Report: Pennsylvania's climate could be like Alabama's

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Without major reductions in heat-trapping gas emissions, Pennsylvanians can say goodbye to ski resorts, snowmobiles, brook trout and eastern hemlocks, and expect many more heat-related health problems by the end of the century, according to a study on the effects of climate change on the Northeast.

The two-year study, "Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment," released by the Union of Concerned Scientists yesterday in Pittsburgh and six other cities in the region, concludes that droughts and floods would occur more often and the state's dairy industry and corn and apple farmers would suffer significant and costly losses if carbon dioxide emissions continue to grow unabated.

"The message of the report is that although global warming is a serious challenge, it's one we can meet if we act quickly and boldly," said Nancy Cole, director of climate outreach for the Union of Concerned Scientists. "We can and we must meet the challenge, because the very character of Western Pennsylvania is at stake."

Ms. Cole said technologies already exist to reduce emissions by 3 percent a year and meet a goal of reducing heat-trapping gases by 80 percent by the middle of the century. Those technologies can help reduce emissions from electric power generation, which account for 40 percent of Pennsylvania's carbon dioxide total, increase the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce vehicle emissions.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07193/801165-113.stm

[Spangle]

1. Do they get the

Hurricanes too???

Just asking?

[RamboLiberal]

2. Maybe Philly - though Pittsburgh has taken hits from rain

associated with hurricanes. Agnes & Ivan did us some flooding damage.

[phildo]

3. No, but the Amsih will replaced

with gap toothed hill billies, drinking moonshine.

And of course, the buggies will be replaced by old pickup trucks with rebel flags.

[PittPoliSci]

25. what makes you think those things don't already exist in pa?

i saw a pick up truck, keep in mind, less than 5 miles away from downtown pittsburgh that was beat to hell, covered in rebel flags, had the phrase "http://shouldaboughtadodge.com" written on the back of it.

you see some pretty haggard stuff even that close to pittsburgh.

[Go Eagles]

5. not as frequent but it's always a possibility

That potential is already there. It's not unusual to get hit with tropical storms or depressions which can be catastrophic enough. Floyd hit the Philly region hard as a tropical storm and did a lot of flooding. A major hurricane coming up the Delaware Bay/River could be catastrophic.

I guess you can also add fire ants and gators (actually a couple were found in a city creek but were placed there by someone) which would put an end to my swimming in Pine Barren lakes and rivers (what comes to PA would surely hit NJ).

[trof]

4. Guess we'll have to show 'em how to make grits.

[harlinchi]

7. Yo! I'm in Philly and have been eatin' grits since I was a little guy!

It might be a Black thing but I doubt it. I've heard of white folk here who eat them as well.

[mtnester]

14. I love grits

espcially with a little butter, or some cheese....and I am a lifer Ohio gal.

My husband and grits? Not so much - when we went to NO, I warned him that down south grits are like toast, they come with everything - he told the folks at Mother's that he did not want them on his plate, nor on a side plate..he told me "I don't even want them TOUCHING anything I will eat."

He refuses to eat my shrimp and cheese grits casserole - I can only realte this aversion to my specific aversion to broccoli - don't let it near anything I eat, I don't want to smell it (raw or cooked). Funny thing food aversions.

[Harry Monroe]

21. I grew up in NO (New Orleans)

And I HATE grits!! Never developed a taste for them. We do, however put most everything over rice (gumbos, red beans etc.)

I remember Mother's on Poydras St. Greatest po-boys in the city, especially the "Ferdi with Debris" (A roast beef po-boy with the pan drippings and meat debris that falls off the roast while cooking. Ain't nothing like it.

[mtnester]

24. For the love of a debris samwich

they had good, down home cooking. Same Mother's on Poydras. Loved it there. We would walk down most every day to kick start the morning, and had a couple of debris samwiches as well!

The food was good, and the ambiance better, except for one pompous ass who was an obvious tourist trying to impress his trophy "no speak" wife and everyone around him about his upcoming dinner reservation at Commanders (we even saw the little turd walking down St. Charles with a brand new expensive suit purchase, all the while he talked about purchasing the brand new expensive suit just for his dinner at Commanders . . . GOD we saw this idiot everywhere, including his mouth on the shuttle from the airport..his wife/girlfriend never uttered a word that I heard...you know the type of guy I am talking about, yes?)

We need to get back down there, we loved it there (we were last down in May before Katrina . . .everything in that part of the south is now deemed "before Katrina" or "After Katrina. . .so so sad.) I know our hotel did not make it, I wonder if Mother's did...I need to do some checking.

