Year 2, Month 9, Day 1: Variations On A Theme II

The August 28 Boston Herald addresses Irene with an AP article listing the people who’ve been killed so far along the storm’s path.

Too bad the planetary environment isn’t a missing white woman. So I sent them this version of the same concept on August 28:

If our media handled hurricanes as they’ve handled climate change over the past few decades, we’d be deafened by choruses of “hoax,” gratuitous mockery of storm warnings, and bland assertions that “scientists disagree” on the existence of tropical storms.

And if we discussed climate change the way we’re discussing Irene, our media would regularly update current threat levels, we’d disseminate advice on preparation, and plans for handling the future’s extreme weather events would be on everybody’s lips.

Extreme weather is short-term, fitting the needs of our 24-hour news cycle; climate is long-term and won’t adjust to our national case of ADD. But if we don’t substantially address climate change, the coming centuries’ news will be all weather, all the time.

Warren Senders