Stronger Than Storm Or Resilient To the Storm– The Reality of Hurricane Preparedness

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Atlantic Ocean shore at Longport, New Jersey

Atlantic Ocean shore at Longport, New Jersey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The summer beach season has opened officially on the east coast, and while we hear commercials, politicians and even President Obama declaring that the New Jersey shore communities are “stronger than the storm“, we must question the hasty rebuilding of shoreline communities and businesses in time to accommodate the tourist season as a show of strength versus  resilience.

Rebuilding homes in these communities, along with replacing board walks and amusement parks, definitely indicates resilience and determination to continue a tradition and industry that is crucial to the region.  However, these actions alone do not translate necessarily to strength, a required attribute to prevent such devastation during future storms.  The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines resilience as “the capability of a strained body to recover the size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive strength”.  To that end, many of these communities are resilient in that they have rebuilt and reopened post Hurricane Sandy.  On the other hand, the concept of being stronger, by definition implies “an ability to endure stress, pain or hard use without giving way”.  It is questionable whether these communities, in their hasty return to open in time for the tourist season, actually adopted measures to ensure that they have greater strength than previously to withstand future violent storms.

An interesting and provocative source for  information on rebuilding after a devastating storm can be found in a paper released on December 12, 2012 by the Association of State Floodplain Managers, Inc.  This report “outlines some of the actions that communities, individuals, businesses, and state and federal officials can take to reduce the suffering, damage, and risks from events like Hurricane Sandy in the future.” Acknowledging the need to use the destruction caused by Sandy as a learning opportunity to avoid such damage and destruction in the future, this paper alerts us of the need to alter our reaction to violent weather disasters so as not to keep making the same mistakes.  As stated in the paper, despite the experience of several hurricanes,  including Andrew, Ivan, Katrina, Rita, Wilma, and recently Irene and Sandy, most of the nation still lacks an adequate “rebuilding policy to deal with situations when a large area is impacted by an extreme event.”

This reports details specific steps to take to reconstruct communities that are safer, and disaster resistant.  It specifically addresses concerns with deteriorating and poorly designed infrastructure.  Changes need to be made in the location of power grids and storm drainage systems.  Also, changes in land use, addressing density limits and only allowing open space compatible use is important to protect people in areas that are “100% guaranteed to flood again”.  Careful planning and implementation cannot be done in a hasty fashion.  To do so places these communities at the risk of new destruction during future storms.

As we celebrate the reopening of the Jersey shore communities in time for the beach season, local, state and federal officials must continue to work to make our communities really “stronger than the storm”, not just resilient to the storm.  To do so truly is to “live green, be green.

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Sources for this article:

http://www.floods.org/ace-files/documentlibrary/Hot_Topics/HurricaneSandyRecovery_ASFPM_Actions_12-13-12.pdf

House Failure to Aid Sandy Victims Sends Distress Signal

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FEMA Trailers

FEMA Trailers (Photo credit: Urban Sea Star)

The recent action by the House Republican leadership to allow the current Congressional term to expire without voting on an aid package for Hurricane Sandy victims speaks volumes about the GOP‘s commitment to fight climate change and help those hurt by its severe weather.  Moreover, this Congress’ lack of action represents an abandonment of responsibility and duty to American citizens.

To date, there still are thousands of people whose homes and businesses were damaged or completely destroyed by the storm.  Many families are caught up in bureaucratic entanglements and local ordinance conflicts that prevent them from repairing their homes and businesses or finding accommodations close to their former schools and businesses so that they can regain some sense of normalcy while trying to get their lives back on track.  While FEMA trailers are being delivered, there still is a process required to secure such lodging.  Once approved, the families have to wait for the trailers to be delivered, secured to a pad and hooked up to utilities.  As many families as possible are being placed in local rentals, and as can be expected, there is now a scarcity of available properties.

With that said, the result is that the storm was emotionally and financially damaging to so many people with the massive loss of property and life.  The resulting homelessness and uncertainty have pushed the scales to a tipping point.  The victims of this storm need help now, and our government is capable of providing that help.  Shame on any Congressman who chose to leave without making this right.  If the House of Representatives cannot not act on this because they want to go home on vacation, we as citizens must rally together and use the vote to send them home for good.

Climate change is real and its adverse weather occurrences is equally damaging to the financial and mental health of its victims.  Super storm Sandy struck the New Jersey/New York/Connecticut area in November.  The next storm could be anywhere in this country.  The face of each Sandy victim is the face of any American citizen.  Let’s stand together to protect ourselves by seeking solutions to climate change and global warming with its severe weather.  Let’s all live green, be green.

