Independent Guestatorial: Who’ll stop the rain?

“Long as I remember the rain been comin’ down

Clouds of myst’ry pourin’ confusion on the ground.

Good men through the ages tryin’ to find the sun.

And I wonder still I wonder who’ll stop the rain.” John Fogerty

Great songs are timeless. As we face what seems like daily threats, it is easy to become overwhelmed and ignore the new reality. This is not a good strategy for dealing with extreme events from climate change.

Freaking out when life gets freaky is a good thing. The capacity to be shocked by violence, injustice, or human misery is healthy. When people stop caring it is time for reflection.

We are surprised when something unexpected happens. When we hear about floods in Florida, droughts and wildfires on the West Coast, and far away suffering in Syria and the Middle East, these unpleasant incidents seem inevitable.

Climate change increases the frequency and the intensity of extreme weather events such as flooding, hurricanes, wildfires, heat and droughts. The spread of the Zika virus and other diseases are new public health threats. But we’re starting to get used to these events. We now accept disasters and the misery they cause as “the new normal.” Being complacent in an environment where lives are at high-risk is not a good thing. Always prepare, always train, always be vigilant and ready for any surprise that may arise. You have to stay on your toes; you have to constantly view your surroundings.

Here are some recent examples:

Louisiana floods

The floods in Baton Rouge, a storm with no name, a 1000-year event, the worst natural disaster the country has seen since Hurricane Sandy, was ignored by the media busy with other breaking news. While the flood was still rising, local efforts by the Cajun Navy, a fleet of fishing boats, came to the rescue. Others are helping with the long cleanup efforts. The challenge of rebuilding is still ahead.

California wildfires

How many wildfires are out of control, where are they located and how many acres of forests have been burned to the ground? The information is easy to find. What the numbers don’t tell you is about suffering of the people near the fires and the efforts to stop the wildfires. What can we do to help? Firefighters from Arkansas have joined other teams. The good news today, is everyone is safe.

Wildfires burning in California as of last week are burning more than 200,000 acres of forests: Chimney fire: 45,108 acres in San Luis Obispo County; Clayton fire: 3,929 acres near Clear Lake; Rey fire: 33,006 acres in Los Padres National Forest; Soberanes fire: 91,543 acres in Monterey County; Cedar fire: 28,840 acres, and Range fire: 600 acres in Kern County.

Plains All American Pipeline

A shale fracking oil company with a long history of legal problems with EPA and the U.S. Justice Department, Plains All American Pipeline, came to Arkansas with a new name. Diamond Pipeline plans to build a 440-mile crude oil line bisecting Arkansas with a 100-ft. wide easement.

The First Law of pipelines is: “All pipelines leak, and nasty toxic highly flammable stuff comes out. If a fire starts, move back and stay away from the line. Cleaning up the mess is not going to be fun.” The Second Law is: “To build a massive pipeline, claim eminent domain and convince landowners there is nothing they can do. Avoid talking to neighbors or calling a lawyer.”

This stealth pipeline is an environmental injustice and a threat to our drinking water, rivers, and watersheds. Arkansas law gives Diamond eminent domain to take private property, but no one has the right to threaten, deceive, lie, or target low-income communities with the highest-risk route. This is not a done deal.

Stand up and take charge!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the one who’ll decide where to go…” – Dr. Seuss

Dr. Luis Contreras