For decades now scientists have been shouting about how human activities are causing serious impact on both the North and the South Pole and now we have our first official pictorial evidence of it all in a huge way. While we did see images of breaking icebergs and melting glaciers in the past, the first ever recorded image of the North Pole as an Island is sufficiently large enough to drive home the point. While the world is not going to flood by another year or it is not the end of days as of yet, the great catastrophe might not be too far away at this rate.

The historic development was revealed by satellite images taken last week showing that both the north-west and north-east passages have been opened by melting ice. Prof Mark Serreze, a sea ice specialist at the National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in the US said the images suggested the Arctic may have entered a “death spiral” caused by global warming. Shipping companies though are already rubbing their hands with glee looking at the commercial aspect of it. (They are pretty low, so no point complaining now).

The Beluga Group in Germany says it will send the first ship through the north-east passage, around Russia, next year, cutting 4,000 miles off the voyage from Germany to Japan. The satellite images gathered by NASA show that the north-west passage opened last weekend and the final blockage on the east side of the ice cap, an area of sea ice stretching to Siberia, dissolved a few days later. If people still crib about this all being a ‘natural cycle of change’ and stop doing what they do need to do then the flick ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ might very well be a reality all too soon.

Via Telegraph

The expression ‘Mozart’s sadness runs like a wind, his tears never catch up with it’ gives us an idea of melancholy depicted in Mozart’s music. The grief that runs through Mozart’s Requiem is often associated with human life, but two of the works in this year’s Mostly Mozart Festival explore a different kind of loss: environmental.

The pieces represented a shift from life to death that Mozart would never have considered. They addressed issues of climate change, rising sea levels and other threats to the earth. The works, one by the choreographer Lemi Ponifasio and the other by the artist Lynette Wallworth, use the problems facing the natural world to touch on the theme of the festival, loss and transformation, in unexpected ways.
Both Ponifasio and Wallworth hail from the Pacific Rim, and their relationship with that region very much informs their work.

Ponifasio, from Samoa, explores Oceanic cultures and their philosophies and genealogy in his choreography and his “Requiem” builds on those interests. Commissioned by Peter Sellars for the New Crowned Hope festival in Vienna to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth in 2006, it doesn’t contain a note of Mozart. But Ponifasio sees the work as being on a gamut with the 18th-century masterpiece.

It is the members of this group who are faced with the ecological transformations explored in the piece. Many of Mau’s members come from the Kiribati islands, where sea levels have been rising. At an environmental conference in New Zealand in June, that tiny nation said that the water threat due to climate change was making its lands uninhabitable and asked for help with a migration plan for its citizens.
To make ‘Requiem’ itself “is to think about the departure of life in terms of all the islands of the planet,” Ponifasio said.

In the piece, which seems to suspend time, bodies travel very slowly across the dramatically lighted stage to spoken words, chants and natural sounds. The dancers undulate and articulate different muscles from across the shoulders to the fingertips in a kind of ceremony for death. Figures occasionally come forward or separate from the group to communicate to the audience with both abstract and traditional gestural movements.

For Mau, as for most Pacific Islanders, environmental issues are a matter of daily life. The islands, while culturally dynamic, are fragile ecologically, Ponifasio said. He added that pollution, nuclear experiments and spacecraft debris are among the problems facing the region. “Things like that all accelerate what’s going on,” he said. “It’s not something that we are waiting for. It’s something that is already here. Already homes have been destroyed, people have moved out.”

The Pacific is far from the Lincoln Center office of Jane Moss, artistic director of the festival. But from her perch overlooking the campus’s redevelopment construction, she said the two pieces, which she first saw at the New Crowned Hope, fit with the festival’s overarching theme of transformation.
Whether art can serve to effect change, environmentally or otherwise, is always debatable. Ponifasio has his own ideas on the subject.

