Global Warming News and Research

Kellogg Foundation, Rodale Institute support farmer training, climate change impact research projects

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:44:53 -0400

The Rodale Institute has begun a collaborative program that will bear global and regional benefits. Support for an interactive leadership symposium will help vulnerable communities in many nations to mitigate the impact of climate change, while an on-farm research network will advance knowledge of soil-building techniques for farmers and agriculture Extension professionals in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Biodiversity is not just tigers and pandas: it’s about us and our food supply

webdesigner — Mon, 24 May 2010 10:33:25 -0400

Intercropping contributes to biodiversity on this farm in Senegal. (Photo by Nathan McClintock)

Kerry-Lieberman climate bill rewards organic practices, but needs measurement to assure carbon savings

webdesigner — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:17:43 -0400

The Kerry-Lieberman climate bill follows in the footsteps of the Waxman-Markey legislation, passed last summer, by establishing an agricultural and forestry offsets program, writes Meredith Niles. Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency predicted that such a program could provide annual net benefits to farmers as high as $18 billion -- an amount that could fundamentally change the way America farms.

American Power Act: The Key Points

Fri, 14 May 2010 12:08:51 -0400

From the Huffington Post (May 12, 2010): John Kerry and Joe Lieberman are rolling out the much-anticipated details of their climate bill, now called the American Power Act, this afternoon. Here's a rundown of some of the key details outlined in the act, which emerged earlier today. The bill addresses everything from clean vehicles and nuclear power to greenhouse gas emissions and manufacturing--what do you think is the most worthwhile investment for America?

Making carbon crediting really work for farmers, Part 2

webdesigner — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 11:46:15 -0400

Mobile field lab to measure soil carbon

By Elaine Viglione

Review: “Dirt” gives opportunity to see a future in our soil

webdesigner — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 08:50:28 -0400

From the opening scenes of “Dirt: The Movie,” which point out that soil is comprised of the same elements as the stars, plants and animals and that “dirt is very much alive,” the viewer gets the firm idea that dirt isn’t just this stuff that collects in the corners of the garage; it is a living, breathing entity, says a reviewer. “Treat it right and we thrive. Disrupt it as we have done and we end up with what we now have: drought, climate change and famine.”

Institute to join doctors, scientists, green entrepreneurs, farmers at April Greening the Community conference

webdesigner — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:19:28 -0400

Forward-looking specialists in environmental health, sustainable systems, public medicine and food-based economic development will gather April 9 and 10 in Cleveland, Ohio, for a conference titled “Greening the Community: Green economy, organic environments and healthy people.”

Tofu could harm environment more than meat, UK study finds

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:06:05 -0500

Many of the soy, chickpeas and lentils grown overseas and imported into Britain for meat substitutes can carry relatively high negative ecological costs, according to a university study commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund. When a meat to meat-substitute choice is projected to more of the population, resulting production shifts could have further unintended consequences.

Global climate change may cause accelerated tree growth

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:55:00 -0500

Research indicates that forests in the northern hemisphere have grown faster than at any time over the past 225 years. A 22-year study concludes that the growth appears tied to higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and longer growing seasons.

Examining 55 plots of mixed hardwood forests revealed that more than 90 percent of the tree groups studied had grown two to four times faster than scientists had predicted from long-term growth rates.

Biochar valuable farm process, but carbon benefit depends on source

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:54:59 -0500

Converting wastes such as chicken manure into biochar holds benefits for farmers, as soil is enriched, heat energy is produced and carbon is stored underground. Biochar is created by heating and charring biomass- things such as manure, yard waste and crop residue.

Johannes Lehmann, soil scientist at Cornell University, hopes that adoption of biochar by small farmers will expand local, sustainable agriculture operations. In addition to soil revitalization, charring biomass instead of burning causes soils to retain more carbon that would have been released into the atmosphere.