Sunday, March 16, 2008

System Working! New U.N. Warning on Climate

The hydrophone system is working well this Sunday morning on Maui.  Reports say that whale numbers are thinning, and we are noticing fewer whales singing.  This appears to be normal for this time in the season.

A story on the CNN website this morning says the world's glaciers are melting more rapidly than predicted.   "There are many canaries emerging in the climate change coal mine, " United Nation's Environment Program executive director, Achim Steiner, is quoted as saying.  "The glaciers are perhaps among those making the most noise and it is absolutely essential that everyone sits up and takes notice."  Read the full story.  

We at The Whalesong Project are taking notice.  Some islands south of here are already losing their beaches and becoming uninhabitable due to rising ocean levels.  The Whales are another rather large canary in the "mine."  Is this why some people call them the "canaries of the oceans," I wonder. Predicted climate change events that are in place could be extremely disruptive for whales....and humans...coral...the whole planetary ecosystem.  When scientist author David Suzuki was here recently, he suggested that addressing climate change, moving to non polluting energy sources, should be approached with the same fervor that America did to put a man on the moon.  "Anything less," he said, "would be un-American.......and difficult to explain to our grandchildren."  I think he made some good points.  

If any of you on Maui have time, please come to our benefit concert on Wednesday......print out our flyer and spread it around or tell your friends.  It will be a very interesting evening, and any proceeds will keep our hydrophone working and expand the project.  Mahalo!!!

No comments: