In Puerto Rico, 3.4 million Americans are without electricity after Hurricane Maria, like a 50-mile wide tornado, virtually obliterated the island's infrastructure. Essentials like food and water are nearly impossible to distribute, especially to the parts of the island that were hit the hardest. Local officials worry they may not reach everyone in time. Yet Donald Trump remained silent all weekend on the worst U.S. humanitarian crisis since Hurricane Katrina crushed New Orleans. Instead, the president obsessed over whether football players stand or kneel during the national anthem.
As images documenting Maria's aftermath begin to appear, we see utter devastation. Although some troops and supplies have reached the island, the response has been grossly inadequate. When Irma and Harvey struck the U.S. mainland, we were all inspired to see people from neighboring communities and states racing to assist those in need -- and indeed in Puerto Rico friends and neighbors have worked tirelessly to flush floodwater from homes, remove debris from the streets, and assist elderly neighbors. But they can only do so much. In the coming weeks and months, it will be largely up to the federal government to determine how many of our fellow Americans will survive and how soon the island can begin to recover.
Many in Puerto Rico are cut off from the outside world right now. Social media and the radio are filled with desperate messages from families that haven’t been able to reach one another. The only good thing about that situation is that they don't know that the president of the United States -- their president -- doesn't seem to give a damn about them.
My family and I had the privilege of visiting Puerto Rico a few years ago. We went there to attend a festival organized by the Sierra Club's Puerto Rico chapter to celebrate the endangered leatherback sea turtle. We'll never forget the warm welcome we received. People were proud of their beautiful island, and they had worked hard for years on a grassroots campaign to protect one of the last unspoiled parts of their coastline, the Northeast Ecological Corridor. Thanks to them, the beaches there continue to host turtle nests instead of more hotels, condos, and golf courses.
I can only hope that as more details emerge about the horrific damage to the island and the desperation of its people, Donald Trump -- or whoever is attempting to manage him these days -- will be shamed into action. This emergency demands an all-out effort -- not vague assurances of support.
Even if the federal government does do all that it can and should right now, though, Puerto Rico will face years and possibly decades on a long, tough road to recovery. The long-term goal should not be to simply patch things up. We have an opportunity to build a stronger and more resilient Puerto Rico. For instance, replacing the island's old, unreliable electrical grid with 100% clean renewable energy would be healthier for both the economy and the people (a five-story mountain of uncovered, toxic coal ash was one of our biggest worries as the hurricane approached). Amazingly, this beautiful, sunny island gets most of its power from coal and diesel oil. We can and should do better for the people of Puerto Rico.
For now, though, let's focus on getting Puerto Rico (as well as the Virgin Islands and our other Caribbean neighbors) the basic humanitarian assistance that they desperately need. In just the past few days, Sierra Club members and supporters have donated $300,000 to support on-the-ground relief and recovery efforts for communities in Maria’s path. If you haven't already, you can contribute here.