The Environment Thread

[the watcher]

14 hours ago, Mark H. said:

^^ only if we get a very fast melt. The water table is pretty much gone and most creeks were 90% dried by the end of summer.  There is definitely room for water. 

Agreed, it's mostly about the melt. The other issue is the drainage that has occurred.  Previously as the snow melts the water would fill the sloughs and lower areas which would lower the peak flows. Many of those areas have been drained and ditched and that melt water just fires through.

It's been an odd winter. My life lately consists of snow blowing my close to a mile long lane. I don't ever recall getting Alberta clippers like this. There's been no big Colorado lows ,just non-stop clippers. As Spock use to say      "Fascinating"  

[Mark F]

"Based in Manitoba, Canada, Snow Lake Lithium is ideally located to serve the North American automotive industry with access to the US rail network via the Artic Gateway railway, which reduces transportation from thousands of miles by road and boat to just several hundred by train.

Snow Lake Lithium’s 55,000 acre site is expected to produce 160,000 tonnes of 6 percent lithium spodumene a year over a 10 year period. Currently, Snow Lake Lithium has explored around 1 percent of its site and is confident that this will expand over the course of the next year. Snow Lake Lithium’s mine will be operated by almost 100 percent renewable, hydroelectric power to ensure the most sustainable manufacturing approach.

The Manitoba region has a rich history of mining giving Snow Lake Lithium access to some of the most talented and experienced miners in North America."

 

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/electric_hybrid_vehicles/snow-lake-lithium-to-develop-worlda-s-20220211/

[Mark H.]

On 2022-02-21 at 8:07 AM, the watcher said:

Agreed, it's mostly about the melt. The other issue is the drainage that has occurred.  Previously as the snow melts the water would fill the sloughs and lower areas which would lower the peak flows. Many of those areas have been drained and ditched and that melt water just fires through.

It's been an odd winter. My life lately consists of snow blowing my close to a mile long lane. I don't ever recall getting Alberta clippers like this. There's been no big Colorado lows ,just non-stop clippers. As Spock use to say      "Fascinating"  

Yes. The bumper crops that we saw in the years previous to 2021, had more to do with drainage than with fertilizer application or any other factors

Farmers have drained their land so they can seed earlier and not have as much standing water after a heavy rain.  

But if the soil thaws early enough in spring, none of that will matter, in terms of flooding

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/ipcc-climate-change-canada-1.6367036

Quote

Global warming is already costing Canada billions, from wildfires in the West to reduced seafood harvests in the East, says a new report from the world's top climate change research body.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released a new summary report on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Intended to guide political decision-makers, it holds grim warnings for Canada.

"The costs of climate change impacts have been rising in Canada since 1983, from an average of about $0.4 billion to $1.9 billion annually," says a briefing document prepared from the report.

The report, which is the result of two years of work from 330 scientists around the world, covers the globe. But it does look at what rising levels of greenhouse gases specifically mean for Canada.

"Wildfires are a top threat to Canada," the briefing says, drawing from research conducted by agencies such as Natural Resources Canada.

 

[JCon]

1 minute ago, blue_gold_84 said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/ipcc-climate-change-canada-1.6367036

 

Yes, but it's only costing tax payers. Not the rich people that matter. 

[Mark F]

11 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

Wildfires are a top threat to Canada," the briefing says, drawing from research conducted by agencies such as Natural Resources Canada.

Once the rocky mountain glaciers are gone, and they are going, the Canadian prairies will have a monster water shortage.

amazing that you can go on the comments section of that article and read oil company lies posted by "skeptic" dolts.

even oilco has admitted the truth. But their long, expensive campaign of lies was very effective, and continues to cause inaction.

thanks for the  article, too bad that the ipcc doesnt have a billion dollar PR budget. Story Lost in the rest of the events.

"While Canada is the world's third most water-abundant nation, the Prairies - Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba - are prone to both flooding and drought. Their water supply depends on how much snow collects in the Rockies – known as the region's "water towers" - and how quickly it runs off as it melts.

But water abundance is a Prairie myth, scientists say.

During the second half of this century, most Canadian Rocky glaciers will melt, according to a 2019 study in Water Resources Research. The region's water outlook will be "bleak" long before then, said University of Lethbridge geographer Christopher Hopkins.

