Habitable Essay

7/28/2019 Habitable Essay

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Habitable Planet

Lorita Watson

Global Warming Man Made?

I have worked for the World Environmental Center, WEC, as an Assistant Program Manager

early in my career and also previously taught a unit on Conservation in Middle and High School. In the

unit one learns about what are the different aspects of the environment and examines lifestyle and

respective roles and responsibilities, including enviromental justice. Enviromental justice has been a

cause in The Bronx for a few decades now. The Bronx was heavily industrialized; it was consistently

dumped on with no regard to the residence's health; polluted rivers, and greenways. Bronxites even

joked about the hospitals creating their own patients, burned garbage with their incinerators. The

Bronx has had the distinction of being rated as one of the highest asthma counties in the country. Being

a relatively poor urban area, adjacent to Manhattan; it traditionally received the short end of the stick,

high concentrations of industry pollutants, trucking, and thruways. Educating Bronxites about

ecological factors is key for them to advocate successfully for themselves.

The Bronx has lead in the way of environmental justice via grassroot organizations such as The

Bronx River Allliance who has worked to restore and improve the the highly polluted river and

greenways to its former glory, relying heavily on volunteers. As well as the Sustainable South Bronx

who states, “Our unique and comprehensive approach delivers integrated economic and environmental

solutions, resulting in more prosperous and revitalized communities.” The Bronx is home to The New

York Botanical Garden and The Bronx Zoo who are both part of the WCS, Wildlife Conservation

Society their expertise and efforts extends to world wide conservation, saving of plant species and

animals and their habitats.



Whether or not Climate Change is, and or not occuring has been up for debate; Climate Change

has been politicized. At the start of the last decade as many as 50% went from believing in Climate

Change, to a recent poll stating at many as 80% now believe in Climate Change. Earth's climate is a

1

dynamic system that is driven by energy from the sun and constantly impacted by physical, biological

and chemical interactions between the atmosphere, global water supplies and ecosystems. It is

important to monitor Climate Change causes and effects in order to mitigate it effects. Communities

need to plan immediate disaster relief, and recovery and rebuilding if necessary, as well.

Global climate change is expected to alter temperature, precipitation, and weather patterns

worldwide, thus changing many fundamental conditions that guide current agricultural practice (Page

186). Climate Change covers a wider spectrum, government, businesses, and non- government entities

on the local, state, national and international levels working together to mitigate effects of human

activity and its consequences. One's perspective must be broadened to include climate change

working with such organizations as UN Climate Change, WEC, NOAA, NASA , and US AID*.

Many of these organizations work with highly trained scientists to determine effective policies, yet

there is still so much that is yet to understand. My work with WEC , and US AID as Assistant Project

Manager I translated the findings and recommendations of Engineers sent to help industry in areas such

as Latin America and Asia to efficiently use their water, mitigating pollution, cost and water, as a

precious resource. These reports would serve as point of reimbursement from US AID.

Unlike the fight over local pollutants, the debate over Climate Change has wider

implications ecologically, politically and economically. While Global Climate Change has typically

been politicized there is no doubt of its various effects:

1. changes in weather patterns

1*UN Climate Change- United Nations Climate Change, NOAA National Oceanic and atmospheric administration, NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and US AID Agency for International Development



2. rising sea levels

3. more frequent and violent tropical storms,

4. shifts in ocean currents

Humans have to balance out economic and environmental needs. The last 150 years humans

have had an unprecedented effect on the planet. The answer is a combination of CO2's abundance and

its residence time in the atmosphere. CO2 accounts for about .1 percent of the atmosphere,

substantially more than all other GHGs except for water vapor, which may comprise up to 7 percent

depending on local conditions. Therefore, water vapor can be considered a feedback that responds to

the levels of other greenhouse gases. Global CO2 concentrations have increased by one-third from

their pre-industrial levels, rising from 280 parts per million before the year 1750 to 377 ppm

today. Currently there are about 7 billion people in the world with an anticipated 9 million by mid –

Century ( pg 122). GHG concentrations, the atmosphere is retaining an increasing fraction of energy

from the sun, raising earth's surface temperature. This extra impact from human activities is referred to

as anthropogenic climate change. The overall habitality of the planet is at stake; human, animals, and

plants.

The US in recent years have been devastated in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina classified as a

Category 4; it broke through the levees devastating the Gulf Coast with a reported 1,786 deaths, as

much as 80% of New Orleans was under water. And as recently as November 2012 came Superstorm

Sandy, Northeast corridor 125 deaths overalll with 65 in New York. New York State alone estimates

16 Billion to rebuild. While these weather patterns were the norm to the Southern states they have

been rare to the Northeast. Yet, a storm or hurricane of this nature was predicted for New York City,

storm surges and winds. Sandy was not even a hurricane and wreaked havoc for millions in the New

York area. If a hurricane category 1, 2, or 3 were to occur millions would have to be evacuated.



This would be a monstrous undertaking, if at all logistically possible. So, early warning is key.

The forecasting for Sandy began a week out. News broadcasted the impending event and showed

varaious computer generated model are way more advanced than they were five years ago, and

definitely better than what was available during the Katrina Hurricane. This allowed state officials

time to warn respective zones to get out, self-evacuating was the preferred way to go. Yet assistance

was offered to those who could not or had special consideration like animals. The number of lives lost

were low due to the early warning, but deaths did come in the way of storm surges, falling trees, and

electricity among a few. So due to the forcasting lost of life was mitigated.

The low lying, over developed, coastal areas are particular vulnerable worldwide.

