Don’t blame ‘invading sea’ for man-made environmental crises
Kudos to The Palm Beach Post for bringing awareness to the vital matter of sea-level rise. The title and the premise of an “Invading Sea” seem to place the blame on the sea, which is invading the land. Much airtime has been given to trying to address the symptoms of sea-level rise, and how and who should pay for possible remedies for the myriad problems. Should taxpayers fund the projects? Municipal, state or federal governments? Homeowners, renters, tourists, who?
The sea is not the enemy. It is agnostic toward us and our need for dry living space.
The problem is global, and no amount of hand-wringing, discussion or running in circles with our hair on fire seems to place the blame where it belongs. Energy suppliers are only too happy to sell us their products for a price that covers their costs, and, of course, a profit. And we are only too happy to pay an affordable price for the use of this energy.
The part that we’re not paying for is the cost of using this energy. Nobody seems to pay anything toward the costs to the environment, the dynamiting and stripping of mountain tops, the fracking and oil spills and disfiguring wildlife habitats and more by coal and gas used in generating electricity, in transportation by all manner of vehicles, heating and climate control, the heat and radioactive waste caused by nuclear reactors. Let’s not forget the health effects of air, water and environmental pollution. And let’s not forget sea-level rise and the invading seas.
Who pays these costs? Ultimately, one way or another, we all do. The cost goes to the common folk, so we all will pay for it in some way sooner or later. But pay we will, along with the rest of organic life on the planet. Our insistence to try and supply our energy needs by continuing to burn fossil fuels shows a lack of imagination and adaptability. And we are naive to look for change from those who profit from the present arrangement. They thrive, we pay and can blame it all on “The Invading Sea.”
The realization must dawn on all of us, that what we’ve been doing until now cannot continue on this ever-increasing scale without paying a heavy price.
Solar, wind, tidal, geothermal and hydro energy, as well as other new technologies, must be employed to maintain life on this wonderful planet — which is currently our only option.
Just don’t blame it on the invading sea.
GEORGE SCHWARTZ, BOCA RATON