Great Barrier Reef

My husband and I visited Australia back in the 80s and swam the Great Barrier Reef.

We went out on a daily boat that took about 2 hours to get out to the reef in what felt like the middle of the ocean. We were 2 of the over 2 million visitors a year. We snorkeled from the large platform and many others went scuba diving. We could see them below us because the water was crystal clear.

Apparently the reef is in trouble (due to climate change) and is being discussed in the Australian elections these days.

The BBC is saying

An extensive plan to save Australia's Great Barrier Reef has been announced by Prime Minister John Howard's main rival in the forthcoming elections. The move by Labor leader Kevin Rudd has brought environmental issues to the centre of the campaign stage.

Mr Howard has been criticised within his own party for his lack of action on the environment and climate change. His refusal to sign the Kyoto Protocol is believed to be one factor in his increasing unpopularity among voters.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia's leading tourist destination, is being damaged by water pollution and rising sea temperatures, which are killing off the millions of coral that make up its 2300km (1429 mile) length.

"The Great Barrier Reef is Australia's greatest natural asset," Mr Rudd said.

Read more.

theteach

Global chilling?

Not that I'm against preventing global warming but when I read something funny about it I have to write about it.

This from Yahoo News:

Frostbite ends Bancroft-Arnesen trek

By PATRICK CONDON, Associated Press Writer Mon Mar 12, 5:28 PM ET

MINNEAPOLIS - A North Pole expedition meant to bring attention to global warming was called off after one of the explorers got frostbite. The explorers, Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen, on Saturday called off what was intended to be a 530-mile trek across the Arctic Ocean after Arnesen suffered frostbite in three of her toes, and extreme cold temperatures drained the batteries in some of their electronic equipment.

Why funny? An expedition to bring attention to global warming and one of the trekkers gets frostbite because of the extreme cold? Oh come on...

Read rest of article here.

Photo: (AP Photo/Bancroft Arnesen Expedition, Hunter Bancroft)

theteach

Global warming and coastal communities

What if the sea rises 1 meter? What does it mean for coastal areas? Take a look:Jonathan Overpeck, director of the Environmental Studies Laboratory in the department of geosciences at the University of Arizona, and senior research specialist Jeremy Weiss have created simulations of what could occur to coastal communities worldwide as sea levels begin to rise because of global warming. The simulations show what coastal regions look like now, and what could happen if sea levels climb 1 meter.

theteach