Sandy, the Post-Tropical Cyclone

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Perhaps the use of new and more ominous terminology will convince nonbelievers that global warming caused by climate change is a reality.  There is a possibility that our senses no longer are stimulated to initiate our fear and defense mechanisms when we hear terms like hurricane, tropical storm or even thunderstorm.  However, one has to admit that “post-tropical cyclone” wakes you up, as does tsunami and derecho.  The latter word even forces you to click on the online dictionary or Wikipedia so as to be informed of its meaning.  For those of you clicking those sites now, it is a fast-moving violent thunderstorm complex, a counterpart to a tornado, that creates wind damage along a swath of more than 240 miles and produces wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour.

Whatever the terminology needed to stimulate the senses of the global warming nonbelievers, it is difficult to imagine that anyone can look at the pictures of the storm aftermath in places like New York City and New Jersey (especially Atlantic City) and not realize that global warming with its extreme weather occurrences is for real.  Let’s face it, even staunch Republican Chris Christie had a come-to-Jesus moment.  I applaud him for totally putting aside political concerns and recognizing that the damage he sees today is for real, not a movie set of post-apocalyptic New Jersey.  Hopefully, this experience will initiate conversation on strategies to make the environmental changes necessary to “turn the tide” in that state.

While some people still will point out that storms of this magnitude have occurred before, such as a similar occurrence on Long Island in 1938, experts agree that this storm delivered the worst damage in history to low-lying coastal areas.  It shattered records going back to 1969 in terms of kinetic energy, which is a measurement of wind speed integrated over the width of an area where the wind is blowing.  Also, it set a record in New York for the worst hurricane since the city was founded in 1624 due to its 9 foot storm surge on top of high tide, bringing water levels to 13.88 feet in the Battery.

It remains clear that proponents of green living support the movement to address issues of global warming and climate change and do not need catastrophic weather events to recognize that we need to take positive steps to save our planet.  They will do that anyway for many reasons, whether they be practical, moral, ethical, spiritual, economical or what have you.  However, let’s face it, now that Heaven and Earth have spoken, what more proof do the nonbelievers need?

In the coming days, let’s be safe, think green and live green.

Post-tropical cyclone attacks New York

 

Green Energy, The Great Sport of Tennis, and How the Two Come Together…

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US Open Is Going Green With Viridian

I bet you have never heard of the company, Viridian Energy.  Didn’t think so.  Neither had I until a couple of days ago.  But you know what?  I am glad I finally did, and I am also willing to bet that after reading this post, you’ll be damn glad you did so.

After reading up on the Norwalk, Connecticut-based company, I can honestly say Viridian is looking to change the landscape of energy supply and has gotten off to a great start doing just that.  As a retail energy supplier, the company aims to be socially responsible in its operations and deliverables.  In addition to providing green energy within their current markets — including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, and of course, Connecticut — Viridian places extra emphasis on making those resources affordable, as well.  It is the company’s hope that this can facilitate consumers’ decisions to switch to their eco-friendly energy solutions, from those of more traditional providers.

In fact, resting on the core values of environmental sustainability, reliability, empowerment, integrity, and customer focus, Viridian Energy views affordability to be of fundamental importance in is overall aim and purpose:

Viridian Energy provides greener electricity at an affordable price, allowing our customers and independent Associates to make a difference in the environment and their personal lives simply by switching energy providers.

We are proud to stand out among competitors who charge a significant premium for green electricity. We understand that you may not be able to pay more but still want to do your part. We take a lower profit in order to deliver a higher quality product, offering the best of both worlds – greener electricity and affordable prices.

Needless to say, LGBG by PMD United is in support of everything Viridian stands for.  However, what we loved even more than learning about Viridian Energy’s products, was learning about the initiatives they have taken in the world of tennis, specifically in relation to the US Open taking place in Flushing, Queens, in New York City.

Viridian Energy understands the impact that widespread travel of participants and spectators to and from the US Open can and will have on the environment.  For this reason, the company has taken it upon itself to purchase 455 metric tons of carbon offsets in an effort to negate the environmental impact of the estimated 2.2 million miles of local and air travel associated with the tournament.  The carbon offsets to be used are Green-e Climate and Carbon Standard certified and were purchased domestically.  This is a fantastic program to help the US Open go green, and we applaud the company for its pledge and commitment to its initiatives.

For more about carbon offsets,we recommend reading Sarah Dowdey’s great article on How Carbon Offsets Work.

For even more on Viridian Energy’s full sustainability initiatives and programs, we recommend you start reading up on them here.