Celebrating our Planet
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Tag Archives: William Ash
Washington D.C.
Taking off from Ronald Reagan International Airport in Washington is quite an experience. First, the airport itself feels more like a bus station than an international airport. Second, the aircraft have to climb quickly and bank sharply away from the city. One thing strikes you looking down on the nation’s capital is how short it is. Unlike most capitals, there are no tall buildings. The Washington Monument, which is not technically a building, is the tallest structure in the city. Click on the image for a larger view.
The Streets of D.C.
Washington is really clean, at least near the mall. It is also not very colorful. It is certainly not new. But strangely it does not feel very lived in. Click on the image for a larger view.
The White House
I was in Washington last month. Like most people, I get my initial impression of this city through photographs. It is very different in person—everything is smaller than you imagine. Click on the image for a larger view.
Flight
The view from a flight from Washington to Florida. Click on the image for a larger view.
Shipping and Carbon
This week, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is meeting to discuss carbon emissions from shipping. Over 80% of our goods are transported by ship. This map shows 2014 national CO2 emissions in relation to the 2014 shipping CO2 emissions of 532 million tonnes from container, bulk carrier, vehicle and general cargo ships, and chemical and liquid tankers, representing 34,112 vessels with a combined deadweight of 1.2 billion tonnes. Red indicates nations with carbon emissions 5% or greater than shipping, blue -5% or less. Brazil and Canada have emissions within ±5% of total shipping emissions. Shipping as a carbon source would rank 12th out of the 206 nations shown. Oil and LNG tankers as well as passenger and fishing vessels are not included in this analysis. The shipping activity represented here is 1.6% of all global emissions. Shipping is expected to become 20% in 2050. Data sources: World Bank, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, International Council on Clean Transportation. Click on the image for a larger view.
April 13th update: the IMO did agree to a 50% reduction in emissions from 2008 levels by 2050. While this cannot be a final target, it is a good step. This is the first time the IMO has set carbon targets.
Flycatcher
Geckos are very common in Florida. They scatter under your feet as you walk down suburban sidewalks. You always have a fear of stepping on one, but they seem to navigate your footfall with ease. They climb our window screens looking for prey, mostly mosquitoes. Click on the image for a larger view.
Ský
We refer to the space above our heads as the sky. Yet, our word comes from the Old Norse ský. A word that means clouds, not the space that contains them. Click on the image for a larger view.
Ōkeanos
Ōkeanos is the Greek for “the great stream encircling the Earth’s disk.” This word was transformed in middle English to the word we are familiar with: ocean. Click on the image for a larger view.
Mangroves
Mangroves on Black Point in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Click on the image for a larger view.
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