Review of the Most Extreme U.S. Weather Events of 2012

Extreme weather is helping Americans to accept the veracity of climate science. Thousands were killed due to extreme weather in the U.S. in 2012 and the costs amount to hundreds of billions of dollars in property damage, diminished agricultural yields and lost productivity. In 2012, there were eleven extreme weather events in the U.S. which cost a billion dollars or more. With the exception of 2011, when there were fourteen such disasters, 2012 saw more extreme weather events than in any year in U.S. history.

Extreme weather is a serious problem and it will become much more serious if we continue with business as usual. At the opening of COP 18, the annual United Nations climate summit in Doha, Qatar, UN climate chief Christina Figueres, urged governments around the world to “do something about” extreme weather. “We have had severe climate and weather events all over the world and everyone is beginning to understand that is exactly the future we are going to be looking about if they don’t do something about it.”

The Green Market Oracle's Top 20 Stories of 2012: Education

Arguably education is the single most crucial issue in the advancement of sustainability. In 2012, the importance of a green education was in evidence in the curricula and course offerings of  a wide variety of educational institutions and online portals.

Sustainability, science and weather top The Green Market Oracle's list of the 20 leading stories of 2012.  The next series of top stories (7 - 11) is focused on environmental politics. The third installment of The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories of 2012 (12 - 16) deals with environmental communications. The final installment (17 - 20) is focused on education and includes a diverse array of environmentally oriented programming, green school buildings and teaching resources.

The Green Market Oracle's Top 20 Stories of 2012: Environmental Communications

The urgency of the need for action on climate change requires that we become more sophisticated in our communications. On their own science based approaches are not moving us fast enough in the direction we need to go. In 2012 there were a number of new grassroots approaches that reach out directly to people using persuasive communications combined with digital technologies. This includes new environmental narratives, direct appeals to consumers, movies, and organizations with wide appeal like 350.org and Greenpeace.

The Green Market Oracle's top six stories of 2012 involve the subjects of Sustainability, science and weather. The next series of top stories (7 - 11) is focused on environmental politics. The third installment of The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories (12 - 16) deal with environmental communications. The final installment (17 - 20) is focused on education.

Here are The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories of 2012 focused on Environmental Communications.

The Green Market Oracle's Top 20 Stories of 2012: Environmental Politics

In 2012 we saw a number of political stories that have significant repercussions for the environment. These stories cover the less than stellar outcome of COP 18, Republican anti-environmentalism, the US federal election, and the environmental efforts of President Obama and the Democrats. Another important environmental story involves the dismantling of environmental protections by Canada's ruling Conservatives.

The Green Market Oracle's top six stories of 2012 involve the subjects of Sustainability, science and weather. The next series of top stories (7 - 11) is focused on environmental politics. The third installment of The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories (12 - 16) deal with environmental communications. The final installment (17 - 20) is focused on education.

Here is the second installment of The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories of 2012.

The Green Market Oracle's Top 20 Stories of 2012: Sustainability, Science and Weather

Fueled by a plethora of new research and extreme weather, sustainability, cleantech and renewable energy continued to grow in 2012 and investors are increasingly demanding that environmental issues are part of the disclosure profiles of corporations.

The Green Market Oracle's top six stories of 2012 involve the subjects of Sustainability, science and weather. The next series of top stories (7 - 11) is focused on environmental politics. The third installment of The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories (12 - 16) deal with environmental communications. The final installment (17 - 20) is focused on education.

Here is the first installment of The Green Market Oracle's top 20 stories of 2012.

Top Environmental Documentaries and Movies

Here is a list of some of the best documentaries and movies with an environmental theme. Many of these films deal with fossil fuels and they all deal with the environmental implications of human activity. Some of the older movies like "Baraka" and "Koyaanisqatsi" date back more than two decades while others like "Promised Land" and "Chasing Ice"  were released in 2012.

All films are linked to sites that offer a review and a trailer, some of the links go to the full length video. Here are 42 of the best movies and documentaries related to the environment: