Five Scenic Places to Observe Climate Change in Progress

In our travels, we've come across a number of areas where global warming and climate change are clearly evident. Whether you're a believer in global warming or not, these easy and not so easy to visit places will give you an eyeful of information.

Athabascan Icefield, Icefields Parkway, Canadian Rockies Shows Glacier Reductions from Climate Change

One of the eeriest things to experience when you drive the Icefield Parkway is the short hike up to the glacier. Along the way, you pass stone markers showing the edge of where the glacier was, ten, twenty, even fifty years ago. As you cross the rubble and see the enormous glacial mass before you, you can sort of build a rough estimate in your mind of the lakeful of frozen ice that has melted. This glacier provides water to both the Canadian and American water reservoirs. If it disappears ... water use may be limited.

Jasper, Canada Area Trees Show Mountain Pine Beetle Damage

Also in the Jasper area you can see the rampant destruction of many of the trees by the Mountain Pine Beetles, something that is only occurred after 1999 when it became warm enough for the larvae to survive winter.

Cincinnati Museum of Natural History Explains Ice Cores, Ohio

In studying global warming, I found out that one of the techniques used to measure changes in temperatures over the centuries was ice cores. Because of variations in how ice compacts and crystallizes, scientists can construct an understand how temperature has changed over the years and the amount of snowfall. Cincinnati's Museum of Natural in Ohio explain just what scientists do to get an ice core.

Road to Ranakpur, Rajasthan, India shows Water Usage and Heat Rise

When we visited Rajasthan, India, our guide explained that when the last of the forests were cut down in Rajasthan, temperatures rose 10F. Many of the local farms prune off all but one or two leaves to feed their livestock. Where the farms have wells, the field are green. All else are dried during the dry season. India is planning to build a water pipe from the Himalayan mountains to better meet their needs. Meanwhile, attempts to replant the forests are meeting with mixed success.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia Coral Cores Show Climate Changes and Use Affects

A visit to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia will show changes in the reefs responding to temperature rises and carbon dioxide increases along. The world's reefs show bleaching and damage from human activities. According to Field etal, although coral reefs are resilient, scientists have noted a steady decline in the calcification of the reefs by 10 percent since 1800 and predictions of 20% more by 2100 if the carbon dioxide levels double by then[1]. Also when older deposits are drilled, scientists find bands related to changing climate conditions.

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[1] John G. Field, Gotthilf Hempel, Colin P. Summerhayes, "Oceans 2020 Science, Trend and the Challenge of Sustainability", Island Press, 2002