Shaun Britton takes a deeper look at the ways in which our relationship with nature has changed during recent times, and how it highlights the power we have to protect our planet.
Photo by Simon Shim | Location: New York
With recent events of Covid-19, and the vast majority of people remaining at home, an interesting glimpse into Nature’s ability to self heal can be observed, and could give us an insight into what is possible when we take some steps back.
Recent reports of wildlife being seen to return to areas around the country, and changing environmental effects show the manner in which Nature can come back to balance.
Small particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide have seen a prominent decrease in locations in the UK, and this information comes at the same time as news that Ozone layer depletion has reduced, thanks to the 1987 Montreal Project treaty.
A Fish to Water
The return to populate areas built over natural habitats of some animals that previously stayed away, shows us how our animal brothers and sisters could be a closer part of our world if our interaction shifted. In a welsh seaside town, goats have been seeing roaming the area, and in Canada, Orca Whales were spotted in a Fjord for the first time in decades.
A New Reflection
Whilst there is a great deal yet to do to combat climate change, and our other environmental issues. with transport, animal agriculture and greenhouse gases being the biggest contributors, we might perhaps consider our impact.
At a time when we have to step back, it could be very important to consider how we have interacted with the natural world, and realise that we have perhaps been putting our preferences, and our pockets in the wrong places. If we are to gleam positives from our challenges, then possibly the first and most important is an opportunity to re-examine our pace and priorities.
It may be a time both in our own inner worlds and our shared world, to start with our foundations and basic principles as we approach our challenges. As the natural world has shown us, it can heal and come back to us if we let it, and are willing to consider different approaches. It might be that the opportunity of re-evaluating our de facto engagements with the outside world, is one that holds promises in all areas of our inner and collective future.
A Narrative for Nature
In 2015, it was announced that a third runway was being planned at Heathrow Airport. This decision prompted notable criticism and campaigning and eventually in February, the Court of Appeal ruled that the decision to allow it was unlawful.
Similarly the proposed HS2 rail network, a high speed railway to the North, provoking similar reactions, was recently highly criticised for clearing of woodland. Environmentalist and campaigner Chris Packham recently lost a legal bid to halt the activity.
Examples like this are not uncommon, and with the environmental challenges of climate change, rising populations, biodiversity, waning water supplies and more, the striding forward for infrastructure projects at the expense of the environment is a disconcerting notion at best.
To see Nature beginning to balance herself out as a side-affect of the measures we put in place to protect ourselves as a species, we now have the opportunity and an initiative going forward to prioritise the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants too .
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