A wild mink in Utah was the first wild animal in the U.S. found with COVID-19. Peter Trimming via Wikipedia, CC BY-SA
By Jonathan Runstadler and Kaitlin Sawatzki
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have found coronavirus infections in pet cats and dogs and in multiple zoo animals, including big cats and gorillas. These infections have even happened when staff were using personal protective equipment.
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<p>More disturbing, in December the United States Department of Agriculture confirmed the first case of a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/science/covid-wild-mink-utah.html" target="_blank">wild animal infected with SARS-CoV-2</a>, the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers found an infected wild mink in Utah near a mink farm with its own COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p>Are humans transmitting this virus to wildlife? If so, what would this mean for wild animals – and people too?</p>
<h2>How Viruses Hop Between Species</h2><p>We are <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=iAQr9XwAAAAJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">two scientists</a> who study <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=pgjLWAEAAAAJ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">viruses in wildlife</a> and are currently <a href="https://sites.tufts.edu/CoVERS" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">running a study</a> investigating the potential for SARS-CoV-2 transmission from humans into domestic and wild animals.</p><p>When viruses move from one species into another, scientists call it spillover. Thankfully, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro.2017.45" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spillover doesn't occur easily</a>.</p><p>To infect a new species, a virus must be able to bind to a protein on a cell and enter the cell while dodging an immune system the virus hasn't encountered before. Then, as a virus works to avoid <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2011.07.002" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">antibodies and other antiviral attackers</a>, it must replicate at a high enough volume to be transmitted on to the next animal.</p><p>This usually means that the more closely related two species are, the more likely they are to share viruses. Chimpanzees, the species most closely related to humans, <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/primatologists-work-keep-great-apes-safe-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">can catch and get sick from many human viruses</a>. Earlier this month, veterinarians at the San Diego Zoo announced that the zoo's <a href="https://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/pressroom/news-releases/gorilla-troop-san-diego-zoo-safari-park-test-positive-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">troop of gorillas was infected with SARS–CoV–2</a>. This indicated it is possible for this virus to jump from humans to our close relatives.</p><p>Some viruses tend to stay in a single species or in closely related species, while other viruses seem innately more capable of large species jumps. Influenza, for example, can infect a <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/other/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wide variety of animals, from sparrows to whales</a>. Similarly, coronaviruses are known to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fs41579-018-0118-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">regularly jump between species</a>.</p><p>The question of how many and which species can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 – and which ones might be able to support continued circulation of the virus – is an important one.</p>
<h2>Searching for COVID-19 in Wildlife</h2><p>For human-to-wildlife spillover of SARS-CoV-2 to occur, an animal needs to be exposed to a high-enough viral dose to become infected.</p><p>The highest-risk situations are during direct contact with humans, such as a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/01/science/Covid-bats.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">veterinarian's caring for an injured animal</a>. Contact between a sick person and a pet or farm animal also poses a risk, as the domestic animal could act as an intermediate host, eventually passing the virus to a wild animal.</p><p>Another way COVID-19 could spill over from humans into animals is through indirect infection, <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-marine-mammals-catch-covid-19-new-study-says-its-possible-180976471/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">such as through wastewater</a>. COVID-19 and other pathogens can be detected in waste streams, many of which end up dumped, untreated, into environments where wildlife like marine mammals may be exposed. This is thought to be how <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062259" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">elephant seals in California became infected with H1N1 influenza</a> during the swine flu pandemic in 2009.</p><p>To study whether spillover of SARS-CoV-2 is happening, our team at Tufts is partnering with veterinarians and licensed wildlife rehabilitators across the U.S. to collect samples from and test animals in their care. Through the project, we have tested nearly 300 wild animals from over 20 species. So far, none – from bats to seals to coyotes – have shown any evidence of COVID-19 by swab or antibody tests.</p><p>Other researchers have launched targeted surveillance of wild animals in places where captive animals have been infected. The first confirmed infection in a wild mink was found during <a href="https://promedmail.org/promed-post/?id=8015608" target="_blank">surveillance near an infected mink farm</a>. It's not yet clear how this wild mink got the coronavirus, but the high density of infected minks and potentially infectious particles from them made it a high-risk location.</p>
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Gorillas have been affected by human viruses in the past and are susceptible to the coronavirus. Thomas Fuhrmann via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA
<h2>Bad for Animals, Bad for Humans</h2><p>When a virus infects a new species, it sometimes mutates, adapting to infect, replicate and transmit more efficiently in a new animal. This is called host adaptation. When a virus jumps to a new host and begins adapting, the results can be unpredictable.</p><p>In late 2020, when SARS-CoV-2 jumped into farmed mink in Denmark, <a href="https://www.who.int/csr/don/03-december-2020-mink-associated-sars-cov2-denmark/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">it acquired mutations that were uncommon in humans</a>. Some of these mutations occurred in the part of the virus that most vaccines are designed to recognize. And it didn't just happen once – these mutations <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abe5901" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">independently arose in mink farms multiple times</a>. While it's not yet clear what impact, if any, these mutations may have on human disease or the vaccine, these are signs of host adaptation that could allow novel variants of the virus to persist and reemerge from animal hosts in the future.</p><p>Another risk is that SARS-CoV-2 could cause disease in animals. Ecologists are especially concerned about endangered species like the <a href="https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2020-12/endangered-black-footed-ferret-gets-experimental-covid-19-vaccine-in-colorado/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">black-footed ferret</a>, which is closely related to minks and thought to be very susceptible to the virus.</p><p>Human-to-wildlife spillover has happened before. In the late 20th century, the Ebola virus jumped from humans into great apes and has resulted in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/543S56a" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">devastating consequences for these endangered animals</a>. More recently, a human respiratory virus has been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-020-01506-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">detected in threatened mountain gorilla populations</a> and has caused deaths as well.</p><p>But perhaps the biggest risk to humans is that spillover could result in the coronavirus establishing a reservoir in new animals and regions. This could provide opportunities for reintroduction of COVID-19 into humans in the future. This month researchers published a paper showing that this had already happened on a small scale with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abe5901" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">human–to–mink–to–human transmission on mink farms</a> in Denmark.</p><p>While our team has found no evidence of COVID-19 in wild animals in the U.S. at this time, we have seen convincing evidence of regular spillover into dogs and cats and some zoo animals. The discovery of the infected wild mink confirmed our fears. Seeing the first wild animal with natural COVID-19 is alarming, but sadly, not surprising.</p>
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<em>Jonathan Runstadler is a professor of infectious disease and global health at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University.</em>
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<em>Kaitlin Sawatzki is a postdoctoral infectious disease researcher at Tufts University.</em>
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<em>Disclosure statements: </em><em>Jonathan Runstadler receives funding from NIH/NIAID. </em><em>Kaitlin Sawatzki receives funding from the NIH/NIAID.</em>
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<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-covid-19-infecting-wild-animals-were-testing-species-from-bats-to-seals-to-find-out-151467" target="_blank">The Conversation</a></em><em>.</em><br/>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151467/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
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EcoWatch Daily Newsletter
How to Stay Safe With a More Contagious Coronavirus Mutation on the Loose
18 January
Health + Wellness
The new variant, known as B.1.1.7, spread quickly through southeastern England in December, causing case numbers to spike and triggering stricter lockdown measures. Hollie Adams / Getty Images
By Suresh Dhaniyala and Byron Erath
A fast-spreading variant of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 has been found in at least 10 states, and people are wondering: How do I protect myself now?
