Natural disasters

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Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations David R. Montgomery See book keywords and concepts

Small societies are particularly vulnerable to disruption of key lifelines, such as trading relations, or to large perturbations like wars or natural disasters. Larger societies, with more diverse and extensive resources, can rush aid to disaster victims. But the complexity that brings resilience may also impede adaptation and change, producing social inertia that maintains collectively destructive behavior. Consequently, large societies have difficulty adapting to slow change and remain vulnerable to problems that eat away their foundation, such as soil erosion.

Earth changes, nature's backlash and lessons yet to be learned by humans (opinion) Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

The acceleration of natural disasters and radical climate change Today, as mankind continues to destroy the planet's environment and ecosystems, some rather inconvenient natural events are about to be unleashed that will no doubt severely impact human populations. It doesn't mean trees will uproot themselves and march upon our cities, of course. That's just a cartoon depiction. What's far more likely to happen is that imbalanced ecosystems will unleash famines and infectious diseases that will ultimately devastate humankind. Why famines?

Miraculous Health: How to Heal Your Body by Unleashing the Hidden Power of Your Mind Rick Levy and Lou Aronica See book keywords and concepts

Catastrophic events like car accidents, terrorist bombings, or natural disasters are intensely stressful and debilitating and have severely negative consequences for individuals, families, and entire segments of society. Our environment also creates stress—too much harsh sound, rush hour traffic, long lines. Societal expectations end up becoming our own, and so we stress as we strive to earn a decent salary, live in a good neighborhood, wear attractive clothes, have perfect hair, own the right car, and be actively involved in the affairs of school, church, and community.

Safe Trip to Eden: Ten Steps to Save Planet Earth from the Global Warming Meltdown David Steinman See book keywords and concepts

Imagine massive regional wildfires in Arizona, Southern California, and New Mexico, with annual massive flooding in Utah and the Midwest, and landslides throughout coastal California—all regular events—ever more intense, the nation in a state of constant environmental crisis caused by natural disasters within and at war without, due to our excessive reliance on fossil fuels. Such North American-based disasters are bad enough.

Couple with this our need to become petrochemical raiders and the accumulation of heavy debt through natural disasters as well as foreign policy entanglements; this, combined with the expensive and costly warring our fossil fuel addiction causes, bankrupts our treasury. Our nation experiences ever more stress by such massive refugee movements from Mexico and South America (as border security zealots have never imagined in their worst nightmare). Who knows if we might not be responsible for the civil wars of other nations?

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations David R. Montgomery See book keywords and concepts

Although usually portrayed as natural disasters, crop failures and famines often owe as much to land abuse as to natural calamities. SEVEN Dust Blow One man cannot stop the dust from blowing but one man can start it. FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION NORTHERN CANADA MESMERIZED ME THE FIRST TIME I flew Over the pole from Seattle to London on a clear day. While the other passengers enjoyed some Hollywood epic, I drank in the vast plain of bare rock and shallow lakes crawling by six miles below.

Earth changes, nature's backlash and lessons yet to be learned by humans (opinion) Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Many natural disasters are ultimately caused by human behavior Then we turn to the forces of nature. Consider these: The rising intensity of hurricanes (Katrina, anyone?), the devastating 2004 Tsunami in the Indian Ocean, the disruption of seasonal crop-producing rains in India, the recent cold-freeze decimation of the California citrus industry, the floods and droughts happening now on virtually every continent, earthquakes, sinkholes and volcanoes... the more you look at natural events, the more it becomes increasingly obvious that Earth changes are accelerating at an alarming pace.

Financial Armageddon: Protecting Your Future from Four Impending Catastrophes Michael J. Panzner See book keywords and concepts

So will natural disasters, which are unlikely to see even the inadequate level of response that followed Hurricane Katrina. Finally, when social and geopolitical conditions have deteriorated sufficiently, there will be other, potentially more pernicious threats. More than likely, Americans will be confronted by an unfamiliar and frightening array of legal, financial, and security restrictions, including lockdowns, curfews, internments, capital and exchange controls, and even martial law.

The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits Gregg Braden See book keywords and concepts

While we've always had natural disasters to contend with, a new class of threats that Rees calls "human induced" now have to be taken into account as well. Emerging studies, such as those reported in Scientific American's special issue entitled "Crossroads for Planet Earth" (September 2005), echo Rees's warning, telling us: "The next 50 years will be decisive in determining whether the human race—now entering a unique period in its history—can ensure the best possible future for itself [my emphasis].

