Sayonara, Sandy

–This is the story of the health of our city, as seen from both a great distance and up-close and personal.

Despite the sobering facts that the death toll has now passed 90, that there are still millions without power, and that the cost will easily run into multiple billions of dollars in damages, we in Baltimore have been incredibly lucky. The inner harbor area suffered some flooding, there were many without power, and thousands are still in the dark, but for the most part we escaped unscathed. So if we were so lucky, can we sit back, relax, feel sorry for NJ & NY and get on with our lives?

The truth is we could have been in big trouble. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Baltimore’s harbor is the 16th largest in the country by annual tonnage and has been taking on increasing volume, far faster than any other port in the top 40 from 2009-2010. No Baltimorian would be surprised to hear of the importance of Baltimore, although newcomers (like me) might be. Baltimore has a big harbor, it takes in a lot of freight, and of course even I understand the aesthetic and cultural importance of a healthy (or perhaps ‘vibrant’ is a better word – I didn’t see anyone swimming out there this summer…) harbor. Sandy may have spared both Camden Yards and Camden New Jersey, but the devastation around both communities should make us think forward to the next storm. And we should think hard about how to be prepared, because it will come.

If we take a moment to step back, and then step back again – far away from the specifics of city, state, or even national borders – we can see a bigger storm brewing. The theory of man-made climate change may continue to be debated by a stalwart few (and for once, I ain’t rooting for the underdogs), but my guess is that N.J. Governor Chris Christie has had his last vestigial crumbs of doubt brushed away. Let’s be clear: We should expect both more devastating storms and rising sea levels.  These two effects of global warming feed off each other and should be considered in tandem. Low lying places around the world have evacuated communities already, and Baltimore should not consider itself exempt from this possibility.  The closer the sea level gets to the lived-upon surface, the greater the potential damage from even a minor storm surge.

So what do we do about it?  Well, at a national and international level, there is an urgent need for us to snap out of our torpid tunnel vision and get moving. Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute recommends a solution analogous to the Works Progress Administration of New Deal fame. This would be on a global scale, rapidly ramping up production of (primarily) wind and solar technologies while simultaneously retooling food and transportation systems to take off the pressure on our overtaxed non-renewable resources. These methodologies would be sourced not only from large existing companies and organizations, but from start-ups with vibrancy and vitality – individuals with great ideas. This vision may be a bit of a reach, but certainly is an admirable goal for a sustainable humanity. Also, my wife’s grandpa Al is a big fan of Lester Brown, so that says something.

On the national, regional, and local levels, the electric grid needs a good shaking, and burying power lines has been suggested for aesthetics and durability. In terms of response, recent years have catapulted us forward: agencies have learned a great deal from September 11^th and hurricane Katrina, and built upon existing best practices to develop a disaster preparedness framework that is very effective. Baltimore City is both a recipient and contributor to this learning, and we have benefited greatly. However, we must leverage our most valuable resources – the people around us – to come up with creative long term solutions.

In future posts we will investigate small scale solar and wind operations that can improve both our stability in storm events and decrease our carbon footprint, treating cause and effect. There are a great number of local companies and individuals engaged in this effort. In addition, there are many social solutions that build up and support community connections, improving the resources and resiliency of the community.

For now, though, I thank you for your patience through this extensive narrative.

Next time, the ongoing ramifications in Maryland and across the country from meningitis-tainted pharmaceuticals.