Global Warming Comes to Wisconsin

Global WarmingArrives in Wisconsin

Lake Mendota in south central Wisconsin

January 1948

January 2007

1Global Warming Arrives in Wisconsin www.CleanWisconsin.org

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Geologic Time Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Role of Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Earth’s Changing Climate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Rising Levels of Carbon Dioxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5The Here and Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Rising Temperatures in Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Wisconsin Climate Projections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Lost Winters Equal Lost Tourism Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Early Spring: The Fate of Wildlife and Hunting Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9What Climate Change Means for Wisconsin’s Waters and Fisheries . . . . . . . . 10Losses in Agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Disappearance of the Northwoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Social and Health Related Concerns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Local Solutions to a Global Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Bibliography and References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Authors: Nicole Lennart and Keith Reopelle Editors: Joyce Harms and Shauna CookDesign: Mark Manghera

Published April 2007, Clean Wisconsin, Inc. (608) 251-7020;[email protected]; www.CleanWisconsin.org

You can find a copy of this report at www.CleanWisconsin.org.

The cover photo is credited to the Wisconsin Historical Society WHi-34482(image altered to add a blue water hole).

Clean Wisconsin122 State Street, Suite 200Madison, WI 53703Phone: (608) 251-7020 Fax: (608) 251-1655www.CleanWisconsin.org

© Clean Wisconsin 2007 Printed with vegetable based inks on 30% post consumer recycled paper.

Table ofContents

Global Warming in Wisconsin


Global warming presents both a problem and an opportunity for the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin iswarming and discernable impacts have begun. However, we have the technology, know-how, andresources not only for Wisconsin to do its part in avoiding impacts from global warming but to also put

us in the forefront of building a new clean energy system and economy.The most recent scientific report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) makes it

clear that global warming is upon us. But you don’t need to read that report to know this is the case if you livein Wisconsin. Local indications are open lakes at Christmas and early spring arrivals of birds at your feederand plants in your garden.

According to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2006 was the warmest yearin the United States. In Wisconsin our average temperature has risen about twice as fast as the temperature forthe planet as a whole.

The IPCC fourth assessment report states the global temperature is likely to increase 1.8 to 4 degrees Celsius(3.2 to 7.2 Fahrenheit) by the end of this century. Temperatures in Wisconsin are expected to increase at a ratetwo to three times that.1 This dramatic change will have drastic effects on our water supply, economy, and ourhealth. This is consistent with climate change models predicting temperatures will rise faster and higher on theinterior of large continents. So it’s not surprising we are already seeing the effects of global warming, but thespeed of change is surprising many.

This report looks at and briefly summarizes some of the changes already occurring in Wisconsin as a result ofglobal warming and some of the more dire consequences down the road for our environment, health and econo-my as predicted by computer models. If we do not make major reductions in global warming (greenhouse)gases, some of the potential global warming impacts anticipated for Wisconsin later in this century include:

1. A 3 to 8 foot drop in the Lake Michigan water level, costing theshipping industry and port municipalities many millions of dollars.

2. Elimination of half or more of all inland cold water fish habitatincluding brook trout habitat.

3. Higher crop losses due to more frequent and severe droughts andstorms; insect pests and heat stress on livestock will depress farmincome, particularly for family farms.

4. Major reduction, if not complete loss of characteristic northernforests including boreal, hemlock and sugar maple forests.

5. An increase in mosquito and tick borne diseases such as Lymedisease and West Nile encephalitis.

6. Major loss in winter tourism revenues as the period of safe ice coveron Wisconsin lakes diminishes or disappears completely.

By taking quick action we can minimize many of these consequences,and at the same time put the state on the path to a stronger economy.We possess many reasonable solutions to the global warming threat.Some solutions can be implemented in our daily lives such as purchasinghighly efficient products, like compact fluorescent light bulbs and highefficiency furnaces. But we also need to implement policy at the state,regional and federal levels requiring higher efficiency in our vehicles and areduction of global warming gas emissions from power plants. Additionallywe need to invest in clean energy technology to help create new jobs, a neweconomy and reduce Wisconsin’s contributions to global warming.

We applaud Governor Doyle for addressing this critical environmental issue by creating a Global WarmingTask Force and look forward to working with the Governor, legislature, state agencies and other policy makersto implement workable global warming solutions for Wisconsin.

Executive Summary

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January 2007: Open water on Lake Mendota

In the 1850s Lake Mendota in south central Wisconsin wasfrozen an average of 122 days per year; in the 2000s it hasdecreased to a yearly average of 82 days, a 31% decrease inice coverage.

Flash flooding. Heat waves. Severe droughts. Hurricanes.