He begins by describing the possibility of a future civilization that has survived the threats of war, disease, and natural disasters to become what he calls "posthuman." He then identifies three scenarios through a complex statistical analysis (omitted here for simplicity) and argues that at least one of them is true. The possibilities are as follows: 1. Some catastrophic event (such as a global war, natural disaster, widespread disease, and so on) will destroy us before we ever reach the posthuman stage. 2.

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations David R. Montgomery See book keywords and concepts

Although historians are prone to credit the end of civilizations to discrete events like climate changes, wars, or natural disasters, the effects of soil erosion on ancient societies were profound. Go look for yourself; the story is out there in the dirt. TWO Skin of the Earth We know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot. LEONARDO DA VINCI Charles darwin's last and least-known book was not particularly controversial. Published a year before he died in 1882, it focused on how earthworms transform dirt and rotting leaves into soil.

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

If history is a guide, one of the stickier problems of the global-warming era will be rather prosaic: assigning blame. If natural disasters with no possible human cause—such as the 2004 South Asian tsunami—can lead to accusations of negligence and corruption, any event with a much clearer human origin will become an ongoing source of debate and conflict regarding responsibility. Since the nation with arguably the greatest burden of blame is also the world's preeminent military power, these debates and conflicts are more likely to be legal and economic than martial.

Humanity cannot live without nature, but nature can live without humanity Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Freak weather and natural disasters suddenly seems to be the norm. Simultaneously, we're dealing with superbugs in our nation's hospitals that are resistant to all known antibiotics. On the other side of the globe in Vietnam, we're witnessing a frightening progression in the spread of the H1N1 bird flu virus. It has now spread to 232 communes in 23 cities.

Secrets of soil nutrition: Why the minerals in soil determine the success or failure of foods, health and civilization Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

The gift of natural disasters to replenish soils As bad as things look today in terms of produce mineralization, it's only going to get worse in the foreseeable future. The longer our soils are farmed with large-scale commercial farming techniques, the worse the situation is going to get and the lower the mineral content will become. This is why floods, tsunamis and even volcanoes are very good for humans in the long-term, because they recycle the soil and deposit more minerals and new nutrients onto lands that can be used for farming.

Bird flu spreading rapidly; U.S. government warns population Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

And once you're prepared, you can rest easy, confident that you are fully equipped to survive whatever natural disasters the world throws your way. It will make you feel safer and more secure. Don't be scared, be prepared!

Why used cars cost more to drive than new cars (and other uncommon personal finance advice) Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

Personally, I'm a big believer in making donations to charitable organizations and helping out those in need, especially in the aftermath of natural disasters such as tsunamis and earthquakes. But in order to get there, you have to start making sound financial decisions. Otherwise, the entire economic system in this country serves as a financial trap. We are told the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and it's absolutely true, but not for the reasons you might suspect.

Humanity cannot live without nature, but nature can live without humanity Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

And much that we're seeing today in terms of natural disasters, outbreaks, superbugs, and the destruction of ecosystems is a direct result of mankind's inability or unwillingness to respect nature. Some people characterize this as "Nature's Revenge." They say nature is getting back at man and is planning to wipe out humanity to return to its own natural balance. Personally I don't attribute such vengeance to nature; nature isn't vengeful. It is, however, quite blunt... it can also be interpreted as cruel.

In response to all this, you might say, "How can mankind affect weather patterns and encourage natural disasters?" It's easy: global dimming. Since the industrial revolution, we've thrown more particulate matter into the atmosphere than the largest volcanoes in history. The effect? Global dimming. Less light is reaching the surface of the planet today than at any time since the last great volcanic blowout.

That, in turn, affects ocean water temperature, which alters water currents, which alters water evaporation, which alters weather patterns, which leads to unnatural variation in those weather patterns (i.e. natural disasters). And that's just the global dimming effect. It doesn't even count how we're poisoning rivers and streams, obliterating the rainforest, destroying ocean ecosystems, and now we're even poisoning our own water supplies with traces of prescription drugs. How stupid is that? We even poison ourselves. So much for "advanced civilization." We've done it to ourselves.

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

AS Environmental Peacemaking ¦¦¦¦ In a world where natural systems are strained to the limit and billions of people struggle daily to survive, what we're used to calling "natural disasters" are growing both more common and more dangerous. They are inherently more destructive than they used to be (thanks in part to climate change), but they also feed into (and their effects are made worse by) ongoing humanitarian crises and violent conflicts. The idea that poverty, the environment, and security are linked is not a new one.

In late 2005, Iran put its first satellite into orbit, a small observation satellite designed to monitor local agricultural conditions and natural disasters. Sina-i was launched from Siberia on a Russian-built rocket. Like Iran, South Africa uses foreign launch vehicles for its space efforts, and has put two satellites into orbit. By far the most ambitious developing-world space program outside of China is in India. India operates three launch facilities, and has put dozens of satellites into orbit.

