A YEAR LATER …
Mother Nature dealt Japan a severe blow on March 11, 2011 when a tsunami and earthquake destroyed communities, reconfigured shorelines and took the lives of many good people.
The dimensions of the disastrous event were immediately apparent: buildings collapsed and nuclear plants malfunctioned, while automobiles, other machinery and debris floated through towns, carried away by the raging waters.
As the anniversary of that fateful day approaches, scientists are concerned that tsunami trash will soon invade Hawaii’s coastal environment. The potential damage goes beyond the pristine beaches and marine life that make the islands so beautiful. The junk armada is so enormous that it may also disrupt the maritime industry. The costs could be monumental.
While visiting clients in Asia last year, I landed at the Narita International Airport in Tokyo just minutes before the earthquake and the tsunami had struck. We soon realized that something terrible had happened and knew we would be stranded for hours as all air traffic shut down.
Fortunately, our episode was a mere inconvenience and the next day we boarded a plane for Los Angeles.
10 HOURS LATER …
My flight to safety lasted about 10 hours and I was relieved to be home.
But the appearance of tsunami trash on course to impact American shores is evermore evidence that human trauma doesn’t strike fast and then conveniently fade away.
In today’s world, the aftermath floats like a slow boat toward the paradise of sunny days and calm. Its ominous pace suggests that when confronted with outsized loss we might naturally wish to look away or run. But we can’t hide.
