11/16/23 - The Daily News
By LindaOH
@LindaOHio (176200)
United States
November 16, 2023 5:34am CST
We all know about the plastic pollution and the microplastics that are invading every aspect of our lives -- the oceans, our food, our bodies and in the creatures of the sea. Now researchers have found microplastics in the clouds; and these particles could be affecting our weather. Low altitude and denser clouds contain the greatest amounts of microplastics. Older, rougher particles had more lead, mercury and oxygen attached to their surfaces which could hasten the development of clouds. More research needs to be done; but clouds "play a vital role in our climate by regulating the amount of solar energy that reaches the surface and the amount of the Earth's energy that is radiated back into space".
Taylor Swift has been in the news a lot lately because of her Eras Tour and the fact that she is now worth $1.1 billion. Now there is talk of a Taylor Swift ocean cruise for 2024. Marvelous Mouse Travels is collaborating with Royal Caribbean to have a Taylor Swift inspired cruise. There will be Swift theme nights, Taylor Karaoke, trivia, scavenger hunts, door decorating contests and more...however, don't expect to see Swift onboard the cruise ship.
The National Climate Assessment, which comes out every 4 or 5 years, is showing that the United States is warming about 60% faster than the rest of the world. Since 1970 the lower 48 States have warmed by 2.5 degrees; and Alaska has increased by 4.2 degrees, compared to a global average of 1.7 degrees.. In Alaska everything from the growing season to hunting and fishing is being affected. There is even talk of relocating Indigenous communities because of hunting and fishing difficulties. Each section of the US is facing challenges: severe heat and drought, reduced water supplies, wildfire risk, flooding, poor air quality... Hawaii and other Pacific Islands are vulnerable to rises in sea levels. The US is projected to get about 3.8 degrees hotter by the end of the century.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
16 people like this
14 responses
@just4him (317012)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
16 Nov
I know plastic is a problem. And I know I contribute to the problem when I go grocery shopping. I know I need to find a solution that works for me to eliminate plastic in my life.
Count me out on the Taylor Swift band wagon.
This year certainly shows the effect of global warming in the US with how the weather has been for everyone. I didn't realize we were heating up faster than the rest of the world.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
16 Nov
Yes, between plastics and heat, we have our hands full in this country.
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (3760)
•
17 Nov
I haven't figured out who Taylor Swift is but think she gets too much money, Nobody should be worth $1.1 billion when other people are starving.
3 people like this
@sharonelton (28390)
• Lichfield, England
16 Nov
Yes, I hate plastic pollution! It's disgusting, isn't it?
Taylor Swift is worth $1.1 billion? She could give some of that money to me!
That's shocking about America warming 60% faster than the rest of the world!
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
16 Nov
Yes, plastic pollution has gotten SO bad...and the US had such hot temperatures this summer.
2 people like this
@sharonelton (28390)
• Lichfield, England
17 Nov
@LindaOHio I hate plastic pollution and I don't see why people can't dispose of their rubbish ethically!
2 people like this
@LovesEverybody (3760)
•
17 Nov
@LindaOHio we had some really hot summers where I live this summer
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (470492)
• Switzerland
18 Nov
@LindaOHio And we know that the ice is melting at the poles. This year they have lost a quantity of ice equal to 7 floors of a building.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
18 Nov
@LadyDuck I find that very frightening.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
If all the ice melts at the poles, islands such as the Florida Keys and cities such as New Orleans will be flooded.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79236)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Nov
I totally agree with you that plastic must be eliminated. In Latvia this problem was curbed a long time ago by simply not allowing supermarkets and other sellers to used plastic, Everyone who went shopping had to take along their own cloth bags.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
There are also millions of plastic water bottles in the ocean, on the beaches and in the landfills.
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (3760)
•
17 Nov
@RasmaSandra some places in my area have banned plastic bags in grocery stores
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
Yes, here it would be the Florida Keys, New Orleans, etc.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (36488)
•
16 Nov
Thank you for posting about this, Linda.
So many people just don't care about plastic waste.
Did you know that every single day, the world uses 1.3 BiLLION water/soda bottles??? Every. Single. Day!!!!
What did people actually do before this idiotic invention?? They put water in a container, a thermos, whatever, and took it with them. It does not speak well for us. Those bottles have to go somewhere, and they are not recycled.
The news has talked about this plastic problem for years now. It just gets worse and worse, and no one does anything. We only have one world, we should try to take care of it.
I looked this up not long ago. This article is 4 years old and the stats are somewhat worse now.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
I've written several articles about plastic pollution; and the statistics are frightening. And what do we do with the micro particles of plastic in our oceans that the sea creatures are ingesting? It's not a good outlook.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (36488)
•
17 Nov
@LindaOHio
No, it's not good at all. And so many people just don't care.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (179489)
• United States
16 Nov
I think an alternative for plastics needs to be found as quickly as possible, especially since we have known about the damaging effects of plastics for years, and nothing has been done about it.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (67220)
• United States
16 Nov
Interesting…we have less than half the population of China, and we obey environmental laws (sometimes to a stupid degree), and yet “they” claim we’re the bad guys? I’m just not falling for that.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
I guess we shall see a few years in the future.
1 person likes this
@wiLLmaH (8802)
• Singapore, Singapore
17 Nov
Wow, the juxtaposition of those two topics is quite striking. On one hand, we have the concerning revelation about microplastics infiltrating even our clouds, potentially influencing weather patterns. What are your thoughts on how society balances addressing major issues while still finding moments of joy and vacations?
1 person likes this
@wiLLmaH (8802)
• Singapore, Singapore
20 Nov
@LindaOHio Joining beach cleanup drives opened my mind how seriously ill our world is.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
Many people don't believe that the world is in the state that it's in.
@Tampa_girl7 (50079)
• United States
16 Nov
It was definitely a super hot summer here.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (105012)
• Marion, Ohio
16 Nov
Plastic is a useful thing but does seem dangerous
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
16 Nov
There's too much plastic in our oceans and in landfills.
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (82531)
• United States
16 Nov
I'm sure plenty of Taylor Swift fans would be interested in that cruise even if she isn't there.
2 people like this
@thedevilinme (4097)
• Northampton, England
26 Nov
Yes, I eat my shredded credit cards
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (3760)
•
17 Nov
Good post!
I still haven't figured out who Taylor Swift is and why everybody thinks she is so great. I don't like that she won't be aboard the cruise ship. Cruises aren't cheap so she should show up!
Interesting about how the US is warming 60% faster than the rest of the world
Love the picture you included!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
17 Nov
Thanks. Taylor is popular with the young kids. Taylor probably doesn't even know about the cruise. Here's a picture of her.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (176200)
• United States
18 Nov
@LovesEverybody Yes, there would be legal issues. Maybe she does know about it.
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (3760)
•
17 Nov
@LindaOHio I am not young anymore so that must be why I never heard a song of hers. Thanks for showing me a picture of her as before picture I had never seen her before!
Would Cruiselines be able to have a cruise devoted to her and have her not know about it? wouldn't there be legal issues with that?
1 person likes this