Hurricane Sandy a category 3 storm, hit the Caribbean and mid-alantic and Northeastern United States during late October 2012. The storm estimated to have caused nearly $75 Billion (2012 USD) making it the second costliest hurricane. 285 people were killed along the storm in seven counties. When the sea level rises, because of global warming it causes the storm to be more destructive. Boston, NYC, and Norfolk are all places that increase four times faster than the global average. Human activities also contribute, they increase sea surface temps which increase the water vapor. This leads to more rainfall which means a much higher chance of flooding. Climate scientists have warned NYC before that climate change was dramatically increasing the odds of stronger storms.

These factors definitely contributed to Sandy being more destructive then planned but was not the main cause. Sandy fed off of unusually warm water temps in the Atlantic ocean and a high-pressure system that forced the storm to remain inland rather than cast out to sea. The winter storm coming in from the west only added to the issue making the storm disastrous.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Sandy

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=hurricane-sandy-spins-up-climate-discussion

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/how-global-warming-made-hurricane-san

Germany increased their share of electricity produced from renewable energy by almost 20 percent from 2000 to 2012. 26 Billion Euros were made within Germany’s renewable energy sector allowing for many new jobs within companies.  In 2011, 20.5% of Germany’s electricity was produced off of renewable energy sources.

Renewable electricity for Germany included wind power, biomass and biowaste, hydropower, and photovoltaic power. These sources are all produced the largest begin wind.

In 2009, Germany’s electricity came from coal, fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable sources. The usage of coal increased due to a power gap, which was created after 8 nuclear power plants were shut down because of the voted decision German officials made to phase out these plants in response to the disaster in Japan. In replacement coal burning plants needed to pick up the slack of what wasn’t begin nuclear produced.

German newspapers report that renewable energy is the reasoning to why there are increasing electricity prices and power outages, some so severe that companies are begin forced to close or relocate.  $130 Billion dollars have been backed by German taxpayers for solar energy alone.

Germany has been one of the only countries that has pushed this hard for renewable energy. If only there were a way  to cut the costs and increase the power made available from this method, the world as a whole would be better off.

http://reason.org/blog/show/germanys-green-subsidies-shutting-d

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/50697

http://www.thegwpf.org/poland-czech-republic-ban-germanys-green-energy/

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323751104578149144050909144.html

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