http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2012/11/climate_change_and_global_warm.html

Climate change and global warming may be affecting N.J. public water sources

 By Renée Kiriluk-Hill/Hunterdon Democrat 
on November 16, 2012 at 1:46 PM, updated November 16, 2012 at 1:48 PM

The Lambertville-New Hope Bridge Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger

LAMBERTVILLE — Climate change and global warming may be affecting our public water supply.
United Water New Jersey, which serves about 812,000 customers in the northern half of the state, detected a "large" algae bloom in a West Amwell Township reservoir for the first time and now plans to step up monitoring.
The West Amwell reservoir feeds the Lambertville public water system. Algae blooms are common in shallow reservoirs, said company spokesman Steve Goudsmith, but this was the first time a large bloom appeared in this body of water, which is in a wooded area.
In an email yesterday, Nov. 15, company director of water quality and compliance Keith Cartnick wrote that "in light of changing weather patterns and global warming considerations, we have begun discussions" with a local hydrology firm "to develop an improved reservoir monitoring plan for Lambertville, and PAC (powdered activated charcoal) treatment options are also being investigated."
Cartnick wrote that the charcoal treatment "could address both T&O (taste and odor) and potential algae toxins, should the need arise."
It is already used "successfully" at United Water's Haworth and Matchaponix facilities to control taste and odor, according to Cartnick.
Some residents have been complaining about the smell and taste for the past couple of months. One said that she has been told that the problem was caused by a potentially dangerous algae.
State Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Larry Haina said today that a review of the tests conducted by United Water confirmed an issue with taste and odor, but said it is "not a health concern."
Mayor David DelVecchio has passed the testing results on to two other experts in the field to confirm the findings, City Clerk Cindy Ege said today. "He wants to cover every base."
The residents are "international in their expertise in water quality" and are reading the reports at no charge to the city, said the mayor.
Goudsmith said that natural seasonal "turnover" of cold and warm water at the reservoir may have also contributed to the taste and odor issue. He said the turnover happens when surface water cools and sinks to the bottom, pushing what is now warmer water at the bottom to the surface. But there was "certainly an algae bloom," he said.
Going forward, United Water "wants to be pro-active" and will increase "monitoring for the algae and early stage treatment in the reservoir."
He said that water quality tests show that the public's water "continues to meet, or surpasses" regulations.
Lambertville resident Kara Hughes said that she started complaining about a musty odor and taste in the city's public water weeks ago, and in an email from United Water it appeared that several complaints daily started in mid-October.
Hughes has lived in the city for 14 years and now has two young children. She said the strength of the odor fluctuated, but was frequently offensive enough that she washed her children's clothes elsewhere and started relying on bottled water.
"It's not sulfur. It's like a really strong, musty basement," she said. "Our laundry and hair was reeking of swamp!"
Last week she noticed improvement, saying it had "a bouquet of chlorine on top of it."

Hughes worried today about the safety of her family's drinking water over time.
United Water Lambertville serves nearly 4,000 people in the city and portions of West Amwell.

Diatomaceous Earth 101

http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/diatomaceous-earth-101-2895503.html

Diatomaceous Earth 101

http://www.diatomaceousearthplus.com

Diatomaceous Earth is a naturally occurring element which is created from ancient fossilized sea shells from unicellular organisms called Diatoms. It is also know as sea shell flour and has many uses for humans, pets and in and around our house. The list of incredible results and powerful testimonies keeps growing. Originally used primarily for pool filters as a natural way to treat pools and also as an organic pesticide there has been a growing movement to the internal use for both humans and pets. Before we get into all the health benefits and the amazing results people are experiencing let's first try to understand what this substance is and than its many uses and benefits.

Let's start with some basics about Diatomaceous Earth (DE). There are two kinds DE; pool filter grade and food grade. Pool filter grade is treated differently and is more caustic to humans and animals and should only be used with a breathing mask when handling. Food grade can be consumed by both humans and animals to assist with creating a healthy digestive tract environment, a parasite and colon cleanse. It can also be used externally for a pest control in and around the house as it is widely used for farm animals and crops. Even though it is said to be OK to breath in food grade DE it is always wise to be safe and use a breathing mask when heavily dusting with it. We will focus only on the uses and benefits of Food grade DE.

What is it? Diatomaceous earth also known as diatomite or kieselgur, is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. It has a particle size ranging from less than 1 micron to more than 1 millimeter, but typically 10 to 200 microns. This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light, due to its high porosity. The typical chemical composition of oven dried diatomaceous earth is 80 to 90% silica, with 2 to 4% alumina (attributed mostly to clay minerals) and 0.5 to 2% iron oxide.

Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, as a mild abrasive, as a mechanical insecticide, as an absorbent for liquids, as cat litter, as an activator in blood clotting studies, and as a component of dynamite. As it is also heat-resistant, it can be used as a thermal insulator. Diatomite forms by the accumulation of the amorphous silica remains of dead diatoms (microscopic single-celled algae) in lacustrine or marine sediments. The fossil remains consist of a pair of symmetrical shells or frustules.

What are Diatoms? Unicellular organisms with a hard silica shell of often intricate and beautiful sculpting and are found in fresh and saltwater. When aquatic diatoms die they drop to the bottom, and the shells, not being subject to decay and eventually form the material known as diatomaceous earth. When it occurs in a more compact form as a soft, chalky, light-weight rock, it is called diatomite. Deposits of diatomaceous material, formed underwater in past geologic time and now exposed above water, are found in all parts of the world, http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/diatom.aspx. Diatomaceous earth is mined and ground forming shell flour forming the base of our product.

Diatom facts: Diatoms are unique forms of algae that grow a silica shell that is preserved in underwater sediments after they die.
• Diatoms photosynthesize. They are categorized as either protists or chromists.
• They provide a significant amount of the world's oxygen supply (some say 35%).
• There are over a hundred thousand species identified.
• Diatoms live anywhere there is water and light, including lakes, streams, estuaries, oceans, puddles and wet rocks or soil.
• That brown scum you see on the rocks in the stream is probably diatoms.
• Diatomaceous earth is sometimes used in gardening as a pest control

What are the benefits of using DE? When micro algae dies leaving behind the hard shell of what is called the Diatom it works in two primary ways. First due to the hard shell with jagged edges when applied topically it strips off the waxy outer layer of the insect or bug and it dehydrates and dies. It also works the same way on intestinal parasites inside the body. It is also said to do the same to molds and fungus both internal and external. The second major benefit is the Silica and trace minerals that when ingested feed our bodies what it lacks from a depleted food supply. Each of our cells consists mostly of silica, which when not nourished from our food and water, begins to form an unhealthy environment where disease and poor health conditions rise.

In a sense picture a helium balloon when filled is firm and light. Over time it looses its helium and it sags and becomes heavier eventually dropping to the ground looking like a shriveled up prune. The same holds true to our bodies in many ways, which over time if not feed the proper nutrients and minerals shrivels up and dies. The more of our cells that lose silica the less energy and more pain we feel, like a feeling of heaviness. Many of our aliments are due to a deprived silica and mineral environment. Diatomaceous earth is 85% silica when taken internally mixed in a drink or food in a very short period of time gives our cells the silica they are so deprived of. The list of ailments from the many testimonies DE has helped or alleviated is amazing.

People are reporting tremendous results from the use of taking DE. The list is long but here is a snapshot of what people are saying; increased energy, arthritic pain gone, lowered blood pressure, hair and skin improved, psoriasis gone, lowered cholesterol, eyesight improved, cleansing digestive tract of parasites, the best colon cleanse on the market and the list goes on. Also for your pet it is a great de-wormer and flea and tic killer.

I was first introduced to DE as my wife and I was looking for a natural solution to a flea infestation we had on our dog and in our house. We located some and applied it on our dog, all over our house and in our yard. Here is the amazing thing! The next day all the flea bites stopped. In one day our flea infestation was solved without bombing the house with chemicals.

Then my wife said she read in her search that it was also good for getting rid of intestinal parasites which I knew I had. I did some research until I felt comfortable enough to try it. I kept a journal for my first 30 days which is posted on my website. After drinking it in a glass of water every day I started calling it the dirt. In short, after it cleaned my digestive tract and colon of parasites and toxins my energy sky rocketed and then the pain in my shoulders and hands went away. I now have no pain in my body. After my experience I felt like I needed to let everyone know about the "Dirt"

If you are consider taking Diatomaceous Earth or any product based off of DE you should consult your physician first, even though they may have limited knowledge of this substance. DE has not been evaluated by the FDA or any other agency. DE has not been widely used by humans, but those that have taken it love it and the results they have experienced. It is also recommended to wear a breathing mask whenever creating dust from fumigating or dusting your garden or lawn with DE.

For more information on Diatomaceous Earth and its uses or if you would like to order some go to my website. http://www.diatomaceousearthplus.com. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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Bob Cerami

Bob Cerami is an entrepreneur and author who is always looking for good opportunities and ways to help people live and feel better. He is the author of an E-Book, the 20 Things You Need to Know before you buy a home, a guide and resource for people thinking of buying a home. Also, Bob has written a few books, plus many articles and stories, a TV reality show amongst other things for different interests. His particular interest lies in training others how to and writing about many topics.

