Dr. Cat Shrier, Ph.D., P.G.

I would feel less compelled to repost articles like this if the MSM would do its job and our country wasn't being run by a bunch of children and ideologues. The Canadian Carbon Tax, based on the science that carbon dioxide is pollution, drives global warming, and that by taxing Canadians to death...will ultimately conclude with a happy ending for planet earth and everyone who opened their pocket books to the government...is ridiculous. Punishing people for simply living is criminal. So while people try to figure out how to feed their families (2 million Canadians regularly use food banks now- we only have just over 40 million in this country for those keeping score). While people try to figure out how to heat their homes in the dead of winter (Canada- it's a northern country and heat pumps are not going to solve this problem) While people try to figure out how to transport themselves to work, their children to school, and such (lt's a BIG country, outside of dense cities, point A to B requires use of vehicles) While all this is happening, our leaders who espouse these punishing policies, galavant across the globe in big jets, spend and consume more in one trip than most average people do in years...and continue finger wagging about how you and I should do even more. Unbelievable hypocrisy. Be good stewards of the planet. Yes. Use technology and innovation to reduce pollution, preserve ecosystems, and cleanup/restore. Yes. However, stick to the real science, and stop censoring the experts from openly debating these topics.

24

1 Comment

Real impact in conserving and restoring carbon-rich, biodiverse forests starts with accurate data, and some way to look at it! Without accurate data and associated robust assessment, there is no way for projects to prove their success and ultimately convince people to fund their conservation or restoration activity. That’s why I’m so thrilled to share the launch of our web platform that translates Space Intelligence’s audit-grade data into clear, easy-to-use insights. It's been something we've been working on for a long time, it's gone through a lot of iterations and testing, and we're delighted that we can finally share it. Now, all project stakeholders can easily access our independent carbon impact assessments, monitor forest change using our high quality data, and review key biodiversity and community benefits. For me, this platform represents a critical step in making sure high integrity projects get the support they need to continue conserving forests around the globe. We’re launching the platform today alongside a new tool that supports near real-time tracking of forest disturbance: DisturbanceTracker. This tracks both deforestation and, critically, forest degradation (where some trees are removed from an area, but enough remains for it to still be classed as forest). This has been a key focus of our R&D team for a long time, and congratulations are due to Harry Carstairs in particular who led the project, and has made this long-term aspiration of mine and Space Intelligence a reality. DisturbanceTracker uses C-band radar satellite data, which can see through clouds, to detect new openings in the forest canopy. As this satellite collects data normally every 12 days, this can be updated much more frequently, and much closer to real-time, than our normal landcover maps. Take a look at a sample project in Tanzania (link in comments) to see the platform in action!

108

9 Comments

As the article explains, there are good and bad wildfires. "With the right frequency, severity and distribution, wildfire benefits the landscape immensely. Good fire is generally low or mixed severity, periodically cleansing forests and mountain ecosystems of deadfall and opening up the understory." But the climate crisis induced extreme weather conditions come with a higher frequency and severity. The BEAVERS shouldn't come as a surprise. Just as firefighters often try to create man-made fire-breaks - we need to look back at what nature has traditionally done - and, because of the extreme conditions - we need to lean into those measures and do them double and triple. So instead of man-made fire-breaks, let's have more beaver-made water barriers. Good for every aspect of biodiversity - and good for those good wildfires. David Hetherington Alan Watson Featherstone Rewilding Europe Trees for Life US National Park Service Frans Schepers Beaver Trust #rewilding #rewilderweekly

1

I'm going to this #online event from Terra.do! 😀 Check the link below and reserve a spot ⬇ "Join Daniel Hill Director of Business and Innovation at Environmental Defense Fund and creator of #OpenDoorClimate , as he #discusses the different ways that #companies send #demand signals to #innovators to find missing #climatesolutions." https://lnkd.in/dpM2WQn3

1

SEE INSIDE THE BOOK:

