If you're a satellite, this story is important. A series of geomagnetic storms in 2023 has pumped terawatts of energy into Earth's upper atmosphere, helping to push its temperature and height to a 20-year high. Air surrounding our planet is now touching satellites in Earth orbit and dragging them down.
"Blame the sun," says Martin Mlynczak of NASA Langley. "Increasing solar activity is heating the top of the atmosphere. The extra heat has no effect on weather or climate at Earth's surface, but it's a big deal for satellites in low Earth orbit."

Mlynczak is an expert on the temperature up there. For 20 years he has been using the SABER instrument on NASA's TIMED satellite to monitor infrared emissions from "the thermosphere," the uppermost layer of the atmosphere."Right now we’re seeing some of the highest readings in the mission's 21.5 year history," he says.
The thermosphere is exquisitely sensitive to solar activity, readily absorbing energy from solar flares and geomagnetic storms. These storms have been coming hard and fast with the recent rise of Solar Cycle 25.
"There have been five significant geomagnetic storms in calendar year 2023 that resulted in marked increases in the amount of infrared radiation (heat) in Earth's thermosphere," says Mlynczak. "They peaked on Jan. 15th (0.59 TW), Feb. 16th (0.62 TW), Feb. 27th (0.78 TW), Mar. 24th (1.04 TW), and April 24th (1.02 TW)."
The parenthetical values are TeraWatts (1,000,000,000,000 Watts) of infrared power observed by SABER during each storm. The sensor obtains these numbers by measuring infrared radiation emitted from nitric oxide and carbon dioxide molecules in the thermosphere.

"The two storms exceeding 1 TW are the seventh and eighth strongest storms observed by SABER over the past 21.5 years," he says. "It is interesting to note that each successive storm in 2023 is generally stronger than its predecessors."Actually, it doesn't take a strong storm to cause problems. In Feb. 2022, a minor geomagnetic storm dumped enough heat into the thermosphere that 38 newly launched Starlink satellites fell out of the sky. SpaceX has since started launching their Starlinks to higher initial altitudes to avoid the drag.
If current trends continue, the thermosphere will warm even more in 2023 and 2024. This is a matter of concern because Earth's population of active satellites has tripled since SpaceX started launching Starlinks in 2019. The growing constellation of 4100 Starlinks now provides internet service to more than a million customers. An extreme geomagnetic storm like the Halloween Storms of 2003 could shift the positions of these satellites by many 10s of kilometers, increasing the risk of collisions and causing some of the lowest ones to de-orbit.
Stay tuned as the warming continues.
https://spaceweather.com

"Earth's climate works like a rubber band being stretched and suddenly released.  For years, eons even, the stresses slowly build as the chemistry of the air changes.  And then, in a matter of a few years, or even a few months, there is a shift so vast that we can scarcely begin to imagine it.

Earth, it seems, has a powerful regulatory mechanism built into its climate.  Heat increases to a certain point, and then the whole system breaks down.  Cold air comes roaring down from the north, flooding the previously overheated northern hemisphere.

Suddenly, a new era of cold weather begins.  We know, generally, how this happens  But not even science has as yet faced the fact that this change must be accompanied by an absolutely massive release of energy, as earth's climate strives to re-organize itself.  In other words, this great shift of climate is almost certainly accompanied by a great storm or series of storms, a weather upheaval outside of contemporary human experience.  We believe that it has happened before, and that traces of what we are calling the superstorm exist in the fossil record."
Extracts from 'The Coming Global Superstorm' (pages 12/13) by Art Bell and Whitley Strieber (2000)

by Barret | Oct 23, 2021

It has become clear to almost everyone that the production of electricity using fossil fuels is unsustainable, hence the race to develop renewable sources of energy such as wind energy. Wind-powered turbines are the largest renewable energy source across the world.

What is wind energy, why is it the largest renewable energy source globally, which country produces the most wind energy, and what is the connection between wind turbines and slip rings? We answer all these questions and more in this article.

What Is Wind Energy?

Wind energy, sometimes known as wind power, is electrical power generated when the blades connected to a turbine use the wind’s kinetic energy to spin a rotor. When engineers place the blades, they ensure that the blades are in the way of the wind. Thus, the wind moves them as it attempts to pass.

Even though it may not be apparent, wind energy is connected to solar energy. The website focused on conserving energy, Conserve-energy-future.com, explains this connection. It says, “The wind is caused by uneven heating of the earth’s surface by the sun.” Adding that when it’s heated, “Hot air rises up and cool air flows in to take its place.”

Regarding the generation of electrical power from wind energy, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) explains that the “Wind flows over the blades creating lift (similar to the effect on airplane wings), which causes the blades to turn.” Adding that “The blades are connected to a drive shaft that turns an electric generator, which produces (generates) electricity.”

The History of Wind Energy

The use of the wind to generate energy dates back thousands of years. For instance, the EIA says that people used wind energy to propel boats as early as 5,000 BC.

