Welcome back everyone.
We're diving deep today into something we've all been seeing a lot of lately.
These just devastating floods all over the world.
You know, we've gotten info on Valencia, Asheville and Florida and just, wow.
What gets me is you think about the people, dozens of lives lost just in
Valencia and a crazy 96 in North Carolina.
And Florida's numbers aren't even all in yet.
Right.
It's just every time you turn on the news, it seems like another place is
underwater.
It really makes you wonder, is this like the new normal we got to get used to?
You know, what's interesting is it feels like these floods are happening more,
but it's not as simple as just more rain.
It's like all these things together.
Quite a change, yeah.
But also how we build stuff, where we build it.
And when disaster hits, who gets hit the worst?
And scientists have been saying this was coming.
A warmer planet equals more intense rain equals, well, you see the result.
Let's break that down a bit.
You said data, what kind of numbers are we looking at here?
Well, take Asheville, Hurricane Helene dumped over 14 inches of rain there.
But get this, in just a few days, that's over half their yearly average.
Just like that.
Yeah.
And then you got Chiva, Spain, wham, a whole year's worth of rain in eight hours.
We're not talking showers, it's like biblical downpour.
A year's worth in eight hours.
Geez.
And this isn't just coasts, right?
Asheville's inland.
Exactly.
It's global and it's like the effects get all tangled up.
Like in New Mexico earlier this year, it wasn't just the rain, it was because of the wildfires before.
The land was scorched, so when the rain did come, the ground couldn't soak it up.
Just mud and debris everywhere wiped out communities.
It's tragic.
One climate thing makes another one worse.
So it's a whole picture, not just the rain itself, but how it hits the land, how it interacts with,
well, everything else.
Speaking of which, I noticed in the stuff you sent, the choices we make, you know, where we build things,
that has a huge impact when these floods hit.
Huge, absolutely.
We spent so long trying to control water, dams, levees, seawalls, basically saying,
water, stay out.
But that only works so well, and sometimes it backfires.
Oh, how so?
That Miami seawall they wanted to build, for example.
Multi-billion dollar project, right, to protect from the rising seas and storm surges.
People hated the idea.
Why is that?
They didn't want their ocean view blocked.
In the end, the plan got scrapped.
Shows you, even when we know there's a risk, sometimes we just don't want to deal with it,
especially if it costs us money or a nice view.
It's always that balance, short-term wants versus long-term needs.
Plus, trying to wall off the whole coastline just seems impossible.
I mean, how could we even afford that?
You're right, it is impossible.
Yeah.
So some folks are saying, we need managed retreat.
It is.
The Isle de Gen Charles in Louisiana, that was the first US relocation because of climate change.
This whole island, it's sinking, seas rising, they finally got the funding to move inland.
But think about it, you're talking about people's whole lives, their history gone.
They got to rebuild somewhere totally new.
It's tough, makes you ask, is retreating always the right answer?
I can't imagine how hard that must be for the people involved.
It makes you wonder, can we, like, adapt, learn to live with water instead of fighting it all the time?
There are some smart ideas out there.
Hoboken, New Jersey, they've got these waterways.
New Jersey, they've got these water capture spaces built right into the city.
Basically, they're designed to soak up the rain so it doesn't overload the drains and cause floods.
And then there's England, they're turning farmland back into marshes.
Marshes are like giant sponges, right?
They soak up the floodwater, protect everything further inland.
It's working with nature instead of against it.
Those are some seriously cool solutions.
Like, there's hope there, right?
We can adapt, be smart about this.
But it takes money and making tough choices that not everybody wants to make.
That's the key, isn't it?
And sadly, not everyone can afford those choices.
The effects of these floods and climate change in general, they don't hit everyone the same.
Right, right.
Like the floods in Italy, the Emilia-Romagna region, devastating floods in 2023,
over 8.5 billion euros in damage, and then, boom, a year later, flood it again.
Shows you even rich countries.
They're struggling with how often these things happen and how bad they're getting.
And then you look at what's happening in parts of Africa.
Oh, man, it's just, it's rough.
Those recent floods across the Sahel, all those countries, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon,
that's a whole different level of disaster.
Yeah, it's heartbreaking.
Thousands dead, millions displaced, and that's on top of the poverty, the conflict,
the lack of infrastructure they're already dealing with.
It's a brutal cycle.
The more vulnerable you are, the harder it is to recover,
which makes you even more vulnerable next time.
It just makes you realize this needs a global response.
Sending aid is just the start.
We got to fix the root causes, or this will never end.
Exactly.
We can't just worry about our own backyard.
It's a global problem.
It needs global solutions.
One thing that really got me thinking was a quote from,
he's a flood manager, I think, said,
the biggest roadblocks to fixing this are irrationality and elections.
