"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
Its outbreak in Wuhan, China, was suspected to be the starting point for the coronavirus. And a harsh light was cast on wildlife markets.
Huanan Seafood Market has a terrible range of live and freshly killed animals is thought to be the starting point.
The meat of 30 terrestrial animal species is at the market, as well as seafood. Pangolins, civets, squirrels, pheasants, scorpions, snakes and various rates are available there.
They spread disease – it’s easy to see why when you just have to look at the terrible conditions in which these animals are kept
These markets are driving species towards extinction.
We are heading towards a massive extinction – the 2019 UN report warned that up to one million animal and plant species could vanish forever.
In October 2020, China is due to host a UN conference on the Convention of Biological Diversity. Representatives from nearly 200 countries will look to find ways to stop the mass extinction.
Let's put pressure on China...
Now is a good time to put pressure on China and push for a worldwide ban on the wildlife trade.
Rainforest Rescue has a petition to shut down these markets once and for all. They are utterly barbaric and it’s high time they were stopped.
Bristol has become the first major city to declare an ecological emergency.
They’ve done this in response to escalating threats to ecosystems and wildlife, as there’s been a worrying decline in numbers and the diveristy of wildlife in the city.
41% of UK wildlife species are in decline and 15% are at risk of extinction
In Bristol the city’s swifts and starling populations are virtually wiped out – with a 96% decline in numbers of these birds between 1994 and 2014
Marvin Rees, Major of Bristol, and the CEO of the Avon Wildlife Trust Ian Barrett, are building on the 2018 declaration of a climate emergency.
Plans to Tackle this Ecological Emergency
Marvin Rees has asked the One City Envrionment and Sustainability Board work with the council and other city partners to look at ways in which the destruction of wildife habitats can be stopped.
He wants them to look at ways to mange land sustainably, which will create wildlife-rich spaces, not just right across Bristol but across the region as well.
Everywhere and everyone needs to support wildlife, including new developments, so that species can grow alongside people.
It’s recognised that is not a quick thing to achieve. Nature takes her time, but she needs a considerable amount of help now.
She needs restoring. Climate breakdown and ecological emergency are everywhere as wild spaces are lost and wildlife with it.
As Ian Barrett says, we can’t wait for national governments or international bodies to lead the way. Collective action is needed so that wildlife can thrive and the natural world can flourish.
This includes of course people like you and me. We can all take action to do things such as planting a single window box for pollinators, walking where possible - and doing beach clean ups on team building days or helping a local wildlife charity.
At the moment, the Avon Wildlife Trust is working with local communities through a project called My Wild City. It’s transforming 8 local wildlife sites across the city, so enhancing important wildlife habitats and providing opportunities for people to visit and enjoy them.
Its urban wildlife site in Stapleton has restored wildlife in the heart of the city; people can learn practical skills in wildlife friendly planting and help fight for nature’s recovery.
Volunteer – give your time and energy! It’s a great way to meet like-minded people and make new friends and do something really worthwhile with your time that can make a difference.
As a member of the National Trust, I receive its magazine.
One of the things the Spring 2020 magazine covers was climate change and what the Trust is doing to care for the places in its care as they are affected by it.
Things like daffodils appearing earlier; rope bridges being closed to visitors more frequently because of high winds; paintings being affected by the temperatures in the summer all point to a changing climate. Houses close because of the heat, since it affects collections and the fabric of the building. More pests and diseases are having an impact on the plants in the garden.
Together they make a picture that’s uneasy and that the Trust is trying to deal with.
The National Trust itself is taking measures to tackle climate change, such as a renewable energy investment programme. It’s pledged to reduce its use of fossil fuels by 50% by 2021. It’s creating or restoring 25,000 hectares of natural habitats because areas such as wetland and woodland can capture and store thousands of tonnes of carbon.
And the Trust has created Fit for the Future, which brings together some of the UK’s largest charities and landowners to fight the impact of climate change and rising energy costs.
So there’s lots the National Trust is doing, but as it points out, we all need to start lowering our impact on the world and start making changes.
The National Trust says there are five easy ways to make a difference are:
Waste less – less food, less energy and less water
A great and truly giving way to help them is to dig deep and be willing to make changes ourselves to help wildlife. Do it for the koalas, the polar bears, the penguins, the puffins…. your favourite wildlife...
ZSL have established a project to help both people and wildlife on the edges of national parks in Nepal and Kenya.
Life is very difficult here. Elephants trample crops; tigers attack livestock. Families risk their lives as they enter the forest to gather firewood and graze their cattle. These activities damage wildlife habitats.
Unfortunately, some people become involved in wildlife crime, such as hunting bushmeat, to feed their families. Worse, they can be exploited by the international illegal wildlife trade.
For People For Wildlife
So ZSL are tackling the problem with a project to help people – and so help wildlife – with a project For People For Wildlife
ZSL are teaming up with communities to help them establish sustainable livelihoods. They will help with start-up costs e.g. training nature guides, fencing to safeguard crops, starting a salon – and also develop ways to live alongside wildlife peacefully.
The plan is that families will then have a reliable, sustainable income and escape poverty, and thus be better placed to help protect the forest and its wildlife, and indeed to help it survive and thrive.
The donations will help tackle various threats to people and wildlife. And they will help wildlife through science, education and conservation.
£1 really does = £2 if you donate by 31 December 2019! Donate here
You can help by making a donation - and for every £1 donated by 31 December 2019, the UK Government will MATCH your donation, up to £2 million.
So with the best will in the world, there will be times when we forget to bring along a re-usable bag, or we need to buy a plastic bottle of water.
And we think, “Oh dear, I shouldn’t have done that. I must be more organised next time,” or “Oh dear, that’s one more bottle to add to the millions that will end up in a whale’s stomach…” or “I must do better next time” or “Oh well, it doesn’t happen very often” etc etc
Well, the Marine Conservation Society have come up with a way to help us all overcome those moments of guilt!
Donate your guilt to the Marine Conservation Society!! Yes, you can now donate your guilt and help the MCS continue its work to stem the plastic tide.
You can donate in different ways:
Donate money
Donate your time – clean up a local beach, for instance
Donate a share online with this idea – let’s spread it about!
Remember, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse Repurpose, Recycle. I repurpose all the water we don’t use e.g. in water glasses – it goes straight onto the garden.
Donations will help the MCS organise more beach cleans and run more campaigns to encourage the UK government to bring in vital legislation. It will also help them hold companies, industry and governments to account.
Read the National Trust's 2019 wildlife and weather review