[Harry Monroe]

30. It's still there

I live in NE Mississippi, but get back down to New Orleans a few times a year. My mom and dad still live there. Downtown is back, but a large majority of the neighborhoods (Gentilly, Ninth Ward, New Orleans East etc.) are still by and large wasteland. I grew up in Jefferson Parish (yes, the same congressional district that Vitter represented, but back when I was growing up I was represented by Lindy Boggs in Congress. She is a class act). Anyway, if you are looking for a real great restaurant with lots of character, try Jacquesimo's on Oak Street. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

[raccoon]

9. And sweet tea. nt

[harlinchi]

15. Hey! Micky Dees has y'all beat!

Back in '99, I went to a place called Debordieu Colony in SC. While there we went to a local restaurant where 'sweet tea' was offered. I've been a life-long lover of what I called iced tea. Sometimes it had lemon, sometimes not. I had not heard of sweet tea! When it was offered the waitress (a friendly young lady, as were most, if not all of the folks we met) asked, "Y'all woe-ent some swayt tay?" After our party commented on her 'accent' she politely informed us that, "Y'all'r in Carolina, honey! Y'all got the 'accent'"! Of course we had to agree! Sweet tea is delicious, but then again, most Southern food is!

BTW, even before Bill Clinton, Southern accents were not to me an indication of a lack of intelligence. He and Wes Clark just further demolish the stereotype.!

[trogdor]

19. As Emeril says, pork fat rules.

That's what makes Southern cooking taste so yummy.

[raccoon]

22. Come back any time! nt

[bleedingheart]

6. I had some cannas that I forgot to dug out last winter survive

these plants were no where near the house or any other source of heat that could have helped them survive winter...

So...what this tells me is that it didn't get cold enough to kill the tuber as it should have...

I have seen the results of warming personally here in PA as a gardener.

[Kolesar]

8. What's a canna?

I picked a cup of broccoli on January 2 this year in Ohio. Then the plants died.

[bleedingheart]

10. it is a tropical plant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canna_(plant)

<>

[dysfunctional press]

11. it's the bugs that are going to be problematic.

we northerners hardly ever have to worry about things like termites, fire ants, and killer bees.


that's about to change.

[snooper2]

12. Get ready Pennsylvania

[gauguin57]

13. Politically, "Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh and Philly with Alabama in between"

That quote has been attributed to James Carville, describing the "Red T" that goes down the middle and across the top of PA. I'm in the Red T ... I can vouch for that. Rethuglican Hell!

So, I guess we'd better get ready for the weather that matches our political climate.

[harlinchi]

16. When I was in the USAR, Ft. Indiantown Gap was a drill location.

It's part of that red 'T'. Once, while en route, I stopped at a convenience store where a little guy stared so hard that his mother had to comment. He apparently had never seen a dark skinned person before (I'm Black but look 'other'). The thing is, he and his mother were friendly people! I'm not sure the things that divide us are bigger than the things that bring us together. In fact, I doubt it.

The red 'T' area contains some beautiful real estate, though

[RamboLiberal]

17. Yep, that's exactly the quote I was thinking of last night

We'll now have the weather to match the Alabama in the middle politically. And living in PA it is very true.

[HughBeaumont]

18. Kind of like Ohio:

Blue Large intestine, really RED small intestine with the blue Franklin ball in the middle.



Hard to believe people's sentiments could change so drastically in a mere 2 years . . . Curiouser and curiouser . . .

[mvd]

20. I can believe it

Our Januarys of late have certainly felt like Alabama Januarys. I saw some budding this past January. I see bugs all year round, and miserable hot and humid summers.

[formercia]

23. Mainers for Global Warming

no point in voting against our own interests.


I am joking but it will be nice to be like PA.

[ohio2007]

26. Ohio buckeye tree replaced by the palmetto

palm trees growing on "the north coast" ?

[formercia]

27. Better start moving coral reef species North

they won't move fast enough by themselves.

[ohio2007]

29. Need to be fresh water coral for the great lakes

zebra mussels may grow to be the size of conchs

[formercia]

31. I was thinking of the Atlantic Ocean

The Zebra Mussels have sucked most of the organic matter out of the water already, that's why the Lakes are clearing up. Without a food source, they won't get much bigger than they are now. Other species have suffered due to the efficiency of the filtering system the mussels provide.

[triguy46]

28. Oklahoma is the new Louisiana...

July 12 and we have had no day warmer than 92, but we've had 36" of rain since March. Hot, muggy, very little wind. Welcome to Baton Rouge....er Tulsa.

[Javaman]

32. and what becomes of Alabama? Frying eggs on the sidewalk?

Man: Excuse me honey I left my wallet out in the car, I'll be right back...

Woman: for the love of everything that's good, don't do it!!! The wallet is just not that important! Let it go!

Man: I have my asbestos suit, I'll be fine...

Woman: well if you aren't back in 30 seconds, I'll call the water (fire) dept!