Steam Center Blog

Widespread deforestation has taken place on the planet over the last century due to human activity. While this deforestation affects the planet and all life that dwells upon it in numerous ways, this note mentions three effects on climate change that includes climate extremes 1. Atmospheric Turbulence The greater the atmospheric turbulence, greater are the chances of unexpected climatic phenomenon i.e. climate extremes. Winds move over the surface of earth in what scientists call as atmospheric boundary layers. It is well known phenomenon in turbulence science that turbulence in such boundary layers is damped when roughness exists on the surface. Forests with tall trees are one such roughness. Therefore the fewer the forests on land the greater the atmospheric turbulence and greater the chances of climate extremes. 2. Evaporation from Trees Evaporation from tree leaves absorbs the sun’s heat that falls on the planet. It is for this reason, during day ho...

Nainital in the Himalayas E very now and then, news comes of climate changes in one part of the world or the other from California to elsewhere. It must be realized that climate has always been changing on the planet. There are cycles of changes that are year long, decade long, century long, millennium long, those spanning ten thousand years and others a hundred thousand years or longer. The ice ages of the past have been a part of these cycles as well as the rise and fall of ancient civilization from Sumer to the Indus Valley, (see http://alienaccount.blogspot.com ). Added to cyclic changes are what may be called climatic perturbations that are of a near random nature. When this perturbation is a severe one, it is called a climate extreme. Aside from natural causes, are some of the climate changes man made? Most scientists believe that some of the recent changes on the planet are caused by human activity that are contributing to climate change in a significant way, ...

The Climate Change Debate And the five myths that surround the subject A n active debate is taking place in the world about climate change. Many believe that because of fossil fuels use, carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas has been increasing steadily in the atmosphere, and this is leading to adverse climate changes that include an overall warming of the planet as also more frequent adverse climate extremes that are devastating for human habitations whenever they take place. As a result, the objective of limiting such emissions is being pursued by many organizations, governments and individuals. Carbon dioxide levels have gone up from around 0.02 percent (200ppm) in preceding centuries to around 0.04 percent(400 ppm)  presently T he opponents to such attempts on the other hand fall in two categories. First are those that say that carbon dioxide levels are too miniscule in the atmosphere to make a difference and in fact it is a good gas and we need more of it. The s...

The author with his adopted son and Grandson in Nainital Himalays   W hile a lot of humans are crying hoarse over burning of fossil fuels and the resulting increase of carbon emissions, here is a different view that concludes carbon emissions could be good for the planet. It seems a scientific fact that trees grow faster and healthier as the level of carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere. Around 1000 ppm seems great for plants and it is still around 400ppm. Presently it is still too low for their best possible health.   Over the past century while human population has been increasing by leaps and bounds tree population has gone down drastically due to human activity. There is a desperate need to increase tree population. Much wild life depends on it. The carbon in our fossil fuels belong to trees that were buried under the ground a long time ago. By burning fossil fuels we help return that carbon to trees but some cruel and thoughtless humans try trapping th...

C an much sex be behind global climate change? At least that is what very many persons including some scientists are saying. One could argue that has been going on ever since Eve ate the apple of the forbidden tree but then in those days antibiotics and vaccines were not around. The current action combined with reduced mortality rates have led to the planet's population rising to around seven Billion. Collect a bunch of persons in a room and see how it warms up! Each body generates heat continuously. Could that be happening on a planet wide scale? However that is not what the scientists are saying. Instead what happens is that as humans develop they begin using things like cars and electricity. All those require burning fossil fuels and that adds direct heat to the planet as well as carbon emissions that are greenhouse gases. As long as it was only a few hundred million Americans and Europeans doing that it was OK, but now we have a few billion Indians and Chinese beg...

Climate change through Logging, Oil on canvas by Ashok There are two facts about climate change that most people know and one that most do not know. First the two known facts: Most scientists believe that some climate change is happening Most scientists think that climate change is man made This Scientist fully agrees with the above two facts. Now the one fact that most people do not know but this author/scientist believes to be a fact is: Climate change is happening and it is most probably due to human activity i.e it is man made but the most likely cause is not increase of carbon emissions as assumed by lay persons and suggested by some scientists too. It appears to be primarily due to increasing deforestation on the planet and perhaps to some extent due to increasing concrete and cement based urbanization (even where it is unnecessary such as footpaths and surroundings of buildings that are at best left green, unpaved, pebbled etc.) ...