Drill Baby Drill

 Drill Baby Drill

With the start of his new term, President Trump has quickly done everything in his power to reverse as much of climate change and global warming acts as possible. Within days of his initiation, the president-elect withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement Act and shut down funding for renewable energy resources. Trump has stated in several interviews how he plans to expand fossil fuel production instead of reducing it as we should be as a country. Even with his famous line, “Drill baby, drill” Trump has made it quite clear with his intentions towards oil production and manufacture.

The process of drilling starts off with securing the oil rig to ensure no moving pieces or malfunctions start. The machine then cuts through the ground and dives to the depth where oil is stored. Using seismic machines and geologists, the oil companies can pinpoint pods of oil underneath the ground. While this process may sound relatively simple, it has an extremely dangerous and negative impact on the environment. Oftentimes, explosions and combustion are common on drill sites and responsible for a fraction of wildfires in the areas. The pipelines that carry the oil are also often likely to leak and break, pouring oil straight into water reserves or land masses, polluting and endangering animals all around the sights. 

Not only is the production and maintenance of the drill sites dangerous for the environment and global warming/climate change, but the outcomes of oil production have the same negative warnings. Much of the oil is burned and released into the atmosphere, responsible for part of global warming with greenhouse gases and such. When the oil is burned off, the carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere, acting as a layer of insulation for the heat of the sun's rays. Overall, this side effect from oil rigs and production causes serious expediting of global warming and climate change. When the weather starts to increase, we tend to see rises in destruction from natural disasters and storms. Scientists have already predicted more intense and concentrated storms occurring in the near future. 

Many activists and global leaders have started defunding and denying money from companies like big oil and coal producers to lean more toward green and renewable energies. Banks have also stopped giving loans to these big mining companies in an attempt to slow down and stop supporting non-renewable resources. "Trump's victory presents a real obstacle in the global fight against climate change," said Alice Hill, senior fellow at an independent think tank, the Council on Foreign Relations. "Under President Trump's leadership, the United States will almost certainly step back from global and domestic efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increasing fossil fuel production." In this quote from Hill, the media has already speculated an increase in global emissions and greenhouse gases. 

Continuing to drill and dig into the earth for limited resources is reckless and nonsustainable. The environment does not have enough wiggle room to allow such quantities of pollution and smog to be created. Trump has made it clear in several interviews and press conferences that he has no plans for green acts and plans to continue investments in big oil and coal companies. Without new policies and changes being made, we can expect to be at an irreversible level of environmental damage that is no longer sustainable for humans, much faster than what could be created if we stopped funding these companies.

Gas Bikes vs E bikes etc. (and why it is important)

     When thinking of ways to help reverse the carbon burning that we humans seem to be really rely on, I have not only found a great and fun alternative to gas and race fuel powered bikes. Since around 2013 is when I started to see E bikes and E carts floating up and down California, Arizona as well as other places in the west coast through youtube. Companies like Surron, Talaria, Ronster Rides and even the legendary Harly Davison have come up with fully rechargable alternatives.

    Why is this important? "Gas and race fuel powered motorcycles can pollute the environment just as much as cars do or even more. The internal-combustion engines of motorcycles are very efficient in converting fuel to energy but produce large amounts of harmful pollutants like hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, albeit with lesser CO2 emissions. Motorcycles emit many pollutants into the air, including hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides. They also emit carbon dioxide and particulate matter, albeit in less quantity compared to larger & heavier vehicles. All these pollutants are harmful to people & the environment." (motorgearexpert.com)

    This next fact also found interesting is the fact that bike are more fuel efficant but But on the flip side, the two-wheeler produced 416% more hydrocarbons, 3220% more nitrogen oxide, and whooping 8065% more carbon monoxide. (8065%,3220%, 416% is on some extra out of pocket type shit). So for me the safe and best bet is for us whole love to ride should consider the switch the the green side when we talk about vehicles so we can bring those percentages to (maybe on day) 0% (hopeful thinking) 

    Now, some people dont like Tesla because they are not the prettiest cars in the world (or the fact Elon Musk is a Nazi soluting fool.) For that I would say the market is open for other cars but the E moto bikes, E mini bikes, E dirty bikes, E quads, and E carts are crazy looking vehicles. For example: 

    

with technology to create alternative E bikes and etc. has already caught the kids attention through videos on youtube with channels like Sur Ronster who has amassed over 1.7 million subscribers just based on him building and riding his E bikes and E carts through out LA on and off road showing off performance and speed and even some practicallity. Way too many companies are popping out within the E Rides seen that they are getting more comfortable, more powerful, faster, and some are even getting cheaper to get (1,000-10,000$) and very modifiable.

