We’re over four months into this thing even though it feels like twice that long. During this time we’re seeing and learning a lot of interesting things and it has become pretty clear that our way of life is killing us.
This spring, as countries around the world told people to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus, doctors in neonatal intensive care units were noticing something strange: Premature births were falling, in some cases drastically.
The New York Times
The researchers found that during the lockdown, the rate of babies born before 28 weeks had dropped by a startling 90 percent.
The New York Times
It’s not just our health, but the health of the environment, too.
This map shows the amount of pollution over Los Angeles in March of 2019 compared to March of 2020 when things were shut down and stay at home orders were in place.
The article also highlights Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, and Greater New York City, all showing significantly less pollution and emissions compared to the same timeframe in the previous year.
This week I tweeted:
The amount of things we’re learning during this pandemic and quarantine about what our lifestyle is doing to our bodies, our society, and environment are staggering.
— Mike Rastiello, Mask Wearer (@mikerastiello) July 20, 2020
Unfortunately I don’t think we’re going to learn a damn thing as people at the top want to get “back to normal”. https://t.co/vpzuGh7FVw
This pandemic and the response to it has shown all of the cracks in our society.
People at the top have made billions during the pandemic, including Jeff Bezos who added $13B to his wealth in one day. Meanwhile, the 99% and the “essential workers” are being forced out into the dangerous world to work for minimum wage and tips at grocery stores, deliver food, and other gig jobs because they can’t miss a day of work without risk of losing their health insurance, rent payment, or putting food on the table for their families.
People are stressed out, work too hard, commute too much which is hurting our health, our environment, and not benefiting us in any way that overcomes these massive negatives.
Our way of life is killing us. Literally. Because of this lifestyle. Because of the “American Dream”.