Flooded subway tunnels, highways, washed away homes, boardwalks, flooded boilers in high rise



buildings, exploded power plants, and downed trees. Government States of Emergencies were

declared, and millions required to stay home, off the roads and public transportation officially closed.

Recovery is a huge undertaking requiring concerted effort in New York in particular. Dominion Power

Company from Virginia replaced a boiler in a school in Coney Island, National Guards security such

that large areas were left without power, including tall public housing. As well as a myriad of

organizations coordinated relief efforts, NYC OEM, FEMA, NYC-ED, ARC, NY4P, NYCHA*, NYC

Parks & Recreation, NYC Volunteers among many.

Volunteers for clean up and emergency recovery efforts, power companies and communication

companies, were here from around the country prior to the storm. Afterwards volunteers mustered for

cleanup and relief, as well as church groups from all over the country sprung up along the Rockaways

providing free food , clothing and door to door to access shut-in residencts need. NYC parks were

closed for over 2 weeks, because the continuous danger falling trees posed, as well as heavy

equipment had to be diverted to remove street trees. As part of my volunteer work with the parks,

Friends of Williamsbridge Oval I was asked to be a Team Leader for Coney Island Relief, organizing

groups of volunteers to work on cleaning up debris. (pics in Appendix)

Millions of people along the coastline were left with out lights and, or power for weeks. Homes

destroyed by storm surges as well as by trees, coastlines altered. City, neighborhood, blocks,

buildings condemned and some tall residential buildings left without water, boilers or communications.

Emergency services, police fire, hospitals evacuated as well, operations rendered nonfuntional. This

underscores the need for not only a local response but national, such that the areas affected lose all

capability to protect their communities themselves. Many of the first responders are victims

themselves.

The Northeast United States is still reeling from Superstorm Sandy, making more people



inclined to believe the in Climate Change, but its not that easy of an explanation. The after effects of

Superstorm Sandy resulted in long gas lines, shortage drinking water, housing as well as economic

downturn for those directly effected. Some communities will recover while others may be forever

decimated. As many as 100 houses burned down in Breezy Point, when I heard about the fire, I texted

a friend, a Fire Marshall, who was on the scene, stated “ I feel helpless.” This community was known

as one of the first responders. All they could do was to watch a whole neighborhood burn down. It

was fortunate though, no loss of life for the neighborhood had already been evacuated.

In the Forbes article, author stated “If so, what changes would they (alarmist) hope to

accomplish and at what cost?” What has been human's impact on the earth's habitality? Furthermore

the latest technology Hydraulic fracturing, fracking, is causing concern; its effects on aquifers and on

Climate Change. What are our limits? Undoubtedly, 150 years of CO2 increases coincides with

societal and technological advancements, in particular agriculture, transportation, medicine, and cities.

As we head into the future we should do the most we can to ensure a net zero sum in GHG, particularly

CO2 or methane, CH4 etc.; to accomplish this we need more scientist to study the many inputs and

outputs of Climate Change. Determining the right balance will be difficult because there is so much we

do not know, but that will be one of the challenges for the scientist of the future. Due to the

devastation of the storm The New York Storm panel has recently recommended major changes in

anticipation of more severe weather. 2 These changes include turning the state's industrial shoreline

back into oyster beds, hardening the electric and natural gas systems, and improving the scope and

availability of insurance coverage.

2 http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/nyregion/new-york-state-storm-panel-recommends-major-changes.html?

ref=todayspaper



Resources

http://epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html

http://news.yahoo.com/ap-gfk-poll-science-doubters-world-warming-080143113.html

http://video.pbs.org/video/2305482040

http://astroventure.arc.nasa.gov/teachers/pdf/AV-DesignaPlanet.pdf

http://front.moveon.org/if-youve-ever-wanted-to-watch-an-environmentalist-smack-down-a-

republican-this-clip-is-for-you/?rc=dtwcap

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/independent-evidence-confirms-global-warming-instrument-record

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/12/jersey_shore_revolution_begins.html

Phillipino delegate plea at UN Climate change at Doha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OpI-PD6weG8


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/nyregion/new-yorks-mental-health-system-thrashed-by-services-lost-to-storm.html?ref=nyregion&_r=2&

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/11/19/superstorm-death-count-reaches-135/

http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/28/the-frankenstorm-in-climate-context/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhendrickson/2012/09/16/climate-change-hoax-or-crime-of-the-century/





http://front.moveon.org/if-youve-ever-wanted-to-watch-an-environmentalist-smack-down-a-republican-this-clip-is-for-you/?rc=dtwcap






























http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/fracking/ny-against-fracking/

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/nyregion/new-york-state-storm-panel-recommends-major-

changes.html?ref=todayspaper

Appendix

Massive closings, pending storm and after storm.


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/nyregion/new-york-state-storm-panel-recommends-major-changes.html?ref=todayspaper







My team, one in camouflages.



A little Coney Island, Brooklyn humor

after Sandy; thousand of cars flooded.

Water level that car was found in.



Replanting the student's garden. Frame moved by wind.

Dominion Power Company men, removing and replacing boiler of school.



Tree fell on school building.

Braced against school.







Line for food and water along Surf Ave. set up by Chuch group from

Pennsylvania. Also provided clothing.

Carey Houses, NYCHA tens of thousand residents affected. No bo

or water, no lights and no stores open in area. Volunteers told to brown water and food.



Carey Houses, Sink Hole, boiler destroyed



Potties for building residents.

Playground surface picked up by storm, Carey Houses.



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Habitable Essay