Week 8 - Matt Bulow - San Diego

This week I was asked to go 5,000 years into the future in order to investigate the effects of climate change, if any, on the coastal city of San Diego. I agreed without hesitation, because who in their right mind would turn down the chance to time travel? I with out a doubt regret my decision though. Luckily I time traveled in a row boat which started out as a joke, but was needed immediately upon my arrival. When I left 2020, we had an estimated 10-20 years in order to reduce and reverse the effects of green house gasses. In the year 7020, it doesn't look like we were successful. Upon my arrival and abrupt introduction to the Pacific Ocean, I found myself having to paddle my way for about 30 miles or so to land. Below me, I could see what was left of the city and could even make out some smaller suburbs. When I reached the new shore of California, I found myself in a town called Oceanside. In 2020, this place is called Lakeside, but 7020 seems to have a sick sense of humor which I suppose is better than none at all. When I reached Oceanside, I was greeted by a 30 ft sea wall. The locals had to lower me down a rope ladder for me to climb up and inside. The seawall is how much of California has been dealing with the rising tides. According to some locals, there were attempts and building others that weren't as tall but as the tides grew higher and the people got pushed back they had to build more that were taller than the previous. This is apparently the third structure built. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay much longer due to most of my time being taken up by paddling. It seems that greed and human "need" has done us in the future and I don't see a way it can be reversed. I hope that my first hand account to the global warming aftermath finally opens the eyes of the world and pushes for efforts sooner rather than later. After my trip this week, I think I will be taking a break from traveling and blogging for awhile. I am going to spend some time installing some solar panels for my home and invest in a 10-speed.

-Matt