Sources: https://youtu.be/d-NpXc5OUus?si=cG9iVfW2EfA7MdXL

https://motorgearexpert.com/how-much-do-motorcycles-pollute/

https://manofmany.com/rides/motorcycles/best-electric-motorcycles

The "Trump Effect"

Attempts to Hush Climate Change

Over the past couple of weeks, I have followed Trump’s administration and their recent changes. There has been several, but I have particularly been interested in the decisions regarding climate change. Among these are the shutdown of the USAID, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, and appointing new leadership who get to make further decisions on the environment. A new change to add to this list is the “Trump Effect”. This is an overarching term that describes President Trump’s attempts to breakdown the previously established climate protocols.

Websites Wiped of Climate Change Mentions
The most recent attempt at this “Trump Effect” was seen online where the mere mention of climate change has been pulled from several sites. Trump has been working on ridding federal websites of climate data because such ideals do not align with his plan and brand, so to speak. This brand of his has been known to deny climate facts and not prioritize the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The first websites impacted by this were the Forest Service and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). First, the Forest Service is a site that details land management, wildfire relief, and jobs related to the US’ forests. We have learned from our readings that forests are a huge part of climate change because when they are protected, they are great carbon sinks but when engulfed in flames they are a force to be reckoned with. Forests deserve our respect so disabling an informational website like this is not beneficial. Secondly, the USDA details food, sustainability, and farming practices. I ask the same question, why isolate such an informational site?

Restoration of the Websites
When this first went through, these websites were inaccessible and simply said, “You are not authorized to access this page”. Now, access has been restored after a court ordered it just two days ago. Checks and balances of the government have been helpful through some of these radical changes Trump has tried. Still, the temporarily successfully attempt to just wipe an entire website containing information about sustainability and climate change is scary. Within weeks of a presidency, one can just manipulate the nation’s access to certain information.

Call to Action
It is surprising to see how much national things can be changed or shut down as the result of one administration. The courts have been reviewing so much of Trump’s choices, and many have been denied and restored, while some have stood and gone through. The citizens must keep an eye on the news and not let these drastic changes slip under their nose. Have trust in the courts to review these decisions, even if it takes a couple days or week to be realigned with the Constitution and what a president is truly allowed to change.

Trouble in Doomsday?

I am not sure how many of you know about the Arctic Doomsday Vault but to briefly summarize it for you The Arctic Doomsday Vault is a gigantic bunker sitting deep inside a mountain surrounded by snowy wastelands.






The facility stores close to 900000 seed samples from around the world and acts as a sort of backup plan for agriculture should disaster render parts of the planet unlivable, or the world suffer a catastrophe such as extreme climate change. Between 2071 and 2100 it is estimated the average temperatures throughout the archipelago will increase by between 7-10 C. In Svalbard where the vault is located global warming has become a major problem it is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. Svalbard Doomsday Vault exists to protect the world's most valuable natural resources from catastrophe. If we want to avoid making multiple withdraws tackling climate change is a priority. The main reason I wanted to talk about this vault was because I don’t like the idea of this vault being mankind's hope a lot of articles are describing it as hope. Articles such as Inside the Doomsday Vault where it looked to the vault as a possible solution to the problem of climate change however I hate this idea. If climate change stays on the course the earth will not be able to support agriculture and life on the surface building this vault with the idea that the worst will come to pass is a sad thing to think about because for everyone calling this vault hope or a great thing I say to them the day we actually open this vault and need to use it is the day hope dies because at that point the damage is done and irreversible the earth will never be the same again.

 

The Palisades Nuclear Plant

 In last week’s discussions, we delved into the different kinds of sustainable energy sources available and their limitations. We discussed the world of solar, wind, adn hydroelectric solutions, as well as nuclear. In talking about nuclear, it feels especially pertinent to dive into the major and historic nuclear events happening just an hour away with the Palisades Nuclear Plant. 

