Causes of climate change?
I've already had a go a while back at the water companies for flushing all the nice clean rain into the rivers then complaining when they run out of water, but driving about over the last couple of days made me contemplate the sheer amount of surface water that seems to be left all over our roads, pavements, and pedestrian areas - where does it go?
As I've said a lot of it goes straight into the drains and out again, but some must be evaporating off. So how much more (or less) is evaporating back into the atmosphere compared to a pre-industrial pre-urban period? We all keep hearing about climate change and all the finger-pointing at cars and industrial processes pumping out nasty gases, but hand-in-hand with that is the switch from a rural to an urban landscape.
So what distortions do large urban areas have, do they alter the thermal patterns, do they cause a greater degree of water to evaporate back into the system over a period of time. flicking around the web I see a lot along the lines of 'climate change has an affect on humidity', but it's all attributed to global warming (hot air holds more water), but remember water vapour is considered a 'greenhouse gas' too so we get a feedback loop; more water in the air retains heat which allows more water in the air.
I'm not saying this is the case I'm just speculating out-loud, if anyone can say 'Nope they've looked at that and the effect is negligible' then fine I'll shut-up.
2 comments:
I have heard a rumour, which I would have a guess at an urban myth, that people slabing over their gardens is causing problems in built-up areas. It goes that the slabs and concrete are preventing the replenishment of the water table and that sunlight bouncing off the impermeable surface is creating small miniature greenhouse effects between the surface and the clouds forming due, in turn, from the increased water vapour.
In fact, radical militant pressure groups, are roaming the country smashing up patios and driveways in an effort to save the environment. A section of the group is the Internet division that are searching weblogs to see if anyone has admitted to slabing up gardens. :-)
Hah it's under cover and thus not subject to rain; besides they'd have to get past the eco-friendly coal-burning, DU-ammo firing, asbestos coated, made in Taiwan and shipped over in a leaky oil tanker garden gnomes.
Post a Comment