The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

Nicole Hughes:

U.S. Media Ignores Link Between Midwest Floods and Global Warming

Top 10 Houseplants for Removing Indoor Air Pollution

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Andy Kondrat:

Dubai to Build Rotating Positive Energy Tower

Bioethicist Peter Singer Tackles World Food Shortage

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Jon Popham:

Americacorps Workers Assist Flood Ravaged Town

Australians “Out-Fat” Americans

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Giulia Rozzi:

Progressive Book Club

Oprah Recommends “A New Earth”

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Gina Telaroli:

Human Rights Watch 2008 Film Festival Update

SilverDocs 2008 Update

A recent Grist article called out the US media for ignoring the links between record Midwest floods and global warming. This type of flooding in the Midwest used to happen once every hundred years, says the article, but the frequency with which it’s taking place now is precisely what scientists have said is to be expected as the earth continues to warm. In fact, in 2007 we saw the second highest levels of precipitation in the United States in recorded history, according to NCDC’s Climate Extremes Index:

A 2004 analysis [PDF] by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center found an increase during the 20th century of “precipitation, temperature, streamflow, heavy and very heavy precipitation and high streamflow in the East.” They found a 14 percent increase in “heavy rain events” of greater than 2 inches in one day, and a 20 percent increase in “very heavy rain events” — best described as deluges — greater than 4 inches in one day. These extreme downpours are precisely what is predicted by global warming scientists and models [PDF]. [grist.org]

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A devastating cyclone in Myanmar killed close to 4,000 people over the weekend with another 3000 missing in its aftermath, the state media reported. The self isolated military junta in power in the Southeast Asian nation has taken the highly unusual step of asking for massive outside assistance in response to the humanitarian crisis there.

Cyclone Nargis, seen in the satellite photo below, wreaked havoc on the Burmese coastline with 150 mph winds on Friday night and Saturday morning, dumping more than 20 inches of rain. Massive flooding has ensued in the region and the risk of disease now threatens to kill thousands more.

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