Equatorial rain band moving north due to global warming.
Scientists at the University of Washington School of Oceanography in the USA have observed a climate-related northward shift in a band of weather, also known as a rainfall feature, that brings up to 4 meters of precipitation each year to a region circling the equator.

As this rainfall feature is pushed further north, regions closer to the equator are drying, with the scientists
forecasting that places like the Pacific Islands will run out of fresh water by the middle of this century, or even sooner.

The study’s lead author, Dr. Julian Sachs, said, “We're talking about the most prominent rainfall feature on the planet, one that many people depend on as the source of their fresh water because there is no groundwater to speak of where they live.

In addition, many other people who live.. farther afield from the Pacific could be affected because this band of rain shapes atmospheric circulation patterns throughout the world.”

Dr. Sachs and associates, our sincere thanks for these detailed observations that warn of such a potentially devastating trend.

Let us unite in life-affirming lifestyles to restore the Earth’s vital balance. Wishing to spare humanity and all beings from plight, Supreme Master Ching Hai has long shared insights about how to protect ourselves and the planet, as in this September 1994 lecture in Singapore.

Reference
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090701135535.htm
http://www.salinesystems.org/edboard/start.asp?id=671794

Animal farming implicated in France’s toxic algae.
France’s Prime Minister Francois Fillon returned early from vacation to visit the beaches in Brittany where lethal hydrogen sulfide fumes from washed ashore algae had caused a horse to perish within minutes the previous week. The prime minister pledged funds for the clean up, and an interdepartmental task force has been created to further evaluate the cause.

Jean-François Piquot, spokesman for the environmental group Water and Rivers, states that the source of the problem is clearly runoff pollution from animal agriculture.

He stated, “Britanny has 5 per cent of French agricultural land but 60 per cent of the pigs,
45 per cent of the poultry and 30 per cent of the dairy farms. As our rivers are not long, the pollution does not
have time to clear before the water reaches the sea.

If it enters a closed bay and there is sunlight, that produces the seaweed.”    Your Excellency Prime Minister Fillon,
we are thankful for your concerned actions, and our appreciation also to Mr. Piquot for alerting the public to the harms of the meat and dairy industry.

Wishing that the wise French people and indeed citizens worldwide cease consumption of animal products, opting instead for organic vegan fare that also restores the pristine beauty of the ecosphere.

Reference
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article6740746.ece
http://www.france24.com/en/20090821-ramadan-youth-fillon-brittany-algae-environment-clotilde-reiss-iran
http://www.francesoir.fr/politique/2009/08/21/francois-fillon-algues.html
http://carrefourdesaffaires.20minutes-blogs.fr/

2009 World Water Week Conference concludes in Stockholm.
Bringing together over 2,500 scientists, dignitaries, and officials from 130 nations, this year’s discussions focused on water’s connection to climate change. Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), other topics included water’s role in agriculture, biodiversity, sanitation, technology and resource management.

Participants also unanimously agreed that water must be a key part of the climate change negotiations in Copenhagen this December.

In a concluding statement, SIWI Executive Director Anders Berntell said, “Water is a fundamental element in economies, communities and public health.

We know that it is the medium through which climate change manifests its most serious effects.
To be effective, climate negotiations must factor in the impact and importance of water for the world and, indeed, human well-being.”

Anders Berntell, SIWI Executive Director:The message that comes out of here is that water is not just another sector; water is the prerequisite of life on our planet. Water is the bloodstream.

Professor John Anthony Allan, 2008 Stockholm Water Prize winner and Professor at King's College London:With my water specialization, the benefit of people being more vegetarian is that they reduce their water footprint; so…water footprint benefit, human health benefit, environmental health benefit. Regarding what we eat, it’s very important we understand that we have a big impact on the planet. And so, Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet.

We thank Executive Director Berntell, Stockholm International Water Institute and all World Water Week Conference participants for your commitment to resolving water management issues.Let us join in sustainable lifestyles to conserve and share this precious resource with all global neighbors.
Reference
http://ecoworldly.com/2009/08/25/world-water-week-wrap-up/
http://ecoworldly.com/2009/08/25/world-water-week-wrap-up/
http://www.sr.se/cgi-bin/International/nyhetssidor/artikel.asp?ProgramID=2054&format=1&artikel=3048980
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/j-carl-ganter/water-tops-climate-change_b_267403.html
http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=72473
http://www.siwi.org/worldwaterweek
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jWIcs1HTs6jJh9W36Ni_qGRQx7xwD9A7ABMO1

Extra News
US-based environmental group The Nature Conservancy forecasts that by the end of the century temperatures could increase by 9.4 degrees Fahrenheit in Utah, USA, threatening livelihoods and wildlife.
http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/utah/press/press4170.html

Indian artist Sudarshan Patnaik creates a 40-foot sand sculpture of the Hindu deity Ganesha with an inscribed message "Reduce Global Warming" during the 10-day Ganesha Chaturthi festivities in Orissa state to convey the urgency of addressing climate change.  
http://www.topnews.in/sand-sculpture-ganesha-spreads-awareness-global-warming-puri-2205438