5 ms·

They focused on the water color, acidity, and the effect on the fishes, but they are not putting enough stress in the elephants in the room, the 2.4+ºC increase

They focused on the water color, acidity, and the effect on the fishes, but they are not putting enough stress in the elephants in the room, the 2.4+ºC increase of average temperature northern regions over very few years (not since preindustrial times) and the massive permafrost thawing that is happening there. Yes, it is causing this. And many more things in those regions and all the world, for more time than a single framed picture.

crazygringo 3y ago
They literally say exactly all of that at the start of the article: > Scientists who have studied these rusting rivers agree that the ultimate cause is climate change. Kobuk Valley National Park has warmed by 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.32 degrees Fahrenheit) since 2006 and could get another 10.2 degrees C hotter by 2100, a greater increase than projected for any other national park. The heat may already have begun to thaw 40 percent of the park's permafrost, the layer of earth just under the topsoil that normally remains frozen year-round. McPhee wanted to protect the Salmon River because humans had “not yet begun to change it.” Now, less than 50 years later, we have done just that. The last great wilderness in America, which by law is supposed to be “untrammeled by man,” is being trammeled from afar by our global emissions.
mc32 3y ago
Good news is it's not because of what happened to the Rio Tinto in Spain... This is ecology running its course.
smallerfish 3y ago
As a sibling pointed out, they state that as the cause. Further, right under the image at the top of the article: "Tukpahlearik Creek in northwestern Alaska's Brooks Range runs bright orange where permafrost is thawing". It doesn't help climate's cause to be hysterical without actually reading things you want to critique.
grecy 3y ago
Yep, climate change is coming very fast across the North. It's already very noticeably different up there since I lived there from 2011-2015. Way, way warmer temperatures in the winter, the glaciers have retreated and shrunk drastically to the point I don't recognize photos of places I've spent a lot of time. Heck, I live 2000 miles south now, and we can see our local glacier retreating yearly with our own eyes. Also it's raining today. In the middle of winter. Not good.
kortilla 3y ago
Are you suggesting that there is some kind of global warming going on?! Someone should really say something.
- aaomidi 3y ago
  Man if only we knew about it a few decades ago.... Oh wait.
- graphe 3y ago
  No, it snowed.
- jklinger410 3y ago
  We got a snow storm last week, how would that be possible if the globe was warm?
dionian 3y ago
Is it time that we finally addressed the massive escalation of fossil fuels by countries like china?
- tejtm 3y ago
  I would settle for cleaning our own house and setting a good example
  - genman 3y ago
    Fossil fuel usage in US and EU has stagnated but is increasing in China. I would say that the house is pretty tidy and waiting for major renovation - but the fact is - what ever pace of usage reduction does not counterbalance exponential usage increase.
    - maxglute 3y ago
      EU has stagnated. PRC fossil usage is tapering. US became the largest oil and lng exporter in the world. 10 million barrels of oil per day, 10 billion cubic feet of LNG per day. Enabling exponential usage. If PRC fossil imports is counted against her usage, then US fossil exports should be counted against hers to balance the account (and other major fossil producers). And that front, US is both the greatest fossil fuels user - 30% more than PRC in aggregate, and 6x more per capita, while also enabling other to use fossil fuels post shale boom. More than ANY other fossil exporter.
      - genman 3y ago
        You are missing the forest behind the trees, I'm afraid of. The reason behind the increase of US fossil fuel production is geopolitical to suppress Russian profits and its ability to finance its genocidal war. Russia can't lower much of its production cost. Major part of the Russian state budget is based on profits from the fossil fuel sales - no profits, no war. If US didn't increase its production then Russia could sell at higher price and many countries would be forced to buy it as there would be no alternative. This would allow it to continue the war longer and possibly attack more countries. Unfortunately the formula of the problem is complex with many variables. There are no easy solutions. The best strategy we have right now is to convince China to reduce its fossil fuel usage so everyone else could scale down.
kirubakaran 3y ago
I don't think there are elephants in Alaska, let alone indoors, in rooms or otherwise.
- rolph 3y ago
  we have mammoths and mastodons, but most of them are not available until thawed from the permafrost

