Growing Islands, Drowning in Disposability
The latest skirmish in the climate narrative war arrives with a headline that demands attention: “Get the Facts Straight, The Independent, Island Nations Are Growing, Not ‘Sinking Into the Sea’.” The claim, amplified by a skeptical outlet, insists that some islands are expanding rather than vanishing beneath the waves [2]. Another piece touts a new study reporting that sea level rise is slower than alarmists allege [1]. Set aside the tribal reflex to cheer or jeer; as an anthropologist of human–environment systems, I care less about scoring points and more about how our stories channel resources. If we fixate on a binary—sinking versus growing—we neglect the more immediate, human-made flood that swamps shorelines and stomachs alike: the torrent of throwaway plastic and the political economy that keeps it flowing. The better question isn’t whether islands are “safe,” but whether our cultures are willing to update the rules of reciprocity in a disposable age.
