Humanitys Greatest Challenge

Will 2013 Blog Action Day be a success?  Of course it will be this years subject is Humanitarian in Nature and is a perfect fit for addressing Humanity's Greatest Challenge yet undertaken by Mankind.  

The continued threat of Global Warming on the Worlds Food Supply caused by extreme weather.

I recently wrote about the changing weather patterns that I link to global warming and my experiences growing up on a Ranch in North Missouri.  I mentioned simple facts that cannot be denied: We do not have prolonged periods of cold weather that keeps the snow that falls from melting 'normally', we have more ice and less snow, and we are feeling the effects of climate change.

And now it is effecting our Nation's Food Supply.  Just recently 4 feet of snow fell in the western plains^[1].  The Snow was so deep and came so early that tens of thousands of cattle were killed- a tragedy for the Ranchers and their herds.  

This is not only a loss of income for the Ranchers and the businesses in the area; it is going to affect the prices of the Nations Food Stock.  

While it may be normal for 4 feet of snow fall in the Western Plains.  It is not normal for 4 feet of snow fall this early in the year.  The snowfall came so early and was unexpected for both the Ranchers and Cattle they were ill equipped and still ill equipped since our Government has shut down^[2]- removing all the aid that is deserving for the bestricken Ranchers.  

The normal pattern of how animals grow their winter coats that usually grow middle to late fall, had not yet fully developed.  So the cattle were out there with jean jackets on instead of down filled winter coats.  Just like a human would freeze to death so did the cattle and wildlife.  

Did you notice the Natural Weather pattern was altered- 

Winter came earlier and more severe.  

This is not the normal weather pattern.

To help my readers understand how extreme weather affects the daily shopping routine at the local Schnucks and Dierbergs hometown grocery stores let me share a little background on Beef production.

• A loss of 1 steer will produce an average of 800 pounds of beef.  10,000 steers produce 8,000,000^[3] lbs of meat that American Families need to eat for survival.

• Supply and Demand determines the markets^[4].

• Less supply equals higher prices in the cattle market-Cattle Prices Could Break Records this Week^[5]

So yes Global Warming does affect us in StLouis even though we were not directly in the Last Path of the extreme weather patterns caused by Global Warming from the burning of Fossil Fuels that create CO2^[6] see IPCC 5th assessment report^[7].

Labadie Dirty Coal Plant Photo by:Richard Keeling

Labadie plant among top emitters of greenhouse gases-StLouis Post Dispatch

It is going to hit us where it will hurt us Humans the most [in a struggling economy] in our bank accounts when we go to the grocery store.  

Lucky for us there are things we can do to lessen the effects of the Extreme Weather that is causing Global Warming and the damage from Climate Change.  

Yes StLouis can make a difference in Humanity's Greatest Challenge.

Simple acts of reducing the energy needed for your home does make a difference because less energy needed is less Dirty Coal that is burned to create the electricity StLouis Needs.  This means that the 4th most polluting coal plant in the USA^[8] that is located just a measly 45 minutes to the west of StLouis will need to burn less coal which is the biggest form of CO2 emissions^[9].  Here are just 4 simple acts that have the biggest influence in reducing Climate Change caused by Global Warming:

• So the little act of changing a light bulb to a new style that uses less energy can help as well as turning off unused gadgets- 10% reduction of coal burnt electricity.

• The Simple Act of Recycling and Growing a Back Yard Garden^[10]

• Beefing Up {staying on the Ranch Theme} the insulation in your home or office will mean less electricity is needed-Weatherizing your home has additional benefits as well-15-30% reduction of coal burnt electricity.

• Installing a clean energy solar system will also dramatically reduce the CO2 Pollution-greatest savings for bank account and reduced CO2 emissions 90-100% of reduction of coal burnt electricity.

I realize that #2 and #3 have sizeable investment hurdles.  Luckily we have a local program in StLouis to help with making Energy Efficiency, Energy Conservation, and Clean Energy Resources possible for our Area.  This is not your normal go to the bank for a loan financing.  It is better!  This program, Set the PACE StLouis^[11] is geared to help local people do their part to reduce climate change and save money.  Its a match made in heaven and just what the doctor ordered.

This program will not only:

• Save you money on Reducing the energy needs for your Building.

• It will improve the Value of your Property

• You will have MORE money- because the Loan Payment Charges are lower than the price you were paying for the energy.

