A deep connection to Mother Africa

As I am winding down my stay in Cape Verde I find myself facing a familiar feeling of leaving a natural but significant part of me behind. The connection to the people, music, the land, the sky is very deep. Waking up each morning here always brings a sense of renewal for me. I must confess that I also feel this in way in Senegal. I am looking forward to going into the villages and seeing the people when we deploy our rain gauge network next week. The transition between the dry season and the wet season can be felt in through my senses like the anticipation of the farmers. No matter what knowledge I have gained from reading journal articles, books and the like, I am always in awe of what actually happens. It is like a place of no other from the weather to the people that I meet. The spiritual journey is often much closer than one can imagine. Taking measurements in West Africa is like nothing you can imagine when you give yourself to the process. If you resist what she is trying to show you, you miss it (completely) but if you remain open and patient you have found your master teacher. The knowledge that you learn will be deep and connected. It is in this environment that I have learned the most, found the connections and remain open to learning.

As for home in the US, I can get into grooves of learning, but often they are for only short periods and truncated because new processes continue to spawn leading to me putting on the absent minded professor costume. I just need to find a way to preserve what I learn in Africa so that I can remain grounded in the US. Is it possible? Yes because the Earth is one, but the noise level is so high and concrete so thick in some environments that you miss your connection…. you just overlook it- maybe every day, every week and every year.

Well even with the sadness, I am heading to Senegal and remained attached to Mother Africa for another 20 days. Just have to cherish one day at a time.

Climate Change and Population growth -- TABOO Talk.

This semester in climate change and public policy we took on the tough issue of population growth and climate change. Why is this such a tough topic to cover: (1) The population growth is occurring for people of color (Yellow, Brown and Black); (2) Areas of Africa through slavery were depopulated at the expense Europe and America; (c) Rising populations of color can envoke either fear or power.

While all of these factors do matter and cannot be ignored, this conversation is about resources for our families, now and for future generations. Each child requires food, clothing and shelter each and every day of their lives -- They also need love. Being able to achieve these feats is a form of love that is not always acknowledged. But the question is where do these resources from? Heating a house, having lights and having fresh water all take energy is not always visible to the user of the resources. Just turn on the light and it is there. But our children and their children will also want to just turn on the lights They will also want heat and want to drive their cars. Can we all do this??? I am not sure, but I see one big traffic jam if 7 billion people have cars. Sure not everyone drives at once or can even drive, but there will be 9 billion people by 2050. Doesn't seem like a lot huh? Well in 1800 there were 1 billion people (1,000,000,000)
today there are 6-7 Billion (6,000,000,000). The amount of energy emission have increased some 1000 fold.

Consider the fact that 2,000,000,000 (billion) people live on less than 2 dollars per day and they do not have cars or lights and maybe not even fresh water... But they want it. In fact everyone wants to live like an American. What does that mean ... The average American person emits about 100 lbs of Carbon dioxide each day. If everyone does this -- Game over. It is the worst case scenario for CO2 emission scenarios.

So where does population enter. When China went to the 1 child per couple issue it seemed like a crazy idea to me. But now that I know that China has 160 cities with over a million people in these cities I am like -- Good idea. China's population is still growing (but also growing American's in lifestyle) and expected to put another 100-200 million folks than it has at present on the Earth in the next 40-50 years. India is expected to put more than 500 million folks on the Earth and the United States probably another 40 million more than present. The minorities (African and Hispanic American) of today in the United States will be the Majority in 2050. But the question remains, will their lives be better off??? Will they enjoy the same things that we today? Will they be able to enjoy those things and possibly have to adapt to a changing climate??

I believe that each person has the right to choose for children on their own, but we have to get out the mindset that we have infinite resources or that everyone has access to basic resources. I think that every person has the right to water and light but many people do not have access to it. I believe that our future generations should also have the right to it. Each of us is responsible for making this happen.

In today's fast moving society, young people are often left behind on issues such as population growth, and resources. Many want children but have not taught to think about it from a resource point of view. But that is because we are just doing as we were taught. One day however, we won't be able to do this. We have to face this reality. We will have to think about the lives that we want for our children and the cost of raising them. The cost will be related daily needs (diapers, clothes, college) and the cost to the planet (biodiversity, deforestation, land-use change and greenhouse gases). Then we have to think about are we willing to pay this price before we having children. This all comes back to the simple question of LOVE. Do we love our lives and the things that we have access to? Do we want the same or an even better quality of life for our children and grandchildren? Can we improve the quality of life for many of those on the planet today? Are we willing to create sustainable livelihoods for everyone? Are will willing to risk future generations to a warmer world, rising sea level, drought, floods and stronger hurricanes?? If we love our children, grandchildren, cousins, nephews, nieces and humanity them you already know the answer, consciousness and the action that is required.

