Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ Some of you may remember my posts to stpaul four years ago. We lived in stpaul for 20 years, then moved to Chanhassen in year 2000 following my office move. I hope that people have found ways to educate themselves about global warming. It seems there has been no help from federal and state officials, nor the media, on this issue of great importance to the world. Do you agree? I'm adding a couple brief messages that may be helpful in making your decisions today. Good luck.
Pat N. Chanhassen -------------------------- Need to Stay on Track -------------------------- - The global temperature 10 year moving averages from 1880 through 2003 show that the rate of global warming has increased substantially since the 1970s, and is now at a rate of nearly 9 degrees F / century, and increasing. - Global warming feedbacks must be taken into account. As ice becomes water and water becomes water vapor, the lag in the rate of warming due to latent effects will diminish, thus higher rates of increasing global temperatures and humidity are eminent. - There's tremendous need for immediate action to slow anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. ------------------------------------------------------- Key Glacier in Southern Ocean Melting Faster Than Expected ------------------------------------------------------- "The scientists discovered a key glacier at in the middle of the Southern Ocean is melting much faster than expected." Saturday, March 6, 2004. 6:00pm (AEDT) Glacier melt indicates global warming changes A team of international scientists has returned to Australia from a three-month expedition to Antarctic with some alarming findings on climate change. The scientists discovered a key glacier at in the middle of the Southern Ocean is melting much faster than expected. The 28 scientists and support staff have arrived back in Australia after 10 weeks on remote Heard Island. On the north-east coast of the island, glaciologists were disturbed to find Brown Glacier is melting at a faster rate than before. In the 50 years to 2000, the glacier consistently lost half-a-metre of ice each year. Australian Antarctic Division Glaciologist Dr Doug Thost says in the years since then it has been melting at almost four times that rate. "The surface has been lowering just on average about two, just over two metres every year," Dr Thost said. "It's a four-fold increase in that lowering rate." Dr Thost says it is an early warning sign of global warming changes that scientists can expect further south. http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1060459.htm ------- THE WORLD IS IN CRISIS DUE TO GLOBAL WARMING! Join global warming groups ... by sending an e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] View global warming messages at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paleontology_and_Climate/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ClimateArchive Pat N. Hydrologist [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Pat J Neuman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2004 15:10:23 -0600 Subject: [StPaul] Minnesota Climate Vote DEADLINE Monday Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ Forwarded message from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) dated March 5, 2004 *** THE ISSUE *** On Monday March 9, 2004, the Minnesota Senate's Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee will vote on S. F. 2580. If enacted into law, this bill would establish a state plan for reducing heat-trapping gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Specifically, it would require that the commissioner of commerce, with input from other state agencies, propose a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electric generation facilities and other sources in the state. The climate action plan would be required, among other things, to: * propose appropriate reduction goals, a list of alternative cost-effective ways to achieve those goals, and recommend specific actions necessary to meet the goals, for each of the energy, transportation, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential sectors; * allow for a regional cap and trade program involving emissions from sources in neighboring states; and * allow sustainably managed forestry, agricultural, and other natural resource activities to be used to sequester greenhouse gas emissions. The plan would need to be submit the Environmental Quality Board and to the chairs of the several MN senate and house committees by December 1, 2004. With the specific mention in the plan of a regional "cap and trade program," this bill could potentially initiate a much needed conversation among states in the Great Lakes region on climate change. Any regional effort formed by these states, along with the regional efforts currently underway in the Northeast and along the West Coast, would stand in stark contrast to the lack of a mandatory federal policy to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases. *** THE ACTION *** To find out who is your State Senator is go to: < http://www.ucsaction.org/legdirectory/> All Minnesota State Senators can be reached by calling the Senate Information Center at (651) 296-0504. See the KEY TARGETS section for a complete list of Senators on the Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee. If your State Senator serves on the Senate Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, please ask her/him