The Palisades plant, located in Covert, MI, just under 40 miles away from Kalamazoo, began operation on March 24th, 1971. Except for scheduled maintenance outages, the plant remained in service for more than 50 years. Palisades operated up until 2022 when its owners, Holtec International, decommissioned it. Holtec had purchased Palisades from its previous owner Entergy to decommission it, as the plant struggled to compete with natural gas and renewable energy. The push to recommission Palisades came from Michigan legislators, including Kalamazoo’s own State senator, Sean McCann. McCann and various other Michigan legislators sent letters of support to Governor Whitmer, to persuade her to endorse and help finance the reopening of Palisades. Governor Whitmer worked with the U.S. Department of Energy in September of 2024 to negotiate a $1.52 billion loan guarantee to Holtec Palisades in order to secure private investment. The initial ascertainment of this loan was seen as a great success, however, the plant is still not online. While nuclear engineers are hard at work to get the plant online, this project is not all sunshine and roses. 

Despite how starry this recommissioning may seem, there are several major drawbacks looming over any potential success. For one, nuclear energy has its own environmental implications, it is not a perfectly clean energy source. Operating a nuclear plant requires lots of natural resources, high carbon costs to start, and generates nuclear waste. A second major drawback is that recommissioning a nuclear plant in such a manner has never been achieved. It is unclear how successful this project may even ultimately be. Finally, not only is the process itself uncemented, but the funding itself if insecure. With Trump’s barrage of executive orders, it is unclear if the federal funding for Palisades will remain intact. Even if the federal funds themselves remain, the uncertainty alone is enough to dissuade foreign investors and make other entrepreneurs think twice. If anything it is most likely that in the wake of this new administration the Palisades project, despite any potential environmental benefits or detriments it may house, will come to a screeching halt. 

Photo Credit:

Palisades Nuclear Plant

Governor Whitmer

The Green Bank, Under Fire

 Remember that Inflation Reduction Act?

In 2022, a democratic-led effort in Congress managed to pass what could be argued to be their crown climate achievement: The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act, included as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill was put forth as a means to begin to meaningfully act upon the impending climate crisis, incentivizing green energy sources and climate-resistant infrastructure investments.

An important component of the Greenhouse Reduction Act was the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, dubbed the 'Green Bank'. It's a multibillion-dollar fund for initiatives meant to aid developers, nonprofits, and aid groups with their respective missions.

Oftentimes, these organizations used the money to fund projects meant to make communities more resilient to the effects of climate change and put forth climate justice for the disadvantaged. Where conventional banks and investors will overlook these underprivileged communities, the Green Bank would offer grants to them to cover the costs of adaptation.

It had handed out $20 billion in grants in the years prior to Trump's takeover, primarily to banks and coalitions who have a mission of providing aid, in the form of money and lending, to local and state initiatives for implementing green energy and climate resilience solutions. Such coalitions are important, since green initiatives might not otherwise have the funding to get off the ground.

Now, remember that Lee Zeldin guy, head of the EPA?

Yeah, the guy who didn't think that government money should be used for climate change initiatives? He intends to uphold his beliefs. He has recently declared that the EPA will attempt to retrieve the congressionally-allocated funding from the eight grant recipients. He claimed the nonprofits were "far-left activist groups" and that he considered the allocated funds to be wasteful. This comes amidst a federal obsession with 'efficiency' and cutting what they view to be 'wasteful' spending, which has already targeted many helpful, life-saving programs and administrations. 

It also comes at a time of unprecedented weather extremes, spurred by a worsening climate.

Kentucky, Missouri, Idaho, and a number of other states are all suffering under the flooding and snow brought about by a recent stream of winter storms- the sixth within two months according to the Weather Channel. The Los Angeles wildfires are still fresh in victim's minds.

Cutting costs in the present means they will skyrocket in the future

If the EPA were to retract the allocated grants, it could pull the rug out from under efforts to make communities more resistant to weather extremes that are only becoming more prevalent. Without such resistance, damage done by severe weather events is almost certain to be much worse, when it otherwise may have been preventable, or at least able to be mitigated. 

Zeldin and the larger Trump administration may be trying to be stingy about their government spending habits, but it's almost guaranteed that the cost of becoming climate-resilient and moving to renewables will be dwarfed by the costs of rebuilding and migrating in the face of unfettered climate change.

