Another recent study also has found that mountain butterflies in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California are moving up in elevation to flee from warmer temperatures.

A big reason why scientists are extrapolating conclusions from the lives and habits of butterflies is because we have always looked at butterflies. Their beauty and elegance capture the attention of people, and therefore the records that have been kept regarding their habits have been very detailed for a long time.

These changes in butterflies may seem small, but they are a great indicator of the larger changes going on in the world.

Please do your part to reduce your own carbon footprint. You can visit www.carbonfund.org to learn more about reducing and calculating your carbon footprint.

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A few of the most anticipated films include Gasland, chronicling the natural gas industry, and Sweetgrass, about a group of Montana shepherds. Films like these add to one of the strongest lineups in Environmental Film Festival history. With a full schedule of films playing at locations throughout Washington, DC, be sure to get your tickets soon! A list of films and locations can be seen here with full show times.

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While researchers aren’t making snap judgments about what this implies for the Earth’s climate, the potential impacts could be huge. Methane is a greenhouse gas that is not as abundant in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, but has a warming effect about 23 times greater than CO2. Concentrations of methane have roughly doubled since pre-industrial times – most of these increases have come from human sources – and there appears to be no slowing of these emissions.

One of the scarier things about global warming is that changes in temperature can have far-reaching effects. Scientifically, this is commonly referred to as feedback. If increased CO2 causes temperatures to rise and warm arctic waters such that stored methane is released, and that methane in turn warms the planet more causing more methane to be released – it’s an example of feedback. Given the risks and effects – such as rising sea levels, floods, heat waves and spread of diseases are serious – it makes sense for all of us to take action on global warming.

Remember to calculate, reduce and offset your carbon footprint today. For example, check out Carbonfund.org’s carbon calculators and third-party validated carbon reduction projects to offset your footprint by clicking here.

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• 72 percent of Americans say it is important to use public transportation or carpool, but only 10 percent say they “often” or “always” do;

• 88 percent of Americans say it is important to recycle at home, but only 51 percent “often” or “always” do;

• 81 percent say it is important to use re-usable shopping bags, but only 33 percent “often” or “always” do;

The survey also illustrated that when combating global warming, Americans are more likely to show their support through their consumer purchases.  In the past year, approximately 1 in 3 Americans have rewarded companies that are taking steps to reduce global warming by buying their products.

“There is plenty of room to improve,” admits Anthony Leiserowitz, director of the Yale Project on Climate Change.

“At the same time, each behavior has its own set of barriers…Lowering these barriers will make it much easier for people to act in ways consistent with their values.”

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Despite the snowy pummeling the US received, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Climate Data Center reports that January 2010 was one of the warmest Januarys on record. Temperatures were about half a degree Fahrenheit above the long-term averages in the chilly US while South Africa, Australia and Brazil suffered from excessive heat waves.

“This pattern of warmer temperatures and stronger storms is consistent with climate models that show global warming will bring more extreme weather, specifically more severe storms with greater amounts of precipitation,” says  William L. Chameides, dean of Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Additionally, climate scientists are still reeling from leaked emails from the University of East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit in November 2009. The documents were apparent proof to skeptics that scientists conspired to overstate the case for a human influence on climate change.  But Chameides asserts that “careful, objective, complete reading of the scientific literature reveals the scientific evidence that the globe is warming – and that this warming is connected to human activities – remains strong.”

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Biking also helps to promote good health which keeps society’s costs of health care down. It reduces burden on over-crowded streets and public transportation. Helps to improve mental health. Improves safety of neighborhoods. And creates healthy and sustainable habits that can last a lifetime.

But the biggest problem that cyclists face is safety. Let’s face it, you are exposed to the elements on a bike – road conditions, weather, and crazy traffic patterns can all affect cyclist safety. For that reason, it is important for cities, municipalities, states and the federal government to prioritize development of cycling infrastructure that helps to improve cyclist safety and encourages participation in this sustainable means of transportation.

A big step towards improving cyclist safety was taken as the US Department of Transportation awarded a $23 million grant to help complete part of the East Coast Greenway in the Phila., Pa. region. The East Coast Greenway is a developing bike trail system that spans 3,000 miles from Maine to Florida.

The grant will help to create or preserve about 1,000 jobs as it helps to make the region a more bicycle friendly area by building trails, bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure to encourage participation. Cycling in cities is normally the quickest way to travel and does amazing things to improve local air quality and minimize urban congestion.

When complete, the East Coast Greenway will provide cyclists of all skill levels a safe way to see the east coast and navigate our nation’s largest cities. While not all of us will be able to make it up and down the full 3,000 mile route, having such an accessible bike route near tens of millions of Americans will benefit us all.

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Along with raising awareness and encouraging carbon reductions from participants and viewers alike, they are the first Olympic Games to take an integrated approach to reducing and reporting their carbon footprint. VANOC has also incorporated LEED standards in venue design and construction, and focused on energy savings in transportation, food services, and waste management.

VANOC has also managed to reduce its carbon footprint through supporting projects in Vancouver’s province, British Columbia. The 2010 Carbon Legacy Portfolio will source and support carbon offsets from BC-based clean technologies. These include biomass gasification systems for renewable heat and power production and high-efficiency commercial building heating systems. Additionally, the Organizing Committee  launched the 2010 Sustainability Stars program. The program recognizes projects by Games partners and sponsors that demonstrate positive and measurable social, economic and environmental impacts. You can visit this site to learn more about VANOC’s efforts.

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G24 Innovations, the company that is licensing the technology, says that dye-sensitized cells will be used to provide power for various portable devices from e-book readers and cell phones to wireless sensors and keyboards. The solar cells will most likely be made into thin, flexible panels that will then be stitched into various consumer products such as e-book covers, tennis bags, backpacks, golf, shopping and beach bags. Individuals will then be able to plug their phones or music players into the bags using a USB cord. Solar panels on the bags will have 11 cells each, and wiring will attach the panel to a battery pack in the bag.

The technology uses a photosensitive dye to start its energy production, similar to the way leaves use chlorophyll to begin photosynthesis. Currently, most photovoltaic cells are still based on silicon or related inorganic materials, not dyes. While the technology works best in direct sunlight (taking six to eight sunny hours outside for the panel to fuel the charger), the cells have even shown to generate voltage from moonlight.

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The report was based off of a new, University of Leeds study using recorded meteorological data spanning the course of two decades. The study showed that the hole generated high-speed winds that caused sea salt to be swept into the atmosphere leading to the production of the moist, reflective clouds. However, some scientists think that the wind speeds were not generated by the ozone layer’s hole, but caused by emissions of greenhouse gases. Even as the ozone layer continues to recover, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to expand causing a rise in temperatures. The temperature rise would cause wind speeds to increase over time and have the same cloud-forming effect the ozone hole has now.

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