Sea level changes are nothing new. The consequences have been read out pretty explicitly, or at least, the understanding of the information is pretty clear. Sea level changes are eventually going to have large-scale effects on the Earth and its inhabitants.
For most, that’s not enough information to honestly want to do something about it. What happens in the future isn’t necessarily our problem here, in the present.
But truthfully, sea level changes are going to affect us significantly within our lifetimes. The “eventually” of our circumstances has started to become a serious reality, and there isn’t much room to skirt around the situation anymore.
The public has been told for some time that these effects would become apparent in the next hundred years. Community relocation would be necessary once the sea levels rise another foot or two, but already there are communities that are in need of relocation.
In Louisiana, a Native American tribe has already been forced to relocate due to sea level rise. The people of Pointe-au-Chien – who have lived on the Isle de Jean Charles for nearly 170 years – are losing their land and part of their culture due to changes in the sea levels.
This is only the start of what is to come. Sooner than many expected, we are being forced to find new homes for hundreds of people. The consequences of our actions have finally started to affect us on a personal level.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sea level in the southeast Louisiana region is rising at an average rate of three feet every 100 years. In the last 100 years alone, the state of Louisiana has already lost 1,900 square miles of land along the coastline.
The continuation of such loss may cause Louisiana to lose 570 square miles of land in the next 30 years. The loss of that much land could displace around 60,000 people.
Imagine the kind of money this relocation would need. Is that something the general public would be willing to pitch in for?
And that’s only Louisiana.
Other coastal states – Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas – are all currently being affected by the rise of the gulf as well.
In addition, the saltwater that is rushing in with the ever-creeping coastline is eroding the forests, plant life and freshwater reserves. Many ecosystems are at risk of overflowing with the amount of water that has now found itself with no place to go but inland.
Marshlands – which are wetlands at the edges of lakes and streams – are being threatened due to sea level rises. Marshes are transitional ecosystems that house many species and serve a direct purpose to neighboring ecosystems.
The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on Chesapeake Bay has been reduced by a third since 1938 and is expected to be completely flooded within the next 25 years.
At Waccasassa Bay State Preserve in Florida, trees and cabbage palms are dying due to saltwater exposure and, of course, the lack of freshwater. This is only the start of many plant species dying out due to sea level changes.
There are many ways to prevent the sea level rise. Of course, there are fewer ways that the average American can, but it is still possible. We have to start somewhere.
There are simple tasks such as reducing waste and cutting back on motor vehicle usage that can do a significant amount of good for the environment. And there are always organizations working to fight the effects of climate change around the world that would appreciate any involvement or support.
As much as the general public may not want to admit it, there is no running away from the problem anymore. There is no more “eventually” when it comes to sea level changes, the effects are already here. The only thing to do now is work to fix it.