Category: Ecological
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UN: The first coronavirus famines are in our doorstep
Four chronically-deprived conflict-ridden countries are in danger of experiencing widespread crisis which endangers the lives of millions of women, men, and children. The alarm was raised by Mark Lowcock, undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs of the United Nations. Yemen, South Sudan, northeast Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have always been vulnerable to food-deprivation…
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The return of plastic
Before the pandemic, the call for eradicating plastic was resounding. But the pandemic has brought with it the resurgence of plastic, as well as the quieting down of the conversations about the climate crisis. This feature by The Guardian features various images of the how plastic has reclaimed its role in our daily lives. Editor’s Note: The zero…
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Climate crisis worsens amidst the pandemic
For some cities, smog has lifted and rivers are now running clear. The shutting down of many countries has led to the healing of the environment. Or so we thought. In this article for The Washington Post, author Ishaan Tharoor says that environmental healing during the pandemic was no more than an illusion. In fact, carbon…
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COVID-19 highlights the need for clean water
Even before COVID-19 struck, the United Nations already warned against the decreasing supply for clean water. At least 2 billion people around the world are forced to drink contaminated which has led to diseases and deaths. In this article for the National Observer published last April 22, 2020, author Maude Barlow says that supply of clean water…
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Factory farms are breeding grounds for pandemics
The following article from The Guardian shows us that our individual choices have an impact on health and the overall wellbeing of nations. Authors Jonathan Safran Foer and Aaron Gross reveal to us that the emergence of COVID-19 is not unique, and that it is likely to happen again. Foer and Gross tells the story of the…
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The hidden danger of lockdowns: Indoor air pollution
As lockdowns were imposed in countries around the world, news of improved environmental conditions started flooding social media feeds. In the the US, air pollution was reported to have dropped by 30%. Meanwhile, levels of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds inside homes increased by 15 to 30%. In this article for Scientific American, Emily Anthes…
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COVID shows us that human, animal, and environmental health are interconnected
In this article for The Star, Jeff Wichtel underscores the reality that our changing world conditions have created the right environment for a virus like SARS-COV-2 to flourish. Wichtel says that human activity has made us susceptible to zoonotic diseases, and the solution to this problem requires more than the avoidance of animal markets. For Wichtel,…
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Why the next pandemic will come from wildlife
Long before the novel coronavirus, David Quammen already foresaw that a new pandemic will arise. He also predicted that it will come from wildlife. The article attached below written by Quammen for Yale Environment 360 in 2012 explains why he thinks that zoonotic diseases can crossover to humans. The also explores in the article the possible impacts…