Perhaps these severe weather events are nothing unusual, per se. We have allheard of their occurrences, maybe even witnessed one first-hand. But atthe turn of the 21st century, these events have amplified into much

greater forces—becoming more intense and more frequent. Even here in Wisconsin, we begin to notice changes in the climate that affect

our daily lives: hotter summers, less ice coverage on our lakes in winters, andmore severe storms.

We are told that these weather patterns are normal and that climate is natural-ly variable and erratic. But we also hear the murmur of “global warming”—abuzz word in the midst of the media attention surrounding these changes. Someare not sure whether to put stock in its validity or to dismiss it just as we didwith the frenzy of Y2K.

The truth is, however, global warming is real and we must act now to mini-mize the damage we are doing to the earth’s atmosphere.

Over the past two million years, massive ice sheets have advanced acrossthe Northern Hemisphere and retreated again more than twenty times.

Geologically speaking, we are nowliving in a warm period followingan ice age. The most recentadvance, called the Wisconsin gla-cier or Wisconsinian, began roughly120,000 years ago.2 At its height,most of Canada, New England andthe upper Midwest were buried amile underneath glacial ice. As theenormous mass of continental gla-cier retreated, the pooling meltwa-ter filled the scoured land leftbehind and created the Great Lakes.The glacial retreat, or interglacialperiod, marked the beginning ofthe Holocene epoch, or what isconsidered “present-day” in geologi-cal terms. However, if human-induced global warming continues,a super-interglacial might occur—holding itself in a warming periodfor longer than ever before.

Introduction

Geologic Time Scale

When the Wisconsin glacier retreated, the pooling meltwater filled the scoured land left behind and createdthe Great Lakes. Even the magnificent Great Lakes, one of the natural wonders of the world, are vulnerableto the effects of global warming.

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Global Warming Arrives in Wisconsin 3 www.CleanWisconsin.org


The Holocene epoch can be defined by onecreature—man.3 With the earth’s popula-tion currently estimated at 6.5 billion,

man has evolved to become a dominant forcecapable of altering the planet on a geologicalscale.

Yes, climate has always been characterized bychange. Atmospheric conditions are naturallyerratic. Yet, when analyzed over a period of say, afew hundreds of thousands of years, these ‘unpre-dictable’ climate fluxes actually follow a traceablepattern. But the dramatic alterations occurringtoday in the atmosphere and oceans are nowclearly outside of the realm of natural variations.

The retreat of the Arctic sea ice, the warmingof the oceans, the rapid shrinking of the glaciers,the redistribution of species, the thawing of per-mafrost—these are all new phenomena.4

For the planet to remain in “energy balance”5

it must continually warm and cool itself. Gasesin the earth’s atmosphere, including water vaporand carbon dioxide, trap heat from the sun nearthe planet’s surface. This natural “greenhouseeffect” keeps temperatures on earth just right forlife as we know it.

But in the last century man has changed thefundamental composition of the atmosphere byincreasing carbon dioxide beyond natural levels.With a century’s worth of burning coal and oil topower our cars, produce electricity and run facto-ries, atmospheric concentrations of carbon diox-ide have increased by 31 percent.6 Today’s carbondioxide levels are higher than they have been inover 420,000 years.7

These changes, in just a span of one hundredyears, have intensified the greenhouse effect,allowing less of the sun’s heat to escape theearth’s atmosphere. The changes that can beseen today – the first impacts of global warm-ing - lag behind changes in the climate sys-tem that were set in motion decades before.And as anyone who has ever tried to push astalled car can attest, systems that are hard toget moving also tend to be hard to stop.

Role of Man

SOLUTIONSDRIVE LESSAuto emissions are one of the top twomajor producers of global warming pollu-tion. Making a serious commitment todrive less and use mass transit, or to bikeor walk more, will greatly reduce your per-sonal contribution to global warming.

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The Greenhouse Effect: Within the past century, the growing world’s population hasburned oil to power our cars, and burned coal to run factories and produce electricity.These actions have increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere by31 percent. Today’s carbon dioxide levels are higher than they have been in over420,000 years. These changes, in just a span of one hundred years, have intensifiedthe greenhouse effect, allowing less of the sun’s heat to escape the earth’s atmosphere.The effects of global warming are becoming more difficult to ignore.

How the warmingeffect works.

As a result of steadily increasing global warming emissions, average global temperatures increased during the20th century by more than 1ºF. It has also been documented that this rate of change has tripled during the last quarter of the century.8 This means that temperatures are increasing faster and faster as time goes on.

