More Diseases as the World is Warming Up

The world is currently battling the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov) with 6,065 cases confirmed worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The number is growing every day, too. In China, where the virus originated, close to 6,000 people have been confirmed to be infected with the virus with 132 deaths. There are 68 more confirmed cases in 15 countries. 

Experts believe that the outbreak came from a market in Wuhan, China, which recorded the most number of cases. The market, which had since been closed, used to sell the meat of wild animals for human consumption. There is a correlation to the emergence of infectious diseases with the hunting of wildlife and the loss of habitat among the wildlife. This means that infectious viruses spread when people do not care for the environment. 

There is more bad news, it turns out that climate change also means that illnesses and new diseases are going to be rampant. According to NASA, 2019 was the second-hottest year in recorded history. Apparently, 2019 was 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (0.98 degrees Celsius) warmer than the recorded mean temperature from 1951 to 1980. The hottest year on record was 2016. The heat became a problem in Australia, which continues to fight massive wildfires. 

Health issues

Obviously, the main health issues when it comes to the hot weather are heat exhaustion and heatstroke. However, warming temperatures could also break free a new strain of infectious diseases. According to Professor Arturo Casadevall of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, microbes have the ability to adapt to warmer temperatures. A microbe is a microorganism that causes disease. It can be a bacterium, virus, or fungus. Microbes are present in the air, water, soil, and even in the human body. 

WHO, a specialized organization focused on global public health, also released the urgent health challenges for the next decade. One of the challenges is the climate crisis. Air pollution, according to the health organization, kills around seven million people every year. The global problem of climate change is expected to bring in extreme weather disturbances and the spread of infectious diseases. The organization singled out malaria as a problem directly related to the climate crisis. 

“Leaders in both the public and private sectors must work together to clean up our air and mitigate the health impacts of climate change,” WHO said in its press release at the start of the year. Unfortunately, there are still a handful of world leaders who don’t believe that climate change is real.

Selling tees for a cause

Manakin Dance is one of the few organizations trying to make the issue of global warming relatable to more people. The company sells T-shirts, hoodies, and accessories. All items carry statements that would support the protection of the environment, which is the company’s major advocacy. More specifically, Manakin Dance pushes the agenda of climate change, animal trafficking, and habitat destruction. There are now proofs that these issues are directly related to global health concerns. 

Every time a person purchases products from Manakin Dance, 10% of the profit goes to the World Wildlife Fund. The international non-government organization also known as WWF aims to preserve the wilderness and reduce human impact on the environment. It is the largest conservation organization in the world with over five million supporters. But it can always gain more support, especially since 55% of its funds come from donors. The organization was founded in 1961.

A Manakin Dance T-shirt is not just a fashion statement in support of the environment, it is actually also a donation to wildlife preservation.