Warmer temperatures are causing mountain snow and ice to melt earlier in the year, increasing the likelihood of summertime water shortages, according to research published last year in Environmental Reviews.

As the climate changes, winter precipitation falls more frequently as rain than snow, leaving less water stored in the mountains, hydrologist John Pomeroy said."

 

https://www.producer.com/news/rocky-mountain-dry-canadas-waning-water-supply-sows-division-in-farm-belt/

Edited March 2, 2022 by Mark F

[JCon]

They also have right wing gov'ts that spend a lot of time and money trying to make "oil" clean (in the public's eye, not in reality). 

The UCP spent millions of tax payers money to try to prove that foreign funds were calling for environmental protections. Of course, it was all a lie, cause that's all they have. 

[Mark H.]

Water adundance is not just a myth on the prairies. 

[Tracker]

2 hours ago, Mark H. said:

Water abundance is not just a myth on the prairies. 

A myth is an unmarried female moth.

[Mark H.]

8 hours ago, Tracker said:

A myth is an unmarried female moth.

My point being - there are water shortage issues in places other than the prairies. 

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/07/climate-crisis-amazon-rainforest-tipping-point

 

Quote

The Amazon is approaching a tipping point, data shows, after which the rainforest would be lost with “profound” implications for the global climate and biodiversity.

Computer models have previously indicated a mass dieback of the Amazon is possible but the new analysis is based on real-world satellite observations over the past three decades.

Novel statistical analysis shows that more than 75% of the untouched forest has lost stability since the early 2000s, meaning it takes longer to recover after droughts and wildfires.

The study does not enable a prediction of when the tipping point could be reached. But the researchers warned that by the time the triggering of the tipping point could be detected, it would be too late to stop it.

Once triggered, the rainforest would transform to grassland over a few decades at most, releasing huge amounts of carbon and accelerating global heating further.

The research, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, examined satellite data on the amount of vegetation in more than 6,000 grid cells across the untouched Amazon from 1991 to 2016.

They found that in the past 20 years areas impacted by droughts or fires took significantly longer to recover than before. This is a key sign of increasing instability because it shows the processes of restoration are getting weaker.

Drier areas of the forest lost more stability than wetter ones. “This is alarming, as the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] models project an overall drying of the Amazon region in response to global warming,” Boers said.

Areas closer to human destruction of the forest also became more unstable. Trees are crucial in producing rain, so felling them to clear land for beef and soy production creates a vicious circle of drier conditions and more tree loss.

 

[blue_gold_84]

https://pressprogress.ca/misinformation-funded-by-canadas-oil-industry-is-a-growing-concern-for-climate-scientists/

Quote

An overwhelming majority of Canadians accept the scientific consensus on climate change, but experts warn some areas of the country have been left more vulnerable than others to being targeted by oil industry-backed misinformation campaigns.

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has highlighted the need for policymakers to take more seriously the threat posed by industry-funded misinformation campaigns, which are derailing action on climate change.

“Rhetoric and misinformation on climate change and the deliberate undermining of science have contributed to misperceptions of the scientific consensus,” the IPCC report states.

“Vested economic and political interests have organized and financed misinformation and ‘contrarian’ climate change communication,” the IPCC adds. “Vocal groups can affect public discourse and weaken public support for climate mitigation and adaptation policies.”

[the watcher]

On 2022-02-21 at 9:42 AM, Mark F said:

"Based in Manitoba, Canada, Snow Lake Lithium is ideally located to serve the North American automotive industry with access to the US rail network via the Artic Gateway railway, which reduces transportation from thousands of miles by road and boat to just several hundred by train.

Snow Lake Lithium’s 55,000 acre site is expected to produce 160,000 tonnes of 6 percent lithium spodumene a year over a 10 year period. Currently, Snow Lake Lithium has explored around 1 percent of its site and is confident that this will expand over the course of the next year. Snow Lake Lithium’s mine will be operated by almost 100 percent renewable, hydroelectric power to ensure the most sustainable manufacturing approach.

The Manitoba region has a rich history of mining giving Snow Lake Lithium access to some of the most talented and experienced miners in North America."

 

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/electric_hybrid_vehicles/snow-lake-lithium-to-develop-worlda-s-20220211/

I missed this . That's awesome.