Bob is a consultant to businesses, ministers and sales people. Bob serves as a home buying counselor and mortgage consultant in the real estate industry. He has owned a few businesses, served as a senior pastor for an extended time and now works in the mortgage industry aside from consulting.

Bob Cerami
bobcerami@gmail.com
http://www.diatomaceousearthplus.com 

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-technology-to-tackle-greenhouse-gas-emissions-now-exists-are-we-brave-enough-to-use-it-8269479.html

BEN CALDECOTT

Wednesday 31 October 2012

The technology to tackle greenhouse gas emissions now exists. Are we brave enough to use it?

A leading thinker of the green movement argues that negative emission technology has the potential to be revolutionary - if we only it's deployed sensibly

Geoengineering has been advocated as a solution to climate chaos. Mirrors in space to reflect sunlight, human induced algal blooms to absorb carbon, and cloud seeding have all been proposed as ways to manage an impending climate crisis.

Many of these options, however, attempt to deal with the effects of climate change, not its causes. Their benefits are fleeting, they depend on continuous programmes of intervention and they have unacceptable side-effects at local and regional levels. They are unlikely to gain political support and will not succeed.

Geoengineering Experiment Creates Massive Algae Bloom in Pacific Ocean

http://inhabitat.com/rogue-geoengineering-experiment-creates-massive-algae-bloom-in-pacific-ocean/

Rogue Geoengineering Experiment Creates Massive Algae Bloom in Pacific Ocean

by Al Bredenberg, 10/17/12

The Guardian is reporting that a July dump of 100 tonnes of iron sulphate in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, by California businessman Russ George has fueled a plankton bloom as large as 10,000 square kilometers. The dump is part of a rogue geoengineering experiment that is intended to demonstrate that ocean fertilization using iron can draw carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the ocean long-term to help combat climate change. But environmentalists have called George’s algae bloom experiment a “blatant violation of two international resolutions.”

 

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/10/121017-northernmost-lake-greenland-global-warming-science-environment/

Northernmost Lake Reappears Due to Warming

Algae in Greenland lake bouncing back after deep freeze, study finds.

Kate Andries

National Geographic News

Published October 17, 2012

The world's northernmost lake, situated near the coast ofGreenland (map), is coming back to life.

Populations of microscopic algae, called diatoms, have been absent from the lake Kaffeklubben Sø for over 2,000 years. But a new study has found that the diatoms are returning, thanks to global warming.

"It's a pure climate change story," said study co-author Bianca Perren, a paleoecologist at the University of Franche-Comté in Besançon, France, who specializes in Arctic environmental change (see pictures).

Diatoms were once abundant in Kaffeklubben Sø, which was formed about 3,500 years ago after glacial retreats created numerous small lakes on the coastal plain.

As surrounding temperatures cooled, diatom populations decreased until they vanished some 2,400 years ago, Perren explained.

"Until about 1920, [the lake] was basically in a deep freeze," she said.

Ice completely covered its surface, cutting off any sunlight that had previously penetrated into the water. This lack of light, along with dropping temperatures, killed off the organisms beneath the surface.

(Also see "Global Warming Burning Lakes?")

Strong Evidence for Climate Change

Scientists began seeing a growth in the number of diatoms in the lake between 1960 and 1970 as summer temperatures began gradually increasing—varying by less than a degree throughout the years. By 1980, the diatom population had exploded.

A layer of ice three-to-six feet thick (one-to-two meters thick) covers the lake year-round, though the rising summer temperatures—now averaging around 34 degrees Fahrenheit (1.6 degrees Celsius)—cause some of the ice to melt, especially around the shore.

Temperaturewise, several degrees Celsius in northern Greenland makes a critical difference, said Perren. The warmer summer temperatures and ice meltage allow enough light into the lake so that life can grow.

A large portion of the study sought to determine if the surge in diatom population was caused in part by nitrogen pollution, which can cause algae to bloom. But no evidence of pollution—nitrogen or otherwise—was found in Kaffeklubben Sø, suggesting that the current rise in diatom population is due to climate change alone. (Take a global warming quiz.)

Jack Williams, director of the Center for Climatic Research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, agreed, noting that the Kaffeklubben Sø study made a strong argument that this is a climate-driven change rather than a nutrient-driven change.

The current diatom population in Kaffeklubben Sø is the highest in recent memory, according to the study authors.

