Designing and building structures for the new normal weather
I worked at a ski resort in Sierra Madres of California. In certain mountain passes and small communities such as Lee Vining, CA it was not uncommon to have winds well over 100mph. The only structures which routinely survived such winds were a type of low profile A-frame.
As I watch Sandy unfold I think about how little has been done to prepare for this type of weather. We have argued, studied, delayed and denied that this was happening but here it is again. As a society we seem to collectively forget that time has passed and we have had many examples of more extreme weather, many opportunities to rebuild in ways which accept the new reality.
We need to stop pretending that the effects of global warming are some theoretical monster lurking 20 years in the future. We have done almost nothing to prepare for Sandy and the even larger weather disturbances which will follow her. If anything good can come out of this storm I hope it will be a renewed interest in surviving global warming.
