Author: Travis Swaim

Summers on Norwegian Archipelago of Svalbard are warmer than any other time in the past 1,800 years, according to a new study in the journal Geology. Since 1987, summers on Svalbard have been 3.6 to 4.5 degrees F warmer than the hottest era in the region in the past 1,800 years known as the Medieval Warm Period. “Our record indicates that recent summer temperatures on Svalbard are greater than even the warmest periods at that time,” said study’s lead author William d’Andrea, a climate …

A warmer and drier Southwestern United states will cause extensive tree mortality as well as substantial changes in forest and species distribution, researchers say. As greenhouse gases accumulate in the atmosphere and rising temperatures in the Southwest region of the US have been the trend since the late 1800s, research indicates that forests in the area will have high stress levels of drought and trees will die at faster and larger rates in the summer months. A team of scientists from Los …

Global warming will kill more than 100 million people and cause a 3.2 percent dip in world gross domestic product by 2030 if nothing is done to stop it, according to a report released by 20 governments. The report was commissioned by DARA, a partnership of 20 developing countries threatened by climate change. It says that 90 percent of the deaths caused by extreme weather, drought and rising sea levels will occur in developing nations. The organization also warned that, although the world’s …

The frozen cap of the Arctic Ocean appears to have reached its annual summertime minimum extent and broken a new record low of 1.32 million square miles on September 16, the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has reported. Analysis of satellite data by NASA and the NASA-supported NSIDC at the University of Colorado in Boulder showed the new record minimum measures almost 300,000 square miles less than the previous lowest extent in the satellite record, set in mid-September 2007, of 1.61 …

  Wellness and Sustainability Tips are selected from the UMD “FYI” Listserv system. The “FYI” Listserv provides general announcements and information on programs of particular interest to the faculty and staff of the University of Maryland. I. Wellness  

• Help yourself by helping others

“Social wellness is about valuing the larger community. Consider giving back by volunteering on campus, in your local neighborhood, or even going global! Whatever scale of involvement you choose, …

The University of Maryland Council on the Environment (ConE) recently announced The Green Fellowship for the Environment, which carries an award of $10,000.00 to support two University of Maryland graduate students interested in a one-year team effort that bridges their disciplines to address environmental problems here or abroad. An email sent out by Cathy Stephens, director of programs and communications for the Council on the Environment, states team members will ideally be from different …

Places in the vicinity of M-Square to check out for lunch, etc. (see shared file “local_eats.pdf” at bottom of profile page): http://essic.umd.edu/joom2/index.php/faculty-and-staff/all?layout=user&user_id=36 Bon appetit!…

ESSIC recently donated $5,000 per year to the University of Maryland Department of Geology to use towards student travel and awards. The Department will use these funds for student activities and to help defray the expenses of Geology undergraduate students who will be presenting their own research at national or international conferences. Recipients of the award can receive up to $1,000 for travel to a national or international meeting such as AGU, GSA and EGU. Applications should be …