Yea, I know, it has been a cool October here in Wisconsin. That's good. I hope it continues but it's unlikely. Here are the facts:
* Last year we had only a few days of ice cover on Lake Mendota. Kites on Ice on Lake Monona had to be moved due to the lack of safe ice lakeward of the Monona Terrace in Madison. The historical average period of ice cover on the lake is reportedly around 3 and one half months. There were only two days last winter when the temperature in Madison went below the zero degree F. mark. They occurred in March of last year. The average number of days in winter in a winter in Madison is around 21 days. Now for the global information, provided compliments of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center: *The global average combined land and sea surface temperatures from January to July in 2002 was the second warmest on record (since 1880) for that 7-month period. * Globally averaged surface temperatures (land and ocean) have been warmer than the 1971-2000 average for the last 76 months. * The top five warmest years in the observed record, in descending order: 1998; 2001; 1997; 1995 and 1990. Eight of the 10 warmest years in the 122 year-period of record have occurred since 1990. There have been 21 straight years of above average global temperatures. The data are beginning to show the rate at which the earth is warming is speeding up, according to many sources, and the rate that it is speeding up is also increasing, as the accumulations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rises to record levels, in "recent" years at least. Carbon dioxide is currently at its highest concentration level in the atmosphere in the last 400,000 years, at least, (based on Greenland ice core records). The U.S. produces 25% of the world greenhouse gas emissions, and the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted by the U.S. continues to rise each year as well. Thirty-three percent of the quantity of greenhouse gases emitted by the U.S. comes from transportation related sources, primarily gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel. Sixty percent of those emissions are from autos, with 39% coming from car exhaust and 21% coming from SUV exhaust, nationwide. A news report by the Associated Press, publicized in the Wisconsin State Journal yesterday (page 1), and using a recent EPA report on the Internet, stated the average fuel economy for the new 2003 model cars and passenger trucks in the U.S. is 20.88 miles per gallon, about 6 percent below the high point of 22.1 mpg in 1987, 15 years ago. Now for some Wisconsin and Dane County data. Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on Wisconsin highways hit an all time high in 2001 (last year data is available): 57 billion miles traveled (by fossil fuel powered, motorized vehicles). Vehicle miles traveled in Dane County increased from 3 billion VMT in 1990 to 4.6 billion VMT in 2000, and increase of 53% , or 3 times the rate of the county's population growth rate (about 17%). Vehicle miles traveled per capita in Dane County and Wisconsin was 10,500 miles per capita, 700 miles per year higher than the per capita average nationally of 9,800 miles, and 32% higher than average VMT per capita just 10 years ago. VMT in Wisconsin in 2001 of 57 billion compares to 2.7 trillion VMT on all U.S. highways in 2000, or 2% of the total number of miles driven in the U.S. in one year. Dane County had a record number of enplanement at its regional airport this year, despite reduction in flights elsewhere. Air travel is the highest contributor of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by those who fly regularly or who travel long distances by air; it is zero for those who choose not to fly at all each year, regardless of their reasons, of course. If you want to hear more ... or even if you do not want to hear more, you are invited to Midvale Community Lutheran Church's "Learning Hour" from 9:15 - 10:15 AM Sunday, November 3, 2002 anyway to hear David Steffenson from the Wisconsin Interfaith Climate Change Campaign and Mike Neuman of Madison show film clips about global warming and talk about greenhouse gases sources, what might be done to begin substantively reducing them, and attempt to answer any questions you might have. This just in from this evening's edition of The Capital Times.... A study by 18 scientists and engineers in university, government and private labs evaluated technologies that would make energy wityhout burning oil, coal or natural gas and found that no single system or combination of systems could replace these fossil fuels, based on the present level of development. The study appears Friday in the journal "Science". "The only thing in American politics that speaks more loudly than money is a riled-up citizenry. So get riled up!" - Dennis Hayes, "The Official Earth Day Guide to Planet Repair", 2001. Thanks. Mike http://danenet.danenet.org/bcp/neuman_gw.pdf http://www.geocities.com/mtneuman/tribute_flag.html --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "SSI Mailbox" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Undisclosed-recipients:; Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 13:49:10 -0500 Subject: SSI Reminder: Talking about Climate Change call Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Dear SSI Member, With a dearth of leadership on the climate change issue at the national level, the locus of activity has shifted to the states. Right in the middle of the country, the issue is rising in prominence as local officials, governors, and the public recognize the importance and urgency of taking action. Minnesota is already a leader in global warming solutions such as energy efficiency and renewable energy. Louisiana, at the other end of the Mississippi, is taking a hard look at what the state can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while diversifying the state's economy. Texas already has a global warming action plan, and local advocates are working to strengthen the plan while ever increasing the state's leadership in wind power. Chicago is developing a carbon exchange and has recently decided to purchase "green power" for the city, while the first wind installation is planned for downstate. Regardless of the particular details, the point is that climate change is a critical environmental issue -- and scientists have a lot to contribute to this public debate. Whether you lecture your classes or speak at a local civil events, WHAT you say about climate change really matters. And HOW you say it really matters, too. So, please join us for the upcoming Climate Message Project Workshop -- focusing on what the general public really thinks about climate change, and how you personally can be most effective in motivating your audience to do something about the problem. The workshop will be presented via telephone conference call on Wednesday, November 20 from 5-6:30 pm CST. This time slot is set to be most convenient for those of you who live in the Central time zone; but if you are unable to attend at this time, additional workshops will be held on Monday November18, from 4:00-5:30 pm (CST) and Thursday November 21, 7:00-8:30 pm (CST). At the workshop, you'll hear Susan Bales share the findings of a year-long Frameworks Institute investigation undertaken for the Union of Concerned Scientists and other environmental organizations that work on global warming. The Frameworks' Climate Message Project provides insight into the public perception of global warming, the importance of "framing" the issue to make it accessible to the public, the need to speak about solutions, and the value of scientists as messengers on this complex topic. If you speak publicly about global warming and want to be more effective, then this workshop is for you. Please join us in November. Simply respond to this invitation ASAP by hitting the "reply" button on your email program and indicating which date you will be attending. We will contact you before the briefing with the (free) 1-800 call-in number, the agenda, and other details. You will also receive some preparatory materials prior to the workshop. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions on the workshop. Jason Mathers, SSI Project Assistant Union of Concerned Scientists <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ** RESPONSE FORM ___ YES, I'll be at the "Communicating Climate Change" Workshop. [Select one time:] ___ Wednesday, November 20 from 5:00-6:30pm CST ___ Monday, November 18 from 4-5:30 pm CST ___ Thursday, November 21 from 7:00-8:30 pm CST ___ No, I can't make any of these workshop times but want to know more about effectively communicating with the public, the press, and policymakers about climate change. ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
