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Sustainable Communities Network
is a commnity-based non-profit organization located in
Lexington, Ky that endeavors to educate, inspire, build, create and
empower sustainable cities
2010 Fundraising Letter
FR Letter with links
We welcome any amount of contributions to our on-going programs
Thanks for your donation!
We encourage you to read our
SCN Annual Report 2009
Back 2 Nature project Report
Sustainable Communities Network contributed articles, photographs and quotes for this book.
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Climate Science - General
Submitted by Nick Sundt on Tue, 03/23/2010 - 18:01
Scientists report
that the loss of ice from Greenland, previously documented in the south
of the island, has spread rapidly since 2005 to the northwest
coast. "These changes on the Greenland ice sheet are happening fast,
and we are definitely losing more ice mass than we had anticipated,"
says Isabella Velicogna, one of the researchers. "We also are seeing
this trend in Antarctica, a sign that warming temperatures really are
having an effect on ice in Earth's cold regions."
Submitted by Lynn Englum on Mon, 03/22/2010 - 16:17
A
new study involving scientists from 13 different organizations,
universities and research institutions states that forest protection
offers one of the most effective, practical, and immediate strategies
to combat climate change.
Submitted by Nick Sundt on Sat, 03/20/2010 - 07:26
The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said earlier
this week (16 March 2010) that the decline in Arctic sea ice is
affecting the patterns of atmospheric pressure in the region,
particularly in the Fall and early Winter. It says that these pressure
changes in turn "impact large scale wind patterns over the Northern Hemisphere, allowing cold air to move southward." Simply
stated, changes in Arctic sea ice already are affecting climate and
weather outside the region -- and the effects are likely to grow with
further declines in sea ice.
Submitted by Lynn Englum on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 13:12
A
new report, released from the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Ken
Salazar, highlights the troubling decline of bird populations in the
U.S. over the last 40 years. “Now they are facing a new threat--climate
change--that could dramatically alter their habitat and food supply and
push many species towards extinction," says the Secretary of Interior
Submitted by Nick Sundt on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 08:23
Data
released yesterday (12 March 2010) by NASA indicates that summer
(December-February) surface temperatures in the Southern Hemisphere
were the warmest on record. The same period in the northern hemisphere
(winter) was the fifth warmest on record and globally it was the second
warmest December-February on record. In North America there were sharp
contrasts: while NOAA reports that the U.S. experienced the 18th
coolest winter on record (out of 115 years), Environment Canada says it
was the warmest and driest winter on record for Canada.
Submitted by Lynn Englum on Thu, 03/11/2010 - 18:25
Educational
dialogue is taking place between Senate staffers and college campuses
all over the U.S. The goal is to engage young people with federal
decision-makers on important climate and energy policy changes shaping
the future. Upcoming calls include New Mexico, North Carolina, Florida
and Iowa.
Submitted by Nick Sundt on Fri, 03/05/2010 - 11:53
In a videotaped lecture, Naomi Oreskes discusses the upcoming book, Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming, which
she coauthored with Erik Conway. "The failure of the United States to
act on global warming as well as the long delays between when the
science was settled and when we acted on tobacco, acid rain and the
ozone hole are prima facie empirical evidence that doubt-mongering works," Oreskes said.
Submitted by Lynn Englum on Thu, 03/04/2010 - 04:05
A video about the empirical evidence on climate
change—it details what the science reveals and how we know what
we know. "Of course, no amount of proof is sufficient for those who believe climate science is all a global conspiracy," acerbically notes the video's producer, Peter Sinclair.
Submitted by Nick Sundt on Sun, 02/28/2010 - 20:33
In
a U.S. Senate hearing last week (23 Feb 2010), Senator Bernie
Sanders eloquently and pointedly responded to those in the Congress and
elsewhere who reject the fundamental scientific basis for action
on climate change. "I find it incredible, I really do, that in the
year 2010 on this committee, there are people who are saying there is a
doubt about global warming," Sanders said. "The longer we delay, the longer we have this senseless debate, the less prepared we will be."
