The Corona Virus has been going on for a long time now. Probably too long. But that’s not to say it’s anywhere near over. Just like Covid, climate change is a major issue and if they teamed up, we could be in some serious trouble. But there is no relationship between the two so we’re all set… or is there?
Climate change has not been helpful at all during this pandemic. It has been proven that animals can catch the virus too and thanks to climate change, they don’t migrate at their normal times so they interact more than they usually do and that can result in them passing the disease to each other or other humans if they come close. I talked more about this in this blog and this video.
Air pollution also plays a role. It has been proven that people exposed to polluted, dirty air are more likely to catch the virus. This is especially an issue for people in poorer countries and/or communities. So, not only is this an environmental problem but an ethnic one too. To learn more about environmental justice check out this blog and video. However, if we don’t take some real action on climate change, even the most wealthy cities won’t be able to obtain clean air or water. These people that are in areas greatly affected by climate change have lower air quality which means they are more likely to have preexisting conditions and they have been more likely to die from the virus.
We have already experienced this pandemic in many seasons. We have also experienced spikes and dips in cases worldwide during each season. This means that climate may not be the killer or the cure of this pandemic.
However, climate change has been known to increase the spread of diseases like malaria, waterborne diseases, Lyme disease, etc. and with climate change on the rise, it is not helping us fight off this virus. One of the causes of an increase in diseases (and general illness on our planet) is overpopulation and the fact that there are too many people crowded into one city. This could be helped if fewer people drove (as cars cause lot’s of traffic), we didn’t need as much land to farm animals, and huge factories weren’t being built to produce things like fast fashion or plastic toys.
So what can we do? One of the most important things to do would be invest. By this, I am referring to public health leadership and science which need more support from federal, state, and local agencies as well as much needed funding for responses to outbreaks and research. Also, preventing climate change could significantly reduce the risk of another pandemic in the near future. One of the root causes of climate change, deforestation, could stop and keep animals from migrating at unexpected times. Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas produces pollution. So, using clean energy can keep our lungs healthy and reduce the spread of the virus. Animals that spread viruses to humans could be farmed less. This is not only good for both them and us, but our planet too. Generally, we need to fight (and beat) climate change and be more prepared for future pandemics.
I know I covered a lot here. Be sure to go check out my other content to learn more, or click this link so you can read more for yourself and see where I learned all of this. If you would like me to focus more deeply on one section, let me know. Until next time, peace.