If you could do all those things and reduce the Dirty Coal that produces the most CO2 Pollution from being burned what is not to like about such a program?  When more people are joining in and making a difference we will be meeting and mitigating the Humanity's Greatest Challenge

Scotty

Scotts Contracting, StLouis Renewable Energy

We Can Build a Green StLouis^[12]

Key Words for Blog Action Day 2013 : #BAD2013, #OCT16, #Humanrights, #BlogActionDay, #GlobalWarming, #CO2,#ClimateChange

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[1] "Early snow kills thousands of cattle in SD - Weather, forecasts, news ..." 2013. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://local.msn.com/early-snow-kills-thousands-of-cattle-in-sd-1>

[2] "Government Shuts Down As Congress Fails To Reach Spending ..." 2013. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/government-shuts-down_n_4020219.html>

[3] "How much meat does a steer usually produce? - Cattle Forum ..." 2008. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=43995>

[4] "Supply and demand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." 2003. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_and_demand>

[5] "Cattle prices could break records this week | Beef Today - AgWeb." 2013. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.agweb.com/article/cattle_prices_could_break_records_this_week_NAA_Greg_Henderson/>

[6] "Extreme weather, more extreme greenhouse gas emissions beckon ..." 2013. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2013/09/03/extreme-weather-more-extreme-greenhouse-gas-emissions-beckon-urgent-activism-by-patrick-bond/>

[7] "IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change." 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.ipcc.ch/>

[8]Inserted better link to http://kbia.org/post/amerens-labadie-plant-named-top-greenhouse-gas-emitter-epa some reason ameren ue removed this link> "Labadie - Ameren." 2010. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.ameren.com/sites/aue/source/AboutUs/pages/adc_au_labadie.aspx >

[9] "Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions - US Energy Information ..." 2011. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/ieo/emissions.cfm>

[10] "Little Green Thumb Recycling Adventure |St Louis Renewable Energy." 2012. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com/2012/06/little-green-thumb-recycling-adventure.html>

[11] "Set the Pace St. Louis." 2013. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.setthepacestlouis.com/>

[12] "Scotts Contracting - St Louis Renewable Energy." 2009. 15 Oct. 2013 <http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com/>

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

My Climate Change Experiences verified by IPCC

  I use my personal experiences and the Climate Scientists 

vouch for and uphold my observations.

I can remember when I was young growing up on the Family Cattle Ranch in North Missouri.  
The Winters were long and the Snow Drifts were Huge (way over my head creating perfect 

opportunities for Snow Forts and Tunnels in the Back Yard).  

The Bad Winter Weather I experienced growing up, started in November and Lasted 
until the month of March and into April it was 4-5 months of Brutal Winter Weather.
Winters were so cold that Farm Equipment wouldn't start even though they were plugged
into heaters all night. 

Circa year 2000- The Weather now (since the early
 to mid 80's) I do not feel we have had extended 
periods of cold temperatures in Missouri that keep 
the snow that falls during the Winter months from thawing 
out within a few days. Scotty

It also seems to me that, "the precipitation we now get has more Ice with less Snow 

and seems to melt within weeks- nowadays it seems faster melting times than ever
before in my memory. I can actually say I haven't seen any snow last longer than a 
week per my daily observations and mental notes.

We now know Global Warming ie: Climate Change caused by "Exhaust Gases or 

GHG's Emissions" from using Fossil Fuels from Coal and Oil called CO2 is the major 

cause of the warmed temperatures that are causing the: Extreme Weather Patterns-

Droughts, Floods, Increased Summertime Temperatures, etc

Read the new IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published 
September 27,2013

So I asked myself- 

"Why don't the Governments and Politicians of the World 

act to reduce these GHG Emissions?" 

I can't speak for the other countries in the World, but 

I will point out some facts I have been preaching now for months.


The Rich and Powerful Fossil Fuel Industry supports Politicians both Democrat and 
Republican, which keep the Politicians in-line and in the Pockets of the Coal and Oil 
Industries- through Donations for Re-Elections, Pet Projects, etc. 

Read and Research for yourself at: Dirty Energy Money 
http://dirtyenergymoney.com/view.php?type=congress

Global Warming and Climate Change is Science the GOP 

can't wish away- Politicians need to: "Step away from the 

Monetary Feed Trough filled by Big Oil and Big Coal"  

The National Academy reports concluded that 

"scientific evidence that the Earth is warming-is now overwhelming." 

Party affiliation does not change that fact. 

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

Sep27 2013 Statements via UN ClimateChange Panel

The following report is as copied from the IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and plainly shows that CO2 created by Human Activities is affecting the Worlds Climate.

STOCKHOLM, 27 September - "Human influence on the climate system is clear. This is evident in most regions of the globe, a new assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes".

1. View the press release on the latest IPCC Sept 27 Climate Change Press Release by viewing this pdf at http://www.ipcc.ch/news_and_events/docs/ar5/press_release_ar5_wgi_en.pdf
2. Renewable Energy Resources and Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change Summary for Policy Makers and Technical Information via Google Cloud https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1gFp6Ioo3akeGxneEJCejQxdzg/edit?usp=drive_web

• Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and since the 1950s, many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia. The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, sea level has risen, and the concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased. 

• Each of the last three decades has been successively warmer at the Earth’s surface than any preceding decade since 1850. In the Northern Hemisphere, 1983–2012 was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last 1400 years. 

• Ocean warming dominates the increase in energy stored in the climate system, accounting for more than 90% of the energy accumulated between 1971 and 2010 (high confidence). It is virtually certain that the upper ocean (0−700 m) warmed from 1971 to 2010, and it likely warmed between the 1870s and 1971. 

