Blaming man for Mother Nature’s problems
Where I live, you can’t walk 10 feet without running into a corn or bean field. The Heartland lives and dies by farmland and this year, it nearly perished thanks to a record drought that left farmers looking to the skies for something more than just storm clouds.
The farmers I talked to were scared. Every day, they prayed for rain. It didn't matter if it was downpour or a simple summer sprinkle. Precious soil that could grow almost anything was turned into useless sand that blew in the high winds. The stalks were frail and the corn itself was small and inedible. Many farmers had to report devastating losses and simply plow over the fields.
The world watched as prices soared for everything from vegetables to gasoline. Environmentalists raised their fists in anger decrying industry and cold corporations for the horror that is global warming. The drought was just what they needed to prod people into crossing the line to their side. I was right there with them. My friends were facing bankruptcy and foreclosure because they couldn't pay their bank loans. I believe in global warming and it was easy to chalk the disaster that impacted so many to the follies of man. Too bad we were all wrong.
A recent federal study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed that it wasn't global warming or any other manmade problem that caused the drought. The moist air that traditionally flows to the Midwest and helps create the rain storms that feed the crops simply didn't come.
It was dumb luck. A once in a two-lifetime occurrence and it just happened to be our time. They aren't predicting that this year will show a major drought like last year. NOOA would be the first ones to rise the environmental battle cry, but they can’t blame pollution for the tragic drought that was worse than the Dust Bowl of 1934.
It’s estimated that the drought caused more than $12 billion in losses as of July, which is before the drought even peaked. Where I live, those economic losses have faces and names. I watched as they cut back on everything and the lines of worry became etched in the faces. It would be nice to have someone to blame for the problems that haunt us. The hurricanes, tornadoes and other disasters that wreak devastation and death in their wake aren't manufactured in a laboratory. It’s the price we pay for living on this planet.
While pollution created by man may be linked in some way, ultimately, the blame rests with one person only: Mother Nature. Big businesses and industries are the reasons behind many environmental disasters from oil spills to toxic chemicals in water, but as much as it would be great to blame them for everything, we can’t.
When the drought hit this area, it impacted more than just the farmers. The entire economy of the area was in a slump. The farmers didn't have the money to buy new tractors or equipment from local companies. Farmers are big donors to charity. Many food pantries depend on the fresh vegetables from local food banks and local farmers. Without that windfall, they placed a call out to the local business and people for donations of money and food.
Businesses and people who were already hit hard by a suffering economy were asked to give more. It created a chain reaction that echoed through several communities. It’s still felt to this very day. As farmers prepare for the growing season, they do so with fear and trepidation. They are going to be cautious.
With the government study coming to light, the farmers even lost someone to blame. It’s easy to blame nameless and faceless corporations. Every time they bought organic and all natural products, it was like an insult to the companies that were polluting our world and ruining their livelihood.
As I sit in my office and stare at the rain pouring down, a rain that has been steady for days and even created flood warnings, I am relieved to know that this year will be better. Mother Nature doesn't care what happens, good or bad, she’s just a force. We had a drought last year and this year could be a flood or it could be the best crop for decades. Sometimes no matter how hard we try, there’s simply nothing we can do, but weather the storm.
Main photo courtesy of U.S. Drought Monitor
Inset photo courtesy of McClatchy