Over-educated and Underfunded
Weird, wacky and wonderful stories and sketches from biologists in the field.
By Ariana Loehr2020 has been difficult for everyone across the globe. While we’re bombarded with images of economic instability, illnesses and injustices, the mental health of everybody has been suffering. It has been hard lately to imagine that there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. This is why here, at the Broke Biologists, we want to share some recent positive news to give you, our readers, hope and encourage you to continue working towards a greener and more just future. We would also like to remind you that while several of these planet positive events have come at the cost of many lives and a severe economic downturn, we must work together to find more permanent solutions that are socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. Only when we find the balance of all three will we begin to thrive again. 1. PM10 decreases by 44% in India Since February, the amount of particulate matter less than 10 micrometers in size has dropped 44% from the rates seen in the previous months. This change is due to a drop in road and air traffic as well as decreased production in factories. 2. Wildlife consumption has been made illegal in China and Vietnam After seeing the devastating effects that the Wuhan wildlife market had on spreading Sars-Covid-19 with the world, China and Vietnam each took decisive action against the consumption of bush meat. Wildlife markets in these areas are often filled with endangered species, so this should be great for animal populations in their native habitats. 3. Increased bird biodiversity from gardens in Sri Lanka According to an official from Biodiversity Sri Lanka, the return to gardening for sustenance and reprieve during Covid-19 lockdown has also benefited birds! Many birds enjoy the additional seeds, fruit and insects that come with gardens, and individuals have been reporting increased biological diversity around their homes as a result. 4. Hawksbill turtle nests on Singapore shores This year on World Turtle Day, a critically endangered Hawksbill Turtle swam onto the shores of East Coast Park to lay a nest. While the Singapore straits are a known breeding ground for Hawksbill Sea Turtles, their appearances have been relatively rare due to poaching and habitat loss in the surrounding region. 5. Chinchilla rats spotted in Machu Picchu Once believed to be extinct, these chinchilla rats have recently been spotted by camera traps near Machu Picchu. These animals are believed to be endangered and were a common food source for the Incas living in the area over 400 years ago. 6. Red Wolf pups born in North Carolina Zoo A litter of five red wolf pups was born on April 21 as a part of the North Carolina Zoo’s breeding program. These wolves will eventually be a part of a reintroduction program aimed at bringing the populations up to historic levels. Currently there are fewer than 34 red wolf individuals left in the wild. 7. An emergence of local and sustainable fishing practices The days of trawling for fish, excessive bycatch and wholesale fish markets may be a thing of the past. While restaurants have not been buying their pre-covid numbers of fish, American fishermen have turned to selling fish directly to their customers, ensuring that whatever is caught is going to be eaten. Have a story about planet positivity? We'd like to hear it! Share it in the comments below.
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By Vincent DiringerAlong with physical ailments, mental health has increasingly become an area of interest for health professionals interested in noting how it can be impacted by climate change. Climate depression, or eco-anxiety as it is sometimes known, whilst not a recognized condition, has been defined by the American Psychological Association as "a chronic fear of environmental doom.", and globally, the idea of climate depression has grown. From locals’ fear of losing their ancestral lands to scientists grappling with the emotional toll of their findings to everyday people feeling powerless in the face of such widespread damage to the environment - climate change is having a marked effect on mental health. In recent years, several studies published in Nature have outlined how environmental grief has taken hold amongst a global population beginning to understand the impacts of climate change and witnessing its early impacts. Within the earth sciences community, climate depression has become a risk of the job, as scientists are asked to further investigate the potential impacts of climate change or report the latest findings. In areas facing the brunt of the environmental damage and its myriad of consequences, local populations are faced with the possibility of losing their natural heritage and abandoning their homes. At the same time, the public health sector is reporting more instances of climate-related depression coming from the population at large across all age groups. However, while feelings of helplessness and anxiety surrounding the state of the planet are on the rise, it has also been leveraged to drive more public involvement into government decision-making into environmental policy, with more and more people also willing to live more sustainably in order to save the environment. Fellow scientists, biologists, and nature lovers, you are not alone. While the news constantly cycles through the impacts of climate change, or as you read the latest publication describing the environmental damage being done across the world - there is also a lot of positive progress being made towards safeguarding the planet for future generations! It is always better to focus on the success stories and help build upon them. We have the power to choose the future we want, so let's all work together to make it happen and not let the negative stories weigh us down. Help and support are available right now if you need it. You do not have to struggle with difficult feelings alone, reach out to friends, family, coworkers or get in contact with a helpline.
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About the AuthorsThese stories come from several biologists working in the field around the globe. Archives
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