William Sutherland's photos with the keyword: Climate Change

Eco Collage was created from various garbage and litter consisting of broken glass, a plastic spacer ring, and a piece of a light bulb. The green colors were added to represent a vibrant, lush “Eden-like” earth when people and ecosystems live in harmony. It is disheartening that as the planet burns with scorching heat, massive wild fires and unquenchable drought, humanity remains oblivious to the existential threat that approaches. This collage also consists of various shapes and forms to represent how every nation and its peoples seamlessly fit together and thus must work together to address climate change through consistent policy and fiscal investments regardless of so-called socio-economic status – developed or third world – especially since both the former and latter share the same planet. While the development of the hydrogen economy is likely a decade or more away, there are solutions for today – nuclear energy with mini reactors (in the 21st century in the United States, 21 people have died in nuclear accidents, predominantly from falls and electrocution [1] versus the 892 from coal mining accidents [2] and the more than 1500 figure for oil and gas extraction [3] ; so regarding safety you be the judge!), the expansion of wind, solar and geothermal energy usage, the planting of trees, preservation of rainforests, the reintroduction of indigenous flora, the banning of pesticides that continue to exterminate crucial pollinators (bees and butterflies) and the shuttering of coal-fired plants that are not retrofitted to use the necessary filters for “clean coal.” At the same time hard deadlines no later than 2040 must be established for the end of fossil fuel use to promote the necessary investment and research and development for 100% clean energy use. Bottom line: If the world continues to dither, then the prophesy of the 1500 CE triptych The Garden of Earthly Delights by Dutch master painter Hieronymus Bosch (c. 1450-1516) will come true and we will be left with a scorched, charred planet. :( smarthistory.org/garden-bosch If people come together and work together, then we will continue to have a green planet with ecosystems that thrive and humanity will be spared. :) [1] Zakaria Hsain, Alissa Johnson, Erin K. Reagan. Nuclear Energy Meets Climate Change. Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. 5 October 2021. kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/nuclear-energy-meets-climate-change [2] The U.S. Department of Labor – arlweb.msha.gov/stats/centurystats/coalstats.asp and Statistica – www.statista.com/statistics/541314/mining-fatalities-in-the-united-states [3] Fareed Zakaria. In tackling climate change, don’t let the perfect become the enemy of the good. The Washington Post. 21 July 2022. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/21/practical-steps-fighting-climate-change-heat-wave-nuclear-gas-coal

Mamaroneck, NY Green is the color of chlorophyll, a key compound in the vast majority of plants. It is synonymous with positive terms such as clean, renewable and most importantly life including our lives. Without plants there would be no photosynthesis and little to no Oxygen. This fact has just been reinforced by a recent scientific study that indicates a billion years from now the Earth’s atmosphere will contain very little Oxygen as the sun ages and consequently becomes hotter. Because of this, the Earth’s CO2 (Carbon dioxide) levels will plunge as it absorbs the increased heat and breaks down. Photosynthesizing organisms (plants) will become extinct, reducing Oxygen levels by a million times while methane levels will soar by 10,000 fold. As a result complex life, including humans will become extinct leaving the planet in its dying days to anaerobic microbial life. Worse yet, when the process begins, it will unfold quickly over a 10,000 year period bringing the Earth back to its pre Oxidation period some 2.4 billion years ago. Thus, it is more important than ever to protect address climate change and protect our intricate and interconnected ecosystems to ensure this inevitable tragedy is not hastened. And if we can establish ecological harmony, prolong the planet’s life and extend our existence, we can buy time until technological advances allow us to create artificial biospheres to generate and maintain Oxygen and CO2 levels to ensure our survival and that of every complex aerobic life form or at least persevere until the very and inevitable end. If we can avoid prematurely hastening our extinction because of irresponsible actions and policy, we will have reason to smile. Perhaps then, the scary will not be so frightening! :) Because of this, I selected green and yellow colors to emphasize the importance of plant life, renewable clean energy, and our dependence on the Earth’s ecosystems that must be sustained for complex aerobic life like ours to continue. The pastel blues and dark purple represent clean water, also an essential ingredient for the continuity of life. The large red dot, which is intended to draw attention, represents future danger from continued unsustainable adverse climate change and the aging sun. While we cannot control the latter, we can have a positive impact on the former our planet and life do not have a premature end. Article Link: phys.org/news/2021-03-simulations-earth-oxygen-rich-atmosphere-billion.html

Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, and Bronx, NY The 2019-2020 autumn-winter season resulted in anomalous blooms for Forsythia and Periwinkles -- Mamaroneck and Larchmont, NY, respectively on 27 September 2019 (record early for the New York City metro region. Other observations include a blooming Weglia Red Prince Bush (record early 28 September 2019), purple violets (record early 4 October 2017) and scattered apple blossoms (record early 14 October 2019) -- the former two in Mamaroneck, NY and the latter in Larchmont, NY. Quince also bloomed in Central Park, NY (record early 7 October 2019). On 11 and 12 January, 2020 the temperature rose to record highs of 69 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. With only a few short bursts of cold weather, vegetables such as cabbage, kale, and thyme continued to grow while frogs and turtles, both cold-blooded amphibians have yet to hibernate and now have been present for a record late length into meteorological and seasonal winter. Their habits may perhaps be changing because of climate change such that one day they may no longer hibernate, vegetables (that include cabbage, curly kale, thyme, Swiss chard, have continued to grow through the duration of meteorological winter (1 December 2019-29 February 2020) in the metro NY area) will experience extended growing seasons and plants such as forsythia may experience double blooms every year. Also of note, many chipmunks did not go into hibernation for the duration of meteorological winter with sightings at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY (12 January 2020), in Mamaroneck, NY (January and February 2020) and in Greenwich, CT (15 February 2020). Adonis blossoms were present as of 8 February 2020 at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY while crocuses also began emerging on this same date in Mamaroneck, NY. Japanese apricot blossoms and irises were present by 17 and 23 February 2020, respectively at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY and daffodils were present by 22 February 2020 in Rye, NY. In addition, marsh marigolds began blooming in Larchmont, NY on 23 February 2020 and a primrose plant which had bloomed through 12 January 2020 in Mamaroneck, NY produced additional flowers that began to bloom on 24 February 2020. Hyacinths were present in Mamaroneck, NY as of 27 February 2020 followed by viburnum at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY on 29 February 2020. Top. l.-r: Pansy (Mamaroneck, NY - Jan. 11, 2020), Cabbage and Curly Kale (New Rochelle, NY - Jan. 12, 2020); Middle l.-r.: Camellia, Frog, Bee (New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY - Jan. 12, 2020); Bottom l.-r.: Turtle (Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY - Jan. 12, 2020), Mahonia (New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY - Jan. 12, 2020) and Viburnum lantana (Bronx Zoo, Bronx, NY - Jan. 12, 2020) Sample Documentation: Additional: l.-r. Forsythia, Mamaroneck, NY (27 September 2019) and Periwinkle, Larchmont, NY (29 September 2019) l.-r. Cherry Blossoms/Bee and Lady Bug, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY (12 January 2020) -- Courtesy of Don Sutherland l.-r. Forsythia, New York, NY (15 January 2020) and Cherry Blossoms, Central Park Garden, New York, NY (15 January 2020) l.-r. Chipmunk, Mamaroneck, NY (31 January 2020) and Adonis Blossoms, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY (8 February 2020) -- the latter, courtesy of Don Sutherland l.-r. Daffodil, Rye, NY (23 February 2020), Japanese apricot blossoms and Irises, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY (23 February 2020) -- the latter two, courtesy of Don Sutherland

Mamaroneck, NY Notes: All items were found in Mamaroneck with the exception of the two plastic flowers that were found at Oakland Beach in Rye, NY and the broken Dunkin Donuts® cup that was found in Larchmont, NY. The polar bear (from a discarded toy), Extra® chewing gum package with the words “Polar Ice” and broken white pieces of garbage represent the arctic that is now threatened by global warming. The smiling sun represents the happiness sunshine brings as long as the global climate remains homeostatic so that ecosystems may flourish in all regions of the Earth. The yellow, discarded danger sign with the black flower represents the stark reality of global warming that presents a clear and growing danger for mass extinctions (death) in which humans may not be immune. The white flower near the chewing gum package symbolizes the encroachment of warm weather flora to the planet’s tundra region. The empty, dirty and broken ice cube tray reinforces the sobering and sad (hence the sad face!) image of an iceless and in a worst-case scenario, a lifeless planet.