{"id":4825,"date":"2025-07-21T04:05:36","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T08:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/?p=4825"},"modified":"2025-07-21T04:07:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T08:07:12","slug":"texas-tasmania-floods-signal-regeneration-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/2025\/07\/21\/texas-tasmania-floods-signal-regeneration-response\/","title":{"rendered":"From Texas to Tasmania: Floods Are the Signal. Regeneration Is the Response."},"content":{"rendered":"

From Texas to Tasmania: Floods Are the Signal. Regeneration Is the Response.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019m a Scoutmaster of a Boy Scout Troop in Michigan.<\/p>\n

Every week, I work with young people who are learning what it means to lead, to care, to pay attention. We teach them how to build fires and shelter, how to navigate with a compass, how to serve others and show up with integrity. But more than any of those skills, what we\u2019re really teaching is a mindset: Be Prepared. Be present. Be responsible for more than just yourself.<\/p>\n

So when the news broke about the catastrophic floods in Texas this July\u2014when rivers surged through campsites, when children were swept away\u2014I felt a deep and personal grief. No, they weren\u2019t \u201cmy\u201d Scouts. I didn\u2019t know their names or faces. But I know the experience they were there to have. I know what it means to send a young person into the woods and promise their parents they\u2019ll come home stronger, wiser, and safe.<\/p>\n

This time, they didn\u2019t come home.<\/p>\n

The floods hit Flash Flood Alley\u2014an area notorious for intense, sudden rain events. Up to 20 inches of rain fell in just hours, overwhelming rivers and washing through entire campsites. In Kerr County alone, dozens of campers and counselors were swept away in the darkness. Some of their bodies were found miles downstream. Some are still missing.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t a fluke. This wasn\u2019t just weather. This was a systemic failure\u2014of infrastructure, of preparedness, and of the belief that \u201crare\u201d disasters still justify inaction.<\/p>\n

And the heartbreak wasn\u2019t limited to Texas.<\/p>\n

Just weeks earlier, floods hit Australia. Different continent. Same chaos. Families were displaced. Communities overwhelmed. But this time, one of our own\u2014Dr. Michael Young, Vice President of GPM Global\u2014was there. He didn\u2019t just monitor the news. He dove right in.<\/a><\/p>\n

He reminded us what it looks like to lead\u2014not just with strategy, but with heart.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be clear: these floods aren\u2019t isolated events. They\u2019re part of a pattern that\u2019s been building for decades, and that pattern is only accelerating. More than 2 billion people worldwide live in flood-prone areas. And climate change is turning what used to be \u201c100-year floods\u201d into annual occurrences.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the hard truth: sustainability is no longer enough.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For too long, we\u2019ve leaned on sustainability as the gold standard. Do no harm. Reduce emissions. Shrink our footprint. These are good things\u2014but they\u2019re not enough.<\/p>\n

Because the systems we\u2019re trying to sustain? They\u2019re already broken.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve built towns in floodplains, paved over wetlands, and treated nature like a variable in a spreadsheet instead of the foundation of life. We\u2019ve prioritized short-term gains over long-term resilience. And when storms hit\u2014and they will hit\u2014we\u2019re left reacting instead of preparing.<\/p>\n

The idea of \u201csustainability\u201d implies that we can keep the current system going with a few tweaks. But what we need now is not maintenance. It\u2019s transformation. We need regeneration.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regeneration goes beyond reducing harm. It asks: How do we restore what\u2019s been degraded? How do we design systems that heal, that adapt, that learn<\/em>?<\/p>\n

Imagine if those Texas campsites had been built with integrated flood modeling. Imagine if local emergency systems had been equipped with layered, community-based alert systems\u2014text, sirens, satellite backup, human relays. Imagine if upstream forests and wetlands had been preserved or restored to absorb rainfall before it surged downstream.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not fantasy. That\u2019s regeneration in practice.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just about nature\u2014it\u2019s about infrastructure, communication, leadership, and values. It\u2019s about preparing for the future not just through mitigation, but through imagination.<\/p>\n

And this isn\u2019t theoretical. It\u2019s deeply personal.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Click me to learn more about the training!\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

As a Scoutmaster, I\u2019ve spent nights listening to storms roll through our camps. I\u2019ve done 3 a.m. headcounts. I\u2019ve walked the perimeter in rain gear, flashlight in hand. It\u2019s part of the job\u2014to stay calm, to stay aware, to stay ready.<\/p>\n

But readiness isn\u2019t just about having dry socks and a charged radio. It\u2019s about making sure the systems we rely on\u2014from weather alerts to land use to emergency response\u2014are designed for the world we actually live in now. Not the one we used<\/em> to live in. Not the one we wish<\/em> we lived in.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what regeneration is about.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s why at GPM, we advocate for regenerative sustainability\u2014not as a buzzword, but as a paradigm shift. It means designing projects that heal ecosystems, not just avoid damaging them. It means considering future generations as stakeholders\u2014not in theory, but in measurable impact. It means redefining project success from \u201con time and under budget\u201d to \u201cresilient, equitable, and life-supporting.\u201d<\/p>\n

