A great story on the drought in Santa Barbara from the innovative Mission and State publication includes this jaw-dropper on the rich in Montecito from Alex Kacik: Despite a combined population of about 10,400 people, Montecito and Summerland residents use much more water—particularly when it comes to maintaining their lush landscapes—than most cities in the county.Continue reading “Montecito rich ignore drought, guzzle millions of gallons”
Category Archives: disaster
Facing Drought Together: Ojai Valley News
Let me share Kimberly Rivers' thoughtful newspaper story about an event here in town I helped launch —Facing Drought Together – which did draw a good crowd, and got a lot of conversation started I hope. Here's an excerpt from story in the Ojai Valley News: “I took away the realization that a lot of other people in OjaiContinue reading “Facing Drought Together: Ojai Valley News”
Scariest drought image of the year (to date)
From a tree-ring scientist, Ed Cook, what has to be the scariest drought image for the West. Click to enlarge. Via Andrew Revkin's tumblr blog.
Leading British scientist links warming to flooding
In this country, scientists have been historically averse to link weather disasters — such as flooding caused by huge storms — to climate change. The scientific cliche is well-known: No single meteorological event can be caused by climate change. A leading theorist of climate communications, Naomi Oreskes of UC San Diego argues that the generalContinue reading “Leading British scientist links warming to flooding”
Looking to past droughts to foresee CA’s future
The past is never dead. The past is not even past. When William Faulkner wrote that, he was thinking of human history, but it's true on here on planet earth as well. Cycles repeat. For that reason, and because they were troubled by the drought they saw in the deep time record, paleoclimatologist B. LynnContinue reading “Looking to past droughts to foresee CA’s future”
Ventura stands on deep, dangerous fault system: VC Star
Several new studies funded by the Southern California Earthquake Center have identified Ventura as a hot spot for geological activity, with a fault running directly under downtown potentially far more dangerous than previously believed.
If the fault ruptures along its length and involves other faults, it could cause a major earthquake and massive damage, with the possibility of a strong local tsunami, researchers say.
Connecting global warming and California drought
What is causing the drought in the West? Could it be a jetstream phenomenon connected to the cold winter being experienced back East? Which could be connected to blockages interrupting the polar vortex, causing it to spill southward into places like the Ohio Valley? And could those blockages be connected — as researchers such asContinue reading “Connecting global warming and California drought”
If climate change is dangerous, can’t a scientist say so? (Hansen’s keynote address at the AGU 2013)
Back in l988, physicist/climatologist James Hansen told Congress that that we had begun to change the earth's atmosphere. This was during a heat wave in Washington, and his testimony made headlines. That's rare for a scientist of any sort. "Global warming has began, Expert tells Senate" reported the NYTimes. "It's time to stop waffling soContinue reading “If climate change is dangerous, can’t a scientist say so? (Hansen’s keynote address at the AGU 2013)”
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel like eating…everything
Dana Goodyear, the editor/poet/reporter (for The New Yorker) has focused in the last couple of years on the weird edges of foodie culture of today. At least from a traditonalist's perspective, the foodie culure of today has evolved from deliciousness, to hipness, to eating what others haven't — and decadence. Anything that Moves is anContinue reading “It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel like eating…everything”
New National Weather Service term for extreme weather
Particuarly Dangerous Situation. For example, from today, via Jeff Masters: A dangerous day in ChicagoMost of Illinois, including Chicago, has been placed under a special "PDS" Tornado Watch: a "Particularly Dangerous Situation." Severe thunderstorms spawning tornado warnings have already erupted over Southern Wisconsin and Western Illinois as of 10:15 am CST. Severe thunderstorms are likely to sweepContinue reading “New National Weather Service term for extreme weather”
Kit Stolz 