Has it crossed no one's mind the many things we should be doing as an "intelligent species" for planning to survive even natural changes to our environment. Why did we rebuild New Orleans - I love the town but it's a miracle to have survived as long as it has. According to the scientists, it is only a matter of time before NO sinks from rising seas (assuming that is good science); never mind another hurricane...
Do you think that Native Americans perhaps avoided certain areas b/c of the weather? Consider Cape May, New Jersey the vast majority of the original Victorian Town was swallowed by the seas after decades of hurricanes. Over the last 15 years more than 100 $1m homes have been built but only after the beaches were rebuilt at great cost. There hasn't been a memorable NW hurricane is more than 30 years (probably 40) yet weather is more unpredictable and severe...really? It's going to happen just as it likely soon will in New Orleans. The Dutch seem to realize this all to well but they have an advantage...they have always thrived at holding back the sea and started taking action against potential rising seas years ago.
Fresh water is quickly becoming one of the most scarce and expensive resources in the world. Good water is more expensive than gasoline, on average, throughout the world.
Still we build, still we consume, with fewer people considering the long-term consequences of their action/inaction and no sense of human stewardship for our world. America is wandering around in a drunken, credit-induced stupor that is bankrupting us and we're trying to drag the rest of the world with us.
Road engineers and urban planners know bigger wider roads increase traffic congestion and the number of cars over time (the vast majority of which only have one person), yet we won't properly invest in mass transit, carpool and ride bikes.
This knowledge comes from good science where there is no relationship between the road builders and the academics. Unlike most other sciences where zeitgeist and funding predetermine outcome of course.
Why does Congress continue to mismanage Social Security and AARP merely endorses and proposes policies that exacerbate the situation? Why do we continue to allow 70% of welfare programs budget to support administration? There isn't a single thing our government is good (efficiently delivering value) at doing. We even spend to much money killing people...whether they are enemies or not.
Look around - we are suffering from a failure of ethics, a societal inability to postpone gratification (making proper management and good decisions nearly impossible), and a catastrophic inability to balance individual and corporate needs. The fast-food, drive-thru, college-for-everyone, culture of America that has equated networth with societal value. We have a systemic problem.
Perhaps the USA is irrevocably broken and will crumble like the Roman Empire. Perhaps with a bigger crisis than the financial one of the past two years we will be pressed to a solution. Or perhaps we will change on our own with our superior intellect - we are more than animals aren't we?
I think to resurrect America we must align our personal and federal actions with the spirit and thoughtfulness (strategically planning for the future) at the heart of this great country. Each and everyone of us needs to stop being so selfish and learn to play well with others. We, the whole country, need to build a sustainable economy in which people have hope in a future work-life and are connected to their community - where they live not their race or religion. From church to school to business, lives need to be more interconnected. How hard is it really to car pool with neighbors/coworkers to work? This builds friendships, saves gas/money/C02, reduces highway congestion & peoples' stress; yet people won't do it - reflecting pure selfishness & shortsightedness. Generally I don't even think people know their neighbors anymore b/c they are commuting so far and stretched so thin for time.
My point here is that we can change our lives and our world for the better with thoughtful and considerate action in our lives and community. This will help sustain the earth and our humanity. America can come third.
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