And it means leadership that looks like what Michael did in Australia: stepping in, showing up, and doing the quiet, necessary work of repair.<\/p>\n

So what now?<\/p>\n

If you work in project management, planning, policy, engineering, education\u2014you have power<\/strong>. Real power. To shape systems. To fund resilience. To redesign the very environments people live and work and learn in.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re a Scoutmaster, coach, teacher, or parent\u2014you have power too. To raise a generation that doesn\u2019t just learn to adapt to crisis, but knows how to anticipate it, transform it, and lead through it.<\/p>\n

This moment demands more than sustainability reports and carbon pledges.<\/p>\n

It demands courage. Creativity. And a deep, abiding responsibility to those who trust us with their futures.<\/p>\n

We can\u2019t bring those campers back. But we can make sure we never again accept \u201cfreak disaster\u201d as an excuse for what we could have prevented.<\/em><\/p>\n

Regeneration isn\u2019t optional anymore.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the only responsible way forward.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s honor those we\u2019ve lost\u2014not with thoughts and prayers alone, but with bold action, visionary leadership, and systems worthy of the lives they\u2019re meant to protect.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Texas to Tasmania: Floods Are the Signal. Regeneration Is the Response. I\u2019m a Scoutmaster of a Boy Scout Troop in Michigan. Every week, I work with young people who are learning what it means to lead, to care, to pay attention. We teach them how to build fires and shelter, how to navigate with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4828,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3320,25,15,3265],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[3030,2758,415,703,186,1785,1999,1495],"class_list":["post-4825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biodiversity","category-climate-change","category-project-management","category-regeneration"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6LBlt-1fP","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4833,"url":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/2025\/07\/28\/just-transition-meets-local-politics-unraveling-climate-commitments\/","url_meta":{"origin":4825,"position":0},"title":"When \u2018Just Transition\u2019 Meets Local Politics: The Unraveling of Climate Commitments","author":"Dr. Joel Carboni","date":"July 28, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The term \"just transition\" has become a buzzword at international climate forums\u2014a neatly packaged promise designed to reassure us that, as we move away from fossil fuels, no one will be left behind. 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That choice wasn\u2019t accidental, and it wasn\u2019t branding fluff. It reflected a conviction: that the work of project management must fundamentally account for ecological realities. At that time, professionals used \u201cgreen\u201d and \u201csustainable\u201d almost interchangeably. 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It was clear to me then, and it\u2019s even clearer now, that sustainability is no longer just a goal\u2014it\u2019s an expectation. Organizations and industries alike have begun to weave sustainable practices into\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Leadership"","block_context":{"text":"Leadership","link":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/category\/leadership\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Blog-Featured-Image-Define-our-Future.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Blog-Featured-Image-Define-our-Future.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Blog-Featured-Image-Define-our-Future.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Blog-Featured-Image-Define-our-Future.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4085,"url":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/2024\/01\/23\/embracing-regeneration-decade-long-vision-finally-takes-center-stage\/","url_meta":{"origin":4825,"position":3},"title":"Embracing Regeneration: A Decade-Long Vision Finally Takes Center Stage","author":"Dr. Joel Carboni","date":"January 23, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"In the wake of the 2024 Davos meeting, it's clear that the business world is finally catching up with a concept that organizations like ours\u00a0 and so many others have been advocating for over a decade: regeneration. This shift from mere resilience to proactive, positive environmental impact represents a pivotal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Climate Change"","block_context":{"text":"Climate Change","link":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/category\/climate-change\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/embracing-regeneration.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/embracing-regeneration.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/embracing-regeneration.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/embracing-regeneration.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4853,"url":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/10\/regeneration-resignation-side-future-portfolio\/","url_meta":{"origin":4825,"position":4},"title":"Regeneration or Resignation: Which Side of the Future Is Your Portfolio On?","author":"Michael Young","date":"August 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"When the stakes are survival, neutrality is complicity. 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And still, in boardrooms and PMOs worldwide, portfolios are run as though the planet exists in a sealed container\u2014business as usual with a thin\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Portfolio Management"","block_context":{"text":"Portfolio Management","link":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/category\/portfolio-management\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-Featured-Image-resignations.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-Featured-Image-resignations.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-Featured-Image-resignations.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Blog-Featured-Image-resignations.jpg?fit=920%2C613&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4280,"url":"https:\/\/blog.greenprojectmanagement.org\/index.php\/2024\/08\/13\/designing-regenerative-business-fear-hope\/","url_meta":{"origin":4825,"position":5},"title":"Designing for Regenerative Business: From Fear to Hope?","author":"Dr. Joel Carboni","date":"August 13, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the past ten to fifteen years, I have noticed the conversation around sustainability often gets bogged down in narratives of minimizing harm and managing decline. 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