Sky in the stream

A stream in Dover wends its way to the Charles River

Hurricane Sandy hit us hard here. The massive amount of tree damage meant widespread power outages and coastal flooding for many. Our power was finally restored today.  It is calm and quiet now and we have a lot of cleaning up to do.

But, we are so grateful for having sustained relatively minor damage compared to the misery and hardship others are suffering. The images we are seeing ―  for the first time after a long news blackout ―  are truly horrific. Sandy's path of destruction will impact many, many lives for some time to come.

Climate change creates unbelievable havoc, costs billions and ruins people's lives and livelihoods. It also kills people and animals. No economy can recover, never mind improve, unless we make climate change and how we contribute to it our highest priority. How many more events like this do we need to weather, pun intended, before our leaders wake up and take immediate action?

That this Presidential Election can move forward without ever addressing what is happening right before our eyes is absurd and profoundly disturbing. The deep disconnect between our need to care for the environment and our ability to thrive as a nation and as a member of the global village is something that confounds me on a daily basis. 

The solution is simple: Create jobs that help save the planet. Only then can we hope to BEGIN the most important work we will ever do as stewards of this Earth, our only home.

In the meantime, our prayers go out to those in the hardest hit areas of New York and New Jersey. Here in New England our hearts go out to you.