5 Weird -- and Terrifying -- Consequences of Climate Change You May Not Know About

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/environment/5-weird-and-terrifying-consequences-climate-change-you-may-not-know-about?akid=9275.277129.vNSnjp&rd=1&src=newsletter699388&t=1



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1. Increased Suicide

Besides destroying crops and causing food prices to spike, droughts have recently been linked to an alarming consequence: suicide. In a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , researchers found a link between droughts and suicides among men ages 30 to 49 living in rural areas in Australia. After evaluating 40 years of drought and suicide data for the state of New South Wales, droughts were linked to a 15 percent increase in suicide risk among these men. This link was also found in men under 30, though no link was found among women.

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2. West Nile Virus

What do you get when you combine increasingly warm weather and thousands of mosquitoes? A huge outbreak of West Nile virus. As droughts are causing creek waters to stop flowing, mosquitoes are finding the perfect breeding spot in the standing water. Mosquitoes also mature and thus breed faster in the heat. Meanwhile, warm weather also decreases the virus’ incubation period. This all allows the virus to spread rapidly. In addition, earlier springs and milder winters lengthen breeding season.

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3. River Obstruction

What’s the number-one thing you need to distribute goods along the Mississippi River? Water. But the drought has shortchanged the river this summer, as its water levels hit a record low. For instance, the water level near Memphis is 12 feel lower than normal. As a result, 11 miles of the river was recently closed when a vessel ran aground. The river’s shutdown halted nearly 100 boats and barges from passing. Obstruction of riverways can have devastating effects on the economy. In 2010, more than $40 billion worth of cargo passes along the Mississippi River.

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4. Nuclear Plant Shutdown

Nuclear power plants often rely on cold waters to cool their reactors. But as hot weather is causing water temperatures to rise, nuclear plants have had to respond. In Connecticut, the Millstone nuclear plant was recently shut down as the waters surrounding it reached nearly 77 degrees, 2 degrees higher than the 75 degrees the reactor was designed to withstand.

[Skink]

1. West Nile does seem to be spreading fast in Texas this year.

[ananda]

2. It's mosquito biting season here right now.

I'm getting bitten several times a day.
And I was exposed to West Nile in Houston too.

I bet I'm immune to it by now.

[lunatica]

3. Also more uncontollable forest fires

I read part of a scientific study done on climate change over many years. Entire ecological systems will change as desserts expand and forests shrink due to lack of water. At some point the forests will simply burn up as the trees dry up and die. Along with the trees will go all the animals dependent on the forests.

The future looks depressingly gloomy. And the band in Washington plays on.

[NightWatcher]

4. the Tropic Belt is expanding towards the poles, so too is the Desert Belt

That's why Florida is seeing itself turn from temperate to tropical and the desert belt has spread into the plains and middle of the country. Here in Florida we are above average for rainfall with more coming everyday while the rest of the country is in drought.

http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/thegreengrok/tclimate-change-and-a-tropical-expansion

[Ezlivin]

5. 6. Republicans Ignore Science - Doom Mankind

Someone needs to add the coda.