writeaboutwarming

February 10, 2014 - Hampered these five years by a do-nothing Congress, Pres. Obama is finally making slow inroads in combatting climate change.  One measure designed to help farmers and ranchers was announced just last week.  To begin immediately, the administration is setting up 10 climate centers and sub-centers across the country that will act as clearinghouses of agricultural information, intended to help farmers and livestock producers better deal with climatic extremes like those of the last few decades. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the announcement, in which he referred to the extended fire seasons, invasive pests (see my article in Transition Voice about the mountain pine bark beetle),  flooding, and drought as ongoing emergencies farmers must attempt to either mitigate or adapt to.  The growing season in the Midwest is now two weeks longer than sixty years ago, and the fire season is a full two months longer than it was in 1980.  Vilsack al...

May 6, 2013 – From the Little Known Facts File: a disease called Valley Fever.   Until quite recently it was endemic in the arid farm regions of California and Arizona, but nowhere else in the United States.   Now, because of ongoing drought in other areas of the country, awareness of this disease needs to increase.   For while half of those exposed to the fungus spores that carry the disease show no symptoms, the numbers of those who die – yes, die! – is on the upswing each year.   One of the reasons is the lack of familiarity with this malady on the part of doctors.   Another reason is climate change. Other areas of the world that already know about Valley Fever (VF) include Mexico, Central, and South America.    Once soil has become so dry it has the consistency of dust, it is easily transported by the wind.   Human and animal activities increase its transportability.     VF can be contracted simply by breathing in the fungus spo...