If current trends continue, global temperatures are predicted to rise by an additional 2.5ºF to 10.4ºF by 2100.9 Afew degrees may not sound like much, but consider that during the last ice age, the global average temperature wasonly a few degrees cooler than it is now and the result was a thick layer of ice coating much of the northern hemi-sphere.

A possible consequence of a four or five degree temperature rise—on the low end of projections for the end ofthis century—is that the world will enter a completely new climate regime, one in which modern humans have noprior experience. It is believed that the last time global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels were this high waswhen sea levels were nearly three hundred feet higher and dinosaurs roamed the planet some fifty million years ago.

Rising Levels of Carbon Dioxide

Even if atmospheric carbon dioxide amounts were to remain stable at today’s levels, temperatures would stillcontinue to rise, glaciers to melt, and weather patterns to change for decades to come because the earth—asa system—is on a time delay.

Artic ice core records demonstrate that, at 378 parts per million (ppm), current carbon dioxide levels are unprece-dented in recent geological history.10 Even if we take a “business as usual” assumption and continue to emit globalwarming gases without regard to the climate, projections suggest that carbon dioxide levels will reach 500 ppm bythe middle of this century and 750 ppm, or roughly three times pre-industrial levels by the year 2100.

Exactly what temperature or level of carbon dioxide represents the threshold to global catastrophe is a question ofutmost significance and one that cannot be answered at this point.

When climatologists discuss thehazards of rising global warming(greenhouse) gas levels they usethe phrase “dangerous anthro-pogenic interference” or DAI.Catastrophes associated with glob-al warming – mass extinctions,disruptions in the worlds’ foodsupply, or the complete meltdownof one of the planet’s remainingice sheets - have built-in delayswhich follow the tremendous iner-tia of the climate system.Therefore, DAI is understood torefer not to the end of theprocess—the moment when disas-ter actually arrives—but to thebeginning of it: the point at whichits arrival becomes unavoidable.


Earth’s Changing Climate

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Rising Temperatures in Wisconsin

Researchers using computer models develop climatic scenarios topredict future impacts that climate variability and change will bring. The potential impacts of climate change from these models

are daunting. Nearly all regions of the globe will experience higher tem-peratures, but some, particularly inland areas in northern latitudes likeWisconsin, could get even warmer13,14, —significantly altering the way welive. Even though the full impact of global warming has yet to be felt,Wisconsin is already feeling the heat.

A look at a time span from the years 1904 to 2001 reveals thatWisconsin air temperatures warmed significantly over time, especially inthe spring and winter—averaging nearly a +2ºF increase.15

Seasonal precipitation trends have also changed during the last century,but are more regionally variable. Summer rainfall significantly increasedin southern Wisconsin with a rate of 7.8 cm/century. In the north, pre-cipitation decreased in the summer months, but increased every otherseason.16 The results can be explained not just by an overall increase intotal annual rainfall, but rather a significant increase in the frequency andintensity of extreme weather events, such as severe thunderstorms, overthe same time period.17 For those of us who live in Wisconsin, thesetrends illustrate the impacts of global warming on a local level.

The Here and Now

SOLUTIONSENERGY EFFICIENCYEnergy efficiency is a win-win situation.By using less energy, you not only con-tribute less pollution but you also savemoney. Two easy ways to use less energyare to purchase energy efficient appliancesand insulate your home.

Visit www.focusonenergy.org to learnabout rebate programs available to helpfund your energy efficiency efforts, bothat home and at work.


In the last decade the understanding of global warming andclimate change has vastly increased to the point that a studyof over 900 peer-reviewed scientific papers on climate

change found that not one questioned the scientific consensusthat human activity is causing global warming.11 All the majorscientific bodies of the world agree that humans are changingthe climate and that we must take immediate action to avoidthe most severe consequences of global warming.12


The latest and most reliable projections for future climate changecombine over 100 years of historical data for Wisconsin withatmospheric circulation models of the earth’s climate system.18

• According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changefourth assessment report, the global temperature is likely to increase1.8 to 4 degrees Celsius (3.2 to 7.2 Fahrenheit) by the end of thiscentury. Temperatures in Wisconsin are expected to increase at arate two to three times that.19 This dramatic change will have dras-tic effects on our water supply, economy, and our health.

• Patterns of precipitation are more complex and trickier to predict.Seasonal precipitation is expected to increase in winter by 15-30%but decrease in summer up to 20%.20 Rising temperatures willincrease the rate of evaporation from the earth’s surface; and whenthe rate of evaporation exceeds precipitation, surplus water will nolonger be available to recharge soil moisture. As a result, conditionsin Wisconsin will become more arid.

• If predicted climate changes are realized, less rain in the summerpaired with increased evaporation could trigger severe summerdroughts. Add more intense thunderstorms to the equation andthere will be greater polluted runoff, increased erosion and flooding.

