Climate Change and What it Means for the Flora and Fauna
Melipona Beecheii- a unique sting-less bee cultivated by the Mayas more than 3,000 years ago. They face extinction due to a combination of hurricanes, pesticides and deforestation.
The science is in, the climate is changing says 98% of scientists… and we believe them, but we’ll come back to that in a minute. First, I have a story to share…
Last week we were “working” with a yoga retreat in a small community on the pacific coast of Mexico. The area is not yet developed into a destination spot (gracias 🙏), which means that nature is thriving. On one of the days we had a group outing to look for whales, dolphins and sea life. Within the first 20 minutes we saw a couple of very large humpback whales, a mama and a baby from 25 ft! And that wasn’t even the best part…. about a half hour later on the horizon, we saw hundreds of sea birds circling one area. Birds are a great indicator of something going on, so we started moving in their direction. Once we arrived, the captain told us to prepare our snorkel gear and jump in under all the birds. This was a moment that time stood still. We looked at each other with giant smiles 😁 and gratitude filling our hearts 💚because we knew that this was a once in a lifetime experience. There must have been 100 dolphins swimming, playing and eating under the cloud of birds (who were also enjoying a feeding frenzy). One small circle in the middle of the ocean and there we were in the center of it…completely ONE with nature and spirit.
Later that evening, I laid wide eyed thinking about the magical experience 🐬 we had with nature earlier that afternoon and 🎵 dun dun dunnnn climate change popped up. I thought about those sweet animals and how we are destroying their habitats, their livelihoods in the name of development, consumption and comfort. (we heard them communicating- so freaking cool!!) Every animal, plant, insect and microorganism on this planet matters. Nature is a perfectly balanced ecosystem when left to function on its own, until we add too much of the human touch, i.e. climate change and the systems are thrown off balance. There are sure to be disruptions and forced adaptations throughout the natural world.
A changing climate means erratic weather patterns, severe storms, raging wildfires, melting (carbon storing) glaciers, sea level rise and massive flooding, devastating droughts, disrupted farming patterns and food scarcity, poor air quality, contagious diseases and medicine shortages, migration by the millions, and limited access to drinkable water. (the natural resource of war in the future).
Flora and fauna are innocent, yet they are still subject to the same disasters as the heavyweight carbon spewing human species. In fact, plants, soils, oceans and geologic formations do the opposite and store carbon! Until we cut them down, poison them or blast them open for the resources inside. Climate change affects growing seasons, hibernation and migration patterns, breeding and birthing logistics. We also share a good portion of food that is pollinated by certain animals and insects, yet we do everything we can to disrupt their habitats and kill them off. It hardly seems fair nor does it make sense!!
When nature is thriving,
humans have a good chance of survival.
We need nature. Maybe we should be friends.
The planet is heating up due to the high level of Green House Gases (or GHG) in the atmosphere. GHGs are produced by burning fossils fuels for electricity, transportation (personal and shipping of supplies/goods), deforestation and YES you heard that right- cow farts! Cows pass methane gas. Our beef consumption requires a lot of cows, that means a lot of farting cows walking around. Disgusting I know, but it’s the truth. It’s time to reduce our greenhouse gases as of yesterday. Here are a few ways you can help:
Look at how you use electricity in your home and in your place of business. Find ways to reduce energy use. Maybe it’s energy upgrades to the building or maybe, for now it is putting on a sweater or plugging in a fan. Turn lights off. Unplug electronics/appliances when not in use. If you work for someone or work in a leased space, create an easy energy efficiency plan for the owner to think about and implement when feasible. (Ask me how)
Yes, online shopping is AMAZING and super freaking convenient, just pay attention to how many packages you receive in a week. Maybe you can consolidate your weekly orders to bi-monthly or once a month. Also research the companies that you are purchasing your goods from, are they vocal about energy efficiency in their operations?
We all must get around, so transportation is necessary. We do two things to offset the carbon that we produce from our personal cars, from air travel, and from the transportation we use on our excursions. We purchase carbon offsets and we plant trees. We also walk or bike when we can.
Deforestation is important to think about. For starters it destroys the homes of many species of flora and fauna and secondly once a tree is cut down, all the carbon that was stored in that tree is now released into the atmosphere. One reason forests are cut down is to grow palm and soy plantations. (mono-crops 😱) Palm and soy are both used in packaged, processed foods. Read the label and limit your consumption of processed foods. The planet and your health will thank you.
Mangrove forest- "the lungs of the planet" Sian Ka’an Biosphere
Hundreds of thousands of acres have been destroyed in the name of development. Sadly, even with a national law to protect the mangroves (NOM 059) the destruction errr development continues with no end in sight. 💲💲💲
As well as reducing our greenhouse gases we also need to learn about our local flora and fauna. Find out which species are in danger of extinction, and if there are any local programs protecting these vulnerable species. Get involved or start your own program to protect habitats and create adaptation plans. With 1 in 3 animal species and 1 in 5 plant species expected to parish from climate change- we need you!
As always, we would love to hear from you. If you have a comment, a question or a correction to any of the content in the post-
PLEASE share in the comments section below.
Many blessings,
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin 🙏
Sara @ Green Maya Tulum
sara@greenmaya.mx
Ecotourism that combines nature, spirit, and culture to deliver the ultimate guided outdoor experience.
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