As Houston experiences its third “500-year” flood in three years, we must realize that alternative energy is no longer an alternative. Itap essential. The floodwaters have already claimed the lives of at least 46 people, and caused several environmental hazards. But the damage left behind by Harvey will not be isolated to southern Texas alone.
The vulnerability of fossil-fuel production in the Gulf Coast alone will cause an economic ripple effect throughout the nation. The threat of flooding has severely limited or halted production at virtually every major refinery in Texas and Louisiana. Gas prices are likely to rise over the next few weeks as the full scope of Harvey’s destruction is known.
Natural disasters such as Harvey emphasis the importance of disaster-resilient energy production, such as smart grids powered by renewable energy. Not only will renewable energy help reduce emissions, it will greatly limit the economic fallout out when disaster strikes.
𱹾Ѿ,Fort Collins
The time has come to admit it: Harvey in Houston is global warming. Katrina in New Orleans was global warming. This is how we lose our coastline, to repeated disasters from hurricanes, combining with rising sea levels. It’s happening now, and the people who will not go back should be counted as displaced, as refugees.
We are not the only country; look at India, Bangladesh and many others. The damage in Houston is a wake-up call to the fossil-fuel tycoons to stop their denial, plan a transition to alternative energy wherever they can, and a wake-up call to us all to recognize the problem and face it squarely.
SusanWilliams, Lakewood
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