Don’t cut off science that protects us all

This substack is not about politics and will rarely slip into that world. It is about the oceans and exploring other cultures, both of which mean a lot to me.

But this is one of those times when the two cross paths.

Recently there’s been a lot of discussion about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts and why some people think they are bad. And why they are doing their best to cancel them out.

Lost in that, though, are the efforts to undermine science and research, especially as it applies to understanding the world’s climate. You may deny that civilization has had anything to do with climate change over the past 100 years — you are wrong — but I don’t know how you can look at the rapid fire weather and climate related calamities recently and say that nothing is changing.

Efforts to cut funding to NASA, NOAA and the National Weather Service are incredibly short-sighted. We are seeing it play out in real time but here is what is on page 664 of Project 2025. (Better watch the video above before someone makes NASA pull it down.)

“The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) should be dismantled and many of its functions eliminated, sent to other agencies, privatized, or placed under the control of states and territories.”

If you don’t know, the National Weather Service is part of NOAA.

As I’m writing this today, we are expecting possibly historic rain that will cause flooding. That is according to the NWS. If these efforts were left to the states, would I even know this was coming? Would river towns and flood control dams even have time to prepare?

I’ve seen coral reefs bleached and dying. I’ve seen mangroves dying from saltwater intrusion caused by sea level rise. There are towns along the Mississippi that have to filter salt water out of their water intakes because the ocean is pushing the mighty river back — a result of drought and sea level rise. Houses along the Outer Banks of North Carolina are falling into the ocean.

Droughts followed by torrential rains that run off instead of soaking in, both where I live in the east and on the West Coast, are devastating communities. Especially in places where water tables are hundreds of feet lower than they were 100 years ago. The ground is sinking beneath us.

Cutting off research and scientific discussion because you don’t like what it may tell you is literally cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I don’t know about you, but I would much rather be prepared for what is coming and allow people a whole lot smarter than I am to give me options about how to prepare then wait for the next wave to hit and take out the pillars under my house causing it to fall into the ocean.

Right now, I’m worried about my neighbors. It won’t be the first time I’ve had to shovel mud out of someone’s house. But having time to prepare and move their belongings to the second floor of their house so they don’t get ruined by flood waters is all dependent on scientists from NOAA, NASA and the National Weather Service.

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