2 DANGER: HOT EVERYWHERE

If you have been outside within the last two days, you've probably, happily, reacquainted yourself with our friend- the fresh breeze. So rare was a visit from our beloved buddy this summer, I had begun to catch a case of the summertime strain of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).


Not to my surprise, this Friday, the St. Louis Post Dispatch revealed that this (because I was not alive in 1901, 1936 or 1934) was the hottest summer of my entire life. Average temperature for June, July and August was the 4th highest since recording began and was  81.9 degrees.



The St. Louis heat was nothing compared to other areas of the world. For instance, Greenland. Greenland was so hot this summer, it melted- literally. Photos captured in northwest Greenland show the separation of an ice shelf the size of Manhattan. Take a look:


These images, from the Byrd Polar Research Center, show the ice shelf breaking away and it is predicted it will eventually take off and melt like a similar ice shelf did from the same region last year. 


Are these changes a sign of climate change?  Scientists have not measured the water temperature beneath the ice, but air temperatures in Greenland have risen- and it is now accepted by scientists that Greenland is melting.


What do you think?  Can we save Greenland?  New Scientist reported that we only have until 2040. So, let's get started now!


[thanks!-for the images: (3 and 4) Jason Box, Byrd Polar Research Center, Ohio State University http://bprc.osu.edu/wiki/Petermann_Glacier_before-after-photos_2010-2011]