For those of you actually paying attention to our Earth and her response to our continued waste and folly even in the face of disaster this is a classic example of what has been happening around the world in response to climate change. We have added 7% more moisture to our atmosphere due to fossil fuel burning, deforestation, industrial agriculture and other destructive actions. We have seen this exact reaction in Asia, Africa, Europe, etc... Severe drought followed by deluges that do nothing to replenish the water lost through heightened evaporation. Yet, there is not one mention of this on my local news and I still read articles that say that even though these extreme conditions will now become commonplace and more severe than this people on the whole aren't really worried about it. Matter of fact I just read an article today saying that even though this drought will now enter its fourth year people on the whole in California still aren't conserving water as they should be. I just then have to ask myself- what is wrong with people?
We continue to see extreme severe events occurring globally- massive snowstorm in Buffalo NY recently as one example followed by warm temperatures causing flooding, storms and flooding in Europe and Asia, severe drought in South America and Africa, continued melting of ice in Arctic, methane increases, accelerated melting in Antarctica, more storm activity in the Pacific with huge temperature swings and abnormal jet stream activity as 2014 is on track to be the warmest year on record. Climate is changing all around us affecting our ability to live-yet we continue to sit patiently waiting for some obscure UN meeting to "save" us?
We do see more rejection of the fossil fuel death trap with more people protesting at pipeline sites (although they don't get nearly as much attention as the chosen partisan spokespeople who never really hold politicians accountable.) We are going to need to see a lot more however if we are to ever break the chokehold it has on our lives. You would think the fact that the world is now in the grips of experiencing the fallout of our destructive actions over the past century it would bring about an epiphany. California needs not inches but many feet of water to even get close to where they were. That won't happen without snowpack-or that epiphany. It all really does at times just leave me wondering what it is that has to happen for that to come on a scale great enough to save us. But of course, it is now the Holiday season and shopping for all that "stuff" seems to be way more important than what making it is doing to the true gift we have been given.
Also see:
Hard California Rains Provide Little Relief From Record Drought
Rain Pounds California Causing Mudslides/Floods
Warm Arctic Winds Rip Polar Vortex In Half
Hotter, Wilder, Dirtier: Earth's Climate Change By The Numbers
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