Preventing floods (nearly all completely preventable)
Floods are now the most common natural disaster on earth. Just one inch of water can destroy a home, and councils must pay to put people in temporary accommodation (flooded homes can carry dangerous bacteria – in the US, people even have to check homes for snakes before returning).
Yet despite flooding being made worse by climate change, in most cases they can be prevented, as happens in The Netherlands.
Did you know that tulips (like all bulbs) are toxic to pets?
Flooding can also be caused by deforestation (chopping down trees), hunting (the industry flattens water-absorbing peat bogs) and removing wetlands.
The Met Office offers flood warnings. Create a simple plan (tinned food, bottled water, pet blankets and crates). Never touch electrics and only return home, once allowed. Drinking water, washing hands, cooking or brushing your teeth could make you sick.
How The Netherlands copes with floods
Our Dutch friends over the water sit below sea level, surrounded by rivers and The North Sea. Just like in England, a huge flood in 1953 ended up killing 2000 people and many animals. So unlike here, the Dutch government made sweeping changes, so hardly anywhere now floods.
It uses an unbroken chain of dikes (formations to hold back water), sluices (sliding gates to control water), canals and pumps. Giant sea gates in Holland close, at even the whisper of a storm. Polders Polders (neat squares of reclaimed land) stay dry, thanks to tireless pumps.
Although sandbags can hold back water (or redirect it around vulnerable places), there are better inventions to use alongside:
- Floodsax inflate in 5 minutes, when filled with water. The semi-porous inner lining contains a gel that absorbs water to become taut, and moulds into doors to keep water out.
- ClimaGuard can be placed over cars, furniture or even golf clubs. Easy to use by one person, the Anchor Straps secure vehicles.
- Water-Gate Anti-Flood Barrier is powered by water pressure, requires little time and no tools or electricity. In just minutes, unfold the front flap (speed or direction of water does not matter).
How deforestation lets water run wild
Chopping down trees is rubbish, because as well as harming trees and wildlife, bare soil does not hold water well. So rain that once soaked into the ground, then races across the land and turns tiny streams into dangerous currents.
Old-growth forests are being destroyed to make everything from toilet paper to kitchen roll to notepads. So always choose zero waste (recycled) alternatives where you can, to stop this happening. Just search this site and you’ll find what you need!
Other ways to prevent floods
- Portland (Oregan) plants bioswales (shallow trenches filled with plants) to absorb rain in gutters with Green Stewards to maintain them. Not for high-clay soils and use pet-safe plants.
- Green roofs are lined with sedum to catch rain. Manchester’s Unicorn Grocery has one, which also supports local bird habitats.
- Avoid peat compost and campaign to restore local natural wetlands and other habitats like water meadows. Keep fresh compost away from pets, and read up on pet-friendly mulch.
- Also read about wild beavers (nature’s flood-reducing architects!)
It’s thought that the recent huge flood on the Nepal border was caused by a glacier melting, possibly due to climate change. Yet still we have MPs who deny climate science.
