Incredbile. I had never heard of pyrophile plants EVER. The existence of plants like that must be my favorite regular freak of nature occurence now, right after the existence of sloths.
The idea that nature may not have intended for California to be flooded by large amounts of water regularly was also something I never quite heard someone say before. When I visited CA I greatly appreciated the warm and dry weather, coming from a country of endless precipitation most of the year. But it felt 'right' somehow. Also, it may shock you to hear that the amount of aerosol cover seemed way less than I had expected.
Sometimes when I look at our skies in Europe I really want to despair. It's gotten so bad in recent years.
I do not want to sound like an ideologue... but when I found out for myself that we are not opposed to nature as human beings, but rather an integral extension of each other on a fundamental level (beyond matter) this whole 'fighting the dangerous nature environment' notion has crumbled completely. We do these things because of our Western myth that we take for actuality, doing "well-meant" things which make the situation worse than it was.
It's the same reason why I do not think starting to mess with our own genetics is a good idea. Humans will never outsmart nature, and I think that was never the point of life either.
Recognition of human's relationship to it is. But what do I know?! ;)
Seeing as there are many technical solutions to grow food in a sustainable way using engineered ecosystem-approaches instead of masses of water and fertilizer, the problem could be nonexistent.
But, in the US as here, farmers have been sucked into the industry behemoth and chemtrails show up in kid's Disney movies now. Until barely anyone remembers this ever looking different.
If they are still with us:
Ask your grandmother if the skies have always looked this way!
They will remember.
Sorry, I'm starting to ramble now ;)
I thoroughly enjoyed your article and will dig more through your blog, these gems are really worth reading.
Also, good to know where to go once I decide to get in on Poker ;)
Much love