Submitted by Lynn Englum on Thu, 02/25/2010 - 09:29
A
new study reports that as climate rapidly changes, Indiana, Wisconsin,
Michigan and Illinois could by 2070 experience as much as a 28%
increase in precipitation, most of which would come in the winter and
spring.
Online Resources: Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystems and Species
Welcome
At a time when responding to climate change is one of the nation's most
important and complex endeavors, the National Academies provides
helpful analysis and advice to policymakers and stakeholders through
its expert, consensus reports and other activities. The reports are
produced by committees of the nation's top scientists, engineers, and
other experts who are convened to address key scientific and technical
aspects of climate change and other topics.
What's New
Academies Reports Address Issues in Climate Controversy
Past controversies over historical temperature trends and access to
research data have resurfaced amid a stir over old e-mail exchanges
among climate scientists that were stolen from a university in the U.K.
Two National Research Council reports in particular address these
issues. Guiding principles for maintaining the integrity and
accessibility of research data were recommended in Ensuring the Integrity, Accessibility, and Stewardship of Research Data in the Digital Age, released earlier this year. A 2006 report, Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Past 2,000 Years,
examined how much confidence could be placed in historical surface
temperature reconstructions. For further information on these reports, check the National Academies' news item here.
Report Examines "Hidden Costs" of Energy
 October
2009--The benefits to society of energy production and use are
well-known, but energy also has many adverse effects not reflected in
market prices, such as the damage air pollution imposes on human health
and the environment. This congressionally requested report from the
National Research Council, Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use,
examines those "hidden costs" in an effort to inform energy-related
policy decisions. The damages that the committee was able to quantify
were an estimated $120 billion in the United States in 2005, a number
that reflects damages from air pollution associated with electricity
generation relying on fossil fuels, motor vehicle transportation, and
heat generation. The report also considers other effects that are not
included in the figure, such as damages from climate change, harm to
ecosystems, effects of some air pollutants such as mercury, and risks
to national security. A four-page Report in Brief is also available.
Science Academies Urge Faster Response to Climate Change
 June,
2009--In a joint statement, the science academies of the G8 countries,
plus Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and South Africa, called on their
leaders to "seize all opportunities" to address global climate change
that "is happening even faster than previously estimated." The signers,
which include U.S. National Academy of Sciences President Ralph J.
Cicerone, urged nations at the upcoming Copenhagen climate talks to
adopt goals aimed at reducing global emissions by 50 percent by 2050.
The academies also urged the G8+5 governments, meeting in Italy next
month, to "lead the transition to an energy efficient and low carbon
economy, and foster innovation and research and development for both
mitigation and adaptation technologies." View Statement
World's Science Academies Say Ocean Acidification Another Reason to Cut Emissions
 June,
2009--The InterAcademy Panel, a network of the world's science
academies, issued a statement warning that ocean acidification caused
by carbon dioxide emissions will have a profound impact on marine
ecosystems. The statement calls on negotiators at upcoming U.N. climate
change talks to recognize the threat of ocean acidification and to
mitigate it by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by at least 50 percent
of 1990 levels by 2050, with further reductions thereafter. View Statement
New Booklet Explores Ecological Impacts of Climate Change
 April, 2009--Life on Earth is profoundly affected by the planet's climate. Animals, plants,
and other living beings around the globe are moving, adapting, and, in
some cases, dying as a direct or indirect result of environmental shifts associated
with our changing climate—disrupting intricate interactions among
Earth's species, with profound implications for the natural systems on which
humans depend. To illuminate how climate change has affected species and
ecosystems across the United States, this booklet, based on the conclusions
of an independent, expert committee of the nation's leading scientists,
describes some of the ecological impacts of climate change that have already
been observed right in our own backyard. Explore Booklet and Related Resources
America's Climate Choices Summit Held March 30-31
 March,
2009--A two-day summit on climate change brought together top
scientists, members of Congress, Obama administration officials,
business leaders, state government officials, and representatives of
