Green Options

Global warming forces natural resources into unnatural conditions, and the people who rely on them are similarly forced into unnatural positions

Flooding has been a fact of life in Venice, Italy for over 700 years. However, the frequency and severity of the floods is increasing steadily.

A report published today in the journal Science helps to reveal more about the possible effects of climate change on global sea level. According to the 2007 4th Assessment Report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ice shelf breakup is a major contributor to global sea level rise:

“Taken together, the ice sheets in Greenland and
Antarctica have very likely been contributing to sea
level rise over 1993 to 2003.”  IPCC 4th Assessment Report

A mere four centuries after the Dutch founded a little settlement in a far off land they named Nieuw Amsterdam; New York City could really use their expertize in dealing with sea levels. Even by the end of this century.

A UK engineer has invented a device that harnesses wave power to pump sea water uphill, from where it can flow downhill to create hydroelectricity, raising hopes of a cheap, abundant source of renewable energy.

In trials, the device, called the Searaser, has pumped water more than 160ft above sea level, using little more than the natural motion of the waves. There are now plans for a much larger version, capable of pumping to a height of more than 650ft.

Inventor Alvin Smith reckons that each full-size device would be able to pump enough water to supply electricity to 470 homes. He also calculates that a fleet of 43,000 could generate enough power for a staggering 20 million households.

In a first-of-its-kind executive directive, Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has ordered the state to begin taking immediate action to mitigate the impending damage to state resources caused by climate change.

Over the past few years we have sadly had to watch the Arctic ice concentrations drop significantly. Focus has been primarily centered on the Arctic Circle, but Greenland is also suffering from the increased global temperature.

And now, thanks to researchers from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and the Center for Space Research (CSR) in America, a new and accurate picture of Greenland’s shrinking ice cap has been formulated.

Subsequently, the researchers have found that Greenland is currently responsible for an annual increase of sea levels of up to half a millimeter.

With predictions pointing to a global rise in sea levels over the next century, many countries are beginning the first stages of planning to deal with such increases. For Asia, a land where population density is the least of their problems, but a major problem nonetheless, this foresight could save millions of lives.

One of the countries that is proactively attempting to find solutions is Vietnam. No longer willing to rely on foreign non-governmental organizations, Vietnam is looking to find solutions for themselves.

With rising sea levels and more extreme weather events on the horizon, the Dutch are building houses modeled after arks. These houses become buoyant during floods.

There is a string of 37 houses located along the Maas River in Holland that were designed and built by Dura Vermeer. Such houses can rise 16 feet without problems and contain flexible pipes, electrical, and sewer lines.

The foundation of the sits on the river bottom. If you were to drill a hole through the basement floor, water would come in (so this is not recommended).