"We certainly expected to see some sort of biological growth," added study co-author Colin Cooke, a geoscientist at Yale University, added. "I didn't expect to see such a large response."

The northernmost lake study appears in the November issue of Geology Journal.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/newshome/15001651/gloom-over-anaemic-rivers/

Gloom over 'anaemic' rivers

Authorities have all but abandoned improving the health of big areas of the Swan and Canning rivers in the short term, according to a report that shows the system's condition is anaemic.

The Swan River Trust's annual report painted a bleak picture of the waterway after a year in which it was hit with mass fish kills and several toxic algal blooms.

According to the trust's own monitoring, nitrogen levels were too high at almost half of its stations for the fourth year in a row, while phosphorous levels exceeded benchmarks at 20 per cent of sites.

The report showed the amount of chlorophyll-a - a green pigment that indicates algal growth - was far too high everywhere and had been getting worse since 2008.

And dissolved oxygen levels, which were propped up by oxygen plants as a "last line of defence", were too low in each river area except its lower reaches, which were most affected by seawater.

Crucially, the trust said conditions were not expected to improve in many areas and according to several criteria "in the foreseeable future".

This was because of the system's high embedded nutrient level and Perth's lack of winter rain, which reduced the rivers' ability to flush themselves out.

The trust reported six sewage discharges into the rivers last year, 11 industrial discharges and 22 oil slicks or spills.

A spokeswoman for Environment Minister Bill Marmion said the trust had failed to meet its own benchmarks.

"The trust and its partners deliver many positive initiatives that improve water quality and environmental condition in priority catchment areas," she said.

Greens MP Alison Xamon said the trust's report revealed a grim picture of the health of the rivers and legislative action was urgently needed to clean the system.

Shadow environment minister Sally Talbot said the rivers would not recover until water-soluble fertilisers were banned in the catchment."

Comment

Ms Talbot has missed the point, all fertilizers HAVE to be water soluble. 

All living organisms (bacteria to humans) are about 70% water and can only consume water soluble material. Therefore fertilizer, food and sewage is always water soluble. 

The headline hits the mark, perhaps unintentionally. 
The problem with polluted rivers and lakes is lack of IRON and not excess nutrients. 

Nualgi provides iron on a silica base. 

NASA hypes Arctic algal blooms as “unprecedented” but they are common

http://tucsoncitizen.com/wryheat/2012/09/29/nasa-hypes-arctic-algal-blooms-as-unprecedented-but-they-are-common/

NASA hypes Arctic algal blooms as “unprecedented” but they are common

by Jonathan DuHamel on Sep. 29, 2012, under Climate change, General Science

The NASA headline reads: “NASA Discovers Unprecedented Blooms of Ocean Plant Life.” Within the article we find:

“Scientists have made a biological discovery in Arctic Ocean waters as dramatic and unexpected as finding a rainforest in the middle of a desert. A NASA-sponsored expedition punched through three-foot thick sea ice to find waters richer in microscopic marine plants, essential to all sea life, than any other ocean region on Earth. The finding reveals a new consequence of the Arctic’s warming climate and provides an important clue to understanding the impacts of a changing climate and environment on the Arctic Ocean and its ecology.”

“If someone had asked me before the expedition whether we would see under-ice blooms, I would have told them it was impossible,” said Kevin Arrigo of Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., leader of the ICESCAPE mission and lead author of the new study. “This discovery was a complete surprise.” (See full article here)

Perhaps these NASA scientists should research the scientific literature more carefully. If they did, they might have discovered that Arctic algal blooms are not “unprecedented” or even unusual.

For instance, we have this paper from 1996 reporting on research in 1993:

“Occurrence of an algal bloom under Arctic pack ice” by R. Gradinger, Marine Ecology Progress Series, Vol. 131.

Abstract:

“Summer melting of sea ice leads to the formation of under-ice melt ponds in Arctic seas. The biological characteristics of such a pond were studied in summer 1993. The chlorophyte Pyramimonas sp. (Prasinophyceae) formed a unialgal bloom with cell densities of 19.1 thousand cell per ml and a pigment concentration of 29.6 mg per cubic meter. A comparison with ice core data revealed differences in algal biomass and community structure. Physical data indicate that under-ice ponds are a common feature in the Arctic Ocean. Thus, communities within under-ice ponds, which have not been included in production estimates, may significantly contribute to the Arctic marine food web.”

I wonder if the Arizona Daily Star will, in a few days, report NASA’s “unprecedented” discovery just as the Star uncritically reported the last NASA “unprecedented” claim:Greenland “melting” and media hype.