Just when the conditions looked promising for a significant movement to hybrids and EVs, a new roadblock (pun intended) appears.  This, at a time when prices are starting to inch down for the energy efficient vehicles, a necessary move needed for years, it fails to be effective.

This article from a recent issue to Time, http://time.com/3547819/cheap-gas-puts-the-squeeze-on-hybrids-and-evs/, confirms drivers' attitudes and preferences for standard engines now that they are far more efficient than in prior years.  This, plus the benefit of sharply falling gas prices- gallon of regular unleaded is $2.89 here in southeast Florida and about $.15 less in Orlando.  Prices this low, thanks to major discoveries of oil here in the states, serve to maintain the status quo.

There is no mention in the article of the major reasons why even if hybrids/EVs were flying out of showrooms there would be little, if any, impact on trtansportation-related polllution.  First, there are 250 million cars and light trucks on our roads and hybrid/EVs are about 1% of that total.  Second, the average car is more than 9 years old and much less efficient than current models.  Third, pervasive traffic congestion wipes out any MPG gains.  Fourth, too many drivers go much too fast and speed reduces MPG.  A car going 70 MPH, just the speed limit on many highways, reduces MPG by about 21%.

The most effective, near term way to reduce emissions is to take cars off the roads in significant numbers.

2014 could become the hottest year on record - CBS News

2014 could become the hottest year on record - CBS News:
We should start to find out soon if another El Nino is coming our way. That is the weather formation in the Pacific that changes and directs the worlds weather in a BIG way.

Apparently if El Nino forms, then this year will blast through all recorded records, and next year should be record setting as well. It offers up massive droughts in some areas and torrential rains in others.

With several consecutive months (May through September) setting monthly records, El Nino would really push the year over the top of the heat charts.

El Nino is a warming anomaly; La Nina, is a cooling anomaly. Check out this chart of each, showing the years when they existed as weak, moderate or strong events.  El Nino occurs every 3 to 7 years, But it seems to be happening with increased frequency.

But at several researchers are reducing the likelihood of the Big El Nino for this year, from very likely down to maybe 58%. So maybe we might be spared of 2014-2015 as epic climate change event.

Also look at this great graphics from NASA on temperature changes. Climate change and global warming certainly look real from here.

Read more about El Nino at Wikipedia.
'via Blog this'

Highlights from the new IPCC report. 10 charts.

http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/11/the-intergovernmental-panel-on-climate-change-top-10-charts/?utm_content=bufferf5770&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The new IPCC report on Climate Change. It is a little bit of a long read...
The report spends some time on probabilities, including what "business as usual" looks. BAU gets ugly, and uglier, and ugliest.
Starting early, not later, seems to make sense...!!!