4

#Intuition to #InnSæi: From the Sky to the Soil - A New Lens on Climate Transparency 🛰️🔍 As a former geologist, I am all too familiar with the invisible threat of methane leaks. I've witnessed firsthand the #environmental and #economic toll of this potent #GreenhouseGas, often released through the very industry I once worked for. So, when Dr. Steven Hamburg, Chief Scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), took the #IdeasStage at the Bloomberg Live #GreenFest to discuss their groundbreaking MethaneSAT project, my interest was piqued. This satellite, poised to pinpoint #methaneleaks from oil and gas operations worldwide, is not just a technological marvel; it's a potential game-changer for how we approach climate action. 🚀 🔎 Seeing Beyond the Surface 🔎 MethaneSAT's ability to "see within" the complexities of industrial processes resonated deeply with the concept of #InnSæi – that deep inner knowing that reveals hidden truths and interconnectedness. But unlike the intangible nature of intuition, MethaneSAT offers concrete data, a tangible way to understand the scale and impact of methane emissions. The satellite's unprecedented accuracy and precision go beyond mere detection; they provide a roadmap for action. By pinpointing the exact location and magnitude of leaks, we can shift from blame to #collaboration, working together to find solutions that benefit both industry and the environment. 🌱 #Ecosystem over #Egosystem 🌱 Hamburg emphasized that the goal is not to villainize the oil and gas industry, but to partner with them in finding efficient and effective ways to reduce emissions. After all, as he aptly put it in an article by Lauren Boyer, "Nobody is waiting for our science." We need to proactively engage with industry leaders, policymakers, and communities to translate data into action. This collaborative approach aligns with the spirit of #InnSæi, which recognizes the #interconnectedness of all things. Working together can create a win-win scenario where industry thrives while minimizing its environmental impact. It's about recognizing that we're all in this together and that the solutions lie not in conflict but in #cooperation. 🌍 #Data as a Bridge to #Action 🌍 MethaneSAT's open data platform is a testament to the power of transparency in driving change. By making this information freely available, #EDF is empowering #individuals, #communities, and #policymakers to hold polluters accountable and advocate for solutions. This transparency fosters #trust and #collaboration and ignites our collective intuition. When we see the data and understand the impact of our actions, our innate desire to protect our planet is amplified. We are empowered to take action, demand better practices, and support innovative solutions that move us towards a more #sustainable future. What role does transparency play in driving climate action? How can data empower us to make more informed and impactful decisions? 🧐

9

1 Comment

As an ecologist at heart Charles Krebs is a bit of a hero of mine. His Ecological rants blog is required reading in the field of ecological study but he also hits on many problematic interfaces between science and popular understandings. His latest post is about Discourse and Evidence - makes great reading in our current world. #factnotfiction #IBDP #IBTOK #Knowledge https://lnkd.in/gG_64Bn3

5

2 Comments

Few detailed sunspot records exist before the invention of the telescope. This matters when we want to understand "grand minima" when sunspots (nearly) disappear for years. My latest for AGU Eos involves Kepler's sunspot drawings, tree rings, and the messiness of science: https://lnkd.in/djvxtxD5

3

Plastic-hungry enzymes, cyanide-scoffing microbes! The stuff of plasticky sci-fi coming to a plant near you! This is the world of #bioremediation, peopled by data scientists, chemists, engineers, environmentalists and even geologists. No longer niche, with important applications across the plastics, textiles and mining industries, bioremediation is the science ~ and art ~ of using microorganisms and their enzymes to breakdown pollutants and 'forever' chemicals. CARBIOS, a French biotech and Epoch Biodesign, a UK biotech are developing unconventional biotechnology-based plastic recycling technologies to 'power plastic and textile circularity' ~ inventing ways of recycling the 350m tonnes of plastic we produce every year. A mere 10% is recycled. A lot of it ends up in the ocean, creating enormous 'oceanfills' such as the 80,000 tonnes that make up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch ~ an area as big as Texas or thrice the size of France. The enzymes, or 'nanoscale biomachines', they use are tailormade to serve very specific functions. And that's where it gets even more fascinating. To figure out which enzymes, out of thousands, have the structure and therefore the power to transform complex plastics, scientists have turned to AI. Allozymes, a Singaporean biotech, maintains the world's largest enzyme data library. The 'Google of enzymes', it's a rich source of data for machine learning and designing bioremediation strategies. According to CEO Peyman Salehian (Ph.D.) it 'screens more than 20 million enzyme variants per day.' Using AI-enabled data analysis tools, its scientists have analyzed large databases of protein sequences and structures to identify promising candidates for bioremediation while machine learning algorithms refine, select and create (by mimicking enzyme candidates with the right structural features) new ones. A process that, without the help of AI, would have taken years and thousands of man-hours. With #AI applications significantly accelerating the discovery and development of new bioremediation technologies, the sector could grow by over $8 billion by 2028. What will it take to develop these technologies at scale and to make a remarkable dent in plastic population especially in poor countries most blighted by this curse? Concerted global effort for sure. But also local and regional efforts, strong nudges to 'patient' private and public capital, investments in education and R&D. This last is especially important: sustainable investments in strategies to end plastic pollution will require significant local effort. Poor countries can't be waiting for pollution-busting technologies to trickle down to them from richer nations. They'll have to start working on their own solutions ~ and before that, their own education. #plastic #pollution #biotech JJEC

