I’m sure you’ve been like me, worried and saddened about our loved ones in Houston, Florida and the Caribbean. We pray for their safety and their recovery. It’s in times like this that we realize that nature will always have her way. What we aren’t always willing to realize is how we factor into the cause and effect ratio of dangerous storms.
The more we love nature, especially where her views are spectacular, like around the ocean, the more we build and build. We love nature, yet we aren’t honoring her in ways that lesson her danger.
In a report on why Hurricane Irma has been such a monster storm, Brian Resnik for vox.com*, reported that the heat of the ocean water, the lack of wind shear and high levels of moisture in the air all created the perfect storm conditions. What else helped fuel the tenacity and number of current hurricanes?
We are culpable. It’s common knowledge that our carbon emissions are raising atmospheric temperatures, melting the arctic, and making the sea levels rise. But equally important, as Resnik noted, the Atlantic water temperature has been steadily increasing 1-2 degrees since the 1970’s and in the Gulf, it’s raised 4 degrees. In addition, in coastal development, all the pavement and minimal attention to maintaining natural barriers and water estuaries has also raised the water temperature. The hot air rising from the warm water is what energizes a hurricane, hence, we have helped increased their frequency and danger.
We were on Edisto Island last week and were forced to evacuate due to the rising sea level and potential storm threat. It was shocking to notice the increase in the sea level since this time last year. The little electric cart path we take to the beach is now 50 feet shorter. The palm trees on the road are now being battered by the high tide and will likely not last the year. The nearby marsh grass is gone and is now a sea water lagoon and the sand and sand banks are gone too, swept away from last year’s Hurricane Matthew.
These changes are happening quickly. 132 years ago, there was a town named Edingsville that was swept away by the ocean. Its location is now 1.5 miles out from the beach. You can still find colonial pottery washing up on shore.
What can we do about this – how can we be more accountable to our relationship to nature and reverse this cause and effect trend?
Don’t Be Blind To What’s Happening
Read up on the issues, pay attention to the trends. If there is a place you go regularly, notice the changes that are occurring. Is the vegetation changing, is the wildlife still there, is there more pavement and less nature? Notice if the environment is being honored or not?
Keep abreast of the news in this area and be informed.
Pay Attention To Your Choices
Every day we make choices about recycling, the cleaning products we use, the vehicles we drive and our appliances. Make them more environmentally safe. Be conscientious about reducing the negative impact on the water supply and carbon emissions.
Lower your emission footprint by using efficient appliances, vehicles and natural cleaning products.
Vote For The People Who Are Willing To Make Changes
When the decision was made by Trump to remove the USA from the Paris Climate Accord, we knew we were in trouble on this issue. We knew even more when we learned of his choice for heading up the EPA. When big business interests are leading the charge in environmental protection, it means it’s time to pay very close attention to who we put in office. From this point forward, a candidate’s stance on environmental protection needs to be closely examined.
Put people in office who will support the needed environmental protections.
Be Aware Of Your Cause And Effect Relationships To Everything Around You
We have an impact in every move we make in our everyday actions. Be conscious of how your choices and behavior have an impact on everything around you. If we each take responsibility, we can make a difference in becoming a better steward and advocate for protecting our natural resources – air, water and land.
We make a wake everywhere we go – be conscious of what you say and do so you can be an agent for positive change.
We are all accountable. We are culpable, even when we think we are not. The Law of Cause and Effect says for every effect we deal with, there is a cause and for every cause there is an effect. Become more aware of how your choices affect others and the world around you. You can make positive things happen by simply being more aware of your choices and actions.
Is this something you’d like to explore for yourself? My upcoming workshop on “Relaunch- Make Your Transformation Happen” is designed to help you clear out what no longer serves you, be it personal or professional, identify what would be better and relaunch yourself with more clarity and positive sense of purpose. See my website www.spectrumtransformatiom.com for more information. I’d love to include you.
Resources
* Photo from NBC news 9-11-17
