Lessons From Coronavirus To Fight Climate Change
Expressing my thoughts and emotions with each of you as my audience {who graciously lend a listening ear}, has been a seamless deed for me these last few years. However, I have felt imprisoned by the deserted walls of my thoughts this past week and it was not until yesterday that the warmth of the freedom of expression came melting down those walls, letting me see clearly through my feelings. And so, I felt it was necessary to share.
Be it the defining health crisis of our time ~ COVID-19, a virus that has waged war on the whole world, or maybe it is Quarantine Day x… Whichever it is; I feel it necessary to spark the conversation on an issue that is extremely important to me for the sake of everyone’s well-being. Yours, mine, our loved ones, and, of course, Mother Earth’s.
Lessons From Coronavirus To Fight Climate Change: The spread of COVID-19 has pushed our world into a plight where only the absolute necessities matter. Heading to the gym, having a spa day, or enjoying a beach holiday have all become a luxury. That being said, this infectious disease has managed to infuse some good habits into our routine ~ as we stay indoors reading, exercising our creativity, and ensuring the safety of our family The lock-down has also helped Earth get some breathing space; but what happens once the dust settles ~ once the spread of the virus starts subsiding? What can we expect from ourselves and fellow human beings once the restrictions are eased? Will we be itching to embrace our old lifestyle? Or will we take a lesson or two from this period of crisis? And, will we be ready to extrapolate these values to our life after Coronavirus?
Lessons From Coronavirus To Fight Climate Change: In fact, the gloom that has spread into our lives feels like a snapshot of what we would encounter when the dangerous effects of climate change take over. Then, the option of seeking shelter in the comfort of our homes may not even exist. We have already seen an alarming rise in sea surface temperatures, Arctic sea ice extent is diminishing, and natural habitats like forests and coral reefs are disappearing. COVID-19 might be the talking point of the season, but Global Warming and Climate Crisis are lurking behind the curtains, slipping into only temporary oblivion, as we are overwhelmed by the effects of this pandemic.
Yes, there are lessons to be learned from Coronavirus to fight climate change. And, to ensure that we are not plunging into the midst of an apocalypse, it is imperative that we are more kind to Mother Nature. The most important lesson COVID-19 has taught me, and the one I would take into my life post-Coronavirus ~ is to be altruistic. To live my life with consideration, and the awareness that my actions have consequences falling upon the rest of the world!
Earth is all that we have. May we all lean into the good that remains and strengthen through vulnerability as one collective whole.
Now, more than ever, it is essential to acknowledge that we are all born on this earth as one race ~ human. So, the biggest question I see needing to be answered here is; how does each one of us start playing our part in reducing our carbon footprint? Well, for starters we can extend some of our pandemic contingency measures into our normal lifestyle. Let’s start with our food. It had become almost a norm for many families to order take-out a few times a week. With food availability being a concern given our current situation, we have learned to reduce the amount of food wasted, and more planning goes into how judiciously we use every last bit of our resources ~ that needs to continue.
While there is no real scientific conclusion that has been drawn regarding the correlation between air conditioning and the spread of Coronavirus, there has been speculation about the same. During desperate times like these, such speculations are enough to pull the plug on the use of air conditioning, especially since the gaseous emissions from AC units is one of the biggest contributing factors to climate change. Hence, we too can ensure that air conditioning is used, only when it is absolutely needed. Pop open those windows, now. {Vikram and I take this a step further by ensuring that there is never a light on when we’re not in that room.}
Recycling and reusing are some of the measures that many of us have already adopted. If you haven’t, it’s time to hop on to that train. I have also stopped using plastic bags and bottles entirely. I go grocery shopping or visit the local farmers’ market with recycled cloth bags of my own. In my opinion, such positive habits have to spread faster than the way Coronavirus has.
Additionally, wouldn’t it be great if we could all be part of climate action groups in our area, even if said organisation was functioning at a local level? This may help force policy changes by our government, in favour of nature.
To conclude: Global Warming may not have started having an impact on our lives to the extent that it makes us uncomfortable, but trust me, if we don’t act now, worse tragedies await us. We, as a global community, are capable of making these small changes for the better in our lives. Let’s get our act together and heal our beautiful planet.
Corona may have crippled our wings, but we will bounce back! What other ways can we enact change? Please share your thoughts with me in the comments below!