The people of California have recently experienced devastating forest fires that are confirmatory of the Climate Change Reality occurring all over the world.
The consequent air pollution from wildfires such as smoke, gases and carbon have an adverse effect on both the environment and climate.
Carbon emissions from forest fires and cultivated plants burnt in green-area fires will include herbicides (such as agrochemical and glysophate based herbicides) as well as ash (ash also breaks up a lot of radio signals during fires) amongst other various chemical compounds such as plastics, all of which will impact human life along with huge areas of the natural environment, and all of which have an adverse impact on the environment along with climate.
We are aware that former United States President Mr. Barack Obama whilst serving as President also declared that Climate Change is real.
Global temperatures have increased by 1.0 degree celsius ( i.e 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
Global warming continues to create more wildfires which generate more carbon, and which in turn causes global temperatures to rise. Earth’s Global temperature level for September alone of this year (2020) is 0.05 degrees celsius warmer (i.e 0.09 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with the global temperature level for September of last year (2019).
Longer dry seasons, heat-waves and more drought produce a larger spread of wildfire problems, especially as fires continue to burn right up until the end of September each year during the dry season. Wildlife will suffer increasingly from environmental pollution. The destruction of cultivated farms located in close proximity to forested land will give rise to issues such as food security.
The containment of forest fires is often hinged to climatic weather conditions, as are oily trees, which are also a factor in the further acceleration of fire spread.
Eucalyptus, which is known for it’s anti-bacterial properties (amongst other things), and which is native to Australia, is an important and absolutely vital tree for the homes of wildlife species such as the Koala. However, in places like California, one or two neighbouring species of Eucalyptus trees can all too frequently become a contributing factor in terms of rapidly spreading wildfire across larger areas of land.
In a lot of cases, such highly flammable trees have and are continuing to be cultivated within too close a proximity to other areas of natural forest, residential areas, and wildlife habitats, and given the location of easily ignited varieties of gum trees spreading fires more rapidly to any surrounding areas, and afterwards regenerating from the wildfires, only to once again repeat the cycle of easily igniting and spreading more fires so that the continued problem of forest re-burn occurs upon such a wide spread level in California (and also indeed across parts of the Amazon Rainforest Basin. The String Theory effect manifests within the dynamics of these destructive fires and affects areas such as forest biomes along with organic food crops, whereby the originally existing forests may not ever fully recover in order to regenerate to how they once were in their bio-diversity; thus culminating in major ongoing ecological damage.
Particular species of trees such as Gum trees, are more susceptible to ignition, therefore spreading fires more rapidly to other surrounding areas, and therefore, one of the main problems of growing gum trees lies in the planning of the allocated areas, as to where such flammable trees (like the Eucalyptus gum tree varieties) should be grown thus highlighting a major need for improved Forest Management when it comes to areas of forested land.
A number of forest conservation programmes (which encourage bio-diversity), are increasingly put in the position where they are faced with having to contend with the ecological deficit from a number of tree mono-culture programmes, whereby irresponsible agricultural planning from the latter i.e mono culture programmes (such as palm oil plantations), results in an ongoing and severe lack of soil nutrient bio-diversity across natural eco-systems which is increasingly prevalent all over the world.
Scientists report that forest fires during the dry season tend to double, causing twice as much Carbon pollution, which further reduces the ability of trees and plants to manage Carbon by way of Evapotranspiration.
(Indeed, constant global monitoring of carbon emission levels loaded into the atmosphere, must be accounted for in a more direct ecological capacity, in terms of International Carbon Reducing Initiatives).
Artwork: Copyright of L.D.K
Over three million acres of California have been scorched by wildfires in 2020, causing over 480 million tonnes of carbon emissions this year.
The acceleration of excessive carbon being released into the atmosphere (i.e bad carbon), which results in more air pollution and which includes carbon released by factories and other human activity has resulted in a vicious cycle which causes more depletion of the earths soil nutrients. The levels of smoke from forest fires also block the sunlight,disrupting the process of photosynthesis and affecting a large number of crops which in turn affects global food security and pushes up food prices.
(Also higher carbon emissions trigger more El-Nino hurricane conditions which blow over and wipe out top soil of areas that are no longer naturally protected by trees and their tree roots, which play a vital role in the aerodynamic resistance of crop formation, along with knock on effects for people and wildlife of the surrounding ecosystem).
Over three million acres of California have been scorched by wildfires, with fire seasons getting longer along with the wildfires spreading faster.
