--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even as our unwitting alterations to…" description: "\"Even as our unwitting alterations to Earth's carbon and hydrological cycles slowly make storms more damaging, our ability to monitor our planet from sp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg" --- # Even as our unwitting alterations to Earth's carbon and… ![“Even as our unwitting alterations to Earth's carbon and hydrological cycles slowly make storms more damaging, our ability to monitor our planet from space and make reliable short-term forecasts have equipped us enormously to withstand them.” quote by David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg) > “Even as our unwitting alterations to Earth's carbon and hydrological cycles slowly make storms more damaging, our ability to monitor our planet from space and make reliable short-term forecasts have equipped us enormously to withstand them.” [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human-induced climate changes intensify storms, but satellite monitoring and short‑term forecasting greatly improve resilience. **In simple terms:** Storms are getting stronger, but we can predict and prepare for them. Key Takeaway Use data to mitigate disaster impact. Themes climate change technology resilience Mood concerned optimistic Type informative inspirational When to use this quote - emergency planning - urban infrastructure - insurance - public safety Key Concepts satellite observation forecasting risk management Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve forecast accessibility? - What policies best support resilient infrastructure? A Different Perspective Forecasts can be uncertain and may not reach all vulnerable communities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Earth Carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-carbon-1407096/) [Forecasts Equipped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forecasts-equipped-2961137/) [Make Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-storms-2961136/) [Monitor Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monitor-planet-2961135/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Storms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storms/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [Just as human activity is upsetting Earth's carbon cycle, our actions are altering the water cycle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/just-as-human-activity-is-upsetting-earth-s-carbon-cycle-our-actions/) [David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/) > [Titan has rivers and lakes of liquid methane and ethane, methane weather systems of clouds and storms that mirror Earth's hydrologic cycle, and seasonal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/titan-has-rivers-and-lakes-of-liquid-methane-and-ethane-methane/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [As Earth's climate changes, we can expect more destructive hurricanes. As sea level and surface temperatures rise, more solar energy is trapped in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/as-earth-s-climate-changes-we-can-expect-more-destructive-hurricanes/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [“Somewhere to take shelter from the elements but not the storms of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/somewhere-to-take-shelter-from-the-elements-but-not-the-storms-of-life/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [Australia is the only island continent on the planet, which means that changes caused by planet-warming pollution - warmer seas, which can drive stronger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/australia-is-the-only-island-continent-on-the-planet-which-means-that/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [“It is the storm that I watch so that it will not catch me unawares, when I should be watching God in the storm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/it-is-the-storm-that-i-watch-so-that-it-will-not-catch-me-unawares/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Call me crazy, but there is something terribly wrong with this city.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-reese-maher/call-me-crazy-but-there-is-something-terribly-wrong-with-this-city/) [Nathan Reese Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-reese-maher/) > [If we never had any storms, we couldn't appreciate the sunshine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-evans/if-we-never-had-any-storms-we-couldn-t-appreciate-the-sunshine/) [Dale Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-evans/) > [“The person who knows which way the storm will follow is never afraid of the storm!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-person-who-knows-which-way-the-storm-will-follow-is-never-afraid/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [My great-grandmother grew up in a sod house in Nebraska. When she was a tiny girl - in other words, only four human generations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/my-great-grandmother-grew-up-in-a-sod-house-in-nebraska-when-she-was/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [Whether or not storms come, we can not choose. But where we stare during a storm, that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/whether-or-not-storms-come-we-can-not-choose-but-where-we-stare/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [When you come out of the storms and sub-zero temperatures into a tiny yurt, there's a sense that family love and care is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cope/when-you-come-out-of-the-storms-and-sub-zero-temperatures-into-a-tiny/) [Tim Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cope/) > [NBC News found that FEMA has redrawn maps even for properties that have repeatedly filed claims for flood losses from previous storms. At least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/nbc-news-found-that-fema-has-redrawn-maps-even-for-properties-that/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [After big storms there follow bright days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-suso/after-big-storms-there-follow-bright-days/) [Henry Suso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-suso/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More by David Grinspoon > [I think the best SF writers are very aware of what we, in the scientific community, are doing, thinking, and discovering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-think-the-best-sf-writers-are-very-aware-of-what-we-in-the/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [If we gutted NASA Earth Science, it wouldn't be NOAA or some other agency that would take the lead. It would be the Chinese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/if-we-gutted-nasa-earth-science-it-wouldn-t-be-noaa-or-some-other/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [When you think about alien intelligences making art, you then have to think about what art is and how bound up it is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/when-you-think-about-alien-intelligences-making-art-you-then-have-to/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [What if life is not carbon-based? Can life exist as a gas or a plasma? Could planets or stars in some sense be alive?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/what-if-life-is-not-carbon-based-can-life-exist-as-a-gas-or-a-plasma/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [What I'm interested in is the conversations going on about the Anthropocene and what it means to view ourselves as a part of Earth's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/what-i-m-interested-in-is-the-conversations-going-on-about-the/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [I do comparative studies of climate evolution, and the interactions between planetary atmosphere and surfaces and their radiation environment, and try to understand the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-do-comparative-studies-of-climate-evolution-and-the-interactions/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [I'd been politically active ever since my parents wheeled me in a stroller in a 'ban the bomb' march in Boston in 1963.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-d-been-politically-active-ever-since-my-parents-wheeled-me-in-a/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Through space-based climate studies, my colleagues and I have learned that a stable and comfortable climate is not something to take for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/through-space-based-climate-studies-my-colleagues-and-i-have-learned/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [We have all this very clever technology and all these abilities to manipulate the world in all these ways, yet we are faced with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/we-have-all-this-very-clever-technology-and-all-these-abilities-to/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [The planet Mars - crimson and bright, filling our telescopes with vague intimations of almost-familiar landforms - has long formed a celestial tabula rasa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/the-planet-mars-crimson-and-bright-filling-our-telescopes-with-vague/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Certainly for me, as an astrobiologist, science fiction has played an important role. One of the quandaries of our field is that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/certainly-for-me-as-an-astrobiologist-science-fiction-has-played-an/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Time and time again, our species has escaped existential threats by reinventing ourselves, finding new skills not coded in our genes to survive new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/time-and-time-again-our-species-has-escaped-existential-threats-by/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [I think that an advanced planetary civilization will modify their own planets to be more stable, to prevent asteroid impacts and dangerous climate fluctuations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/i-think-that-an-advanced-planetary-civilization-will-modify-their-own/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Responsible global behaviour is ultimately an act of self-preservation of, by, and for the global beast that modern technological humanity has become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/responsible-global-behaviour-is-ultimately-an-act-of-self/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) > [Venus and Mars are our next of kin: they are the two most Earth-like planets that we know about. They're the only two other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/venus-and-mars-are-our-next-of-kin-they-are-the-two-most-earth-like/) [David Grinspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) [Explore all 103 David Grinspoon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even as our unwitting alterations to Earth's carbon and hydrological cycles slowly make storms more damaging, our ability to monitor our planet from space and make reliable short-term forecasts have equipped us enormously to withstand them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Grinspoon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-earth-s-carbon-and-hydrological/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-earth-s-carbon-and-hydrological/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/492/david-grinspoon-5141_ability_even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-ear_1922680.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even as our unwitting alterations to Earth's carbon and hydrological cycles slowly make storms more…” — David Grinspoon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Grinspoon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-grinspoon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even as our unwitting alterations to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-earth-s-carbon-and-hydrological/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-grinspoon/even-as-our-unwitting-alterations-to-earth-s-carbon-and-hydrological/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```