Healing Our World Commentary: With Terrorism, the Earth Suffers Too

By Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D.

With Terrorism, the Earth Suffers Too

We seek a renewed stirring of life for the earth
We plead that what we are capable of doing is
not always what we ought to do.
We urge that all people now determine
that a wide untrammeled freedom shall remain
to testify that this generation has love for the next.
If we want to succeed in that, we might show, meanwhile,
a little more love for this one, and for each other.
-- Nancy Newhall

The tragedies of the last few days have given us all much to think about. As we mourn and send our heartfelt condolences to those who have suffered from the terrible violence of this week, we are all wondering about the future. Now, evidence has surfaced that the health of those in New York - and especially the rescue workers - is in jeopardy from the vast amounts of toxic materials released when the World Trade Center towers collapsed.

The ideas of safety and security have once again been shattered. Yet for those of you who have been concerned about the reckless direction of our consumer based society and the endless toxic onslaughts to our world and to our bodies, you know that feeling well.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 (Photo © Bill Halliwell)

Breathing problems can result from particles of cement, earth and other matter by clogging the nose and throat. The eyes can also be damaged by particles scratching the cornea.

Gases and smoke from the fire and explosions are also highly toxic, containing dioxins, PCBs, volatile organic compounds, jet fuel, and many other toxic compounds from the building materials and offices. These irritants can trigger breathing spasms, asthma attacks, and untold future problems for those who inhale them.

The 2,000 degree fire that resulted when the jets that hit the World Trade Center towers exploded may also have created many combinations of toxic materials of unknown effect.

Inhaling asbestos can cause asbestosis, a scarring of the lungs, lung cancer; and cancer of the esophagus, stomach, and colon. When a person inhales asbestos, even one microscopic fiber, it irritates the lining of the lungs. To compensate, the lungs form scar tissue around the irritated areas. If the scar tissue eventually surrounds the entire lung, the victim won't be able to breathe properly.

EPA spokesperson Bonnie Bellows told ABC news that EPA officials "really don't detect any real danger" in air and dust tests and that there were "very low" levels of asbestos. Then she said, "The main risk is exposure to asbestos over long periods of time. It takes years of exposure in an occupation, and its takes many years before the onset of any kind of disease."

But other studies show it only takes one asbestos fiber in a lung to create a deadly health problem in the future. Once again, we get conflicting information from the agency charged to protect our health.

Terrorist attacks have been wreaking havoc on the environment - and ultimately on our health - for many years.

During the Gulf War in 1990 to 1991, the environment of Kuwait was devastated when oil wells were intentionally set on fire by Iraqi forces. The landscape, soil, plants and animals were severely damaged when the invading forces exploded and ignited more than 700 oil wells, releasing deadly fumes into the atmosphere and polluting much of the country. The exploded wells sent vast amounts of oil onto the land surfaces and into waterways.

Landsat image of the Kuwait oil fields afire February 23, 1991 (Photo courtesy U.S. Geological Survey)

While we send our thoughts of support and comfort to the victims and their families and pray for peace in this troubled world, our thoughts will naturally drift towards the meaning of these tragedies and their aftermath. Unexpected consequences will continue to surface.

For example, a bizarre repercussion of shutting down the nation's air travel system has arisen: for the first time since the start of air travel, our skies were clear of noise and the millions of pounds of pollution spewed out every day by thousands of plane trips.

Our atmosphere and bodies are experiencing cleaner air that is unprecedented since the start of the Industrial Revolution nearly 400 years ago. The ripple effect is dramatic as the ecosystems of the Earth got a break from the daily toxic onslaught that comes from air travel alone.

While this effect does not justify or lessen the terrible tragedies, it can serve as a positive point to ponder in our grief. We can also notice that even though some of our lives have been disrupted by the absence of tens of thousands of planes filling our skies, we have survived. We have stayed closer to home, sent more love in the direction of our families, friends, and fellow community members, and thought about our futures and our reasons for being.

We could choose to do that every day.

As the planes again take flight, by all means, get your loved ones who might be stranded back to you. But then, maybe you might want to consider canceling that trip you had planned and just staying home with your family and friends, surrounding them, and yourself, with love and compassion.

Lower Patuxent River, Maryland (Photo courtesy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

No amount of counseling will be sufficient if one surrounds oneself with only concrete and technology. Only through feeling one's bare feet firmly on Mother Earth will we find a safe space to grieve and renewed strength to go on into the future, realizing that we are part of a great cycle of life. That power is there for us all at any time, day or night.

These are terrible times and the perpetrators of these horrible acts must be held accountable, but our nation's response needs to be tempered by reason so that other innocent wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, and children are not killed by vengeance driven actions.

Rage and indignation must be acknowledged, but they don't have to be acted upon. Feeling the earth beneath our feet can help remind us, at a planetary level, that we must find ways to exist together, as part of the web of life.

RESOURCES

1. The Environment News Service covered the story about the EPA's reaction to the air quality around the fallen buildings at http://ens-news.com/ens/sep2001/2001L-09-13-04.html

2. Read a detailed description of the effect of the Kuwait oil fires at http://www.cas.usf.edu/envir_sci_policy/esprogram/espcourse/Omar2.htm

3. Check out resources to help you redefine your future at http://www.islandpress.com/ecocompass/dream.html

4. Find out who your Congressional representatives are and e-mail them. Tell them you don't want rage and vengeance, but carefully thought out justice. If you know your Zip code, you can find them at http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ziptoit.html.

{Jackie Alan Giuliano, Ph.D. is a writer and teacher in Seattle. He can be found feeling grateful his son is only four months old and doesn't have to have these events explained - yet. Please send your thoughts, comments, and visions to him at jackie@healingourworld.com and visit his web site at http://www.healingourworld.com}