Luckily, Zeldin's vow to revoke the Green Bank grants is yet to happen. He will try to direct the coalitions to return the money, but it is yet to be seen if he has the authority to do so. The Green Bank funding is congressionally allocated, and with Congress' power of the purse protected under the constitution itself, Zeldin will face significant legal challenges the whole way down. After all, a single man in a position of federal authority is not meant to be able to withhold or change aspects of a Congressionally-authorized budget. Let's hope that holds true.

Indonesia Considers Exiting the Paris Agreement: What’s at Stake?

    Indonesia is now questioning its commitment to the Paris Agreement, following in the footsteps of the United States, which recently withdrew. This move has sparked intense debate about Indonesia’s role in global climate action and the potential consequences of stepping away from the landmark agreement (Financial Times).

Background: What is the Paris Agreement?

    Adopted in 2015, the Paris Agreement is a global effort to limit temperature rise to below 2°C, ideally to 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels. Under this agreement, Indonesia pledged to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 31.89% through domestic efforts and up to 43.2% with international support by 2030 (Antara News).

 However, meeting these targets requires significant investment in renewable energy and phasing out coal, which currently powers 66% of Indonesia’s electricity. Despite this, the country is still building new coal plants, making its climate goals more challenging (Financial Times).

The U.S. Withdrawal and Its Impact on Indonesia

    In January 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the second withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement—a decision that sent shockwaves through the global climate community (Financial Times).

    For Indonesia, this raises a serious dilemma. The country relies on international financial aid to transition to clean energy. Without U.S. participation, there are fears that funding for green projects may dry up, making it harder for Indonesia to meet its climate commitments.

    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Bahlil Lahadalia has expressed concerns about whether Indonesia should remain in the agreement if a major polluter like the U.S. chooses to opt out (Antara News).

Reactions and Possible Consequences

    Many environmental groups have condemned Indonesia’s reconsideration of its climate commitments. Organizations like Trend Asia warn that weakening climate policies could leave Indonesia more vulnerable to environmental disasters such as floods, wildfires, and rising sea levels (AP News).

    Additionally, pulling out of the agreement could cut off Indonesia’s access to climate financing. For example, the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP)—a $20 billion initiative led by the U.S. and other wealthy nations—was set to support Indonesia’s transition away from coal. If Indonesia withdraws, it may lose crucial funds for sustainable energy projects (Financial Times).

Why Staying in the Agreement Matters

    Despite the challenges, many experts stress that Indonesia should remain committed to the Paris Agreement. As an archipelagic nation highly vulnerable to climate change, Indonesia has a lot to lose if global warming accelerates (Antara News). 

Photo Credit: Earth.org, Extreme Temperatures in Indonesia

    Remaining in the agreement would also help Indonesia maintain its international reputation and ensure continued investment in green energy. Moreover, experts argue that moving toward renewables is not just about climate—it’s also about securing long-term energy independence and economic stability (AP News).

Conclusion: What’s Next for Indonesia?

    The decision to stay or leave the Paris Agreement will have long-term consequences for Indonesia’s environment, economy, and global standing. In a time of increasing climate risks, experts urge Indonesia to strengthen its climate policies rather than weaken them.

    While the U.S. withdrawal creates uncertainty, this should not be a reason for Indonesia to abandon its responsibilities. Instead, it’s an opportunity for Indonesia to take climate leadership, push for fairer international funding, and secure a more sustainable future(AP News).

Philippines Storm Surviviors Protest outside Shell HQ in London

     On February 12th, 2025, there was a protest outside of Shell's HQ in the Philippines, where the Greenpeace activists want accountability from major polluters and justice for all the loss and damage that the oil companies had caused. Greenpeace is a global nonprofit organization that uses nonviolent protests and research to address environmental issues, their goal is to protect the Earth's ability to support life.It was a record breaking typhoon seasons, where six storms battered the country for a month and drove more than 650,000 people from their homes, according to the expererts they said these storms were "supercharged" by climate change and affected 13 million people, and changed the lives and costed them an estimated $500m. 

