“The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all,” wrote Pope Francis in his recent encyclical, or papal letter. The Pope’s letter focused international attention on climate change, and he called on developed countries to limit use of non-renewable energy and help poorer nations deal with the impacts of global warming. A “very solid scientific consensus,” he wrote, indicates a warming of the climate mainly due to human activity… Predictably, Pope Francis’ message was cheered by climate scientists and jeered by “climate skeptics.”… In a way, that’s what Pope Francis did- pointing out the massive human suffering that will result if nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere… Looking for reliable information about climate change? Here are some of the best resources: The NASA global climate website, the Climate Central website, and the World Health Organization website. Also, read Rutgers University’s state of the climate report for New Jersey.
Archives for July 2015
It’ll be a Peachy Season for Peaches – If Weather Holds Up
At Circle M Farms in Salem, grower Santo Maccherone has trouble containing his enthusiasm these days. His peach trees – covering more than 100 acres – are absolutely laden with fruit… In 1982, New Jersey had 14,600 acres of the peaches, said Jerry Frecon, a consultant for the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council and professor emeritus of Rutgers University who specialized in agricultural extension work. Today, the state has the 4,600 acres of peaches plus about 600 acres of nectarines… “There are also other reasons” for selling land, Frecon said. “Sometimes, their children don’t want to go into the business or they don’t have heirs and have to sell.”
Some Like It Sweet, Others Not So Much: It’s Partly in the Genes
A new study from Monell and the QIMRBerghofer Research Institute suggests that a single set of genes affects a person’s perception of sweet taste, regardless of whether the sweetener is a natural sugar or a non-caloric sugar substitute… “Eating too much sugar is often seen as a personal weakness. However, our work suggests that part of what determines our perception of sweetness is inborn in our genetic makeup,” said study author Danielle Reed, PhD, a behavioral geneticist at Monell. “Just as people born with a poor sense of hearing may need to turn up the volume to hear the radio, people born with weak sweet taste may need an extra teaspoon of sugar in their coffee to get the same sweet punch.”… Also contributing to the research were Paul Breslin of Monell and Rutgers University, and Gu Zhu, Nicholas Martin, and Margaret Wright of QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute.
Hot, Humid and Stormy Weather Forecast for NJ
Dangerously hot, humid and stormy weather is back in New Jersey. A line of thunderstorms this morning produced brief but very heavy downpours, according to the National Weather Services… David A. Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist based at Rutgers University, said Sunday “is going to be at that dangerous level. Not only is it going to be hot, but it’s going to be quite humid. (Sunday) could be the hottest and almost certainly is going to be the most uncomfortable day of the summer thus far and with that comes health concerns.”… On Sunday, forecasters expect highs ranging from the upper 80s along the coasts of Ocean and Monmouth counties to the mid-90s inland, he said.
Study: Flooding Frequency to Increase
A new study finds that rising seas from climate change will bring in the second half of this century frequent flooding at elevations now only inundated once in every 100 years… Sea level in North Carolina is forecast to rise by between 12 and 20 inches by the middle of the century and by as much as 4.2 feet by the year 2100 unless there is a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study published in the journal Climate Change… “Scenarios of future rise are dependent upon understanding the response of sea level to climate changes. Accurate estimates of past sea-level variability provide a context for such projections,” said Rutgers oceanographer Benjamin Horton, another of study’s authors.
Rutgers Board of Trustees Elects 2015- 2016 Officials
Frank B. Hundley, a financial services industry executive from Flemington, has been elected to a one-year term as chairman of the Board of Trustees of Rutgers University, according to a statement… William E. Best, a senior vice president at PNC Bank,…
Climate Change and the Warming Oceans
For this month’s hourlong Climate Cast, we talk to experts to learn how different parts of the ocean handle a changing climate… Last month, University of Texas researchers published a study finding that coral reefs are adapting to warmer ocean water …
Carey Williams Receives the 2015 National Society Equine Science Award
Carey Williams, associate director of extension at the Equine Science Center and associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers, received the 2015 American Society of Animal Science and Equine Science Society’s (ASAS-ESS) Equine Science Award. She was honored at the society’s annual meeting in Orlando, FL, in July. Williams’ primary responsibility is […]
Cape Fair Shows 4-H Offers More Than Farming
Coryn Dykhouse, 15, walked a miniature horse named Willow around the stables Thursday during the Cape May County 4-H Fair. Coryn lives in the suburbs of Middle Township, but is competing in equestrian events this week on her huge chocolate-chip colored…
Williams Receives 2015 Equine Science Award
Carey Williams, MS, PhD, received the 2015 American Society of Animal Science and Equine Science Society’s (ASAS-ESS) Equine Science Award… Williams, associate director of Extension at the Rutgers University Equine Science Center and an associate professor in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences Department of Animal Sciences, was honored at the society’s annual meeting in Orlando, Florida… Williams was principal investigator on a successful grant titled “Sustainable Pasture Management for Horses,” the first to be awarded to an equine project from the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension (SARE, a program of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service). The program emphasis led to improved pasture quality and water-soil conditions on horse farms meeting SARE’s mission for sustainable projects.