• Wisconsin’s pattern of extreme weather events, such as heavy rain-storms, will also change: increasing in frequency and intensity.21

To put these changes into perspective, by 2030 Wisconsin summersmay resemble those of Illinois. By the century’s end, our summers willcompare to that of present-day Arkansas and winters will feel much likethose of Iowa.22

WisconsinClimate Projections

SOLUTIONSCLEAN ENERGYCoal power plants are one of the top two majorproducers of global warming gasses. Wisconsincan – and should – become a national leader inenergy independence by developing clean energytechnologies that combat global warming, buildWisconsin’s economy, and stop the flow of bil-lions of dollars out of the state to import fossilfuels.

“There is no question that global warming demandsimmediate action. With a commitment to technol-ogy, Wisconsin can lead the way on global warmingsolutions.”

Governor Jim DoyleState of the State Address

January 30, 2007

If predicted climate changes are realized, less rain in the summerpaired with increased evaporation could trigger severe summerdroughts.

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What Wisconsin will Feel Like

Current By 2030Summer

By 2095Summer

By 2095Winter

Winter Changesover the 21st

Century

The freezing and thawing of lakes were beingobserved and noted well before scientists began tomeasure, manipulate, and model freshwater sys-

tems. In particular, Lake Mendota in south centralWisconsin has provided one of the key data sets for analy-sis of historical changes in ice cover.23 Back in the 1850s,Lake Mendota stayed frozen for 122 days on average.Now, the average ice duration has dropped to 82 days, a31% decrease, and notably above-normal temperatures forthe winter of 2001-2002 resulted in the shortest durationof ice cover in the entire historic record—21 days!24

The decreasing duration of ice cover on lakes25 providesevidence that freshwater ecosystems are responding towarming trends. Projections of the declining ice covertrend over the next century indicate that our visions of‘typical’ Wisconsin winters will be visions of the past.Possibly, our children and our children’s children mayexperience winters without snow and ice. Part ofWisconsin’s culture and ‘sense of place’ will be lost.26,27

Winter recreational activities such as ice fishing, skiing,snowmobiling, and winter festivals, will have to be modi-fied or replaced completely.

Lost opportunities and increased costs spell trouble forcommunities and businesses dependent on revenues gen-erated from winter tourism. Even though winter recre-ation losses could be recouped by expanding warm weath-er tourism, extreme heat, heavy downpours, and possibleincreases in risk from insect-borne and waterborne dis-eases may hinder outdoor enthusiasm.28


Lack of winter ice coverage directly affects Wisconsin’seconomy and winter experiences. Gary Engberg, a pro-fessional fishing guide from Mazomanie, Wisconsinnotes, “Many guides I know are giving up guiding dur-ing the winter because it is just too unpredictable. Thelack of winter guiding is really tough on the pocketbook." And Geoff Crandall, board member and pastpresident of the Capital City Chapter of Muskies Inc.,says “I’ve always ice fished. But the past couple of years,you just can’t count on the ice being thick enough.Lately you don’t even see any shanties out on thelakes…there’s open water!”

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In the 1850s Lake Mendota in south central Wisconsin was frozen anaverage of 122 days per year; in the 2000s it has decreased to a yearlyaverage of 82 days, a 31% decrease in ice coverage.

Decreased Ice Coverageon Lakes In Wisconsin

Lost Winters EqualLost Tourism Opportunities

While to some an early arrival of spring may sound good, this imbalance canwreak havoc in fragile ecosystems.29 Natural processes like the blooming offlowers, migration of birds, and the melting of ice are triggered by tempera-

ture. As temperatures increase globally, the delicately balanced system begins to fallinto ecological disarray.

Wisconsin is home to an incredible diversity of native wildlife, including 279 speciesof birds, 146 species of fish, 67 species of mammals, 35 species of reptiles, and 19species of amphibians. Like hundreds of other species across the NorthernHemisphere, Wisconsin’s natives are forced to shift their ranges or adapt in response toglobal warming—changing the makeup of entire ecosystems.30

Aldo Leopold, known as the father of wildlife ecology, helped provide one of thelonger term studies of species changes caused by increased temperatures. In the 1930sand 1940s, Leopold made detailed observations of the timing of spring occurrences onhis Wisconsin farm.