    During the protest, the protestors played sounds of children laughing, and people cooking or watching TV, which had been recorded in the Philippines, then quickly those noises were replaced with sirens like they used to warn people of floods. Afterwords they smashed the glass cases, allowing the "flood" waters to spill out in front of the building. During the protest they are blaming the oil and gas giants like Shell, who pocket tens of billions every year from them burning fossil fuels which drive climate chaos, and those gas giants are the ones to blames and pay their climate debts. Many youth leaders had come to the protest and are tired of their weather climate impact after climate impact, while the big industries are profiting from fueling the climate crisis, and continue to demand accountability from the major polluters and justice.

    Now people living in the Philippines, are now awaiting for the next storm season to come in a few months, they are hoping that the world will take notice and the big oil companies take responsibility for what they are doing. Overall, it leaves the whole country confused on how they can get the oil companies to make amends since they are in the government, and are too power and rich, and now they hope the next typhoon will miss.

Overall Changes Of The Philippines Caused By Climate Change

    The Philippines has changed a lot due to Climate Change, and now the people of the Philippines will now have to suffer, some of those affects is losses in GDP, changes in rainfall patterns, and distribution, droughts, threats to biodiversity and food security, sea level rise, public health risks, and endangerment of vulnerables groups such as women and indigenous people.

Climate Change and Soil Microbiomes - A Growing Field of Research

             Our understanding of climate change and the effects that it will have on our world is expansive. There has been considerable progress made in this field since it’s birth back in 1896 when Arrhenius first discovered what was to be known as the greenhouse effect. Since then, strides have been made exploring countless other facets of this phenomenon, as well as its negative effects. As broad as the scientific standing of this field is, there is still so much more work that needs to be done to fully understand the depth of the problem we’re dealing with. An example of the cutting edge of science is the potential effect that climate change may have on soil microbiomes.

               Everywhere on earth our soil is packed full of communities of microorganisms including bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and microscopic animals. These tiny microbes serve essential functions in every ecosystem including facilitating nutrient cycling, storing the carbon from organic matter, breaking down pollutants, as well as protecting soil stability and preventing erosion. Humans have relied on these services since the dawn of our species. An easy example of this usage is the practice of rotating crops in agriculture. Legumes such as peas, beans, and soybeans are planted periodically in fields due to their symbiotic relationship they have with soil bacteria called rhizobia. These rhizobia live at the roots of legumes and can actually pull nitrogen gas from the air and turn it back into usable ammonia compounds. These bacteria are only one of a few types that can actually carry out this process. Because of the essential services these organisms provide, it’s essential that they are accounted for in any sort of climate prediction model as well as any future rehabilitation or mitigation efforts that are to be carried out.

               At this point, the effects of climate change on microbiomes and soil quality aren’t fully understood yet. These tiny ecosystems are highly dynamic, and feature many moving parts that aren’t fully understood on their own, never mind how they’ll react to a changing climate. A recent study shows that soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme climactic events such as heat, freezing, drought, and flood. This exposure to extreme events impacted almost every natural process the microbiome carries out including the sequestering of carbon as well as nutrient availability in the soil weeks after the events occurred. In spite of these findings, it’s important to keep in mind that the negative impacts varied based on the event as well as the native conditions of the soil, so more investigation is still necessary to further our understanding.

               A different study also explores warming and it’s impact on soil microbiota, but in a different way. The effect that a warming temperature has on soil heterotrophic respiration, the breaking down organic matter and releasing carbon into the atmosphere, isn’t fully understood yet. Up to this point, climate models have assumed that this rate of carbon release was constant, but that may not be the case as the wildly varying soil conditions all over the world may respond differently to changing climates. It’s essential for future climate models to attempt to take these effects into account to provide more accurate predictions.

San Fransisco State University - The First University to Require a Climate Justice Course for All Students

 In an innovative and successful educational move, San Francisco State University (SFSU) has announced it will become the first major public university in America to require all undergraduate students to complete a climate justice course before graduating. The requirement will take effect in the fall of 2026.

This decision marks a significant step in combining environmental awareness into a higher education curriculum.  

Unlike traditional climate change courses offered within universities, which primarily focus on scientific and environmental aspects, climate justice courses will emphasize the social and economic disparities intensified by climate change. SFSU states climate justice courses will address “the unequal impacts of climate change on marginalized and underserved populations and how frontline communities are often leaders in developing climate solutions.” 