[Brandon]

If anyone ever gets a chance to visit Snow Lake ,  I dare say it's the most scenic place in the province.  It has some of the most beautiful views and some awesome trails that goes around rapids and waterfalls. 

[Tracker]

4 hours ago, Brandon said:

If anyone ever gets a chance to visit Snow Lake ,  I dare say it's the most scenic place in the province.  It has some of the most beautiful views and some awesome trails that goes around rapids and waterfalls. 

And Blackflies like you wouldn't believe.

[Mark F]

8 hours ago, Brandon said:

If anyone ever gets a chance to visit Snow Lake ,  I dare say it's the most scenic place in the province.  It has some of the most beautiful views and some awesome trails that goes around rapids and waterfalls. 

In general the Manitoba wilderness,  is kind of unappreciated,  or at least underappreciated.

go up the Bird river..... waterfall after waterfall.  Peaceful, wildlife.  Just amazing. 90 minutes from wpg.

[WildPath]

2 hours ago, Mark F said:

In general the Manitoba wilderness,  is kind of unappreciated,  or at least underappreciated.

go up the Bird river..... waterfall after waterfall.  Peaceful, wildlife.  Just amazing. 90 minutes from wpg.

This is what concerns me about the "open season" on mining that has been declared in Manitoba, including with Snow Lake Lithium. I haven't looked into that project specifically, but it is easy to greenwash projects to get approval, while eventually causing environmental disasters.

I have been paying attention to the CanWhite Sands project they will likely be building near Vivian. They brand themselves as an ESG mining company, but there is quite a bit of dirt when you look under the hood. Approvals being given without environmental reviews, inaccurate science being presented, all with the danger of contamination to the huge Sandilands aquifer that services a large portion of Manitoba.

I'm not against mining per se, nor the Snow Lake project necessarily. I would just like strong regulations, transparent information and real consequences when companies mess with the environment. We've seen many lakes/rivers and even communities being destroyed by mining/logging/hydro development.

Mining destruction discovered in Nopiming Provincial Park | Wilderness Committee

[Mark F]

12 hours ago, WildPath said:

This is what concerns me about the "open season" on mining that has been declared in Manitoba,

Nopiming......Awful. That is a  very beautiful place.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

https://gizmodo.com/canadas-badass-mountain-hut-officially-too-perilous-wi-1848667892

[the watcher]

On 2022-03-12 at 7:25 PM, WildPath said:

This is what concerns me about the "open season" on mining that has been declared in Manitoba, including with Snow Lake Lithium. I haven't looked into that project specifically, but it is easy to greenwash projects to get approval, while eventually causing environmental disasters.

I have been paying attention to the CanWhite Sands project they will likely be building near Vivian. They brand themselves as an ESG mining company, but there is quite a bit of dirt when you look under the hood. Approvals being given without environmental reviews, inaccurate science being presented, all with the danger of contamination to the huge Sandilands aquifer that services a large portion of Manitoba.

I'm not against mining per se, nor the Snow Lake project necessarily. I would just like strong regulations, transparent information and real consequences when companies mess with the environment. We've seen many lakes/rivers and even communities being destroyed by mining/logging/hydro development.

Mining destruction discovered in Nopiming Provincial Park | Wilderness Committee

The thing is ANY open pit mine is a butt ugly affair. It is the cost of our modern world. The real trick is getting mining companies to do proper reclamation. I'm not sure if they pay the same government levy for reclaiming that gravel and shale pits do. In those pits the fee is charged as it is sold and the Gov is responsible for the reclamation. I'm not sure about open pit mines. I know if companies are responsible for reclaiming it will be like pulling hens teeth. The other big risk is retention ponds that work and don't leak. The last mine I worked at (lead and Zinq )  still resembles a lunar landscape the last I heard. And I worked there in 1992 when it closed.

I just took a peek on Google Earth and it really doesn't look like it's been reclaimed. You would think 30 years would be enough time.