The EIA also reports that “By 200 BC, simple wind-powered water pumps were used in China, and windmills with woven-reed blades were grinding grain in Persia and the Middle East.” Over the centuries, wind energy would remain an important power source for pumping water from underground lakes, grinding grain, and cutting wood in sawmills.

Even though the use of wind pumps and turbines declined as electrical power became available to more people in the 1930s, wind energy would see a rebound in the 1970s. According to the EIA, this resulted from the oil shortages experienced during this time, which forced governments to invest in other forms of energy.

Growing consciousness about the adverse environmental effects associated with the use of fossil fuels in the 21st century has prompted almost every government on the planet to start supporting efforts to move away from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity. This has led to a proliferation of wind farms both inland and offshore.

DNA India; 24 July 2021

With food prices steadily rising over the last several years, by as much as five percent, families are scaling back and going without many staples just to put a meal on the table. Or worse, resorting to ‘bargains’ like fast food specials, subsidized SNAP junk food or just plain instant noodles to fill a hungry belly.

We have reached the point where self-sufficiency is not a luxury any longer, it’s a real necessity. In response, many are carving out a small homestead niche, even in the middle of lively cities. An encouraging example is found with a micro-farm in the heart of Southern California.

The downward spiral of dwindling food supplies

It isn’t much of a stretch to see our food dollars are shrinking. A combination of droughts, erratic weather patterns and astronomical fuel costs have all contributed to an inflated food bill. The use of GMO seeds isn’t helping the matter either with horrible crop yields. Couple this with a nose dive of world economies and we have a recipe for wide spread shortages of quality, nutritious food. Individuals are waking up to these realities and taking matters into their own hands — not only growing their own food, but removing themselves from the grid as much as possible, even within the bounds of a bustling city. A shining model of exceptional self-sufficiency, survival and ecological action is the  Urban Homestead.

You can read the whole inspiring story here: https://wakeup-world.com/2013/03/13/inspiring-urban-farm-grows-an-astonishing-three-tons-of-produce-a-year-on-a-mere-110-of-an-acre/

David Claughton and Olivia Ralph; abc.net.au; 10 Mar 2019

Boorowa farmer Charlie Arnott has experienced the immense toll of drought on his cattle, his business and his wellbeing, but he has found a way through it all. Fifteen years ago, reeling from the effects of the Millennium drought, he attended a workshop on regenerative agriculture that radically changed the way he farmed and, he believes, saved his life. "I was doing a really good job of killing a lot of stuff to try and grow food, which is kind of crazy," Mr Arnott said.

He had been farming conventionally using pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers, but the course taught him how to partner with nature instead of trying to control it. It has turned around his farm's capacity to deal with drought and he currently has plenty of water and grass for his livestock even as the drought in NSW intensifies.

"We haven't fed for 15 years [because] we measure how much grass we have, we know how many animals we have to eat that grass and a very simple calculation gives us the amount of time that that grass is available before it runs out," Mr Arnott said.

From a desert to a paradise

Another farmer in Boorowa, David Marsh, began his journey into regenerative agriculture in the 1980s, after a drought brought him to the edge of ruin. "In 1982 we reduced our numbers far too late, like so many ... and we turned this place into a desert," Mr Marsh said.

"In that time you couldn't give sheep away and I promised I wouldn't do that again."

He began adopting regenerative practices in 1999, increasing the amount of native vegetation and tree coverage on his property from just 3 per cent to 20 per cent.

The rest of this article can be read here: https://www.sott.net/article/409672-From-a-desert-to-a-paradise-Regenerative-agriculture-finds-solid-backing-as-decades-of-success-show-renewal

The Story of Stuff, originally released in December 2007, is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the Stuff in your life forever.

Download the Fact Sheet
Story Of Stuff, Referenced and Annotated Script By Annie Leonard

Credits
The Story of Stuff was written by Annie Leonard, Louis Fox, and Jonah Sachs, directed by Louis Fox and produced by Free Range Studios. Executive Producers included Tides Foundation and the Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption.

Show full list of credits

The connection between cosmic rays and clouds has long been controversial.  Some researchers hold that cosmic rays hitting Earth's atmosphere create aerosols which, in turn, seed clouds.  This could make cosmic rays an important player in weather and climate.  Other researchers, however, are less convinced.  Although some laboratory experiments support the idea that cosmic rays help seed clouds, skeptics say the effect is too small to substantially affect the cloudiness of our planet or to avert the course of climate change.

A new study just published in the Aug. 19th issue of Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics comes down in favor of cosmic rays. A team of scientists from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has linked sudden decreases in cosmic rays (called "Forbush Decreases") to changes in Earth's cloud cover.