Six decades later his daughter and son, Nina and Carl, and other researchers contin-ue to study how species have changed their behavior in the face of increasing springtemperatures.31

Their findings reveal that many of the familiar signals of spring are arriving earlier:• Northern cardinals are singing 22 days earlier• Canadian geese are arriving 29 days earlier; robins 10 days earlier• Tree swallows are laying their eggs nine days earlier• Frogs are beginning their breeding season 12 days earlier• Lilacs and honeysuckle are blooming 6 days earlier

The Leopolds’ results indicate that spring events inWisconsin are occurring on average more than oneweek earlier than they did during Leopold’s time.

Earlier migration and breeding seasons have cascad-ing effects down the food chain. For example, whenplants bloom earlier due to warmer temperatures,insects relying upon them for food must adjust theirlife cycles, as do other species further up the foodchain. If a species in the chain does not adapt, thechain is broken and species begin disappearing.32

Hunters, outfitters, and naturalists will also facefuture challenges caused by these ecosystemchanges—traveling greater distances to capture theirprized game or - at the extreme - finding that the ani-mal they are searching for no longer exists.

In 2001, more than 3.1 million people spent morethan $3.6 billion on hunting, fishing, and wildlifeviewing in Wisconsin, which in turn created 79,450jobs in the state. As the distribution of species shiftsacross the region, the loss of wildlife and habitatcould mean a loss of tourism dollars.33

Early Spring:The Fate of Wildlife and Hunting Season

In 2001, more than 3.1 millionpeople spent more than $3.6 bil-lion on hunting, fishing, andwildlife viewing in Wisconsin,which in turn created 79,450jobs in the state. As the distri-bution of species shifts across theregion, the loss of wildlife andhabitat could mean a loss oftourism dollars.


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Wisconsin depends heavily on groundwater, on freshwater from inland lakesand the Great Lakes, and on rainfall for agriculture, drinking, and indus-trial use. Projected changes in weather and climate will affect all freshwa-

ter users in the state. Expected increases in evaporation rates and summer drought periods will diminish

groundwater recharge, lower lake levels, dry up small streams, and inevitably shrinkthe amount of wetlands—resulting in poorer water quality and less wildlife habitat.Water levels of Lake Michigan, for example, are expected to drop 3 to 8 feet34 whichwould have a great impact on waterfront development, navigation, and shipping onthe Great Lakes. Future pressures to extract and sell water from the Great Lakeswould increase, exacerbating an already contentious debate.

As a result of warmer air temperatures, model studies project that summer surfacewater temperatures in inland lakes will increase by 2 to 12ºF by the end of this centu-ry.35 The increase will not only lead to increased lake eutrophication (aging process),causing noxious algal blooms and degraded water quality, but will also ultimatelyreduce fish populations.

Native plant and animal species will have widely differing responses to changingtemperatures. Some will adapt to the new environment, some will expand theirranges to seek suitable habitat, and other populations will decline into extinction.

Specifically, the warming of freshwater habitats will eliminate cold-water species,such as lake trout, brook trout, and whitefish in southern regions. In the north, cold-water habitats will be invaded by warmer-water species such as bluegill and small-mouth bass.36

It is projected that nearly half of the suitable habitats for cold-water species will begone by 2100.37 This includes many of the popular trout streams favored for decadesby anglers and for which Wisconsin is renowned.

These disruptions are also likely to be compounded by invasions of nonnativeorganisms—such as the zebra mussel and Asian carp—which are capable of totallyrestructuring existing food chains and causing significant consequences for native fishcommunities.38

Fisheries management strategies will have to adapt to future range shifts andspecies extinctions in order to protect the remaining freshwater ecosystems. New poli-cies and management practices, such as changes in catch sizes and bag limits, willhave to be modified.

What Global Warming Means forWisconsin’s Waters and Fisheries

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SOLUTIONSVOTE!As warnings about global warming increase, our elected officialsneed to make smart decisions toward reducing our carbon diox-ide contributions (the major pollutant causing global warming).Get to know elected officials’ views on how they plan to reduceglobal warming and take your opinions to the voting booth.



On the surface, a longer growing season would appear to bebeneficial to agricultural productivity; however, with theexpected changes in rain patterns, the constraints of dry, thin,

acidic soils in some parts of the state could outweigh the positive.39

Severe rainstorms and floods during planting and harvest seasonswill likely depress crop productivity and increase soil erosion andrunoff of agricultural waste. Similarly, hotter and drier conditions dur-ing the growing season will disrupt production by adding additionalstress on field labor and pressure farmers to increase irrigation usage—even for currently rain-fed crops.40

Increases in crop loss are inevitable as new pests and diseases expandtheir ranges northward, and warmer, longer growing seasons facilitatethe buildup of even larger pest populations. This could potentiallydrive farmers to use more pesticides and jeopardize the quality of ouralready limited water supply.

