The weekend will begin windy & cool Sat. with temps. most of the day in the 50s but wind chills in the 40s. Lows will be in the 30s early Sun. with temps. close to freezing in some spots near & west of Highway 301 (likewise early Mon.). Highs Sun. will only be in the 50s but the weekend will at least be mostly dry except for an isolated brief sprinkle Sat. The next significant rain will be later Tue. & again late in the week.
The space shuttle is scheduled to launch early Sun. @ 4:39am -- the last night launch before the shuttle program is retired. Weather looks cool but o.k. with temps. in the 40s under mostly clear skies. Should be a spectacular view from the First Coast with just a few scattered clouds. Get info. by clicking here ... here for info. from space.com which includes the image below.
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Participates in Community-wide Paper Retriever® Program
Proceeds will benefit the Zoo
JACKSONVILLE, Fl, February 5 , 2010 – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces that it has joined the community recycling program, Paper Retriever®, with the addition of two bins on location at the Zoo. Paper Retriever® is a no-cost program that allows organizations to host bins to collect paper which is then recycled. The program is a fundraiser for participating organizations as the proceeds from the bins benefit the host.
“Paper Retriever® supports the Zoo’s mission to instill passion in the next generation as responsible stewards of the future,” said Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Executive Director Tony Vecchio. “And it’s just one of our efforts to become more “green” as an institution while encouraging others to do the same.”
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens visitors and supporters are invited to bring newspapers, magazines, mail, office paper, glossy paper and any other kind of white paper to the Zoo and place it in the bins for recycling. The two distinctive yellow and green bins labeled “Paper Retriever® Recycling” are conveniently located in the parking lot close to the picnic grove. Cardboard, paper-board (such as cereal boxes) plastic bags or trash are not allowed.
“The Zoo’s program is one of many Jacksonville partnerships that reinforce Paper Retriever's commitment to sustainability and the environment,” said Paper Retriever® Regional Manager Reginald Brown. “We are excited the Zoo has made this commitment.”
This new program will provide another way for residents that live or work close to the Zoo and all others who are visiting the Zoo to participate in preserving our environment. And because the Zoo will be paid for the paper collected, they will be making a meaningful contribution to a non-profit organization that is dedicated to conservation – a win-win for everyone.
Paper Retriever® is a national program that recently became available in Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Zoo’s Green Team Committee is heading up the recycling efforts. The group is led by Chair Bob Chabot, who is also the director of horticulture and facilities for Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.
For more information on the Zoo’s “green” initiatives visit the Zoo’s Web site here.
I had a great time Fri. talking with 5th-8th graders at the St. Augustine Diocesan Science Fair. Some of the experiments were remarkably detailed ranging from solar energy to a seismograph to recycling -- 80+ students in all. The photo below shows just a few of the experiments set up in the library of Bishop Snyder H.S.
Earth Gauge: Climate Number: $16.3 Billion
When put in 2000 US dollars, freezing rain (ice storm) events in America caused an estimated 16.3 billion dollars in total losses between 1949 and 2000 due to downed power lines, downed trees, agricultural losses, transportation accidents and medical costs from injuries due to slippery conditions. Freezing rain events are most frequent in the Northeast, but are also common across the Midwest and Piedmont regions from North Carolina northward. When freezing rain events hit the Southeast they tend to be accompanied by high dewpoints. This means that while ice storms are rarer in the Southeast, they tend to be heavy and particularly damaging when they do hit. Records kept since the late 1920's show that ice storms were the least frequent during the 1930's and rose to a peak in the early 1950's, showing little or no trend thereafter.
For Comparison: 16.3 billion dollars is around the same amount collectively pledged by all participating parties to fight global poverty following the 2008 U.N. anti-poverty summit. It is also roughly the same amount as NASA’s annual budget.
(Source: Houston, TG et al. “Freezing rain events: a major weather hazard in the conterminous United States.” Natural Hazards 40 (2007): 485-494)
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Climate in the News: "Stratospheric Water Vapor is Global Warming Wild Card" - ScienceDaily, February 1, 2009 – Decadal variability in stratospheric water vapor content has had a noticeable effect on the rates of surface temperature changes over the last 30 years.
Have a great & safe weekend!