Rope Burn in Sao vicente

Somethings looking behind you is not a bad idea. Yesterday, we launched an ozonesonde (a device that measures ozone from the ground to about 85000 feet) with calm winds under hot conditions. Last night in Cape Verde the winds started to blow but it did not seem so bad and the sky was cloud covered. But launching the balloon was a mess. We waited a bit for air traffic control to give us the green light and when the did we were like ... let do this. Trouble was that the wind was blowing at 20 mph but the nearest station is Dakar Senegal (300 miles away). I tried to check their observations but the noon measurements did not come in yet. At any rate, at launch the balloon was oscillating wildly and wanted to either crash into the ground or run into a large wind vane which provides current for the station. I tried to be a hero and hold on to it like a cowboy and got bad rope burn. At last I let the thing go and ozonesonde just cleared the ground and went nearly horizontal. It just cleared the the volcanic crater in front of the station. Winds for the first 2000 feet were between 30-40 mph and the balloon just went over the Island at a low altitude. After 30 minutes the balloon is at 9000 feet by yesterday was at 15000 feet at the same time. I have a feeling this balloon won't make it to 85000 feet because of the stress on it. Of course I saw all of this when the Dakar measurements just came in about 30 minutes ago. Looked back too late.

The forecast is for the same tomorrow, but we will try to be better prepared.

Hurricane season from the Other Side (Africa)

As I sit here in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde waiting for data completion from a balloon current at 75000 feet, I am thinking about the current hurricane season. At Present a disturbance is over the Caribbean sea with some potential of developing. At least one model (makes it a tropical disturbance -- but that model often overdoes it). Normally this is not a problem, but the disturbance is relatively close to Haiti with its many vulnerable people who are still dealing with the aftermaths of the Earthquake. Current observations show that it has been raining at Port Au Prince for the last 7 hours. We will see how this will play out.

Here in West Africa and Cape Verde everyone is wondering what the upcoming season will bring. It is still too early, but there is clearly a sense that it will be wet again. In fact it most likely rained in Senegal last night. Normally this time of year in Cape Verde and Senegal it is very dry with desert air dominating the scene. This does not seem to be the case at present and most likely next week. You may think that this is just coincidence, but back in the 1950s and 1960s when it was very wet, it was very normal for the wet season to begin in early June. But after the drying period of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s it appears that there is an upswing in wet season again for West Africa.

Seems so far away from America, but West Africa is the birthplace for majority of tropical cyclones. So as the rainy season goes here, it also seems to go for the hurricane season. Beginning in Early July, the monsoon will go into full effect and disturbances will begin rolling off the African continent every 3 to 5 days. I believe that the next 3 weeks will give us a peak into what will happen. Stay tuned.

Until then, we will keep an eye on the Caribbean sea and hope that all is well for the people of Haiti.

ClimateChange@HU: Hurricane Warnings are up: Grab Grandma, the babi...

ClimateChange@HU: Hurricane Warnings are up: Grab Grandma, the babi...: "In approximately 45 days the start of the 2011 hurricane season begins. Are you ready?? Should you be ready? Why do you ask? Am I trying..."

Hurricane Warnings are up: Grab Grandma, the babies and call cousin Pookie

In approximately 45 days the start of the 2011 hurricane season begins. Are you ready?? Should you be ready? Why do you ask? Am I trying to scare you. No. I am trying to get you prepared for another busy hurricane season. Is there something going on that has not been reported in the news?? Yes.

We are either
(1) In the midst the third natural cycle of elevated hurricanes, that began in 1995.
(2) In the midst of a long period of elevated hurricane frequency and intensity related to man-made global warming.
(3) We are in the midst of a mixture of the two.

Either way, it does not bode well for folks who life along coastal areas of the US, the Caribbean or Central America. If it is a cycle, it will last for another 20-30 years and lord know how long it will last if it is global warming. Why do you scare us with that mess. Because, hurricanes need warm waters to feed on and the global and regional observations all show that ocean temperatures are steadily warming.

The normal number of named storms is 10-11. Last year we had 19. This year will likely be in the 13-20 range. So you feel comfortable in doing nothing huh? Well remember what happened in New Orleans?? A likely scenario exists for many coastal cities in the US. Which cities??


New Orleans (again)
Houston
Miami
Charleston SC
Wilmington NC
NYC (really?)

So what gives? Well all of these cities have similar patterns to New Orleans:
- Segregated by race
- poverty, disability, low education, low income, low home ownership all mapped on top of race.

So What?
Well when the time for evacuation comes, who will have least access to transportation for evacuation? Who will require more assistance? Who will have the least access to the internet to
plan out an evacuation.

Miami is on par for a disaster similar to Katrina because it has approximately the same level of poverty, access to transportation as New Orleans. It has a large minority population (black, hispanic).