Forbush Decreases occur when solar storms called "coronal mass ejections (CMEs)" sweep past Earth.  Magnetic fields in CMEs deflect cosmic rays and, essentially, sweep some of the cosmic rays away from our planet.  The research team led by Jacob Svensmark of DTU identified the strongest 26 Forbush Decreases between 1987 and 2007, and looked at ground-based+satellite records of cloud cover to see what happened.  In a press release, their conclusions were summarized as follows: "[Strong Forbush Decreases] cause a reduction in cloud fraction of about 2 percent corresponding to roughly a billion tonnes of liquid water disappearing from the atmosphere."
If true, that's amazing.  It would also underscore the importance of measuring cosmic rays in the atmosphere.  Recent balloon flights by Spaceweather.com and Earth to Sky Calculus show that cosmic rays are intensifying. Cloudy days, anyone?
www.spaceweather.com

NASA Goddard: Published on Apr 26, 2016

From a quarter to half of Earth’s vegetated lands has shown significant greening over the last 35 years largely due to rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on April 25. The greening represents an increase in leaves on plants and trees equivalent in area to two times the continental United States.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Kayvon Sharghi

This video is public domain and may be downloaded at:
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12222

Sumitra : Oddity Central : 28 Nov 2015

Meet Aisa Mijeno, a Filipino architect and scientist who invented a revolutionary lamp that runs on a glass of saltwater instead of batteries. Her vision in creating the SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting) lamp was to "light up the rest of the Philippines sustainably," by finding an environment-friendly alternative light source suitable for people in coastal areas. She came up with the idea after spending time with the locals of the Butbut tribe in the Kalinga Province of Philippines, who had no access to electricity.

The lamp can apparently run for eight hours on just two tablespoons of salt and a glass of water. "It is made of tediously experimented and improved chemical compounds, catalysts, and metal alloys that when submerged in electrolytes will generate electricity," Mijeno explained. The idea behind it is the chemical conversion of energy, but while it works on the scientific principle of the galvanic cell, it makes use of a harmless, non-toxic saline solution instead of hazardous electrolytes.

This saltwater lamp not only makes lighting available to remote areas, it's also a lot cheaper than conventional kerosene or electric lamps, considerably safer since it does not have components and compounds that may spark fire, and, most importantly, it's environment-friendly since it does not emit toxic gases and leaves a minimal carbon footprint."This isn't just a product," Mijeno said. "It's a social movement."

Although the SALt lamp isn't being mass produced yet, it has received global recognition. Mijeno has won several awards and competitions in Philippines, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea for the work that she put into the device. And The New York Times reported that she recently attended a discussion of climate change hosted by President Obama, where she spoke about the SALt lamp in detail. He called her venture a "splendid thought", while referring to her as "the perfect example of young entrepreneurs coming up with leapfrog technology."

For now, Mijeno's immediate challenge lies in finding a way to manufacture the lamp so that it remains durable, economical, and easy to maintain. If it manages to work as promised, it can produce about 90 lumens of light at just $20, plus $3 to replace the anode every six months. That's perfect for areas with no electricity grid, and safer than kerosene lamps. SALt also features a USB port that can be used to charge mobile phones or other electrical devices. If everything goes according to plan, Mijeno believes the product should be available on the market in 2016.

"The danger in (kerosene) lamps is it could cause fire accidents," she said. "We want to provide a lighting option that is more cost-effective, more safe, more sustainable and environmentally friendly by way of a lantern that uses saline solution or ocean water as a catalyst to generate electricity. Just imagine, if we're able to power a whole island using ocean water. That's what we're trying to aim for."

• Nasa study shows tropical forests absorb 1.5 billion tonnes of CO2 a year
• Rainforests absorb more than half of CO2 taken up by vegetation globally
• Scientists previously believed tropical forests emitted carbon dioxide
• Researchers claim their findings emphasise the need to protect rainforests from deforestation to help counteract human greenhouse gas emissions

Tropical forests are growing faster than scientists thought due to rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  A Nasa-led study has found that tropical forests are absorbing 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year as they photosynthesise and grow.  And this is far more than is absorbed by the vast areas of boreal forest that encircle the Arctic. 

The researchers claim their findings show that rainforests like the Amazon are essential for soaking up excess greenhouse gases, and play a far greater role than had been previously realised.  Dr David Schimel, a researcher at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, who led the study, said: 'This is good news, because uptake in boreal forests is already slowing, while tropical forests may continue to take up carbon for many years.'  However, Dr Schimel and his colleagues warn that deforestation in tropical rainforests could exacerbate climate change by leaving more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

In total, they estimate that forests and other vegetation absorb around 2.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide, about 30 per cent of that emitted by humans.

Suspicious0bservers

Published on 12 May 2014

CLIMATE CHANGE IS VERY REAL - BUT THE OFFICIALS HAVE JEOPARDIZED OUR ABILITY TO PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE
Global warming models/predictions have been an abject failure for 20 years, and yet the IPCC claims ever-higher certainty? 
How does this happen and what comes next?

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