What do you think he meant by that?
He hit the nail on the head.
It's so hard to get people and governments to care about a problem in the future,
especially if fixing it now costs a lot or is inconvenient.
It's easier to ignore it and hope it goes away, even though we know it won't.
And the elections part, that's because politicians are always thinking about the next election,
not what's going to happen 10, 20 years down the line.
So how do we change that?
How do we break out of this cycle of just reacting to disaster after disaster?
That's the million dollar question, isn't it?
We need a whole different way of thinking, a whole different approach.
It's not about controlling nature.
It's about working with it, adapting to it, and most importantly, talking about it,
making people aware, pushing our leaders to do something.
Okay, I'm with you on that, but let's get specific.
What can we do?
What does this better approach look like in the real world?
For one, we got to stop thinking we can just build our way out of this,
bigger walls, stronger dams.
We got to work with water, not against it.
That might mean designing cities with more natural stuff built in.
Parks, wetlands, green roofs, stuff that soaks up the rain instead of just shunting it away.
So instead of seeing water as the enemy, it's like part of the city, part of the landscape?
Exactly.
And it means being smarter about where we build stuff in the first place.
Stop building in flood zones.
And when we do build, make sure it can handle some water.
Most importantly, we got to invest in early warning systems,
especially for the places that get hit hardest.
Right.
It's not just about stopping floods.
It's being ready when they happen.
Warnings, evacuation plans, knowing what to do, having the resources to do it.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
And there's a human side too.
After a disaster, people need help, not just to rebuild homes and businesses,
but to deal with the trauma, the emotional toll.
It's all connected.
So it's this big multi-layered approach from how we plan our cities to how we take care of each other.
It's complex.
Yeah, but it's not impossible.
There are solutions, and there are amazing people all over the world who are making them happen.
That's good to hear, because it can get pretty overwhelming thinking about all this.
It feels like we've covered a lot in this first part of our deep dive,
but I bet we've only just scratched the surface, haven't we?
Just getting started, there's so much more to explore.
From the nitty-gritty of climate science to the ripple effects these floods have on people's lives,
their livelihoods, everything.
And there are some really cool examples of how people are adapting,
innovating, finding ways to not just survive, but actually thrive.
Well, I'm ready to learn more, and I know our listeners are too.
So let's take a quick pause here, and when we come back, we'll keep diving deep into this world of floods,
climate change, and the future of our planet.
Welcome back to our deep dive into this, well, deluge of consequences, I guess you could call it.
Before we took that little break, we were talking about needing to get smarter about how we deal with floods,
be more proactive, work together better.
You're saying how we got to stop thinking we can just control nature,
that we should be working with it instead.
Which, honestly, sounds good in theory, but it's kind of hard to picture what that actually means.
What does that look like in the real world?
It's about realizing that we can't engineer our way out of every problem.
It's not just about bigger dams and higher seawalls, it's more about, hmm,
I guess recognizing that water is powerful, and sometimes the smartest thing to do is
let it do its thing, give it the space it needs.
Okay, so far so good, but give me some examples.
What can cities or people actually do to work with water, not against it?
One thing that's getting a lot of attention is the idea of sponge cities.
Sponge cities, that's a new one on me.
Yeah, it's a pretty new concept, but it's catching on.
Basically, you design cities so they can soak up the rain, hold on to it,
instead of just trying to get rid of it as fast as possible.
There are all sorts of ways to do this, like green roofs, special pavements that let water through,
and bringing back wetlands and forests within cities.
So it's like taking inspiration from nature, right?
Like how a forest floor soaks up so much rain before it even runs off.
Exactly, and it's not just about floods either.
Sponge cities that can help clean the water cool things down in those urban heat islands,
and just make cities nicer places to be.
And that's pretty cool, it sounds like everybody wins.
It's got a lot of potential, and we're seeing some really creative examples of it,
like Rotterdam in the Netherlands, they've made these water squares.
They're like public parks when it's dry, but when it rains hard,
they turn into these temporary ponds.
Wow, so they're actually making their parks part of the flood control system.
That's wild.
Yeah, it's pretty neat.
And it doesn't always have to be some huge project either.
Even small stuff can help, like if more people put in rain gardens or rain barrels at their houses,
that can really add up and make a difference with the runoff.
Stuff that anyone can do, right? You don't need to be an engineer or have tons of money.
This is starting to make sense, how changing the way we think about things can lead to real solutions.
And it's not just cities either.
Out in the country, you can restore wetlands and flood plains.
Those are great at absorbing water and replenishing the groundwater.
And along the coasts, protecting those mangrove forests,
they're like natural barriers against storm surges.
It really seems like nature has a lot to teach us, doesn't it?
Absolutely. And there's already a ton of people and groups out there working on these nature-based
solutions. It's about getting those ideas out there, scaling them up,
making them part of how we deal with floods, period.
You said earlier that this isn't just an engineering problem, right? It's social and political too.
You got it. You could have the best floodproof tech in the world,
but if you don't deal with the human side of things, the social stuff, the politics,
well, you're not going to solve the problem.
Okay, so what are some of those social and political things? And how do we start fixing them?
One of the biggest ones is poverty and inequality.
Think about it. If you're poor, you might not have the money to prepare for a flood
or to recover afterwards. You might be living in a house that's not built well, easy to damage,
and often those are the folks who get hit hardest when disaster strikes.
It's that cycle we talked about, right? The more vulnerable you are, the worse it hits you,
which makes you even more vulnerable.
Exactly. And that's why we have to deal with poverty and inequality.
It's not just the right thing to do. It's also about resilience.
If a community is strong and everyone has a fair shot, they can handle shocks better,
they can recover faster.
So things like social programs, make sure everyone has a decent place to live,
helping communities grow in a healthy way. That's not just like charity.
It's actually a key part of dealing with climate change.
You got it. And it's not just about what the government does either.
It's about giving communities the power to help themselves.
Community disaster preparedness programs, neighborhood groups, local projects to restore
nature, that kind of stuff.
I like that, the community part. It's not just about concrete and steel.
It's about people looking out for each other, having those strong connections.
That's it. And it's about making sure people have a say in the decisions that affect them.
Too often, the experts and the officials, they come up with plans without even talking to the
people who are going to be most affected. That's got to change.
Yeah, that makes sense. If people feel like they're part of the solution,
they're going to be more involved, more willing to go along with it,
and they'll trust the information they're getting more to, right?
You got it. And then there's the political side.
We need leaders who are thinking long term, not just about the next election.
We need policies that make sustainable development the easy choice, the smart choice,
and that discourage risky stuff like building in flood zones.
And we got to hold those leaders accountable, make sure they're actually doing what needs to be done.
Which brings us back to that quote, the one about irrationality in elections.
It's tough to say optimistic when you see all the political fighting and short-term thinking,
you know? It's a challenge, for sure. But there's good stuff happening, too.
More and more people are demanding action on climate change.
They want sustainable communities that can handle whatever comes their way.
And we are seeing progress, especially at the local level, cities and towns doing some really
innovative things. It shows us that a better future is possible.
That does give me some hope. So, big picture. What are the main things you hope people are
getting out of this deep dive? Well, first off, I hope they're realizing
just how complicated this whole issue is. Floods, they're not just about rain,
they're tied into climate change, they're tied into social problems, political decisions,
all kinds of things. And it's not all doom and gloom, right?
Right. There are solutions, and people all over the world are putting them into practice.
It's going to be tough, no doubt, but I really believe we can figure this out.
Not just survive, but actually thrive in the world that's coming.
That's good to hear. Now, what about each of us? Just regular folks. What can we do to help?
Tons of stuff, even if it seems small. Learn about the risks where you live,
get your house and family ready in case something happens.
Support groups that are working on climate change, helping communities become more resilient.
We talked about how deforestation makes floods worse. What about just how we live our lives,
what we buy, what we eat, that kind of thing? That's huge. We can all try to lessen our impact
on the planet, everything from the food on our plate to how we get around. It all adds up.
So it's not just about governments and big companies. It's about what each of us does every
day. Exactly. Every bit counts. And when enough of us start making those changes,
it really starts to make a difference. I like that. It's empowering. It's not about waiting
for someone else to fix it. It's about taking responsibility, doing what we can.
And don't forget the power of your voice. Talk to your friends and family about this stuff,
share what you're learning, contact your elected officials, make some noise. We can all be part
of making things better. We can all be part of pushing for that better future. You got it.
Knowledge is power. The more we understand about all this, the better we'll be able to handle the
challenges ahead. This has been a really eye-opening conversation, learned a lot. And I feel like
we've just scratched the surface. There's always more to dig into. But before we wrap up, I want
to shift gears a bit. We've talked a lot about the risks, the bad stuff. But are there any good
things that could come out of this? Any opportunities hidden within this whole crisis?
Ooh, that's a good question. And I think that deserves its own deep dive.
Welcome back to the deep dive. Feels like we've, I don't know, gone through a lot already.
The science of all this crazy rain, how to make communities tougher. And I still have so many
questions. But that's how it goes with the deep dive, right? There's always more to find, more
connections to make. Before the break, you said there might be some, I don't know, good things
that come out of this whole mess. That even with all the damage and the uncertainty, there could be
some like silver linings. Honestly, I hadn't thought about it that way. It's easy to focus on the bad
stuff, especially when you see how big these disasters are getting. But you know, a lot of
times when there's a crisis, it makes people get creative. We got to think differently, break out
of our old habits. And that's where the new solutions come from. So what kind of opportunities
are we talking about here? Well, for one, it's making us rethink how we deal with water, like
fundamentally. For so long, we treated it as a problem, something to get rid of, to control.