Not only will a warmer climate affect crop production in Wisconsin,it will also affect the state’s livestock and dairy enterprises. Studiesshow that hot summer temperatures suppress appetite and decreaseweight gain in livestock.41 Additionally, warmer winter temperaturesand less snow coverage would reduce the quantity and quality ofspring forage, and as a result, milk quality.

The impacts of climate variability on farm-level risk of crop failureand livestock losses are greater for smaller, family farms than for indus-trialized production systems. Consequently, these changes will signifi-cantly affect local farming communities, and in turn, change the com-position of Wisconsin’s rural landscape.

Losses inAgriculture

SOLUTIONSBUY WISCONSIN PRODUCTSRequest locally-grown produceand Wisconsin-made products.By nature of geography, localproducts do not need to travelas far to make it into yourhome. Also, purchasingWisconsin-made products sup-ports our economy.

Photo Credit: Clipart.com

Photo Credit: Wisconsin Department of Tourism


Commercial forestry is a substantial industry in northern Wisconsin, employing74,000 workers and generating more than $18 billion in annual revenue. Globalwarming will drive changes in forest coverage and in the types of trees found in

various parts of the state. During the transition, however, forest production and industriesmay suffer.

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide and nitrogen could potentially spur forest growthin the short-term, but – as with agriculture - higher concentrations of ground-level ozone,more frequent droughts and fires, and increased risk from insect pests such as the gypsymoth and elm borer could damage long-term forest health.

Warmer temperatures and longer growing seasons are likely to result in the northwardmovement of many tree species—including spruce and fir—and a general decline in theextent of boreal forests in the state.42 Furthermore, typical northern forests could com-pletely disappear from Wisconsin, along with the eastern hemlock and sugar maple. Thedeterioration of Wisconsin’s Northwoods would be devastating for the region’s economyand sense of place.

Social and HealthRelated Concerns

With a warmer climate comes extreme weather events—heavy downpours, floods,heat waves, droughts, tornadoes, snowstorms. Increased weather severity willput heavier burdens on emergency management, public works, and health care

services and exact a growing financial cost from governments, businesses, and homeown-ers.43 More importantly, weather emergencies impact human health and raise concernsabout disease control and possible weather-related mortalities.

Health risks associated with extreme heat are expected to increase. During the summerof 1995, two killer heat waves affected most of Wisconsin. Together, they resulted in 154heat-related deaths and probably 300 to 400 heat-related illnesses. These numbers willonly increase with hotter temperatures.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency predicts that by the century’s end,Wisconsin residents will experience temperatures exceeding 97ºF up to 20 days annuallyand anticipates that a 3ºF warming could increase summer heat-related mortality by two-fold.44

Climate plays a role in influencing the transmission of many seasonal infectious diseasessuch as Lyme disease or, more recently, West Nile encephalitis.45 Vectors of these dis-eases—ticks and mosquitoes—have, and will continue to expand their ranges with increas-ing temperatures. Future changes in rainfall or temperatures could encourage greaterreproduction or survival of these disease-carrying insects.

Some waterborne diseases such as cryptosporidiosis are also projected to become more fre-quent and widespread. Extended rainfall and runoff could overwhelm and flood munici-pal systems—as was the case in 1993 in Milwaukee when the city’s drinking water purifi-cation system was contaminated and caused 403,000 cases of intestinal illness and 54deaths.46

The Deterioration of theNorthwoods

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The well-being of the people of Wisconsin depends in large part on the continuedhealth and viability of the ecosystems that surround us. The ecological processesand species that make up these ecosystems face increasing pressure from human-

induced climate changes. The Union of Concerned Scientists states, “As the populationof Wisconsin increases, so too will the region’s contribution to changes in the atmos-phere and, indirectly, climate.”47

Delays in addressing global warming only increase the eventual cost of doing so.Action taken now will not only lessen the potentially devastating impacts of globalwarming, but will also provide immediate benefits such as cleaner air and water, andimprove the way of life in our communities.

“Global warming” tends to be an overwhelming problem many people find impossibleto combat on their own. But many solutions do exist that enable one person to make adifference.

The biggest contribution we can make is to use less energy. Cutting fuel consumptionby carpooling, using public transportation, walking, or biking to destinations, willreduce global warming emissions. Additionally, buying items with reusable, recyclable,or reduced packaging will help minimize pressures on the environment.48

Alternative sources of energy, such as solar and wind power, are available to supplyhomes and meet their energy needs instead of relying on electricity generated by burningcoal or other fossil fuels. Homeowners can invest even more in energy-efficient appli-ances and proper home insulation to help reduce global warming emissions.

