It's true.
Hurricanes are now fiercer than before because of the Earth's climate change, and Americans can, and need to, help.
A new study released last week in the journal "Science" showed evidence that the average number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes increased from 10 per year in the 1970s to 18 each year after 1990, with average tropical sea surface temperatures increasing as much as 1 degree Fahrenheit in that same time.
This evidence correlates with the idea that global warming might be the cause of increased devastation from hurricanes.
We've got the proof. Why haven't we taken any action?
Hurricane Katrina seems to have been the unfortunate, yet well-needed wake-up call.
The government at all levels must re-establish its priorities to take such climate changes under consideration and better protect American homes and businesses.
In recent years, the government has focused on the visible enemy of terrorism, but as Katrina has demonstrated, nature can be just as deadly as terrorism. But there's no enemy to attack.
No one can prevent destructive weather from happening, but the government can take more proactive measures to protect homes and buildings in areas where natural disasters are likely to occur.
Hurricanes are not the only threat of nature to our homeland security.
For example, earthquakes also appear to be growing in severity in the Pacific Ocean region. Measures can be taken by the government to further protect buildings on the West Coast from the increasing danger of earthquakes or tsunamis.
To help initiate these improvements, the United States can look at other progressive countries, such as Japan, and learn from its innovations in protecting citizens.
The government needs to shift its spending to such measures as repairing and strengthening levees or increasing the strength of building structures in natural disaster-prone areas.
We might not have to continue suffering such extensive recovery and rebuilding efforts in the future if we take preemptive actions now.
Katrina probably isn't the most devastating hurricane the United States will ever see. But let's hope we can prevent worse destruction.
