Acts of God v. Human Decisions

Since the 16th Century, the term, “act of God” has defined natural disasters such as hurricanes, wild fires and floods. That is, any disaster that is “unforeseeable and un-preventable.”

“People were sleeping in the middle of the night when the flood came,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary. “That was an act of God; it’s not the administration’s fault the floods hit when it did.” Leavitt said any blame placed upon Trump for flood forecasting is a “depraved lie”.

Were the tragic floods in central Texas acts of God? How about the fires in California and Maui? Are hurricanes acts of God which are “unforeseeable and un-preventable?”

Human beings are born with freedom of the will. We make choices and decisions of our own free will, decisions based on the entire scope of emotions and thought.

We make decisions every minute of every day. Some decisions make life better for us and for others. Some of our decisions make life terrible for us and for others.

Stripping away partisan politics, biases and prejudices of every kind from the left, right, middle, and the “Who cares?” element, we must confront the fact that human activities, human decisions, not “unforeseeable and un-preventable acts of God” caused the floods in central Texas.

As a matter of scientific fact, human decisions have been the root cause of devastating floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and in fact, every so-called “natural” disaster for at least 200 years.

For decades, environmental scientists from countries all over the world have asserted that global warming is a primary driver of climate change.

Climate change encompasses a broader range of effects, but global warming, which refers to the increase in Earth's average surface temperature, is a key component and cause of these changes.

Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas, an odorless, gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons—predominantly made up of methane (CH4).

Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures.

The main greenhouse gases that are causing climate change include carbon dioxide and methane. Agriculture, oil and gas operations, deforestation are major sources of carbon dioxide and methane emissions.

The consequences of climate change now include, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity.

Since we as human beings have contributed to global warming and climate change e.g., eating a predominantly meat and dairy diet, driving a gas guzzler car, excessive water usage, leaving lights on in vacant rooms - it’s our responsibility to do whatever we can to reduce the effects of climate change.

Here are some things you and I can do.

At home:

Conserve energy: Reduce energy consumption by using LED light bulbs, energy-efficient appliances, and turning off lights and electronics when not in use.

Switch to renewable energy: Explore options for powering your home with renewable energy sources like solar or wind power either through your utility company or by installing solar panels.

Reduce water waste: Use water-efficient appliances and fixtures, and be mindful of water usage in your daily routines.

Choose sustainable transportation: Walk, bike, use public transportation, or carpool whenever possible.

Speak up: Let your elected officials know that you support action on climate change.

The United Nations Climate Control and the EPA websites furnished these examples. Please consider adding some of your own ways you help to reduce global warming. Thanks!