Out and About
I’m glad my column last week stimulated conversation, hence our letter to the editor and several emails and comments that didn’t want to go public.
One email pointed out the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano eruption that I have never heard of before, but we probably should have.
Tonga is in the South Pacific, so it couldn’t get much farther than Florida. However, it was a marvel to behold – and unpredictable and uncontrollable, basically, an act of God.
According to NASA, “The underwater eruption in the South Pacific Ocean also blasted an enormous plume of water vapor into Earth’s stratosphere – enough to fill more than 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
The sheer amount of water vapor could be enough to temporarily affect Earth’s global average temperature.” They hadn’t seen anything like it. “This extra water vapor could influence atmospheric chemistry, boosting certain chemical reactions that could temporarily worsen depletion of the ozone layer. It could also influence surface temperatures.”
The connection between volcanic eruptions and weather changes is well-established. And, unavoidable. Ancient humans used to throw other humans into volcanoes in an effort to keep them from erupting – or to at least help them be less volatile.
Maybe that made them feel like they did the best they could with the knowledge they had at the time, but it wasn’t the cure. Volcanoes are destructive at the time of eruption, but they serve many functions that if not for them, we may not exist.
Volcanoes help cool the earth, removing heat from its interior. Also, they create the water of the oceans, make land, and some deposits are used as building materials. I’m not a geologist but I’d have to say that Volcanoes are ultimately – good for us.
During my research I found entire websites helping people combat climate change deniers of which I am not. My opinion is that the people that think they can control the climate are the deniers. Climate changes! That is a fact.
Just when you think you have it under control a volcano erupts – figuratively and sometimes, actually. In case you hadn’t heard, our Ozone layer is healing – itself. And Science Daily reports that “New research reveals fires were more common 300 million years ago, than they are today…before dinosaurs. What man caused those fires? Anyway, I could go on and on, but I know, it is hot outside, and we feel out of control so we have to blame something or someone, or not.
In other news, my husband’s Casio watch band broke and I went on Amazon to buy a new one and it was cheaper to buy him the exact same digital watch, with the watch band and a 10-year battery than to buy the watch band. So, I bought the watch – duh.
But there is some deeper meaning here…something about a throw away society, or maybe we have advanced to the point that when something breaks – just replace it – don’t fix it. If you see a deeper meaning, feel free to expound on this subject or any other with a letter to the editor.
We are all abuzz in the office getting ready for our high school prep sports for the fall. Enjoy the Fall Sports Guide included in this issue. It has been worked on for the past two months.
We are hoping to have this printed on something other than newsprint next year. The covers are awesome thanks to our awesome team. We will have them available to purchase at our website, www.yourcommunityphotos.com.
There are lots of photos there, please make time to browse.
Quote of the Week: “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. C.S. Lewis. (1898-1963) British writer, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian.