As climate change continues to become a more pressing issue in the modern world, society must keep adjusting to its effects. From the west coast to the east, the consequences of warmer temperatures require innovative changes to our communities.
Wildfires in California
Residents, commercial infrastructure, and wildlife in Malibu, Topanga, Pacific Palisades, Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, La Canada Flintridge, Sylmar, and Granada Hills have all suffered the impacts of the current wildfire outbreak in southern California.
The World Resource Institute credits “a combination of natural and human-induced factors, with climate change playing a central role. Rising global temperatures have created hotter, drier conditions across the landscape.”
Wildfires are not a new phenomenon for the state. For the past 25 years, California has encountered multiple wildfires, including 35 ‘mega fires’, according to the Frontline Wildfire Defense System. Yet, conservationists still haven’t found a way to minimize the damages or prepare for such catastrophic events. Climate change continues to outpace their efforts in this race.
Despite this, research at USC (University of Southern California) provides some hope.
“By combining satellite imagery and artificial intelligence, their model offers a potential breakthrough in wildfire management and emergency response,” USC researchers state.
Through collecting data on past wildfires, how they began, where they occurred, and how they were ultimately contained, their AI (artificial intelligence) is able to recognize patterns in real time. It seems, with new innovations such as these, preparing for such events will be possible and more effective.
In relation to this positive perspective, divine intervention keeps the residents of a home in California optimistic and hopeful for the outcome of the wildfire.
Couple, Peter and Jackie Halpin, returned to the ashes of their lost home to their statue of Mary untouched by the fire. They shared their rejoice by singing in prayer on social media and telling FOX News, “ ” They are touched by the response of the community and truly feel “the sacred heart of Jesus’” presence with them when they discovered the statues.
Coastal Erosion in Miami
While Miami is not prone to attracting wildfires, climate change has its effects on our beloved city as well. Climate change has increased the multitude of storms and raised sea levels that have fostered winds, waves, and floods which continue to erode the coastline.
“Hurricanes can wash away sandy barrier islands, leaving coastlines and islands unprotected from future storm surges. Waves and winds can carry away beach sand little by little, shrinking scenic beaches and exposing human infrastructure to tides and storms,” the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) explains.
Not only is the scenic view of Miami’s beaches going to be affected, as also homes and residents will be impacted by these effects.
“Across Miami, especially on Miami Beach where there are large condominium and apartment buildings lining the coast, you really get to see how winds and other natural disasters, which are worsened by climate change, impact not only the structure of the building, but the people who live in the building itself. With these events, maintenance costs go up for people to live and work in these buildings as it becomes a burden financially. And I think as time goes on, we’re going to continue to see these negative effects on both the structures around us and to the people inside of them, the people who may not be able to afford to own their own property,” said senior Conrad Kolk, AP Environmental Science student and KMLOEC (Kevin M. Liston Organization for Environmental Conservation) non-profit founder said.
Additionally, tourists feed the economy occupying Miami Beach and with shrinking, lower quality beaches developing due to erosion, tourism is threatened.
He suggests we must “fundamentally change the way we build, focusing on sustainability and how changes to structures can mitigate the effects that these natural disasters and long term erosion can have.”
Sustainability Efforts & Economic Resilience
Miami has been here before and has taken proactive steps in the past to combat these concerns.
“Most Florida beach nourishment has been placed in the past 50 years, and beach-oriented tourists have generated $310 dollars in tax revenues and $1070 in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually for every $1 spent on beach nourishment,” according to asbpa.org (American Shore and Beach Preservation Association) said.
They continue to explain that during the mid 1970s, Miami Beach drastically eroded, becoming a “seedy backwater of debt-ridden hotels.”
“Beach nourishment began in 1978 causing a boom in tourism. Today, Miami Beach has the most valuable property in Florida — worth more than the value of all Florida cropland. Miami Beach has had a return of $550 in tourist-generated taxes and $3900 in GDP for every $1 spent on beach nourishment,” American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASPBA) concluded.
Takeaways and Hopeful Perspectives
Still, ILS senior and nonprofit founder, Conrad Kolk, believes it is important Miami residents are aware of this concern, stating such an issue can quickly change the cost of living for those residing along the shores as conservation efforts are difficult to maintain.
”The actual beach itself and its cost to maintain with needing to be replenished with new sand, and the fact that something so important to the identity of Miami is being negatively affected will cause other impacts that can be felt throughout the city whether it’s in the economy or the cost of living,” he added.
Ending on a positive note, similar to the miracle found at the Halpin home in California, Conrad wants to inform the public that they have the ability to foster change. All it takes, he believes, is a shift in mindset to wanting to do more to protect the community and preserve the environment.
