EMERGENCY RISK REDUCTION

Most in North America are turning the clock back this weekend, which gives an extra hour of early morning daylight. Unsure if this is positive or negative, but it got me thinking about how we try to manipulate our natural world, our fragile ecosystems, and our environment. Are we arrogant or what!

Disasters can be divided into two basic categories: natural, or human-induced. Maybe I will speak in a future blog to the human-induced disasters, which can be either intentional or non-intentional. For instance, a wildfire can be started by arson (intentional) or by carelessness (non-intentional). The same wildfire can be ignited by lightning (natural).  It’s the latter that I’ll speak to now.

Do you notice how much effort is put into climate change, which of course has become complicated? Is it true? Is it not true? It all comes down to one’s point of reference. It’s easy to confuse ‘weather’ and ‘climate’.  Also the human-induced element is in play. An example is that global warming has a link to ozone depletion (i.e., “holes” in the ozone), which may or may not be human-induced, from CO2 or other pollutants. However, in every breath as you read this, you are exhaling CO2, and the world’s vegetation breaths it in. Therefore, it is essential.   

My question is why dwell on this? So many recent studies, in which some say ‘yes’ and others are inconclusive. Maybe it’s because there’s so much money involved. All that research requires large funding.  There’s evidence, but no substantive (read longitudinal) evidence, that shows long term sea level rise, polar caps melting or freezing, etc. It may be cyclical. It may be linear. It may be caused by sun flares or spots, which also appear to come in cycles. Considering the earth’s age, we’ve simply not been studying this issue long enough.  So what shall you and I believe?

My position is that we’re spending time and energy focused in the wrong direction. Of course, the climate is changing!  As an emergency prepper, let’s assume that weather events which are based upon our climate have happened, will happen, and will continue to happen. And they cause disruptions, and can seriously impact our lives. The fact that they may or may not occur more frequently or more intensely is irrelevant to our need for preparedness. In fact, it builds a stronger case for it!

Why can’t we take a fraction of the effort and funding now put into proving or disproving global warming or climate change and put it into individual, community, regional, and national mitigation, preparedness, and response measures? Natural disasters will always be with us. Period.  Regardless of how often or how intense is the natural disaster, our focus should be our improved ability to cope with the disaster! It’s a win-win for us all. 

Thanks for reading.