Responding to the complexities of global warming will not be easy. With foresight,leadership and smart planning, Wisconsin can become a national leader in generatingsolutions to energy independence.

Local Solutions to a Global Problem


SOLUTIONSJOINCLEAN WISCONSINJoin Clean Wisconsin and sup-port work being done to reduceglobal warming. Annual mem-berships start as low as $15 andyou can easily and securely regis-ter at www.CleanWisconsin.org,or by calling (608) 251-7020,extension 17.


1 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region: Impactson our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists, CambridgeMassachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.2 Steig, E. et al. 2000. Wisconsinan and Holocene Climate History from an IceCore at Taylor Dome, Western Ross Embayment, Antarctica. Geografiska Annaler,Series A: Physical Geography 82: 2-3.3 Crutzen, Paul. “Geology of Mankind,” Nature, vol. 415 (2002).4 Kolbert, Elizabeth. Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and ClimateChange. Bloomsbury Publishing; New York and London, 2006.5 James Hansen et al., “Earth’s Energy Imbalance: Confirmation and Implications,”Science, vol. 308 (2005).6 IPCC (2001) Climate Change 2001. The scientific basis. Contribution of WorkingGroup I to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange. P. 39.7 Robert Petit et al., “Climate and Atmospheric History of the Past 420,000 Yearsfrom the Vostok Ice Core, Antarctica,” Nature, vol. 399 (1999).8 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change January 2005. IPCC ThirdAssessment Report—Climate Change 2001: Summary for Policy Makers, 2001; andWorld Meteorological Organization, United Nations, WMO Statement on the Statusof the Global Climate in 2004: Global Temperature in 2004 Fourth Warmest (pressrelease). 9 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2001. IPCC Third AssessmentReport—Climate Change 2001: Summary for Policy Makers.10 Robert Petit et al., “Climate and Atmospheric History of the Past 420,000 Yearsfrom the Vostok Ice Core, Antarctica,” Nature, vol. 399 (1999).11 Oreskes, Naomi. 2004. The scientific consensus on climate change. Science. 306,1686. 12 Eleven national science academies from Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany,India, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States in a joint let-ter in 2005: “the threat of climate change is clear and increasing” and “there is nowstrong evidence that significant global warming is occurring.” from “Joint SciencesCommittee Statement: Global Response to Climate Change.” June 2005.http:/www.royalsoc.ac.uk/document.asp?latest=1&id=3222.13 Sousounis, P.J., and J.M. Bisanz. 2000. Great Lakes overview. Preparing for achanging climate, the potential consequences of climate variability and change.Great Lakes. U.S. Global Change Research Program, USEPA, Washington, D.C.14 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C. 15 Magnuson, John J., et al. 2006. Climate variability and ecosystem response atlong-term ecological sites. In Long-Term Dynamics of Lakes in the Landscape. editedby J. Magnuson, T. Kratz, and B. Benson. New York: Oxford University Press.16 Magnuson, John J., et al. 2006. Climate variability and ecosystem response atlong-term ecological sites. In Long-Term Dynamics of Lakes in the Landscape. editedby J. Magnuson, T. Kratz, and B. Benson. New York: Oxford University Press.17 Kunkel et al. 1999. Long-term trends in heavy precipitation events over NorthAmerica. Journal of Climate 12: 2513-2525. 18 Sousounis, P.J., and J.M. Bisanz. 2000. Great Lakes overview. Preparing for achanging climate, the potential consequences of climate variability and change.Great Lakes. U.S. Global Change Research Program, USEPA, Washington, D.C.19 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.20 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.21 Magnuson, John J., et al. 2006. Climate variability and ecosystem response atlong-term ecological sites. In Long-Term Dynamics of Lakes in the Landscape. editedby J. Magnuson, T. Kratz, and B. Benson. New York: Oxford University Press.22 Magnuson, J.J. et al. 2003. Wisconsin’s waters and climate: Historical changesand possible futures. Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts andLetters 90: 23-36. 23 Anderson, Wendy L. et al. 1996. Evidence of recent warming and ENSO varia-tion in ice breakup of Wisconsin lakes. Limnology and Oceanography 41: 815-821.

