Once a tidal marsh, always a tidal marsh

Spent the early evening strolling around downtown (encountering several family groups enjoying the natural disaster scene) and taking photos of flooding (and the abandoned cars of the morons who thought - "oh, that police warning doesn't apply to ME; I can get through it!" Ha, ha, joke's on you, suckah. I hold photos of numerous abandoned cars, water to the engine block, as evidence.)

But seriously folks. The political scientist Halford Mackinder wrote in 1904, "Man initiates, but nature controls." He was thinking of Eurasia, but the same idea applies locally: we have natural watercourses, and they will prevail - and if humans have tried to manipulate them, well, then let's hope they REALLY understand what's going on.

For example: I stood on Sawyer St and watched the WAVES of water cascade over the st. It looked like the man-made granite-block channel of Proctor Brook wasn't even full, but the water found its way, over the street and through the Leather City Park.

(Which suggests: wouldn't it be smart to create other relief valves or bowls of topography in which the water could pool, without harm to traffic or business? The proposed park on Walnut St could be such a relief valve, and a much more "natural" approach to our flooding problem.) Or, we could just trust the engineers. Yeah, that'll work.

Any human solution is a manmade solution by definition, but some are more respectful of natural processes than others.

reduce re-use recycle

Now that spring is in the air, this blogger is trying to lose the pounds gained over the winter while pounding the QUERTY keys instead of the pavements or the treadmill. (In short, I've been walking in the 'hood again.)

What I've noticed: people in my (downtown) neighborhood do not recycle in large numbers. Estimating, I'd say that one in 5 houses has a bin out on recycling day.

What is up with that? Are people trying to make a philosophical statement about the inefficiency of reuse (and its markets), when reduction of waste ought to be the main solution? Or are they just not convinced that a quick separation of wastes will be worthwhile for our community? Or what?

I am, as always, interested in your thoughts...