17

2 Comments

Have you ever wondered the difference between a prehistoric and historical archaeologist in North America? Both archaeologists study material remains of past human activity to understand past human behavior, but work in different time periods. Prehistoric, or pre-contact, archaeology focuses on human history before the existence of written records, and historic, or post-contact, archaeology focuses on - you guessed it - human history with written records. Prehistoric archaeologists have the education and training in ethnography and documented discoveries associated with Native Americans, and they assess associated artifacts, such as mortars, lithics, and other tools, to give insight into a specific period and/or activity. Whereas historical archaeologists research historical events/practices associated with identified resources such as building remains, privies, and refuse deposits (trash pits) with artifacts that tell us about health, dietary and consumer practices, and social standing, among many other things. While trash, particularly old trash, is a historical archaeologist’s treasure, it may not be well understood by a prehistoric archaeologist, and vis versa – lithic tools may not be well understood by a historical archaeologist. With that said, there are many archaeologists who straddle both worlds but it is important to have the right archaeologist for the job/resource! Below is Rincon Consultants, Inc. archaeologist @Francesca Meyer proudly holding a historical-period Chinese soy sauce pot uncovered during an excavations in Fresno that will help archaeologists understand Fresno's Chinese community in the 19th century.

79

2 Comments

#ecology #habitat #forestservice #depredation #encroachment #mining #drilling #water #contamination #anthropocentrism #ecosystem #endangered #reverenceforlife THE DEPREDATION: In a shocking disregard for environmental conservation, the U.S. Forest Service greenlit a gold mining exploration project in California’s pristine Sierra Nevada Mountains. THE "COLLATERAL DAMAGE:" Had it not been reversed by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the decision would have threatened the existence of unique and endangered species – some that are not found anywhere else on Earth. THE CONSUMMATION DEVOUTLY TO BE WISHED: Sign this petition to ensure that the U.S. Forest Service upholds the highest standards of environmental protection and does not allow economic interests to override the well-being of our ecosystems and the species that depend on them! AH, BUT THE REAL CULPRIT: The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. THE ONLY FEASIBLE RESOLUTION: A reverence for life is an ethos of life affirmation. It is an ethos that bids mankind become totally involved in life, in nature, by serving as stewards of all God's creation. To discharge that duty to the best of our ability entails that we esteem all life to be possessed of innate worth and value, worthy of our protection and assistance merely by dint of sharing this planet with us. So long as humans concern themselves with the productivity of God's creatures, with pecuniary value to humans seen as sole or primary justification for our involvement, for that length of time will God's creation find itself depredated for gold mines and other exploitative, commercial caprices.

3

Hurricane Helene deluged an old nuclear site in Florida, causing one of its industrial wastewater ponds to overflow. Meanwhile, tribal groups in Alaska won a partial court victory to force a rethink about a giant tailings dam for the Donlin gold project near a major river. What links these is the question of how we manage our industrial waste in an era of climate change. Flooding, melting permafrost and wildfires are picking up the pace as average temperatures rise. As it is, we don’t always properly assess the risks of containment systems failing, which is the point Alaska Natives won on with that dam. Climate change is going to demand even bigger insurance premiums for our waste management systems. Read about it here at Bloomberg Opinion https://lnkd.in/gcXsrraj

3

In post after post, Alpha Lo shows how the water cycle drives climate, and how our actions (meaning, how we manage land and vegetation) impact the water cycle. We can--and need to--do so much better!

30

1 Comment

🐠 I am always impressed when nature-based solutions ask the question, "how does nature respond to changing conditions?" Unfortunately, this often is ignored in favor of planting more _____, faster. This is exactly what inspired and drives Coral Vita - working with coral to help them (and us) adapt to climate change. They certainly want to quickly deploy coral restoration worldwide, but they also have taken the time to ask how we might learn from coral to ensure their work will last. This beautiful short animation captures their work in coral restoration, and some of the natural strategies they employ along the way. Cheers for being a leader in the nature-based, nature-inspired adaptation movement!

14

Research: A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA TL: there is much to consider here...of great importance, chocolate is hardly the only part of a child's (or adult's) diet...one has to look at the overall and regular food intake..as well as other sources like LBP conditions in the home... to determine real risk than from the chocolate alone. Frontiers | A multi-year heavy metal analysis of 72 dark chocolate and cocoa products in the USA (frontiersin.org)

3