Edit : But I agree , I don't see a whole lot of reason to start mining our Parks

Edited March 19, 2022 by the watcher

[blue_gold_84]

https://climate.nasa.gov/climate_resources/300/video-climate-spiral/

 

[Mark F]

Now ten years left to avert 1.5 c .

all thats lacking is leadership.

any way more reasons to get e car 

 

"Surprisingly, data obtained by Marketplace shows that electric vehicles are rarely stolen, and only one Tesla has ever been reported stolen in Ontario. Experts chalk this up to minimal infrastructure — and demand — for electric vehicles overseas, and enhanced security features like pass codes and 360 cameras. "

Edited March 25, 2022 by Mark F

[Tracker]

How environmentalism and the far right are becoming an unlikely ‘ecofascist’ combination: report

The far right has a long history of attacking environmentalists as “tree huggers,” railing against green energy and denying that climate change exists — even though countless scientists have offered concrete proof that it does. Former President Donald Trump, a strident defender of fossil fuels, even made the ludicrous claim that coal is much cleaner than green energy and that wind turbines cause cancer.

Being conservative doesn’t automatically mean being totally opposed to environmentalism. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started under President Richard Nixon. But among far-right Republicans of the MAGA variety, hating environmentalists is a badge of honor. Nonetheless, there are times when the far right and environmentalism intersect, and National Public Radio (NPR) journalists Ari Shapiro, Matt Ozug and Casey Morell discuss that unlikely combination in an early April report.

“Conservative leaders, from Rush Limbaugh to former President Donald Trump, have certainly denied climate change in the past,” the NPR reporters explain. “But today, a different argument is becoming more common on the conservative political fringe…. On the podcast ‘The People's Square,’ a musician who goes by Stormking described his vision for a far-right reclamation of environmentalism.”

Stormking argued, “Right-wing environmentalism in this country is mostly — especially in more modern times — an untried attack vector. And it has legs, in my opinion.”

Shapiro, Ozug and Morell cite Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich as an example of a Republican who made a right-wing environmental argument. Railing against illegal immigration, Brnovich argued, “We know that there's information out there that says that every time someone crosses the border, they're leaving between six and eight pounds of trash in the desert. That trash is a threat to wildlife. It's a threat to natural habitats.”

The NPR reporters go on to note that in 1998 and 2004, “anti-immigrant factions tried to stage a hostile takeover of the Sierra Club's national board” but “failed.”

According to Hampshire College’s Betsy Hartmann, fearing the destruction that climate change is causing fits in with the “doomsday” element of the far right.

“If you have this apocalyptic doomsday view of climate change,” Hartmann told NPR, “the far right can use that doomsday view to its own strategic advantage.”

Shapiro, Ozug and Morell describe the intersection of far-right views and environmentalism as “ecofascism” and consider it a “problem” that will continue to grow.

“The problem is visible now, and there is time to address it,” they write. “But the longer people wait, the harder it's going to be.”

-NPR

[blue_gold_84]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/un-ipcc-report-1.6407534

Quote

Temperatures on Earth will shoot past a key danger point unless greenhouse gas emissions fall faster than countries have committed, the world's top body of climate scientists said Monday, warning of the consequences of inaction but also noting hopeful signs of progress.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change revealed "a litany of broken climate promises" by governments and corporations, accusing them of stoking global warming by clinging to harmful fossil fuels.

"It is a file of shame, cataloguing the empty pledges that put us firmly on track toward an unlivable world," he said.

"Projected global emissions from [national pledges] place limiting global warming to 1.5 C beyond reach and make it harder after 2030 to limit warming to 2 C," the panel said.

"If we continue acting as we are now, we're not even going to limit warming to 2 degrees, never mind 1.5 degrees."

The report's authors said they had "high confidence" that unless countries step up their efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, the planet will on average be 2.4 C to 3.5 C (4.3 to 6.3 F) warmer by the end of the century — a level experts say is sure to cause severe impacts for much of the world's population.

[Mark F]

Been  warning us for years.

starting to look like we are going to leave it till too late.

just read..... Gulf Stream (as predicted) slowing down.

When that happens... Look out europe. 
 

"Never before in over 1000 years the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), also known as Gulf Stream System, has been as weak as in the last decades. This is the result of a new study by scientists from Ireland, Britain and Germany. The researchers compiled so-called proxy data, taken mainly from natural archives like ocean sediments or ice cores, reaching back many hundreds of years to reconstruct the flow history of the AMOC. They found consistent evidence that its slowdown in the 20th century is unprecedented in the past millennium"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210225113357.htm

 

@blue_gold_84.

Edited April 4, 2022 by Mark F