A Rain Record

It rained 0.74 inches in Seattle today breaking a date record of 0.54 set in 1949.  That was a good thing since there is also a Washington State record size fire burning in the Methow Valley called the Carlton Complex Fire.  This fire is bigger than the previous record largest fire, the Yacolt Burn, which burned 239,000 acres (373 square miles) in 1902.

There is tremendous resistance by the winners of the current status quo to prepare and reduce the effects of global warming, err, climate change.  Progress is being made on that front by several media organizations that no longer provide coverage by the doubters to the “debate” that global warming is happening.

I moved back to Seattle from Santa Barbara 26 years ago hoping that global warming would make for a warmer Seattle.  Those hopes have come true with great costs such as the years-long drought ranging from Oregon to Texas.

It was clear to many back then that humanity needed to switch from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources.  Peak oil production is predicted to happen sometime in the next 20 years.  Coal and fracking could extend fossil fuel for decades.  They are filthy polluting technologies that exact a terrible cost on local and the global environments.  Fracking has resulted in unprecedented toxic destruction of clean drinking water supplies.

I am grateful for the record rain which happened from the early morning to the early afternoon.  I love the beautiful green summers in Seattle that need summer rains to avoid costly fires.  I am also grateful for the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.