Excruciating heat waves that are deadly, droughts with the complete loss of water, coral bleaching and dying off, salt water creeping up rivers, insurance companies no longer providing coverage, and seasons that no longer exist in certain parts of the world are all due to climate change.
Yesterday was international biodiversity day and it is important to acknowledge and support biodiversity. Each part of the ecosystem is an important element of the entire picture, and without one component, the entire ecosystem becomes upended. For instance, if bees were to vanish then pollination of plants would be affected and entire swaths of plants would perish along with the bees.
Before we get into actual news, lets talk about what we can all do to help our planet.
Never use herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, or rodenticides.
Plant native plants from your region.
Fly less, or refrain from flying, and don’t go on a cruise.
Consume all the food you purchase and make to create less waste.
Use public transportation, drive less, or use a bicycle.
Buy secondhand clothes and donate your clothes.
Eat less meat and fish, go vegan, or go vegetarian.
Don’t mow your grass, let it go wild.
Keep your lights off at night on your house.
Stop purchasing items unless necessary especially plastic-based items.
Watch your water consumption and always conserve.
Be aware and conscientious over the chemicals you use. Use less chemicals overall.
Collect rainwater for your garden.
Keep your traveling local and your impact down.
Overall, the biggest way we can help our planet is our consumption and consumerism which is at an all time high. Buy less. Instead of buying an unnecessary bobblehead made out of plastic that will never break down, keep that money and use it on food as food costs continue to increase (also due to climate change as well as price gouging). Instead of buying the new makeup pallet, keep that money for your future. It is so easy to work around the justifications for purchasing things as a way to uplift yourself, but you can do that in other ways like sitting outdoors and enjoying the nature around you. The best part is that is free. The worst part is that the way society is consuming products and creating waste from these products, it will forever change nature so if you’re not outside now to appreciate it, that window will close. Put down the merchandise, close your wallet, and sit in the shade of a tree. If we can’t make changes to the gross consumerism enforced by capitalism, every bit of nature will be irrevocably altered.
Climate News
AP: Howler monkeys are dropping dead from the trees in Mexico in brutal heat wave
This is so difficult to see animals dropping dead from this brutal heat, but this is the world we have created and we must do what we can to protect the innocent wildlife that did not alter the world’s climate. Mexico is running out of water, on top of this heat wave, so the solutions to add more areas for animals to hydrate is necessary, but there is already a huge water crisis in Mexico. Mexico must make some drastic changes to water conservation and rewilding practices throughout the country to combat these heatwaves that will continue to worsen with climate change.
BBC: Climate change is fueling the US insurance problem
Throughout California, there are cities that have no insurance companies that will cover homeowner’s insurance, and that includes parts of Los Angeles. It’s an issue that is spreading throughout the country because the weather has proved unpredictable, fires are frequent, and other catastrophes are created as a result so insurance companies are pulling out of many neighborhoods across the US leaving homeowners without coverage which is necessary for some mortgages but is also a tremendous liability for the homeowner to gamble with the uncertainty that something could befall their property. The reason insurance companies are no longer covering entire cities or even states is because of climate change. People can deny as much as they want but this is an irrefutable fact that cannot be denied and can be directly attributed to climate change. Deniers can say it until they are blue in the face, but without any money to stay afloat if their house is destroyed from a tornado, flood, fire, wind, or snowstorm, is not worth it because they will literally have no where to live and no money because of climate change. As much as people want to refuse the reality, it is affecting everyone and some people are forced to make major economic decisions as a result of not being able to find insurance coverage.
Washington Post: Maps and photos: The Scale of the floods that inundated Brazil
If it is not fires or droughts, it’s floods. Brazil’s government has permitted the destruction of the rainforests at an accelerated rate and not placed an emphasis on environmental infrastructure, and this intense flooding is the result. Deaths, animal and habitat loss, businesses destroyed and all because Brazil sought quick money and profit over protecting the most sound investment, the environment. Now there are diseases that are spreading and people are dying from the dirtied floodwater.
Reuters: More than 60% of world’s coral reefs may have bleached in past year, NOAA says
Everything is heating up and that includes the oceans. Because of the heat increase, many coral reefs have died. The bleaching epidemic is not over with because the oceans are still getting hotter and this imperils even more reefs. Fish and other sea creatures are losing their entire habitats because the reefs provided food and shelter to many species. Coral bleaching will also have an impact on beach cities with an increase of flooding and storms (also an insurance issue). The entire ocean will never look the same again. It is incredibly sad and disheartening. Please do not take cruises and think twice before riding in a boat with an engine. Choose sailboats, rowboats, kayaks, or canoes over boats with engines. We also need to eat less fish because the seals, whales, dolphins, and other sea animals need the fish over us, so instead of fish, choose veggies.
If we all make the effort, there can be a huge change in the health of our planet.