We built cities to push water away as fast as possible, instead of working with how it naturally
wants to move. Yeah, it's like we tried to shut water out completely, instead of seeing it as part
of, you know, the whole system, the ecosystem. Exactly. And that kind of thinking has caused
problems. But now we're starting to realize, you can't just keep building bigger walls and stronger
dams forever. We got to learn how to live with water, adapt to it, use its power, instead of
always fighting it. And that's where the opportunities come in, right? 100%. This whole crisis is
pushing us to innovate, come up with ideas that we wouldn't have even thought of otherwise.
Like, what if we could build cities that don't just survive floods, but actually use them to their
advantage? Okay, now you're really getting me curious. How could a city actually benefit from
a flood? Think about it. What if you had rooftop gardens, green spaces all over, built to soak
up the rain and filter it too, you could grow food right there in the city. And when it floods,
those same spaces help absorb the water less damage. So it's like the flood water becomes a
resource, not just this destructive thing. Exactly. It's a totally different way of thinking,
not fear, not resistance, but like working together with nature. And are there places
actually doing this? This isn't just like sci-fi stuff, right? Oh, it's real. And it's happening
all over China. They're building these sponge cities designed from the ground up to absorb
and hold rainwater. It's a mix of natural stuff and new tech. It's really cool. And the Netherlands,
they've been dealing with floods forever. They've got floating houses, even floating farms.
Floating farms. You're kidding, right? Nope. They're these self-sufficient platforms,
basically, grow food on them, and they just rise and fall with the water level, totally floodproof.
And you can put them in places where you couldn't grow stuff before, like right on the coast or
flood plains. That's incredible. Like turning a problem into, I don't know, an advantage. You got it.
And it's not just the tech stuff either. This crisis is making us rethink how our whole society
works, how our economy works, to make things fairer and make our communities stronger, able to
bounce back better. Give me an example of that. Like, what would that look like in real life?
Okay, think about how we rebuild after a disaster. Usually, the rich people, the rich communities,
they get back on their feet faster, right? The poorest, they get left behind. What if we use
these disasters as a chance to make things better, make things more just? So not just rebuilding the
same old stuff, but building back better than before. Exactly. Affordable housing, green spaces
that help with flooding and make life nicer, community programs so people are ready for the
next one, jobs in clean energy, transportation that doesn't pollute so much. This crisis,
it could be the push we need to make some real positive change.
That's, wow, that's a really hopeful way to look at it. Turning this disruption, this scary stuff,
into a chance to change things for the better. And it's not just about the big picture stuff
either. It's about what we do each of us every day. You know, I've been thinking about that too.
It's easy to feel helpless, like our little choices don't matter that much with a problem this big.
I get that, but I honestly believe every action, every choice, even the small ones,
they matter. It all sends ripples out, you know? So what are some things we can do,
like practically, to be part of the solution? First thing, learn. The more we understand about
climate change, about what's causing these floods, the smarter choices we can make.
Read up on it, listen to podcasts like this one, talk to people who know their stuff,
and then turn that knowledge into action. Exactly. Change how you live, cut down on energy use,
buy stuff that's made sustainably, support companies that are trying to do the right thing,
and speak up. Right. Let our leaders know that we care about this stuff. Yes. Talk to your friends
and family, write to your elected officials, support the groups that are out there working on this
every day. We can all push for a better future, a more sustainable future. It's realizing that,
yeah, it's a big problem, but we're not helpless, we're not powerless, we all have a part to play.
And we're not alone. There are tons of people all over the world who want the same things we do.
Working together, I really believe we can make a difference. This has been, wow,
just a really insightful conversation I feel like I've learned a lot. Glad to hear it. It's been
great talking about all this with you. And with our listeners, of course. Yeah. So as we wrap up
this deep dive, I want to leave everyone with one last thought. We talked about the dangers,
the risks, all the tough stuff. But at the end of the day, this is bigger than just floods,
bigger than just climate change. It's about how we humans relate to the natural world.
And it's about our responsibility to take care of this planet, our only home.
Couldn't have said it better myself. So listeners, as you go about your day,
think about how you can be part of making things better. What little changes can you make? How can
you use your voice to push for change? And how can you connect with other people who are working
towards that better, more sustainable future? Remember, even small actions can have a big
impact. And together, we can create a world where we don't just survive these challenges,
we thrive in spite of them. This has been the deep dive. Thanks for listening and stay curious.