24 Magnuson, John J. et al. 2003. Wisconsin’s waters and climate: Historicalchanges and possible futures. Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Science,Arts and Letters 90:23-36.25 Magnuson, John J., et al. 2006. Climate variability and ecosystem response atlong-term ecological sites. In Long-Term Dynamics of Lakes in the Landscape. editedby J. Magnuson, T. Kratz, and B. Benson. New York: Oxford University Press.26 Jorgensen, B.S. and R.C. Stedman. 2001. Sense of place as an attitude: Lakeshoreowners’ attitudes towards their properties. Journal of Environmental Psychology 21:233-248.27 Relph, E. 1997. Sense of place. In Ten Geographic Ideas that Changed the World,edited by S. Hanson. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press.28 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.29 Clear the Air. 2006. Season Creep: How global warming is already affecting theworld around us.30 National Wildlife Federation. 2005. Change the forecast for wildlife: Solutions toglobal warming. On-line. http://www.nwf.org.31 Bradley, N. et al. 1999. Phenological changes reflect climate change in Wisconsin.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol 96, Issue 17: 9701-9704.32 Clear the Air. 2006. Season Creep: How global warming is already affecting theworld around us.33 National Wildlife Federation. 2005. Change the forecast for wildlife: Solutions toglobal warming. On-line. http://www.nwf.org.34 Mortsch, Linda and Frank Quinn. 1996. Climate change scenarios for GreatLakes Basin ecosystem studies. Limnology and Oceanography 41(5): 903-911.35 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.36 Mortsch, Linda and Frank Quinn. 1996. Climate change scenarios for GreatLakes Basin ecosystem studies. Limnology and Oceanography 41(5): 903-911.37 Eaton, John. and Robert Scheller. 1996. Effects of climate warming on fish ther-mal habitat in streams of the United States. Limnology and Oceanography 41(5):1109-1115. 38 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2000. “Warming Trends: Whatglobal climate could mean for Wisconsin.” Publication Number AM 303-00.39 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.40 Adams R.M., et al. 1998. Effects of global climate change on agriculture: Aninterpretive review. Climate Research 11: 19-30.41 Turnpenny, J.R., et al. 2001. Integrated models of livestock systems for climatechange studies: Two intensive systems. Global Change Biology 7: 163-170.42 He, H.S. et al. 1999. Linking an ecosystem model and a landscape model tostudy forest species response to climate change. Ecological Modeling 114: 213-233.43 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.44 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2000. “Warming Trends: Whatglobal climate could mean for Wisconsin.” Publication Number AM 303-00.45 Gubler, D.J., et al. 2001. Climate variability and change in the United States:Potential impacts on vector- and rodent-borne diseases. Environmental HealthPerspectives 109: 223-233.46 Rose, J.B., et al. 2001. Climate variability and change in the United States:Potential impacts on water- and foodborne diseases caused by microbiologic agents.Environmental Health Perspectives 109: 211-222. 47 Kling et al. 2003. Confronting climate change in the Great Lakes Region:Impacts on our communities and ecosystems. Union of Concerned Scientists,Cambridge Massachusetts and the Ecological Society of America, Washington, D.C.48 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 2000. “Warming Trends: Whatglobal climate could mean for Wisconsin.” Publication Number AM 303-00.

Bibliography and References

IT’S EASY BEING GREENYou don’t have to make drastic lifestyle changes to significantly decrease yourcontribution to global warming. Here are more of Clean Wisconsin’s tips onliving a greener life.

1) Stop the junk mailNot only is junk postal mail annoying, it wastes paper and energy. Contact thefirms sending you junk and ask to be removed from their lists. If you want tomake an overarching request to get off specific junk mail lists, like catalogs orcredit card offers, check out the following website for easy instructions:http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm#getofflist.

2) Air your clean laundryThere’s nothing like the freshness of clean sheets dried on an outside clothesline.Save energy by setting up an air drying system in your backyard or laundry room.Also, only run your washer when you have a full load and use the cold water set-ting whenever possible.

3) Tap it, tap it goodUsing tap water instead of buying bottled water is an easy way to save money andthe energy otherwise used to make billions of those little plastic bottles. Also,refilling your own container helps prevent those bottles from ending up in yourlocal landfill. The U.S. has some of the best water in the world; but for waterconnoisseurs, you can purchase a water filter for your tap.

4) Recycle your stuffReusing items prevents the need for new items, which saves energy, materials andcash. Check out places in your area that offer to recycle your stuff. Whether it isa nonworking microwave that can be dissected for parts or a gently used piece offurniture, there are places and people who want your old things.

5) Change bulbs and power them greenAccording to Focus on Energy, by changing your five most frequently used lightbulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs) you can save as much as $60 per year onutility bills. CFLs use 75% less energy than regular incandescent bulbs. Take it astep further and ask your utility company to supply you with energy from renew-able sources. Many have solar or wind energy options available.

6) Less is morePurchase products with reduced, reusable or recyclable packaging – all optionshelp decrease the amount of energy used to produce the package. Send a letter tothe manufacturer of your favorite product and ask them to consider more envi-ronmentally friendly and minimalist packaging options.

Global Warming Comes to Wisconsin

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