But many places also have their predictably recurrent natural disasters: wildfires, Hoods, hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. These catastrophes are every bit as native to the places we live as the birds and trees. To truly know our home places, we have to know not only how they flourish, but also how they break. The extent to which catastrophes disrupt human lives often depends on whether the infrastructure of settlement has taken predictable catastrophes into account, or denied their existence.

The world awakens to the bird flu threat Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

The effect of influenza on individual communities will be relatively prolonged when compared to other natural disasters, as it is expected that outbreaks will reoccur. Source: WHO As Dr. James A. Wilde of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia adds, "Even now there is little to no excess capacity to absorb more patients, but when pandemic flu arrives there will be a tidal wave of patients arriving in clinics and ERs nationwide. If it happens tomorrow, the system will collapse.

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

Twenty-one million have been made "internal refugees" by natural disasters or conflict. Everyone tracking the issue expects many, many more people—perhaps hundreds of millions—to be forced to flee from their homes at some point during this century. Responding to their plight will not only strain our capabilities, but test our character. Thankfully, a number of brilliant and dedicated people are beginning to revolutionize the field of humanitarian assistance.

Spiritual Nutrition: Six Foundations for Spiritual Life and the Awakening of Kundalini Gabriel Cousens, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

This problem is associated with political and economic factors and natural disasters, but we should remember the impact of a flesh-centered diet on water, land, energy, and other resources. According to nutritionist Dr. Gene Meyer, if meat eaters in the United States simply ate 10 percent less flesh, the resources saved would be enough to feed almost 60 million starving people. Our U.S. livestock regularly eat enough grain and soy to feed the entire U.S. population five times over. More than 80 percent of the grain grown in the United States is to feed livestock.

Worldchanging: A User's Guide for the 21st Century Alex Steffen See book keywords and concepts

Neither, for that matter, is the idea that a healthy environment can buffer the worst effects of natural disasters while providing critical ecosystem services [see Ecosystem Services, p. 486]. It all works together, or it doesn't work at all. The good news is that these holistic approaches are already catching on, and those who respond to crises have started thinking in multiple arenas and across multiple disciplines. Winning a war doesn't always create a useful peace.

How to end cruelty to people, animals and nature, and create a world without war and environmental destruction Mike Adams, the Health Ranger See article keywords and concepts

I believe this will occur through so-called "natural disasters," such as climate change or pandemics of infectious disease (the bird flu virus is a strong candidate). This is not nature's revenge. This is simply cause and effect of our cruelty to nature. It's a reflection of our own cruelty to nature, coming back to haunt us. When we are cruel to animals, they can't fight back. But nature is resilient when we are cruel to it. Nature doesn't fight back; it overcomes.

BeliefWorks: The Art of Living Your Dreams Ray Dodd See book keywords and concepts

History is littered with tales of creatures acting oddly before natural disasters, but the phenomenon has been hard for science to pin down. Animals do not have the human capacity to reason, but their physical senses are acute and, like us, they feel. Their feelings are intelligent, carrying simple messages like food, danger, and safe. Measurable or not, a perceptible force moves ahead of an event like a tsunami and animals seem to sense it. What we notice with our physical senses, what is apparent based on what we know from previous experience, is frequently only a portion of what is.

Toxic Childhood: How the Modern World is Damaging Our Children and What We Can Do About it Sue Palmer See book keywords and concepts

There seem so many things to worry about now -health issues, all sorts of possible accidents, crime and violence, paedophiles and other people with evil intent, natural disasters - and all of these receive copious coverage in the media. But when the gathering paranoia begins to threaten children's emotional, social and intellectual development, we have to confront the problem. One obvious way to avoid unnecessary anxiety is to limit exposure to distressing news.

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ABOUT THE CREATOR OF NATURALPEDIA: Mike Adams, the creator of this NaturalNews Naturalpedia, is the editor of NaturalNews.com, the internet's top natural health news site, creator of the Honest Food Guide (www.HonestFoodGuide.org), a free downloadable consumer food guide based on natural health principles, author of Grocery Warning, The 7 Laws of Nutrition, Natural Health Solutions, and many other books available at www.TruthPublishing.com, creator of the earth-friendly EcoLEDs company (www.EcoLEDs.com) that manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting products, founder of Arial Software (www.ArialSoftware.com), a permission e-mail technology company, creator of the CounterThink Cartoon series (www.NaturalNews.com/index-cartoons.html) and author of over 1,500 articles, interviews, special reports and reference guides available at www.NaturalNews.com. Adams' personal philosophy and health statistics are available at www.HealthRanger.org.