesday series. Read the other posts in the series here. The night of Tuesday, November 8, 2016, I couldn’t sleep. I tried distracting myself to calm my nerves but to no avail. The few moments I did sleep were fitful and short lived. Anxiety for the future had replaced disbelief and was my companion all night. My number one concern was climate change, and I knew the president-elect didn’t share my concerns and, in fact, held policy positions in opposition to my concerns. You may not have experienced this same apprehension or felt it to the same extent. If that’s the case,…
