2. PRICE – SHORT AND LONG TERM – YOUR ATTITUDE ON SALE

As we explained in the previous post, the Environment is in danger and we are part of it. In this post we will discuss in more detail some of the different negative causes that the planet suffers and how to educate ourselves to reduce them.

First of all, like any learning, new topic, study or extension, we must be convinced and mentalized, in general terms, of what we are going to try to make it as fruitful as possible in addition to the motivation that pushes us to continue advancing with respect At the same time, and what better way to motivate us than to be aware that we will be the last generation that can save the planet from the worst endgame?

Human action has generated a decline of the planet never before indicated by the human being. It is our obligation as the cause of the problem to be part of the solution now.

The following record of phenomena that currently affect, will show you some options on which you can learn, review or reason to draw your own conclusions and thus be able to make your choice today so that it counts tomorrow.

• Changing weather patterns

With extreme variables at certain points on the planet that affect large population centers and that will reduce the possibility of habitability of living beings as the years go by. Living beings are not prepared to, in the short term as we are promoting, endure the changes so sudden that the climate suffers and that affect the planet daily.

According to Climate.gov, the five warmest years on record for 1880-2019 have occurred since 2015, while nine of the 10 warmest years have occurred since 2005.

• Sea level rise

They modify the extensions of the earth’s crust causing the loss of areas such as beaches, coastal towns, biosphere … It also leads to the abandonment of infrastructure, migratory population movements, loss of cultures and traditions, among other things.

National Geographic reports reflect that the average sea level has risen more than 8 inches (about 23 cm) since 1880, with approximately three of those inches gained in the past 25 years. Every year, the sea rises another 0.13 inches (3.2 mm).

• Floods

Large precipitations, overflows, or the melting of the poles are some of the direct reasons that the human being causes, as well as the devastation of the lands, causing them not to be able to recover as they would naturally.

The WHO notes that between 1998 and 2017, the floods affected more than 2 billion people worldwide and that 85% of all disasters documented by natural hazards in the last 10 years have been the result of floods, among others.

• Cropland losses

Thanks to the deterioration of the soils that are exploited for the purpose of raising human food, mostly meat and food for these animals, to harmful fertilizers for all and in all logical ways, to toxic discharges that are distributed throughout the land incalculably … these are some of the reasons why we are on the alert regarding the food production process.

The University of Sheffield’s Grantham Center for the Sustainable Future discovered through research that continuous plowing of fields, combined with intensive use of fertilizers, has degraded soils worldwide, and erosion is occurring at a rapid rate. up to 100 times greater than the rate of soil formation. It takes around 500 years to create just 2.5 cm of topsoil amidst unhindered ecological change.

• Decay of Oxygen Production 

Over the past 50 years, the world population has grown exponentially from 2.6 billion to over 7 billion people. As a consequence, an increase in CO2 has been generated in the atmosphere given this human activity. 

The number of trees has decreased considerably thanks to fires and programmed logging, desertification and soil erosion, new earthly purposes dedicated to food production, etc.

These are some of the reasons why plants are not able to balance the balance on their own. We cannot produce 3 times more polluting the air and also eliminate whoever produces that oxygen that we breathe and that makes our life possible, among many other factors that condition it. 

Plants cannot do the work that we should do, much less should we think that the solution is to plant more trees to balance the current state, since in addition to not being feasible the idea of losing a third of the ecosystem solely for that use is absurd , a wrong strategy, as stated by a study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) published in Earth’s Future, magazine of the American Geophysical Union, the correct thing would be to do everything possible to rectify instead the amount of emission of CO2 and thus decrease the problem.

According to a report by Global Forest Watch in 2018, we lost an extension equal to the dimensions of Belgium, totaling 3.6 million hectares. The countries with the most serious situation are: Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of PIK added in an interview that “At least we already know what we have to do: end the use of fossil fuels and complement it with a wide variety of techniques to remove the volume of CO2 from the atmosphere. We also know when we have to do it: the time is now. And if we get going, we will discover that it is possible to mitigate the increase in temperatures to 2º C without putting the climate at risk ”.

• Droughts and water shortages

Nutrient-deficient soils, temperature changes and human overpopulation are some of the factors that influence the decrease in rainfall in many parts of the planet, as well as the deterioration of the soils that make their rapid recovery impossible and the difficulties to overcome the water resources available to the population.

The Intergovernmental Panel of Experts on Climate Change of the United Nations Organization (IPCC), points out that the trend of water scarcity will continue and increase as a result of climate change affecting between 1,100 and 3,200 million people and causing the temperature rise planet average between 2 and 3 degrees centigrade.

• Species extinction

The massification of people in urban and natural nuclei that provoke the migration of native animal species, the exploitation of water, air and land, with all the living beings that inhabit it, the thought of supremacy of the human being, … are factors that have generated changes without return in the vital functions of animals and plants.

It is in our hands to see how this situation continues to decline imminently or to change dramatically in a positive way.

WWF stipulates that in approximately 60 years we will lose 50% of species in the areas studied if global temperatures increase by 4.5 ° C as it is believed they will if we continue our activity as in recent years.

• Diseases and pandemics

Human action in general, from overpopulation or the generation of food for it to the thaw caused by human activity brings with it negative elements for life.

WWF also addressed the relationship between virus reproduction and climate change by linking the diseases that terrorize the planet and the loss of biodiversity. Some emerging diseases such as Ebola, HIV, avian influenza and even COVID19 are not accidental, they are an indirect consequence of the impact of humans on natural ecosystems.

The fact that we have been able to observe how the planet has reacted to world confinement, allowing species of animals and plants to repopulate places that were previously invaded by people, should reinforce our idea that we can really do something to change the current state and work to return the biodiversity that we are so lacking and that every day diminishes, suffering mostly unrecoverable consequences.

These are just some of the options we have, so we suggest that you do your own research and create your own guidelines regarding caring for the environment, your home and everyone’s.

Although all this data sounds terrifying in many aspects, there are many of us who, with effort and motivation, believe that change must take place and we bet that more and more people will be on our side. At the end of the day this is a fight and we train daily to win.

We must be aware and consistent with our actions, we must wake up from the dream we are submerged and assume the reality and common and individual responsibilities that we have or there will be no party for anyone.

To continue reading about improvement actions to prevent the point of no return… do not miss our next post where we will discuss aspects such as motivation to achieve real change !.

From the Art and Sustainability team we encourage you to be aware of this war that we all suffer and to begin to value which side you want to be on.

We do not want to be the story that will never be told.

The moment has arrived.

– Your Choice, Our Future –