SFSU prepares for these courses to include climate justice from multiple disciplines, including STEM, Social Sciences, English, and Humanities. According to Autumn Thoyre, SFSU’s co-director of climate HQ, these initiatives acknowledge that climate justice is an interdisciplinary issue requiring a broad and varied approach.

Why is Climate Justice Important?

Climate change does not affect all populations equally. Historically, marginalized communities have felt the brute force of environmental diseases, economic instability, and health risks associated with climate change. Understanding its disproportionate effects on different demographics is crucial as climate change worsens in the upcoming years. 

SFSU’s initiative seeks to give students a deeper understanding of these issues and empower them to engage scientifically and socially equitably. By learning about systems of oppression and privilege that influence climate change policies and outcomes, students will be better educated to advocate and implement justice-orientated solutions in their future careers.

Change Amid National Climate Policy Challenges

The decision from SFSU could not come at a better time in a pivotal moment in American history. Among the shifting federal climate policies, including Trump’s administration's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement for the second time, SFSU’s move represents a localized effort to counter climate change inaction from federal levels.

Autumn Thoyre believes real change begins locally, where grassroots activism and education lay the foundation for more substantial policy changes. She says, “Local-scale change is a first step towards something bigger.” The university hopes to inspire the young adult generation to become the new activists, policymakers, and professionals who will tackle climate challenges head-on.

Student Reactions

Not surprisingly, students were enthusiastic about the new changes and appreciated the value of being educated about climate justice. A junior at SFSU studying industrial design expressed his support by saying, “This climate justice requirement will allow more students to be socially aware and more informed because there’s a lot of misinformation out there.”

Many students who are personally affected by climate change's impacts also see this course as a necessary requirement to prepare them for the environmental challenges ahead, which could lead to increased activism on campus and beyond graduation.

Model for Other Universities

SFSU’s initiative can be a model for other universities looking to integrate climate education into their curriculum. As the realities of climate change become more pressing, universities across America should follow SFSU’s lead. Climate literacy is no longer an option but a necessity for future generations.

With this bold move, SFSU is taking a stand in times of uncertain government action, ensuring that climate justice will become an essential part of the academic journey and equipping students with the education and tools to make a meaningful impact in our society's fight against climate change.

Increasing Sky Rivers

So far this year, several southern states that typically have mild winters in the U.S. have experienced rare snowstorms due to the unusual influence of the polar vortex in the region. This phenomenon led to record-breaking snow accumulation in Alabama, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle. The warm, moist air from the Gulf coast combined with the polar vortex created a deadly situation for people living in an area that rarely expects a snowstorm. Because of the heavy snowfall and extremely cold temperatures from this storm, 11 people died. Arctic blasts are becoming more expected in the U.S. if the polar vortex is weakened like it is now.
More recently, another rare snow event occurred in San Francisco on February 12, 2025, when an atmospheric river approached the continent. The accumulation of snow is rarer to see in San Francisco than in New Orleans or the Florida Panhandle. The reason this event was so rare is because this region is influenced by the California current which creates one of the most stable climates in the world where temperature inversions are highly common, and air pollution becomes trapped almost constantly. This is important to note because in the middle of February, just two days ago, even the world’s most stable climate showed vulnerability to modern climate change.

Atmospheric rivers are a natural phenomenon that existed in the atmosphere before anthropogenic climate change became a real problem, but we can expect AR events to be more common and extreme as the global temperature continues to rise. Satellites operated by NOAA track the movement of water vapor in the AR’s and results show that 30 – 50% of annual rainfall for west coast states comes from AR precipitation. Presently there are 4-5 atmospheric rivers on Earth. According to NOAA, a category 5 AR is estimated to contain 7-15 times the amount of water that flows from the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico in one day.

The atmospheric river that hit San Francisco this month was a level 3 AR event with no fatalities reported. A lead author scientist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Duane Waliser has projected that by the end of the 21st century, there will be 10% less global AR event but are also projected to become 25% wider and longer on average with global AR conditions also increasing by about 50%. It is helpful that AR events occur for recharging aquifers and river systems, but it is the unpredictability and dangerous amount of water that also occurs with this growing phenomenon that could lead to deadly floods and ruin crop yields. 

In an aerial view, floodwaters surround homes and farms on November 20, 2021 in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

 

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images