nongovernmental organizations. The summit--which launches America's Climate Choices,
an NAS project that will generate a series of congressionally requested
reports--was held to lay the groundwork for how the nation can limit
the magnitude of climate change, adapt to its impacts, and provide
paths to action. "Given that climate change is intertwined with other
strategic priorities, such as energy and national security, we have
invited speakers with a broad array of expertise and perspectives to
start an open dialogue as the country charts a course to respond to
climate change," said Ralph J. Cicerone, president of the National
Academy of Sciences. View Sessions from the Webcast Archive
New Report Recommends Changes in Federal Climate Change Research
 February,
2009--Climate change is one of the most important global environmental
problems facing the world today. Policy decisions are already being
made to limit or adapt to climate change and its impacts, but many of
these decisions are being made without the science support that could
help shape better outcomes. In the United States, the U.S. Climate
Change Science Program (CCSP) is responsible for coordinating efforts
to generate the scientific knowledge to understand, predict, and
respond to climate change. At the request of the CCSP, the National
Research Council established a committee to evaluate the progress of
the program and to identify future priorities. This, the committee's
second and final report, proposes six priorities for restructuring the
United States' climate change research program to develop a more robust
knowledge base and support informed responses. [more]
New Report Offers Plan to Improve Weather and Climate Monitoring
 November 2008--The Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate issued Weather and Climate from the Ground Up: A National Network of Networks.
The report calls for a more integrated and effective nationwide
meteorological and chemical weather network that measures atmosphere
conditions at various heights and scales. In addition to weather
observations, such a system could assist in a number of other
applications, including tracking the dispersion of biological and
nuclear contaminants from industrial accidents; monitoring smoke from
wildfires; providing high-resolution weather information for aviation
and waterways, water management, and food production; and supporting
regional climate monitoring. [more]
Schwarzenegger Requests National Academies Study on Sea Level Rise
November 2008--California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an
executive order on November 14th directing state agencies to "enhance
the state's management of climate impacts from sea level rise,
increased temperatures, shifting precipitation and extreme weather
events." According to a state-issued press release, the order responds
to "the serious threat of sea level rise to California's water supply
and coastal resources and the impact it would have on our state's
economy, population and natural resources." Among four key actions of
the executive order is a request for the National Academy of Science
establish an expert panel to report on sea level rise impacts in
California to inform state planning and development efforts. [more]
New Study Will Guide America's Climate Choices
 November
2008--The National Academies is launching a new, congressionally
requested study to be called "America's Climate Choices." This suite of
activities will provide policy-relevant advice, based on scientific
evidence, to guide the nation's response to climate change. Experts
representing various levels of government, the private sector, and
research institutions will serve on the study's four panels and its
main committee. Five consensus reports will be released in 2009 and
2010. America's Climate Choices will examine and evaluate the actions
and strategies available to limit the magnitude of future climate
change, adapt to climate change impacts, advance climate change
science, and inform effective decisions and actions. Watch for news and
information about the study at http://americasclimatechoices.org.
Recap of "America's Energy Future" Summit Now Available
 November
2008--A recap of discussions at the National Academies' America's
Energy Future Summit held in March 2008 is now available at http://nationalacademies.org/energy..
The America's Energy Future initiative will evaluate the contributions
and future potential of various energy technologies in a series of
expert consensus studies, the first of which is expected to be released
in late 2008.
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ACE Weekly download articles
Gardens of Eatin
Shovel Ready
Lexington Gardens Grow
Dig It: Gardens Root
HOBY Eco-Art 2009
HOBY Eco-Art 2008
Model of the Year
Closing the Food Gap
Greening of Bryan Station High School
Growing Food & Justice conference
Community Garden Tour Report
Gardening with Class
The
Great Work
The Great Turning
Farm to School
School gardens
Catherine Ferguson Academy
Grown in Detroit_
Food and Sacred Earth Connections
Religion and Environment
Closing the Food Gap 2008
Profile of Food Policy Councils by State
interactive
map of food policy councils
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