Arguments reign over what percentage of global warming can be put at man's door, and what percentage is down to the natural ebb and flow of a planet in constant flux. Whatever the causes, whatever the degrees of blame (if Mother Nature can ever be said to be blamed for anything) you might be forgiven for thinking that the argument over whether it is happening or not is over. It isn't.
In broad brush strokes, many scientists believe that after a period of disruptive weather conditions a sort of endgame is predicted whereby an overall rise in temperature of just a few degrees will, amongst other catastrophes, melt the ice caps, threaten the Gulf Stream, which in turn could plummet much of the northern hemisphere into a new ice age. To predict what would happen next is to take a stroll into the mind of a science fiction writer: mass migration of peoples into the southern hemisphere, border wars, giant drowning storms in some areas, and giant forest fires that could engulf entire cities due to a lack of rain in others. Fauna and flora would certainly perish. It wouldn't be the end of the world, our planet would continue to spin, but would there be anyone left to call it "our planet"?
There are arguments for and against the likelihood of any of the above happening beyond a science fiction movie. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the World Climate Report blog are at direct odds over the evidence presented by the scientists. Woods Hole, a large private non-profit institution "dedicated to research and higher education at the frontiers of ocean science" is certain that evidence shows that the collapse of the northern icecaps slows the conveyor belt of ocean circulation which is so important to harmonizing global temperatures, and that this action likely triggered the last ice-age.
That the northern ice cap is melting at a fast rate is not really in doubt. What is in question is the claim that cold, fresh water from melting icebergs has any real effect on the strength of the Gulf Stream. The World Climate Report blog sites, amongst other professionals, Dr. Carl Wunsch, who disputes the fact that the Gulf Stream is driven by the rotation of the Earth and by deep water currents, but instead is powered by the wind. He, in turn, sites a study made by the eminent professor Henry Stommel, who was a research associate at Woods Hole during the period that he claimed this discovery...
How Green Is Your Valley?
In the midst of all this confusion, in a time of international economic collapse, and while developing China is said to be building on average two power plants every week, it's comforting to know that many individuals and governments are still prepared to embark on green initiatives, to not give up without a fight, should it come to that. Hope and innovation continue to be our greatest weapons against the overwhelming odds that many of us are unable to compute, and many more place in a future far removed from their present day predicaments.
My way or the Electric Highway - USA
President Barack Obama has declared that he wants the USA to be the first country to have a billion electric cars humming along American roads. A ninety-mile stretch of U.S. Route 2 in Washington State, known as the Stevens Pass Greenway, is a step in the right direction. Pit-stops along this scenic route will be equipt with fast-charging stations, able to recharge electric cars up to 80% within twenty minutes. According to my calculations, at 80% the popular Nissan Leaf would give the traveler a range of approximately 60 miles (range is diminished the faster you drive). The world's first electric highway is planned to be in full operation by the close of 2011.
Much further down the road is the Solar-Panelled Highway, a plan to replace asphalt with solar (or photovoltaic) panels, a fast growing technology to fully harness the power of the sun. The energy could be stored locally, to power electric cars using that stretch of the highway, or shared with the national grid. According to the Federal Highway Administration's 2008 statistics, there are almost three million miles of paved roads in the US alone. That equates to a lot of surface area, and a very sci-fi-looking future.
Piano Man - SWEDEN
A novel way to encourage commuters to use the stairs rather than the escalators was recently trialed in Stockholm, Sweden. The stairs were converted into a piano, starting at the lower end of the scale at the bottom of the stairs and rising to a triumphant crescendo as the users entered into daylight exiting the subway. Remember how much fun actor Tom Hanks had on the floor piano in the movie Big? Imagine doing that on the way to work, every day.
A study showed that two thirds of people used the stairs rather than the escalator, a huge increase in footfall for the musical steps, but how does introducing a fun element to your commute save the planet? Fewer people on the escalator means slightly less energy required to run it, but, more importantly, a healthier, more vitalised nation of workers to dream up further innovative schemes.
Green Beams - TOKYO
Builders of big cities have not traditionally been too concerned about the effects on the atmosphere, but studies have shown that materials such as concrete and asphalt retain the heat from the sun, and over such massive areas, this heat can cause the temperatures above sprawling cities to rise by a few degrees. It's known as the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE).
A number of initiatives have been tried to combat this in Tokyo, Japan's biggest city by far, including asking her thirteen million residents to sprinkle used bath water on the hot pavements outside their houses during the sweltering summers, to cool down the ground temperature. But one initiative brought into law is the green roof. All new buildings over 1,000 square metres are legally required to be at least 20% 'green', and similar laws have been passed in countries like Canada and Switzerland.
Hiding dark surfaces under green roofs and green walls creates a cooler atmosphere, and has the added benefit of saving on energy consumption, as the need for air conditioning is also reduced. Some Japanese schools have even grown green 'curtains' outside the classrooms, to offer shade and cut down on a/c usage during the summer months. It's what the world would look like if nature were allowed to encroach upon our concrete jungles, and it looks great.
God Save the Trees - THAILAND
The destruction of the world's forests is well documented. In the last forty years in Brazil, approximately 240,000 square miles have been destroyed. That's equivalent to an area the size of Germany and Belgium combined (or Wales x30 if you prefer). In rural Thailand, one Buddhist monk has been battling his governments policies since 1987. Phra Prajak Kuttajitto came up with the novel concept of saving the forests of north east Thailand by ordaining trees, in effect turning them into sacred objects. People are afraid to cut down these holy trees, sometimes robed in monk's garments, so Phra Prajak Kuttajitto and his followers are able to save the lungs of the planet, one tree at a time!
Go Green!
For more information on the electric highway, check out http://www.nextgreencar.com and for more information on the green roof movement, search out the affable Jacob Reiner, one of the eco warriors of Japan, president and chief architect of Eden Homes and founder of http://www.earthembassy.org/. He can often be found at the Solar Cafe, farming food at the foot of Mount Fuji.
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