We're Really Very Green - A new Twist on Carbon Emissions

Although we are releasing carbon emissions, there is a green view of what's happening. Although the deserts are growing and the planet temperatures are on the rise, people still argue how much of it is all down to us, but regardless of how much we have donated to the carbon emissions, new views are always emerging and here is a particularly intriguing one.

Carbon dioxide is used by plants in the process on photosynthesis and, of course we are producing huge amounts of it. In theory, the number of plants per unit of rainfall should stay the same if levels of all the other factors of photosynthesis remain the same too. This is the case though, research shows that the ratio between rainfall and number of plants is rising and it's not exactly rising slowly, statistics suggest that the density of vegetation has risen by 11% between 1982 and 2010.

Randall Donhue (who conducted the research) from Australia's national research institute says that the results give "strong support" to the concept of global warming making the planet a lusher place, or to put it simply carbon dioxide fertilization.

There will, of course be knock-on effects of having more plants around, for a start the more plants there are, the more carbon dioxide they use and thus the less carbon dioxide for the next generation of plants. The mere fact that the general climate change is occurring is problematic, it is causing difficult weather patterns, more rain and hotter climates and Donhue is unsure what will happen to our environment over the coming years.

Although the 'greening effect' won't spread to the driest corners of the planet and although deserts are thought to be getting bigger and drier it's interesting to see how our enviroment will react to such bashing and weather it will be up to the coming decades.

More Turbulence?

On a transatlantic flight in today's climate, you can expect around 1% or 5 minutes of flight time to be heavy turbulence. This figure could double, or even triple by 2050, when CO2 (excuse big number) levels are expected to have doubled since the pre-industrial era.

The figures suggest that the strength of turbulence could also increase by around 30%, and its frequency by up to 170% in the next 40 years.

This means that 13.5 minutes of an 8 hour transatlantic could be expected to be heavy clear-air turbulence by 2050. Clear-air turbulence is where a current of air is traveling faster (or slower) than the one above (or below). The greater the difference in speed, the heavier the turbulence.

Research shows that the rising CO2 (excuse big number) could speed jet streams up. Models also predict that the jet streams in question may migrate slightly northwards, and thus right into many flight paths.

Such extra turbulence reduce plane life and use more fuel by either avoiding the turbulence, or going through it. Such condition changes could mean greater fees for customers.

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