Field Notes: Chapters 5-6

According to GISS, more and more droughts are being triggered, which we are not able to adapt to with our way of living. This problem in ancient civilizations, such as with the Mayans and in the city of Shekhna, when they reached their technological peak. In the beginning of chapter 5, Kolbert talks of the city and the Mayans, but I'm not pleased with the way she went about presenting the subject. She started off long and her point seemed to be off topic. I felt I was reading a history book.

Kolbert's style of writing is very narrative and sentimental in chapter 5. When describing everything from the ancient civilizations that have experienced climate change to her visit GISS, an outpost of the NASA. She uses scientific evidence based on geological models that chart the geographic downfall of other ancient civilizations, which better supports her her angle, which gets a bit confusing. The evidence wasn't being processed and I would have to repeatedly read again to try and understand the evidence she is presenting. During ancient times, however, the technology had yet to be developed and they did not have the proper scientific abilities to adapt to extreme changes like a massive drought. Kolbert argues that we may be technologically advanced, but as we continue to progress, we are becoming more and more destructive to the environment as well.


In chapter six, Kolbert visits the Netherlands where the Dutch have made many provisions to prevent the increasing problem of widespread flooding. In this chapter, she was more consistent and straight-forward. Unlike the previous chapter, Kolbert explained everything easily and all her information wasn't as puzzling. Her writing style contributes to that success. She smoothly presented the evidence and made it an easy-read.

I learned the two main problems for the widespread flooding are caused by warming water that leads to expansion and raises the sea level, another is due to precipitation changes produced by a warming Earth. Eelke Turkstra, water-ministry official, believes that instead of building more dikes, the existing dikes should be dismantled to make room for the rising water. He wants to buy polders, land that has been laboriously reclaimed from the water, from farmers and lower surrounding dikes around them to create more area for the rising water. Then, Kolbert talks to Chris Zevenbergen, Dura Vermeer's environmental director, who creates amphibious homes which will float on the water if a flood were to occur. She ends the chapter being very descriptive about the how the floating houses looked, once again she played my eyes and ears. She closed with a great quote from a woman who lives in those houses. Despite her history lessons and somewhat difficult science jargon, Kolbert still manages to prove her superb science writing