The Way of the Dodo Bird

Jonathan, things may go back to normal - years from now. But if there were ever a wake up call to develop alternate forms of energy, then this is it. Chernobyl was it, too, but few listened after the initial shock wore off as we went along our merry way.

Even the oil companies, like Chevron, have started to agree that enough may be enough. Though it makes sense for a conglomerate to jump on the bandwagon if it is the wave of the future and could reap financial rewards. The detractors say that this is a fluke, we need the energy and the safeguards are in place.

Perhaps because we have been doing the two-step with the tiger for so long, we're afraid to stop. We've known all along. We knew after Chernobyl. We knew by the increase in cancer and other radiation-related diseases, yet we kept right on knowing that we were sitting on a time bomb that one day could blow. Perhaps we were afraid that developing alternate forms of energy will leave us short, or a fear of change of fueled by politicians and lobbyists.

Yet, if the horrific events in Japan teach us one thing, it is that with all our intelligence, know how and ingenuity, in many ways we've been no smarter than the dodo bird. The meltdowns in Japan and Chernobyl were warning signals. We need to start listening and doing something before we go the way of the dodo.