Via NYT

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Plastic bags and bottles do more than spread pollution. But hey become good only when they land in the hands of creative people like Joshua Allen Harris. His inflatable plastic bad subway art has got him a lot of recognition esply. his plastic polar bear-the symbol of climate change! This artist has his own style of churning out eco-art in form of recycled and reusable plastic bags and scraps sewn into different shapes and displayed over subways. Â The white polar bear (which looks like a puppy) has drawn a lot of attention of passer-bys. Placed on subway grates the polar bear springs to life as it inflates when the train passes on the subterranean route and slowly fades away into a lump. The animated creativity reminds onlookers the fate of these majestic bears as they face extinction threat owning to Climate Change and Global Warming.

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With his unique oeuvre Harris has gained a fan following which discuss his work online and via blogs. Ever since the polar bear became a hit with New York’s residents Harris has come up with more creative forms and figures including a Centaur, some mythical creates and a Loch-Ness monster too! Jump below and click on the videos to have a look at this amazing art form!

 The video underneath was done for NY magazine:

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Via: FYI mag

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A mention of Global Warming without mentioning Al Gore seems incomplete! The video of his speech to the DAR now gets a soundtrack which makes its better and more enjoyable (perhaps that’s why they say, music has immense power to transform things!). The visionary former vice president throws a challenge in that speech of his. A challenge to make his country 100% green in the next ten years. He challenges America to fulfill its energy requirements by generating it from renewable energy sources that are clean and sustainable. In sync with his efforts is the We Can Solve It organization which is actively promoting this remixed video and has plans to soon launch an ad campaign in leading dailies like Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post.

The organization stresses upon the fact that short-term solutions might look attractive but in the long run they will face to address the problems like Climate Change and Global Warming. Thus to make its activism wide felt the yet-to-come adverts will present climate crisis interlinked with soaring gas prices & world inflation and soft economy.
This remixed video surely inspires me and I hope it moves the Americans too and all those who think global warming is a hype created by Mr. Gore. What is so magical about it is Gore’s firm belief that despite things going horribly wrong we can still control global warming. All we need to do is take the challenge with a firm resolve to change the situation for better!
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Via: Green Daily

Taking inspiration from the canary bird- to warn about disastrous effects of rampant human activity, The Canary Project was founded in 2006. Since then, the organization has produced several artwork and events using visual and mixed media on environmental concerns like Global Warming, Climate Change, Deforestation and likes. The Project aims at cultivating media attention to inform a broad public and encourage commitment to possible solutions. The latest offering of The Canary Project is the Green Patriot Bus Ads. The latter are designed by Michael Bierut- a Cleveland born artist world famous for his work. As part of the campaign, sixty buses bearing the Green Patriotic ads were released in Cleveland. The concept is good old environmentalism repackaged in a nouveau style to give it the punch and ferver similar to patriotism.

While the bus fulfils the facility of public transport, Bierut’s designs- posters on the body of the vehicle and inside it actively promotes green jobs in manufacturing sector. These buses and the ads on them are part of a larger plan-Green Patriot Posters, awaiting its official launch coming September. Under the Green Patriot Posters, motivating captions and posters were designed taking inspiration from WWII graphics. Here’s what the designer himself thinks, “Americans have a great ability to pull together in times of crisis. Each day brings headlines that make it clear that global warming and dependence on costly and scarce foreign oil will demand the same kind of resilience, self-sacrifice and ingenuity that we’ve exhibited in the past: in short, that special American brand of patriotism. Back in the 30s and 40s, folksinger Woody Guthrie had a slogan on his guitar: “This machine kills fascists.” I was looking for a similar kind of statement to turn every bus ride into a blow for the environment.” We surely need such kind of activism in places more than one on Earth today!

Via: treehugger

The brunt of global warming as seen in form of climate change is getting harsher below the Earth’s mighty oceans. Coral reefs of Pacific are facing survival threat in manners more than one. The rise in temperature above the ocean surface owing to massive CO2 emissions is resulting in a change in the pH levels of water bodies. Primarily basic in nature, oceans are now becoming acidic by the day. The increasing acidity could be disastrous eventually, as it is hindering the formation of Corals which have an intricate calcium carbonate skeleton. Moreover, the results of new research indicate that the glue which holds coral reefs together and tethers it to the ocean floor may not form with the increase in oceanic acidity levels. A higher acidic level means a lower pH-at lower levels of pH the process which results in formation of cementing binder gets substantially affected! The formation of coral is a slow process. The calcium carbonate precipitated out of ocean water forms the binder. This binder rushes through the pores of coral’s skeleton.

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These results are an outcome of the comparison studies wherein, scientists studied CO2 levels in eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, near the Galapagos Islands (the region is known for its naturally varying oceanic carbon dioxide levels) and compared them with western Pacific’s data. According to researchers, the eastern Pacific is essentially nature’s own laboratory to study the how’s and why’s of coral reef ecosystems. Although the waters of Galapagos are upwelled by the incoming currents of colder water and this may be one of the factors in the cementation difference as noted by the scientists during their studies. But, the findings of this research definitely add up to the devastating effects (as Scientist predict) of rising CO2 levels both above and below the oceans. Thus oceanic acidity affects coral reefs in two ways:1) slows down the coral skeletal formation by hindering carbonate formation and 2) affecting the process of glue-formation which is very important for the survival of coral reefs.At this corrosive rate, ocean acidification should not be ignored by the global community.World leaders are actively addressing issues of global warming and climate change but forgetting that the triangle gets completed with the third place getting occupied by ocean acidification!

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Via: Discovery

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Cow power could emerge as one of the green and renewable energy sources to generate electricity in future. Till now the manure produced by bovine and livestock animals has been used in farms only (that too to a certain extent). But now, it can be used to generate electricity which might meet upto 3 % energy (read electricity) consumption needs of entire North America!

The research being conducted by scientists at University of Texas (Austin) believe the results of it will imply on all countries with a large number of livestock (including India). Production of biogas from cow dung is not a new thing and it has been used in rural India to cook food and for other heating purposes. But this research stresses upon the anaerobic digestion (a process which helps in compost formation) of manure which yields energy-rich bio-gas potent enough to generate electricity by rotating standard microturbines.

In recent times, the interest and efforts in analyzing and using cow waste for studying its effect on climate change, has seen an upward trend. The IPCC reports that nitrous oxide and methane (both are Green House Gases) produced by naturally decomposing livestock manure heat up our atmosphere many times more than what CO2 does! Hence, the panel recommends proper utilization of this livestock manure. The latter if utilized fully could generate approximately 100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity (a scenario where the Americans will thank cows profusely for providing resources beyond milk and meat!)

Concerns are raised over the carbon emissions thus procuded by burning of biogas but scientists reassure that, when compared to burning fossil fuels (read coal), burning of biogas leaves a much smaller carbon footprint! Here’s what the scientists- Dr. Michael E. Webber and Amanda D Cuellar, from University of Texas has to say over this: “In light of the criticism that has been leveled against biofuels, biogas production from manure has the less-controversial benefit of reusing an existing waste source and has the potential to improve the environment.”

I’m waiting for the day when bulbs will be lighted by burning of biogas for the latter promises to be an environmentally advantageous and economical energy resource. Hail Cow Power!

Via: sciencedaily

(Ilya Katz, Israel,Photograph: Ilya Katz)
What does cartoonists & cartoons have to do with issues like global warming, climate change, floods, deforestation, carbon emissions, air pollution, salting of lakes etc.? (The list is quite long actually!). Most of us might dismiss the idea of laughing over grave issues mentioned above which are rapidly taking human lives around the globe. But the fact is cartoons can do something which huge texts and sermons (read lectures) on global warming or climate change can’t do! That’s “Awareness” in a bitter-sweet manner, a sarcasm which will force you to smile but think upon the situation as well. The work of around 150 artists from more than 50 countries makes it all clear and concrete at the competition organized by The Ken Sprague Fund.

(First prize: Coat Star, by Mikhail Zlatovsky, Russia,Photograph: Mikhail Zlatovsky)

Here’s what John Green, secretary of the fund has to say over cartoons on climate change: “Cartoons can reach parts that other arguments can’t. We have been inundated with doom-laden predictions and scientific facts on the inevitability of global warming, but here we can exorcise our fears. Powerful, uncompromising and uncomfortable images bring home to us what it will really mean - not a Costa del Sol on the Welsh coast and palm trees in the garden, but desertification, hunger and poverty.”

(Second place: Butterflies, by Constantin Ciosu, Romania,Photograph: Constantin Ciosu)

(Third place: The Hand, by Tawan Chuntraskawvong,Thailand,Photograph: Tawan Chuntraskawvong)

In other words, the cartoons that won accolades at the fund’s competition are tour de force if you have the eye for art and creativity laced with concern!

(Blind date, Stefano Gamboni,Italy,Photograph: Stefano Gamboni)

The first, second and third prizes were given to entries from Russia, Romania and
Thailand respectively. Those of you who think that cartooning is as easy is ordering a pizza over phone must realize these winners have been in this field for years which reflects in their posters as bitingly satirical, preposterously funny, acrid or even fatalistic take on grave eco-concerns of 21st century.

(Cartumagua, by Aluir Amancia, Brazil,Photograph: Aluir Amancia)

via: guardian

Scientists and environmentalists from world over have expressed their concerns over the far-reaching devastating effects of rapid destruction and drying of wetlands.
Gathered at the 8th INTECOL International Wetlands Conference (Cuiaba, Brazil), some 700 experts from 28 nations believe that quickly drying up wetlands invariably lead to climate change via global warming.
Wetlands store a vast amount of carbon (in form of CO2). Their complete destruction will lead to massive release of this stored up CO2 into atmosphere, thereby heating it up. Besides, carbon dioxide other greenhouse gases like methane (more potent than the former) will also be released which will further strain our Earth’s atmosphere.

It is interesting to note that, wetlands (including peat bogs, swamps, river deltas, marshes, mangroves, tundra, lagoons and river floodplains cover only 6% of Earth’s land surface. But, they store upto 20% of its terrestrial carbon! According to an estimate these waterlogged areas contain nearly 771 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (this is equivalent to present-day carbon levels found in atmosphere).

To understand the graveness of the concerns voiced by these scientists it is very important that we all should know how wetlands play an important part in maintaining ecological balance on our planet. The peat bogs of Siberia, North America and Scandinavia contain a third of all carbon in the world’s soils.
Besides soaking up carbon,

• Wetlands slow the decay of organic material trapped and locked away over the ages in low oxygen conditions.
• They support biodiversity in form of unique water ecosystems.
• Wetlands act as reservoirs of water supply.
• They can soak-up flood water.
• Wetlands filter nitrate and phosphate runoff from surrounding land.

Studies reveal that 60% of wetlands worldwide and up to 90% in Europe have been destroyed in the past 100 years by human activities like drainage for agriculture, construction of dams& canals, groundwater pumping, urban development, peat extraction and other activities that are polluting by nature.

At this international gathering of scientist, this grave situation will be dealt with in terms of solution-generation that can be suitably adapted by the governing bodies of the world in order to stabilize the condition of wetland decay. Wetland preservation and their rehabilitation represent viable measures, which should be immediately applied to check the rampant destruction and drying up of world’s swamps.

Source: sciencedaily

Knut mania if here to stay! Celebrity polar bear cub Knut has become a pop-star in his own ways. The cuddly cub was born in captivity at the Zoologischer Garten Berlin aka Berlin Zoo. The media-savvy bear cub now gets its own music video! Being a popular tourist attraction and a craze among millions of school children makes him hot enough to get listed as an iconic animal who receives human adoration in form of an exclusive music video.

The cub also happens to be the latest symbol of climate change and global warming concerns. Single handedly, this furry creature has made Berlin Zoo a must see among international tourists thus bringing in the largest number of visitors to the zoo premises ever in its 100+ year old existence!

If you haven’t viewed Knut’s music video so far then you are surely lacking something in your life! And for those of us wanting enough but for whom a visit to Berlin Zoo is like a pie in the sky, this video is just the thing to be watched, enjoyed and grooved at! Halo Knut, Kleiner Eisbär.
Knut, Kleiner Eisbär: Knut\’s own German music Video!

Via