Catastrophe in the Making [recurso electrónico] The Engineering of Katrina and the Disasters of Tomorrow

When houses are flattened, towns submerged, and people stranded without electricity or even food, we attribute the suffering to "natural disasters" or "acts of God." But what if they're neither? What if we, as a society, are bringing these catastrophes on ourselves? That's the provocative theory of Catastrophe in the Making, the first book to recognize Hurricane Katrina not as a "perfect storm," but a tragedy of our own making--and one that could become commonplace. The authors, one a longtime New Orleans resident, argue that breached levees and sloppy emergency response are just the most obvious examples of government failure. The true problem is more deeply rooted and insidious, and stretches far beyond the Gulf Coast. Based on the false promise of widespread prosperity, communities across the U.S. have embraced all brands of "economic development" at all costs. In Louisiana, that meant development interests turning wetlands into shipping lanes. By replacing a natural buffer against storm surges with a 75-mile long, obsolete canal that cost hundreds of millions of dollars, they guided the hurricane into the heart of New Orleans and adjacent communities. The authors reveal why, despite their geographic differences, California and Missouri are building--quite literally--toward similar destruction. Too often, the U.S. "growth machine" generates wealth for a few and misery for many. Drawing lessons from the most expensive "natural" disaster in American history, Catastrophe in the Making shows why thoughtless development comes at a price we can ill afford.

When houses are flattened, towns submerged, and people stranded without electricity or even food, we attribute the suffering to "natural disasters" or "acts of God." But what if they're neither? What if we, as a society, are bringing these catastrophes on ourselves?That's the provocative theory of Catastrophe in the Making, the first book to recognize Hurricane Katrina not as a "perfect storm, " but a tragedy of our own making—and one that could become commonplace. The authors, one a longtime New Orleans resident, argue that breached levees and sloppy emergency response are just the most obvious examples of government failure. The true problem is more deeply rooted and insidious, and stretches far beyond the Gulf Coast.Based on the false promise of widespread prosperity, communities across the U.S. have embraced all brands of "economic development" at all costs. In Louisiana, that meant development interests turning wetlands into shipping lanes. By replacing a natural buffer against storm surges with a 75-mile long, obsolete canal that cost hundreds of millions of dollars, they guided the hurricane into the heart of New Orleans and adjacent communities. The authors reveal why, despite their geographic differences, California and Missouri are building—quite literally—toward similar destruction.Too often, the U.S. "growth machine" generates wealth for a few and misery for many. Drawing lessons from the most expensive "natural" disaster in American history, Catastrophe in the Making shows why thoughtless development comes at a price we can ill afford.

On A Sweltering August Day In 2005, Hurricane Katrina Blasted New Orleans, Leaving Behind Devastation And Chaos. Conventional Wisdom Tells Us It Was A Tragic Case Of Nature Striking Humans, But 'catastrophe In The Making' Explains That The Conventional Wisdom Is Dangerously Wrong. Katrina Was Instead A Tragic Case Of Humans Striking Nature, And Paying Dearly For It. Worse, We Continue To Make The Same Mistakes All Across The Country, Courting Costly And Lethal Disasters--inside Cover. The First Days Of Katrina -- A Mighty Storm Hits The Shore -- The Setting -- Slicing Through The Swamps -- The Growth Machine Comes To New Orleans -- A Helpful Explosion -- The Collapse Of Engineered Systems -- The Loss Of Natural Defenses -- Critical For Economic Survival? -- The Axe In The Attic -- The End Of An Error? William R. Freudenburg ... [et Al.]. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-ix The First Days of Katrina....Pages 3-14 A Mighty Storm Hits the Shore....Pages 15-30 The Setting....Pages 31-44 Slicing Through the Swamps....Pages 45-53 The Growth Machine Comes to New Orleans....Pages 55-66 A “Helpful Explosion”....Pages 67-89 The Collapse of Engineered Systems....Pages 91-109 The Loss of Natural Defenses....Pages 111-134 Critical for Economic Survival?....Pages 135-145 The Axe in the Attic....Pages 147-161 The End of an Error?....Pages 163-170 Back Matter....Pages 171-209