to support this important climate change bill (S.F. 2580). (See below for the list of Senators on the Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee.) If your Senator is not on the Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee, please inform her/him that you are interested in the progress of this bill (S.F. 2580). TIMING: Please act by noon on Monday March 9th. *** KEY TARGETS *** Below are the names and direct numbers of Senators on the Jobs, Energy and Community Development Committee. Sen. Ellen Anderson (District 66) Representing Falcon Heights and Como Park area of St.Paul (651) 296-5537 Senator Michele Bachmann (District 52) Representing Stillwater area (651) 296-4351 Senator Thomas Bakk (District 6) Representing St. Louis and Cook Counties (651) 296-8881 Senator D. Scott Dibble (District 60) Representing Minneapolis' Wedge and Kenwood neighborhoods (651) 296-4191 Senator David Gaither (District 43) Representing the Plymouth and Minnetonka areas (651) 296-4314 Senator John Hottinger (District 23) Representing Mankato area (651) 296-6153 Senator Steve Kelley (District 44) Representing St. Louis Park and Hopkins areas (651) 297-8065 Senator Mark Ourada (District 19) Representing Delano and Buffalo areas (651) 296-5981 Senator Sandy Pappas (District 65) Representing St. Paul's Thomas-Dale and North End neighborhoods (651) 296-1802 Senator Julie Rosen (District 24) Representing Blue Earth and Waseca areas (651) 296-5713 Senator Carrie Ruud (District 4) Representing Walker and Pine River areas (651) 296-4913 Senator Tom Saxhaug (District 3) Representing Cohasset and International Falls areas (651) 296-4136 Senator David Senjem (District 29) Representing Dodge Center and portions of Rochester (651) 296-3903 Senator Dan Sparks (District 27) Representing Albert Lea and Austin areas (651) 296-9248 *** SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION *** *About the Bill The bill, which finds that heat-trapping gas emissions are a significant risk to Minnesota's natural resources and natural resource-based industries, would require that the commissioner of commerce et al. develop a climate protection plan for Minnesota. It can be found on the Web at < http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us /cgi-bin/getbill.pl?version=latest&session=ls83&number=S2580 > > To learn more about how climate change is likely to impact the communities and ecosystems of Minnesota, see: < http://www.ucsusa.org/greatlakes/ > For a graphic display on how Minnesota's climate is projected to change, see: < http://www.ucsusa.org/greatlakes/glimpactmigrating.html > By the end of the 21st century, temperatures in Minnesota are projected to rise 6-10oF in winter and 7-16oF in summer. By 2080-2100, Minnesota may experience 10-25 extreme heat days (exceeding 97�F) annually. Minneapolis/St. Paul will be particularly vulnerable because extremely high temperatures are now rare. Minnesota residents, business leaders, and policymakers can help reduce the potential impacts from climate change by pursuing three necessary and complementary strategies: Reducing heat-trapping gas emissions, Minimizing pressures on the environment, and Preparing for those impacts from global warming that cannot be avoided. NOTE: Please send us an email message that tells us what action you took. If you actually send a letter, please send us a "blind copy." (A blind copy simply means that you do not indicate anywhere on your letter that you are sending a copy to us.) Send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or UCS, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238-9105 (attn. Jason Mathers). Graph of CO2: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Paleontology_and_Climate/ Graph of global temperatures (air,land): http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ClimateArchive/ Air temperatures at rural climate stations in the U.S. www.mnforsustain.org/mn_dewpoints_neuman_p_special_report.htm Timing of seasonal snowmelt runoff: www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2003/1210landfreeze.html www.mnforsustain.org/climate_snowmelt_dewpoints_minnesota_neuman.htm www.usgs.gov/public/press/public_affairs/press_releases/pr1819m.html Glaciers and ice sheets: http://nsidc.org/glaciers/questions/climate.html http://www.geo.unizh.ch/wgms/ Arctic and Antarctic: http://nsidc.org/news/press/20031219_speed_up.html http://www.arcus.org/SEARCH/OSM/main_downloads.html Thickness levels of the Atmosphere: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/02/040203234243.htm Extinctions: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3375447.stm http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,988380,00.html Causes of global warming: http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/intro/shindell_03/ http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/pubs/crowley.html http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/stp/GOIN/NASA/JLean.htm Financial incentives for low energy use: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ClimateArchive/message/229 Other links on global warming and CO2: http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/ccgg/faq.html www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2003/ann/global.html#Gtemp http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ClimateArchive/ Pat N. ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Chanhassen, Minnesota (formerly St. Paul) ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