• Over the last two decades, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have been losing mass, glaciers have continued to shrink almost worldwide, and Arctic sea ice and Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover have continued to decrease in extent (high confidence). 

• The rate of sea level rise since the mid-19th century has been larger than the mean rate during the previous two millennia (high confidence). Over the period 1901–2010, global mean sea level rose by 0.19 [0.17 to 0.21] m.

• The atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide have increased to levels unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years. CO2 concentrations have increased by 40% since pre-industrial times, primarily from fossil fuel emissions and secondarily from net land use change emissions. The ocean has absorbed about 30% of the emitted anthropogenic carbon dioxide, causing ocean acidification. 

• Total radiative forcing is positive, and has led to an uptake of energy by the climate system. The largest contribution to total radiative forcing is caused by the increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 since 1750. 

• Human influence on the climate system is clear. This is evident from the increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, positive radiative forcing, observed warming, and understanding of the climate system. 

• Climate models have improved since the AR4. Models reproduce observed continental-scale surface temperature patterns and trends over many decades, including the more rapid warming since the mid-20th century and the cooling immediately following large volcanic eruptions (very high confidence). 

• Observational and model studies of temperature change, climate feedbacks and changes in the Earth’s energy budget together provide confidence in the magnitude of global warming in response to past and future forcing. Approved SPM Headline Statements 27 September 2013 

• Human influence has been detected in warming of the atmosphere and the ocean, in changes in the global water cycle, in reductions in snow and ice, in global mean sea level rise, and in changes in some climate extremes. This evidence for human influence has grown since AR4. It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. 

• Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in all components of the climate system. Limiting climate change will require substantial and sustained reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. 

• Global surface temperature change for the end of the 21st century is likely to exceed 1.5°C relative to 1850 to 1900 for all RCP scenarios except RCP2.6. It is likely to exceed 2°C for RCP6.0 and RCP8.5, and more likely than not to exceed 2°C for RCP4.5. 

• Warming will continue beyond 2100 under all RCP scenarios except RCP2.6. Warming will continue to exhibit interannual-todecadal variability and will not be regionally uniform. 

• Changes in the global water cycle in response to the warming over the 21st century will not be uniform. The contrast in precipitation between wet and dry regions and between wet and dry seasons will increase, although there may be regional exceptions. 

• The global ocean will continue to warm during the 21st century. Heat will penetrate from the surface to the deep ocean and affect ocean circulation. 

• It is very likely that the Arctic sea ice cover will continue to shrink and thin and that Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover will decrease during the 21st century as global mean surface temperature rises. Global glacier volume will further decrease. 

• Global mean sea level will continue to rise during the 21st century. Under all RCP scenarios the rate of sea level rise will very likely exceed that observed during 1971–2010 due to increased ocean warming and increased loss of mass from glaciers and ice sheets. 

• Climate change will affect carbon cycle processes in a way that will exacerbate the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere (high confidence). Further uptake of carbon by the ocean will increase ocean acidification.

• Cumulative emissions of CO2 largely determine global mean surface warming by the late 21st century and beyond. Most aspects of climate change will persist for many centuries even if emissions of CO2 are stopped. 

This represents a substantial multi-century climate change commitment created by past, present and future emissions of CO2.

Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaption can also be viewed via: Google Cloud



Added 9/28/13
While browsing through my Google News Feed on Climate Change I found that numerous reporting agencies have used the above report in citing information for their organizations.  Here are few of the articles from credible sites:

• The world's best scientists agree: On our current path, global warming is ...

Quartz

- ‎5 hours ago‎

In a landmark report, a global panel of leading scientists again called the evidence for climate change “unequivocal” and for the first time said humans are “extremely likely” to be the dominant cause.

• 
  

  UN climate change report points blame at humans

CNN

- ‎Sep 27, 2013‎

(CNN) -- The world's getting hotter, the sea's rising and there's increasing evidence neither are naturally occurring phenomena.

• 
  

  Climate change? Try catastrophic climate breakdown

The Guardian 20 hours ago

Written by George Monbiot

Climate change and global warming are inadequate terms for what it reveals. The story it tells is of 

climate breakdown.

• 
  

  Top scientists urge cap on carbon emissions to limitclimate change

NBCNews.com

- ‎19 hours ago‎

“Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further global warming and changes in all components of the climate system,” the IPCC report said.

• 
  

  Friday's Big Global Warming Report: 5 Takeaways

National Geographic

- ‎Sep 27, 2013‎

“Many of the observed changes are unprecedented over decades to millennia,” begins the report, which summarizes the worldwide changes worldwide wrought by climate change and its likely future effects. “Each of the last three decades has been ...

• 
  

  IPCC: Despite hiatus, climate change here to stay

Nature.com

- ‎Sep 27, 2013‎

Without drastic emission reductions or controversial technical climate fixes, global warming is more than likely to continue throughout the 21st century and might severely alter our planet's natural environments and the living conditions of billions of ...

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog