From the Editor. Are We There Yet?

Spring is right around the corner.  Already there are signs of its arrival.  March winds blow the remnants of winter away and once bare tree branches now preview bright green leaves letting us know that in a few weeks they will unveil the full compliment of their beauty.  The seeds that lay dormant now begin the journey of bursting through earth ready to begin the cycle that sustains all life.  As I take in all the beauty of this earth and the process involved so that everything in it is provided for, the question that comes to mind as an inhabitant of this planet and a caretaker of this earth is “ARE WE THERE YET?”

The last thirteen months have evoked every emotion known to man.  Fear, Confusion, Love, Grief; the list goes on and on.  We have seen, done, and experienced things that we never thought possible and all the while the world kept turning, kept on doing its job.  The earth kept being its beautiful self and allowed us to see what it would be if man did his part to take care of the it.  During Covid, which we have by no means left behind, the earth has and continues to experience visible changes.

In Venice, a city known for its waterways, but also known for the pollution inflicted upon it by man, the water is visibly clearer and the air is less polluted, all due to less motorboat traffic on the canals and less vapors in the air.   Our oceans, quieted by the temporary absence of industrial shipping, has resulted in the resurfacing of seldom seen ocean species such as the endangered Dugongs in Thailand, and Otters are returning to lakes in Malaysia.  In some countries, the coral reefs are not showing new signs of deterioration.  Less motor vehicles on the road and factory shutdowns have resulted in improved air qualities in countries known for their lack of air quality control measures.  While Covid19 has caused incomparable negative impact on our economy, there have been some positive impacts to the environment.  It is as if the reset button had been pressed, giving nature time to make the earth better for us all.

We are all grieving the hundreds of thousands of lost souls to a terrible disease and the fight continues to defeat the Coronavirus.  As we move forward as a people, it is our obligation to take care of ourselves and everything around us, including our environment.  By doing what we must, on all fronts, making sure our air and water are clean, we continue to get one step closer to protecting our most vulnerable and making this world a better place for all of its inhabitants.  No we are not there yet, but one day, if we all do our part, we will be.