We’ve been focusing lately on sea level rise. Most recently we’ve featured the work of John Englander, oceanographer and author of High Tide on Main Street. Englander’s approach is to emphasis the reality of current and projected sea level rise without the ideological baggage attached to much of the mainstream media’s narrative of climate change – both left and right. This is one of the main messages in Englander’s book.
The seas are rising and for whom anyone votes won’t change that.
Therefore there are two things we can do – “we” meaning the range from you and me as individuals to society as a whole.
First, learn to adapt. The coastlines are changing, what does that mean for coastal development, ecosystems and the global economy? What about real estate values, insurance costs, or that nice little seaside village where you plan to buy a house and retire?  Or how about the ancient fishing village that has been the lifeblood for generations of families? It’s all changing. The sooner we prepare and adapt, in our public policies and our personal lives, the easier the transition will be.
Second is be informed. Just like global climate systems, global sea level is a complex and intricate system. That doesn’t mean the average Joe or Jane can’t see for themselves the general trend indicated by what has already been measured and observed.
This infographic from the Union of Concerned Scientists is a great start to learn about sea level rise. You can learn more and download this infograph here.
As Englander points out in his book, there’s plenty of time to adapt to the rising sea, but there’s no time to waste. Ever. It’s time to face reality.
Main image credit: Don McCullough, courtesy flickr
