The Next Super Moon's Environmental Impact

The Super Moon that captivated the world in November 2016 was the closest the moon had been to Earth since 1948. All over the world, record "king tides" were reported as a result. There won't be another Super Moon until November 25 2034 but climatologists are already issuing warnings about that event and the kind of flooding it might cause. Current estimates are that the tides will rise to half a foot higher during the 2034 Super Moon than they did during the most recent event. In many low lying areas, these high tides could be devastating. Miami Florida is already looking into preparations, with a plan to install $400 million dollars worth of pumps there, but the whole state of Florida could be at risk due to the geography of wetlands and waterfront communities.

The Super Moon is a rare event, but climate change is not. As a result of warming tempertures, sea water levels are rising and that salt water is currently leaking into the groundwater supply and contaminating the drinking water many cities rely on. Working on reducing dependence of fossil fuels and finding alternate energy sources will be a must in the coming years. While environmentalists have been issuing predictions for years, what might actually spur action is the business community. When insurance companies can no longer take the risk of insuring flood prone areas, the economic impact might be what finally results in real action on climate change.