Sea Ice - June 2009 « Climate Audit

June 2009 monthly sea ice data is now out for NH and SH...

The global sea ice anomaly in June 2009 remained positive. Over the 1979-2009 period, there is zero trend in global sea ice anomaly, with a SH increasing trend offsetting a NH decreasing trend. June 2009 NH anomaly was not remarkable.

Climate Science: Roger Pielke Sr. Research Group News » What Is “Weather Noise”?...

Thus, while sampling issues are certainly relevant, the concept of “weather noise” itself is not particularly relevant to the use of the global average upper ocean heat content (or the global average sea level rise) to assess climate change.

A Rough Year for High Ethanol Blends - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

Far fewer people have been refueling with high ethanol blends this year in parts of the Midwest.

In North Dakota, sales of E85 — gasoline blended with 85 percent ethanol — were down by more than 60 percent this year from January to May, compared with a year earlier, according to the state’s Department of Commerce.

Bottled Water Bans and Meat-Free Days - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com

Meanwhile, city workers in Ghent, a Flemish town northwest of Brussels, have opted to make Thursdays a “meatless day” and to eat vegetarian meals to improve health and reduce the impact of raising livestock on the environment, according to Ethical Vegetarian Alternative, a Belgian campaign group.

The initiative, announced in May, was backed by Tom Balthazar, a councilman for the city’s health and environmental committee, according to the E.V.A. From September, city-funded schools will offer a vegetarian menu on Thursdays by default, the group said.

“All 5,000 city personnel will receive a free veggie city street map and a free vegetarian cooking brochure for professionals will be sent to all 1,500 restaurants,” the group said. “There will be cooking classes for both professionals and individuals,” it said.

Climate change punted deeper into fall - Lisa Lerer - POLITICO.com

Senate Democrats have punted climate change deeper into the fall, a delay that underscores the steep climb the White House faces in convincing Congress — and the world — to dramatically slash greenhouse gas emissions.

The decision came Thursday, a day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met with White House energy adviser Carol Browner and six Senate committee chairmen and the group realized it would need additional time to finesse a deal that could pass the Senate.
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...while the White House has said it wants a climate bill this year, it has put a lot more political capital into health care legislation.
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"It would not have been my first choice to do climate change legislation this year," said Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.). "I thought climate change and immigration were two things that could be put off until next year."
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And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a longtime supporter of climate legislation, harshly criticized the House climate bill on Thursday.

"Protectionist, outrageous, giveaway, bizarre — worst example of legislation I've seen in a long time," he said.