Don Sutherland's photos

Today, New York City saw a demonstration with an estimated 75,000 people seeking concrete efforts to address climate change (New York, New York)—September 17, 2023

Landscape scene at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)—August 19, 2023

Another round of smoke from ongoing wildfires in Canada shrouded New York City today (New York City, New York)--June 30, 2023. The Air Quality Index remained in the 160s (unhealthy) throughout the afternoon.

Wildfire smoke shrouds the Long Island Sound (Larchmont, New York)--June 7, 2023. The New York City area is experiencing a historic period of wildfire smoke. Thick smoke from wildfires in Quebec brought blood-red sunrises, an acrid smell of fire, and almost apocalyptic darkness during mid-afternoon. The visibility crashed to 0.75 miles and the Air Quality Index spiked at 484 in the City. Climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels is resulting in increasing vapor pressure deficits (a measure of dryness). In turn, fires become more frequent, more expansive, and more intense. To date, the fossil fuel industry receives approximately $5.9 trillion in subsidies annually according to the IMF's methodology that incorporates externalities such as climate change-driven disasters. No policy efforts aimed at directly reducing the burning of fossil fuels are underway and CO2 emissions continue to move farther from the trajectory required to limit warming to 1.5°C over pre-industrial levels. Recent weather extremes--extremes that are increasing in magnitude at a faster rate than the temperature is rising--hints that the world's climate may be approaching or even have reached a critical point. Beyond that critical point may lie a harsher and more unstable climate. The unprecedented smoke event in New York City is perhaps just another symptom of the climate transition that leads to that more volatile climate state.

Fringed tulips at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)--April 22, 2023

Magnolias in blossom at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)--April 9, 2023

Early morning fog on an unseasonably mild January morning (Larchmont, New York)--January 4, 2023. The temperature soared to a daily record-tying 66°F (18.9°C). The first week of January was New York City's second warmest first week of January on record. Through January 7th, New York City had yet to receive any measurable snow. This is only the 9th winter on record where there has been no measurable snowfall through the first week of January.

Thick fog shrouds the landscape (Rye, New York)--December 31, 2022. Happy New Year to all.

A ruby-throated hummingbird at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)—October 8, 2022

Robert Moses State Park (Babylon, New York)—September 24, 2022. The morning was brisk, waves associated with Hurricane Fiona were rolling ashore at long intervals, and the water was abnormally warm. An early small contingent of migrating monarchs had also arrived.

Bar Harbor, Maine (August 13, 2022)

A supernumerary rainbow (Stetson, Maine)—August 14, 2022. A secondary rainbow (not pictured here) was located well above the primary supernumerary rainbow.

Boston--July 29, 2022. Boston led the way to American independence. Today, Boston is leading the way in producing an educated and informed population on climate change. Across the City's cultural institutions, one finds useful information related to climate change. There is an entire exhibit dedicated to climate change at Harvard University's Peabody Museum. Many other American cities could learn from and imitate Boston's experience.

Mid-April afternoon at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)--April 14, 2022

Manor Park (Larchmont, New York)—January 7, 2022.

View of fall foliage and the Bronx River at the New York Botanical Garden (Bronx, New York)--November 13, 2021

Brilliant rainbow during a brief shower at Manor Park (Larchmont, New York)--October 18, 2021

Sunrise as the fog lifts at Manor Park (Larchmont, New York)--October 8, 2021