The total global emissions level in May of last year ( 2019 ) hit a peak of 414.8 ppm (parts per million) in global atmospheric carbon air pollution. Even the Siberian Arctic saw a rise in temperature of 10 degrees celsius, with forest fires in the area (of Siberia) generating approximately 590 million tonnes of Carbon emissions.
Heatwave temperatures from ground level ozone and GHG’s (i.e Greenhouse Gases) on the whole causes atmospheric heat trapping across the earth. Firenado’s (i.e a cross between a fire and a tornado) occur from trapped heat in the atmosphere from things which include excessive fires and rising temperatures.
Death Valley in California exemplifies an uncomfortable trend in the Barometer when Death Valley hit a temperature high of 54.4 degrees celsius (i.e 129.9 degrees fahrenheit) in August of this year.
The August Complex Fire, initially caused by lightening strikes over the Glen and Mendocino counties sparked over thirty seven fires across coastal Northern California, where some of the fires had also merged, burning through 1 million acres of forested land.
In terms of the climatic occurrences going on across our planet, we all share a responsibility to act in order to reduce carbon emissions and to also participate in messaging the need for Internationally co-ordinated and direct action, in order to reduce Global Warming. Preservation of the Green Environment, is fundamental to assuring the survival of all species /life forms on our planet; this is the Green Principle, and as Environmentalists (i.e Stewards of the green environment), we must all unite and endeavour to slow Climate Change.
N.B
In regards to improved long term sustainable forest management, it must be remembered that certain species of trees are in fact more prone towards being easily ignitable, such as Gum tree varieties in that they are naturally more oily; and therefore it is ecologically viable for the International implementation of more fire resistant tree cultivation programs to be in place, whereby they can serve as fire brake belts, as a measure in slowing the spread of forest fires; towards preserving what would otherwise continue to be another ongoing long term carbon-pollution cost to the eco-system and indeed to all life…
Artwork: Copyright of L.D.K
(Article written by L.D.K and published on 11th October 2020)
N.B
Academic Referral (Theology)
The purpose of this website (as some of you already know), is to raise awareness of the green environment and it’s consequences for Climate Change. However within certain religious traditions, Climate Change was forecast some thousands of years ago, by many cultures across our planet. In many ways, what we are witnessing in this age is some sort of validation of those ancient/long range forecasts (i.e prophecies).
In the Christian Tradition, Christ forecast Climate Change as part of his teachings.
The realisation arrived at is that there is now a convergence between Science and Theology.
It is still within our power to change the course of events on our planet in terms of probabilities which are not entirely fixed.
The indications are that we have arrived at a pivotal point in time, and there is urgency for International Action to slow and stem the speed at which Climate Change is accelerating.
The recent destruction caused by Hurricane Eta across Central America and parts of the Caribbean along with Nicaragua, illustrates the urgency with which Climate Change needs to be addressed. Hurricane Eta is reported to have picked up accelerated wind speeds of 432 mph reaching towards further cataclysmic wind speeds of up to 190 mph (i.e one hundred and ninety miles per hour).
N.B Update 11th December 2020
Reflections on the occurrence of the 1930’s U.S Dust Bowl in correlation with Climate Change:
The events giving rise to the U.S Dust Bowl was partly man- made due to poor farming practice, inadequate agronomic analysis and changing weather patterns.
Back in the 1930’s, a mini Climate Change was occurring where no one fully understood enough to appreciate what was actually happening at the time.
In truth, there was less rainfall and a long period of drought where the warmer weather baked the top soil of any poorly irrigated land.
The flawed farming practice involving clearance of the brush land (with brushfires), along with leaving fields bare during the winter, left the fields extremely vulnerable and wide open to the high winds of the winter months resulting in wind erosion of the top soil, and which was integral to Climate Change by increasing the severity of high winds to swirl across the plains of several U.S Panhandles.
Indeed, the Native American predecessors had agronomic knowledge enough not to affect the natural ecological balance, by not over tilling the same area of top soil over and over again.
Prior to the occurrence of this mini Climate Change (which involved a change in regional rainfall patterns), there were one or two widespread and ill-fated agronomic and general farming misconceptions which by repetitive application resulted in the over-tilling of land, along with over grazing from cattle ranching, and overall a general lack of knowledge in terms of soil conservation/ management. The mis-management of the land adversely impacted sustainability in relation to the type of land that a lot of farms were situated in. The farms failed and this was then followed by the abandonment of land, hunger, and mass unemployment which became widespread and which in turn became factors of the 1930’s Great Depression.
It is also worth noting that prior to the ecological dust bowl disaster, that many Native Americans, along with some of the earliest settlers possessing traditional agronomic and ecological knowledge of how to farm the land in a more sustainable way,having been displaced, left a significant gap in the chain of knowledge transfer. (The loss of that knowledge left a lot of farm land open to erroneous land management).
Simultaneous Climate Change: 1900-1940.
In parallel, a mini Climate Change was also affecting countries such as Russia, where Climate Change led to poor harvests due to summer droughts and extremely cold winters where the top soil was frozen hard.
This led to great food insecurity and hunger whereby the hungry peasant populations (i.e farm workers and small scale farmers) migrated to the cities for food and this led to social upheaval which ultimately led to the Russian Revolution. (The effect of Climate Change was not understood).
In due course, changes in weather patterns were recognised as the main cause of the reduced harvests and the Russians addressed this problem by implementing massive irrigation projects to re-direct water to agricultural farmland.
In the U.S, the huge battle to restore the top soil was embarked upon where rivers were diverted, and dams were built (such as the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1936 between the border of Nevada and Arizona).
In an effort to deal with wind erosion of land, wind breaks had to be erected around pasture land, consisting of rock structures and high branch fences which helped to protect the the top-soil from wind erosion (i.e also known as the aeolian processes ).
The important principle here is that a mini Climate Change can significantly affect particular areas of the world whilst at the same time, although having a lesser effect across certain areas of the planet, still impact/resonate throughout other parts of the planet in one instance or another.
The U.S Dustbowl disaster is a clear instruction that we must work with the land and not against it.
Most regions across the planet affected by Climate Change will indeed have to find local solutions in order to deal with the adverse impact of Climatic events from region to region, but it must be duly noted and observed that the Carbon problem is global and that every country is at risk of a dramatic surge in Climate Change.
Drier and warmer winds around the beginning of this December in 2020 A.D have recently fanned the flames of more brushfires across various counties of California such as Ventura, (the Cornell fire) and Orange County, (the Bond fire) with two additional fires occurring in Ventura. Additional wildfires spread by strong winds have also been occurring over in Pinehaven and Santa Clarita valley (near Pyramid Lake).
The Cornell fire burnt through .272 square miles, whilst the Orange County (Bond) fire in California has burnt into into 7,375 acres (almost twelve square miles), of natural vegetation; with this winter of 2020 A.D also seeing the alarming figure of over 4,247 ( four thousand two hundred and forty seven) square miles of the earth’s Amazon Rainforest Eco-System completely burnt and destroyed.
Clearing land of trees (i.e deforestation) can potentially lead to food insecurity for local communities and their natural organic produce, because the presence of trees benefits the land in several ways including the enrichment of top soil from fallen leaves.
The occurrence of stronger winds at various times of the year especially including the winter months are increasingly becoming an additional factor in the acceleration of fires, which in most cases are spreading extensively across natural areas of forest eco-systems and natural organic vegetation, thus further affecting the earths ability to filter out excessive carbon pollution.
(L.D.K)
Update: 21st December 2020
Further examples of misguided land management.
As we have seen from the U.S Dust Bowl example, good top-soil management is of the upmost importance to agricultural communities on the whole.
Local communities can damage their environment by over harvesting the timbre from the diversity of established trees which may be anywhere between 100 up to 400 years old and beyond in some cases. (This is even more the case in regards to various sectors of mass industrial over utilisation on large areas of forested land which would otherwise be healthier in terms of improved soil consistency with regards to a focus on further international implementation of soil conservation.
In recent years, a local community in one West African country which had planted their vegetable crops close to and between the trees of the existing woodland, discovered that after the deforestation took place that the top soil was unable to produce sustainable levels of the previous crop harvests, and this led to food shortages and food insecurity on a local level.
The people then realised that the trees were providing a natural fertiliser for the soil, and in the absence of the trees, the community then embarked on purchasing large quantities of fertiliser (over the course of several years) at a high cost to reduce the burden of the costs incurred in trying to restore the forested land to what it once was like previously. In conjunction with this, the community embarked on a tree re-planting program, with the idea of organic fertiliser being provided via the living trees in order to help the re-growth of other existing and new trees along with any vegetation/natural crops for a better level of food sustainability.
The United Nations have recently announced that Climate Change is occurring in Central America.
This is indeed a clear example of delayed reaction towards Regional Climate Change.
(L.D.K)