Øblog

From midnight the authorities in Bergen decided even and odd numbers on car registration numbers only can drive on dates fitting the last number, odd numbers can drive on odd dates.

We’ve had a lot of pollution lately and they have measured it to be way above allowed level. It reminds me of China and the olympics, didn’t they do the same?

Have you experienced something like that?

They have initiated free buses but they have too few drivers so the route buses are struggling with delays.. Funny?

They are also reducing speed limits from 80 to 60 and removing lanes so one of them can be used to commuting. I picture long queues tomorrow morning..

The No2 measurements were way above allowed level, this is the last 72 hours:

The Catlin Arctic Survey team with Pen Hadow visited the north Pole earlier this year during a research project where they concluded that most of the ice will melt in 10 years during the summer. Earlier the region visited it contained thicker multiyear ice which lasted long. Now the ice is down to 1.8 meters (six feet) and melts faster.

Check out the article here: AP

Wadhams said the Catlin Arctic Survey data supports the new consensus that the Arctic will be ice-free in summer within 20 years, and that much of the decrease will happen within 10 years.

Its Blog Action Day today, check it out at blogactionday.org

55 whales stranded on a beach near Cape Town tonight, I bet US Navy is testing their new multibeam systems tonight. Over 30 over the whales could not be saved and they decided to shoot them to stop their suffering.

When will we ever learn that the new powerful sonars is creating these tragic moments?

Its embarrasing for Norway who delivers the powerful multibeam sonars to US Navy.. Boycot us.

Links:
VG
Dagbladet
TV2
Aftonbladet

I’d like to change to an electric car, for many reasons. The environment, noise, cheaper to use, free parking, free passes at toll stations and lower taxes. But til lately the selection of cars has been to small and there are issues around charging the car. If I get an electric car I need charging at home and charging at work, but if I’m out shopping I also need that in case it runs out and battery packages are expencive. Its like our government doesn’t want everyone to get electric cars at once, Norway need users of oil I guess.

But things are changing, the government have read peoples opinion and have put the subject on the agenda; we need to make electric cars more attractive to buy. Not only the looks but usage friendlyness.

The wide selection of cartypes is incredible, check these out for instance :

A problem I see is the life length of battery, its not interesting to pay $10k every second year for a battery pack. What if there were battery stations like gas-stations? Well it might become real, check this out :

If this becomes real, what is the point buying fossil-driven cars?

Links : Wired, VG, DB.

Do you remember the reports talking about ice free arctic sea in 2040? And some horrific predictions calculating ice free summers in 2013? Guess what, most likely all of the experts were wrong.

Olav Orheim predicts ice free arctic sea this summer, from Siberia – the ice is thin now and it melts fast. This means that in August to September ordinary freight ships can save half the time using this route.

He points out that this is worrying since there are no disaster reduction measurements in these area. We know what happends when disasters strike fragile coasts – but we at least have some disaster reduction. The Arctic has 0. Who is willing to take the cost? If Olav Orheim is right, there isn’t much time.

When a small shipment company can save $200k on one tour, what can the major companies save?

Ships from the west coast of USA and southeastern Asia can save over 40% time going through the ice free arctic sea instead of the Panama channel.

Some might need reloading in northern Norway to tougher sihps before continuing, will the harbours be ready for this? I haven’t seen any plans out yet.

(Sources : Arctic Frontiers, NRK, Teknisk Ukeblad) (Norwegian)