Earthly Powers

An opinion piece in the Economist was catalyzed by Europe shutting down air flight in reaction to the Iceland volcano.  It comments on the asbsence of the usual sense of human power.   The article argues that sense of limits of power was welcome by many in Europe.  (I can say that part of the appeal to me of sailing, is exactly that lack of overwhlming power to shape.) 

While the earth recovers from earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, the article discusses the much rarer events such as asteroid strike, very large volcano eruptions that reduce agricultural production and large coronal mass ejections (about every 500 years.) The distinction (and relationship to power) with global warming, however is the chance of cataclysmic climate change. Despite the limitations of our power over nature, we do need to face up to our power to prevent this catastrophy.   And like the lesson from the volcano.....we should have planned for it in advance, we need to plan now and urgently to prevent the climate change to come.

(Click on title to go to article.)