crazygringo 3y ago

They literally say exactly all of that at the start of the article: > Scientists who have studied these rusting rivers agree that the ultimate cause is climate change. Kobuk Valley National Park has warmed by 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.32 degrees Fahrenheit) since 2006 and could get another 10.2 degrees C hotter by 2100, a greater increase than projected for any other national park. The heat may already have begun to thaw 40 percent of the park's permafrost, the layer of earth just under the topsoil that normally remains frozen year-round. McPhee wanted to protect the Salmon River because humans had “not yet begun to change it.” Now, less than 50 years later, we have done just that. The last great wilderness in America, which by law is supposed to be “untrammeled by man,” is being trammeled from afar by our global emissions.

mc32 3y ago

Good news is it's not because of what happened to the Rio Tinto in Spain... This is ecology running its course.

smallerfish 3y ago

As a sibling pointed out, they state that as the cause. Further, right under the image at the top of the article: "Tukpahlearik Creek in northwestern Alaska's Brooks Range runs bright orange where permafrost is thawing". It doesn't help climate's cause to be hysterical without actually reading things you want to critique.

grecy 3y ago

Yep, climate change is coming very fast across the North. It's already very noticeably different up there since I lived there from 2011-2015. Way, way warmer temperatures in the winter, the glaciers have retreated and shrunk drastically to the point I don't recognize photos of places I've spent a lot of time. Heck, I live 2000 miles south now, and we can see our local glacier retreating yearly with our own eyes. Also it's raining today. In the middle of winter. Not good.

kortilla 3y ago

Are you suggesting that there is some kind of global warming going on?! Someone should really say something.

aaomidi 3y ago
Man if only we knew about it a few decades ago.... Oh wait.
graphe 3y ago
No, it snowed.
jklinger410 3y ago
We got a snow storm last week, how would that be possible if the globe was warm?

dionian 3y ago

Is it time that we finally addressed the massive escalation of fossil fuels by countries like china?

tejtm 3y ago
I would settle for cleaning our own house and setting a good example
- genman 3y ago
  Fossil fuel usage in US and EU has stagnated but is increasing in China. I would say that the house is pretty tidy and waiting for major renovation - but the fact is - what ever pace of usage reduction does not counterbalance exponential usage increase.
  - maxglute 3y ago
    EU has stagnated. PRC fossil usage is tapering. US became the largest oil and lng exporter in the world. 10 million barrels of oil per day, 10 billion cubic feet of LNG per day. Enabling exponential usage. If PRC fossil imports is counted against her usage, then US fossil exports should be counted against hers to balance the account (and other major fossil producers). And that front, US is both the greatest fossil fuels user - 30% more than PRC in aggregate, and 6x more per capita, while also enabling other to use fossil fuels post shale boom. More than ANY other fossil exporter.
    - genman 3y ago
      You are missing the forest behind the trees, I'm afraid of. The reason behind the increase of US fossil fuel production is geopolitical to suppress Russian profits and its ability to finance its genocidal war. Russia can't lower much of its production cost. Major part of the Russian state budget is based on profits from the fossil fuel sales - no profits, no war. If US didn't increase its production then Russia could sell at higher price and many countries would be forced to buy it as there would be no alternative. This would allow it to continue the war longer and possibly attack more countries. Unfortunately the formula of the problem is complex with many variables. There are no easy solutions. The best strategy we have right now is to convince China to reduce its fossil fuel usage so everyone else could scale down.

kirubakaran 3y ago

I don't think there are elephants in Alaska, let alone indoors, in rooms or otherwise.

rolph 3y ago
we have mammoths and mastodons, but most of them are not available until thawed from the permafrost