globalwarmingsb.org

Autumn time is definitely upon us in the UK and because of this I have stashed away the winter wardrobe and brought out the hats and coats and jumpers and boots and big socks and gloves and scarves! This is much earlier than last year and i’m sure the reason for this is Global Warming! To be honest, I’ve got red hair and pale skin and prefer Autumn and Winter as it is cold and dry in Autumn and freezing in winter, meaning the best things to do are stay in, get in front of the fire and snuggle up in front of a good film. Crackin. Plus I look better in layers and am a whizz at accessorising so that helps. Everyone else is furious that we’re missing the late September sunshine we had last year.

My car is currently very old and not in the best shape. It is 12 years old and has been driven plenty in this time. There are spiders living in the wing mirrors, rust on the bonnet and near the wheels, the engine makes a funny rumbling sound, the exhaust is about to fall off and I left the sunroof open and the car got rained on and in. It now smells of dog. Time for new wheels I think! Because I am quite up on recycling and helping the environment I may consider an eco friendly car and there are loads available now which I never realised about. I thought it was just them Smart Cars which to be honest look like a small version of the pope mobile but less attractive if that’s possible!

Did you ever wonder why your Gran would save old tea bags, egg shells, vegetable skin and various bits of cardboard from egg boxes? No she was not just separating them so the glass, plastic and tins would not have bin ‘goo’ all over them which would mean a much cleaner and nicer job for the recycling man. She was doing it to make compost! I only found this out when my dad started doing the same and I asked what the big round green bin in the garden was for. All the waste you get from natural products can be made into a free product to make your Gran’s roses grow. Crackin!

Global Warming is one of those things that a lot of people seem to be ignoring, however when it hits them directly and affects their lives, they do think and take notice of the world around them. My Wife has never been very eco friendly and never thought to recycle or walk anywhere to save on petrol, however because we’ve had a completely rubbish August and the start of September has been on and off with sunshine, she has started to consider how her actions may affect her lifestyle. I came home yesterday to find a recycling bin in our kitchen which was already filled with plastic and cardboard. It just shows the small things can get people thinking, but only when it affects their life.

Did anyone just see and hear that massive storm that has just gone across Manchester? I have never in my life experienced a huge flash of lightening followed by a deafening clap of thunder, but then no rain for about five minutes after. How does this happen? Usually in the past there has been rain, then lightning and thunder but this was opposite and it was really scary. And now the sky is blue and there’s sunshine streaming through as if nothing ever happened! Completely weird. We’ve seen plenty of freak weather recently; if you can think of any let me know!

Researchers at the University of Queensland believe that rising temperatures could trouble crocodiles, hampering their ability to dive for food.

It’s been noted that crocodiles have more problems in this regard during summer months, therefore climate change could affect them to a degree throughout the year.

They point out that crocodiles dive not just for food, but to escape predators when they are young. While adult crocodiles are at the top of the food chain, smaller ones are vulnerable to birds of prey and evade them by diving and hiding in crevices.

A water temperature rise of even a few degrees could have a substantial impact, meaning crocodiles were able to spend less time diving. A rise in temperature increases their metabolism and the resulting increase in oxygen that they consume has a knock-on effect on how long they can remain submerged.

Following a six-month investigation, it has been found that the scientists at the centre of what is annoyingly being termed ‘climategate’ did not fudge results and nor did they silence critics. However, the review did suggest that they could have been more open with their work.

Allegations surrounded the subverting of the peer review process, but the report found no evidence of this. However, it was suggested that the scientists in question were unnecessarily coy and defensive when people requested information and it is also believed that emails had been deleted to prevent them being seen in the event that they were requested later on.

Hadlow College, in Kent, has put on a display of the county’s past, present and future agriculture.

The future part of the garden features peach trees, lemons and nectarines, reflecting the fact that the Kent climate could become more Mediterranean in the coming years. As temperatures rise, the regions in which to grow certain crops are moving steadily towards the poles.

It has already been noted by some experts that Champagne is no longer the best place to grow the grapes for that particular wine. In reality, the most suitable climate is the very north of France and into the southern parts of the UK.

An investigation has found that a UN report into climate change could be considered misleading as it often wasn’t clear that it was referring to worst-case scenarios.

The findings were made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It also suggested that the report should have included the fact that there could be benefits to an increase in temperatures. The report was considered one-sided and alarmist.

An example given was that the report stated that regular bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef was anticipated for 60 per cent of it by 2020. However, this was a worst case scenario and not a realistic projection.

While electric cars are pushed as a greener form of transportation, they do need some source of fuel and it is thought that Britain will need additional power stations if the Climate Change Committee’s view that we should have 1.7m of them on the roads by 2020.

The national grid is already struggling to provide the electricity that we need and electric cars would demand a great deal extra. A suggested fuel duty of 10p per mile for these vehicles would fund up to 10,000 new wind turbines each year.

Renewable energy funding is currently at a low due to financial nervousness. However, a taxation on electric cars would put some people off who might be tempted by what is theoretically a cheaper form of transport.