Next on my list is Houston (you have a problem). There are 4-5 million persons in the city. It cannot be evacuated in 72 hours under nearly any scenario. First, if 1 car breaks down or runs out of gas -- massive disruption. We saw this with hurricane Rita. Houston bit the bullet with Hurricane Ike nearly missing them but destroying Galveston Island.

New Orleans believes that they are ready, but remember Katrina was a Category 3 when it hit them. I hope that emergency managers remember that part.

New York - Don't want to think about it. No way to evacuate 10-15 million people.

But the biggest disaster still on the plate is Haiti. Today, nearly 17 months after the Earthquake, more than 1 million people are still living in tents. All that we can do is hope that the new government will rush to find greater shelter for the good but very vulnerable people of Haiti. Then we gotta keep them in our prayers.

So how can we avoid what happened before with Katrina

1.) Get prepared. Keep all of your important documents in a place that you can get to them
-birth certificates
- passports
- bank accounts (check books)
- have cash on hand before the hurricane strikes. Power systems and communication systems are normally down.

2.) Plan out your escape route now. This means, start thinking about where you would evacuate to, and how you would get there.

3.) Make plans for those will will be difficult to evacuate: elderly, children and disabled.

4.) Keep your medicines together. Get extra before the storm hits. Put them in a plastic bag. You may have to get them at a different location. Take medical records for those who need them.

5.) Take you cell phone, but call people if you evacuate. Cell phone service may be lost for strong storms for days or even weeks.

6.) Make sure that your car is in good working order and fill up with gas before you evacuate.

7.) There are evacuation food packages which have 2-3 days of dry and canned food for approximately 20 dollars. Grab these if you can.

8.) Flatten the communication network. Use Facebook, Twitter, SMS to communicate the hurricane threat and evacuation plans to everyone that you know.

Stay tuned. We will be watching.

The Power of One !!

Last Sunday, I read the story about Mohammed Bouazizi, the courageous young man from Tunisia who was a fruit vendor that started the revolution in North Africa and the Middle East. This is the young man who was humiliated by the police. As the Washington Post reports, " he wept with shame" after being slapped. He asked " Why are you doing this to me?", "I'm am a simple person and I just want to work." Later he doused himself with paint thinner and put himself on fire.

What a way to crush the human spirit through police force. This has happened in history so much. The small person, who is neither seen nor heard. But Gandhi, Mandela, King, Rosa Parks, Medgar Evers, Bouazizi and so many who have stood in the way of the power -- tell us that all is not in vain.

Mr. Bouazizi's death made people realize how they far they had fallen and been oppressed because of the power system. Soon, the people would rise up against the power structure. Yes many would die but not in vain. Leaderships would collapse in Tunisia and Egypt and threaten other systems. The same thing that happened in India with Gandhi, the United States with King, Parks, Evers and so many others and Mandela in South Africa is inevitable wherever people are not treated with dignity and human respect.

This current movement will move into SubSaharan Africa where people want to be respected like the human family. It has gotten so bad that many will take small boats or walk across the Saharan Desert to find work in Europe. So many must run because of war in DRC, Ivory Coast, Sudan and the poverty is so dehumanizing.

The thing is: No one knows who will begin this movement because of the power of one.

Now, you ask how is all of this related to climate change???????

Well because of our consumptive ways, we are driving a system of inequality around the globe. People are working 100 hours per week to make things for Americans and in the process being exploited. Because of our need for fossil fuel, there are people who work in oil fields and coal mines all around the world and are being exploited. They live and die in the oil fields and coal mines around the world. Companies like Walmart are exploiting in China and at home so that we can buy cheap shirts, pants and socks. So many will die in the textile factories around the world after being exploited for their labor.... all for what????

Our ways here in America are creating new slave markets similar to the days when my ancestors were taken from West Africa. It gives power to those governments who can exploit their populations to become bigger and bigger while making the human spirit smaller and smaller.
Yeah we have nice things.. but at whose expense.

If we don't watch ourselves, we will be like the captains aboard slave ships who laughed, drank rum and thought about payday while men, women and children died below. We will become like those who lost consciousness when killing millions of Jews during WWII. See the human spirit wants to be free, but the flesh binds us to our desires even at the expense of others.

While looking at the ongoing issues overseas, we should ask ourselves did we help to make this? When a new system comes about what will we do to keep it from reverting back to its old form?

The Earth and its changing climate is telling us that we are not in balance. We are going to have to consume less, exploit less and use what we have been given with discernment and understanding. By consuming less, we will remove the power of those who exploit because Americans want it and they will have to depend less on the textile factories, less on the oil fields, less on the coal minds and focus more on the human mind, on education and on equality. We will also reducing the potential warming and damage that our children and grandchildren will have to deal with.