Happy Earth Day PDF Print E-mail
Written by Kermit Hauge   
Tuesday, 22 April 2008 12:16

On August 24th, 1992 at approximately 5:00 AM Hurricane Andrew made landfall in southern Florida. It cut a swath of destruction across the peninsula, made a right turn over the Gulf of Mexico and slammed into Louisiana.

This natural disaster killed 60 people and displaced around two million Americans. The estimated cost of the damage was more than $20 billion. We saw it coming, and we were powerless to prevent it.

We all stand on a thin crust of rock, surrounding a ball of molten magma suspended in a frozen vacuum held in place by a force we call "gravity" that we understand but can't fully explain. To think that we have the power to influence this situation to any significant degree is arrogant and somewhat amusing. A mutated virus, something too small to see could sweep this globe tomorrow and eliminate 90% of the Human Race. A big old ball of rock and ice could smack into us and kick up a cloud causing a century-long winter that eliminates 90% of the Human Race.


What is the point? You are not in control. You may influence your tiny sphere. You may influence others to some extent. You may make a positive contribution to your community and your world. But in the end you will not change the Earth. It is much bigger than the sum of all of us. If you disagree I invite you to go out and try to stop the next hurricane.

Love the Earth, but recognize your place on it.

Cross-posted at Anti-Strib. Comments welcome.