Aug 22 2007
Global Warming and Hurricane Dean
GUESTS: Azibuke Akaba, Technical Consultant for Communities Dealing with Environmental Racism, Zoe Chafe, researcher with World Watch and co-author of the report, “Beyond Disasters:Creating Opportunities for Peace
Hurricane Dean hit landfall yesterday as a category five storm with winds upwards of 165 miles per hour. It has been measured as one of the top 10 Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded and definitely the strongest of 2007. The damage across the Caribbean and the Yucatan is already being to be estimated in the hundreds of millions dollars. While Mexico braces for Dean’s second landfall, flash floods and the remnants of tropical storm Erin in the Mid and Southwestern United States flooded streams and roads over the weekend, causing a sewage treatment system to overflow in Iowa. At least 20 people died in three states, with six deaths in Minnesota alone. In Texas, eight deaths were blamed on the storm, and authorities were scrambling to recover before Hurricane Dean’s heavy rain drenches the state. Mainstream coverage of these and other catastrophic weather anomalies has rarely linked these phenomenon with the crisis of climate change, nor have they focused on the disproportionate suffering of poor communities in the wake of natural disasters.
For more information visit, www.worldwatch.org/ and www.corpwatch.org/
2 Responses to “Global Warming and Hurricane Dean”
I agree with one of this show’s statements that there should be more calls for action in the media. However, I think expressing one’s views to local politicians (as was suggested in the show) is the minimum a person can do. Each of us can also make a huge difference by altering our own lifestyle (e.g., for those of us that drive, there are many ways to reduce our driving; reducing energy use at home (as Sonali has discussed in the past); and minimalizing “waste” disposal)
Each person can make a huge difference by changing their own lifestyle. Also, we can set examples for others. (I know I have been influenced and inspired by the lifestyles of others.)
Personally, I have little confidence in our politicians, especially here in L.A., where developers rule. I think there is value in expressing views to them, but most importantly, we need to take matters into our own hands and change our lifestyles.
Quote: “How are you going to take possession of Portland if you have no arms?” “By force of example.” — Ecotopia Emerging by Ernest Callenbach (which I imagine was inspired by statements made by Ralph Nader).
I agree that the first victims of global warming have been and will continue to be people that have contributed little or nothing to the problem. And those that contribute the most will continue to be the most protected.
It’s ironic that more impoverished people are much more environmentally-sound than those with more money (e.g., they tend to sort trash and collect recyclables, which many of us discard, and some homeless people relieve themselves in ways that are both safe and envionmentally-sane).
Thank you for doing this segment, and please continue to discuss these vital issues.
R–
Thanks very much for your comment on the show. I agree wholeheartedly that altering our personal lifestyles will have a profound effect in stopping current environmental destruction. We (Worldwatch) put together a two resources for those wondering where to start: See “10 Ways to Go Green and Save Green” at http://www.worldwatch.org/node/3915, and “Good Stuff?” at http://www.worldwatch.org/taxonomy/term/44.
With the new (and laudable!) media emphasis on “going green”, however, I’ve found that many people believe simply making small changes in our way of life will stop climate change.
One example is the growing carbon offsets market–if you take a plane flight, you can buy credits to support renewable energy or tree planting projects that hope to offset the carbon dioxide emitted on your flight. While this helps support good projects, there are steps that should come before (ask yourself “Do I absolutely need to fly? Is there a more efficient way to travel?”) and after (joining voices to call for more effective policies on climate change).
But this political piece is, most often, conspicuously absent. The fact is that powerplants and industrial processes produce a very large portion of all greenhouse gas emissions. Our lifestyle changes must be accompanied by state and national action to reduce overall emissions levels–something I think must be guided by policy change.
Zoe