Eco-news in brief 10-30
By April Jaynes CG News Editor
Athens County misses full force of storm; still preparing
While Ohio is escaping the deadly winds and harsh precipitation that the East Coast is suffering from, Athens County and city authorities are still preparing for minimal damage. A wind advisory was issued by the National Weather Service until 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday for the region, with winds projected between 31 and 39 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. The city’s department of engineering and public works are particularly prepared for tree damage. Salt trucks are also ready in case of severe snow. Rain and some snow is expected to continue throughout Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, with winds below 20 mph.
Super storm Sandy takes toll on Northeastern US
Hurricane Sandy hit land on Monday evening, inducing floods and power outages, sparking fires and causing death. Government officials and emergency authorities said at least 26 deaths in seven states are attributed to the storm, with at least 10 people killed in New York City. Many low lying areas of Atlantic coastal states were ordered to evacuate. Additionally, more than 13,000 airline flights to and from the East Coast were cancelled. Hurricane specialists said the storm would enter southern Ontario by Wednesday, with tropical-storm -force winds stretching to northern Canada and westward to the Great Lakes. While wind damage and heavy snow is still likely to effect many inland states, rain levels are expected to diminish as they storm continues to lose contact with the ocean.
Saudi Arabia raising $100 billion for solar-power development
Saudi Arabia is in the process of raising $109 billion in solar power investments–enough to meet about a third of the country’s current power demand. Possible reasons for Saudi Arabia’s serious interest in renewable energy include increasing power demand in the Middle East, the country’s intent to sell crude oil at consistently high prices and Saudi Arabia’s limited access to natural gas. Experts also believe that the oversupplied solar market is contributing to Saudi Arabia’s interest and the solar market could see an increase in global demand, depending on the success of Saudi Arabia’s investments.
