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More than 160 people still missing after deadly Texas floods, governor says; Ohio small businesses seek clarity as Congress weighs federal ownership reporting rule; Hoosiers' medical bills under state review; Survey: Gen Z teens don't know their options after high school; Rural Iowa farmers diversify crops for future success.

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USDA, DHS Secretaries collaborate on a National Farm Security Action Plan. Health advocates worry about the budget megabill's impacts, and Prime Minister Netanyahu nominates President Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize.

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Farmers may abandon successful conservation programs if federal financial chaos continues, a rural electric cooperative in Southwest Colorado is going independent to shrink customer costs, and LGBTQ+ teens say an online shoulder helps more than community support.

“Polar Bear Plunge” Makes a Splash on Walden Pond

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Friday, December 5, 2008   

Concord, MA – An extra-chilly swim is in the weekend plans for about 100 Bay Staters, who will be taking a "polar bear plunge" in Walden Pond. It's one of hundreds of such events around the world to draw attention to climate change.

While the water temperature will be in the mid-30s, Roger Shamel, president of the Global Warming Education Network, says that's quite a bit warmer than the Walden Pond Henry David Thoreau knew.

"When Thoreau was there, it would have been frozen by now. And there are studies that talk about how the flora and fauna have changed quite a bit since he was there because of the temperature change."

Shamel calls the plunge a "call to action" on reducing the types of pollution scientifically linked to climate change.

"Climate change is not just a feel good topic to talk about; it's a serious and urgent matter that we need to act on quickly."

Some scientists dispute the human-produced pollution connection to climate change, and say it's the result of natural, cyclical processes and solar activity.

Shamel notes 2008 has been a year of extreme weather, from massive wildfires in California and the West, to record heat waves and historic flooding. Those are types of weather events forecast for a changing climate, according to Shamel.



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