<p>We saw what the new variant, known as B.1.1.7, can do as it <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/12/mutant-coronavirus-united-kingdom-sets-alarms-its-importance-remains-unclear" target="_blank">spread quickly through southeastern England</a> in December, causing case numbers to spike and triggering stricter lockdown measures.</p><p>The new variant has been estimated to be <a href="https://cmmid.github.io/topics/covid19/uk-novel-variant.html" target="_blank">50% more easily transmitted than common variants</a>, though it <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7003e2.htm?s_cid=mm7003e2_e" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">appears to affect people's health in the same way</a>. The increased transmissibility is believed to arise from a <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.29.424708v1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">change in the virus's spike protein</a> that can allow the virus to more easily enter cells. These and other <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.24.20248834" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">studies on the new variant</a> were released before peer review to share their findings quickly.</p><p>Additionally, there is some evidence that patients infected with the new B.1.1.7 variant may have a <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.12.24.20248834v1.full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">higher viral load</a>. That means they may expel more virus-containing particles when they breathe, talk or sneeze.</p><p>As professors who study <a href="https://www.clarkson.edu/people/byron-erath" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fluid dynamics</a> <a href="https://www.clarkson.edu/people/suresh-dhaniyala" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">and aerosols</a>, we investigate how airborne particles carrying viruses spread. There is still a lot that scientists and doctors don't know about the coronavirus and its mutations, but there are some clear strategies people can use to protect themselves.</p>
Airborne Particles Are Still the Biggest Problem
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-it-matters-that-the-coronavirus-is-changing-and-what-this-means-for-vaccine-effectiveness-152383" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SARS-CoV-2 variants</a> are believed to spread primarily through the air rather than on surfaces.</p><p>When someone with the coronavirus in their respiratory tract coughs, talks, sings or even just breathes, infectious respiratory droplets can be expelled into the air. These droplets are tiny, predominantly in the range of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021850211001200?casa_token=KtyrsEfbeqcAAAAA:vv10sSxm33tzg0EQvNMIFtV7GCu5gE9QAzuyzHKr2_4Cl0OFkUJoGwzn4d0ZnEWS19NsOTuH" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1-100 micrometers</a>. For comparison, a human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter.</p><p>The larger droplets fall to the ground quickly, rarely traveling farther than 6 feet from the source. The bigger problem for disease transmission is the tiniest droplets – those less than 10 micrometers in diameter – which can remain suspended in the air as aerosols for <a href="https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/50/5/693/325466" target="_blank">hours at a time</a>.</p><span style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bb67b83dcafe589f350daf3df60fa29d"><iframe lazy-loadable="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UNCNM7AZPFg?rel=0" width="100%" height="auto" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;"></iframe></span>
<p>With people possibly having more virus in their bodies and the virus being more infectious, everyone should take extra care and precautions. Wearing face masks and social distancing are essential.</p><p>Spaces and activities that were previously deemed "safe," such as some indoor work environments, may present an elevated infection risk as the variant spreads.</p><p>The concentration of aerosol particles is usually highest right next to the individual emitting the particles and decreases with <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0025476" target="_blank">distance from the source</a>. However, in indoor environments, aerosol concentration levels can quickly build up, similar to how <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-smoky-bar-can-teach-us-about-the-6-foot-rule-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-145517" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cigarette smoke accumulates within enclosed spaces</a>. This is particularly problematic in spaces that have poor ventilation.</p><p>With the new variant, aerosol concentration levels that might not have previously posed a risk could now lead to infection.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ5Njc1My9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MTg5MzExM30.2KlkIn9wVomwIkIEvkEpjx9alJ61pU4Onv54-nS-Ric/img.png?width=980" id="7052f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="64f0b78347b7911d5eee1f15d7999b22" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1290" data-height="932" />
Daily case reports and 7-day rolling average as of Jan. 16, 2021.Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: COVID Tracking Project Get the data
What Can You Do to Stay Safe?
<p>1) Pay attention to the type of face mask you use, and how it fits.</p><p>Most off-the-shelf face coverings are not 100% effective at preventing droplet emission. With the new variant spreading more easily and likely infectious at lower concentrations, it's important to select coverings with materials that are most effective at stopping droplet spread.</p><p>When available, N95 and surgical masks consistently perform the best. Otherwise, face coverings that use <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352431620301802?casa_token=-Dj6nGBAm24AAAAA:qq9BpbzCKaPDFcV73ohA2fCnhE_Zlkss6Bei3kUwq9QYndhHj0Vafbbd-ef_855lx6knDfUt" target="_blank">multiple layers of material</a> are preferable. Ideally, the material should be a tight weave. High thread count cotton sheets are an example. Proper fit is also crucial, as gaps around the nose and mouth can <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">decrease the effectiveness by 50%</a>.</p><p>2) Follow social distancing guidelines.</p><p>While the current social distancing guidelines are not perfect – <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-smoky-bar-can-teach-us-about-the-6-foot-rule-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-145517" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">6 feet isn't always enough</a> – they do offer a useful starting point. Because aerosol concentrations levels and infectivity are highest in the space immediately surrounding anyone with the virus, increasing physical distancing can help reduce risk. Remember that people are infectious <a href="https://medical.mit.edu/faqs/COVID-19#faq-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">before they start showing symptoms</a>, and they many never show symptoms, so don't count on seeing signs of illness.</p><p>3) Think carefully about the environment when entering an enclosed area, both the ventilation and how people interact.</p><p>Limiting the size of gatherings helps reduce the potential for exposure. Controlling indoor environments in other ways can also be a highly effective strategy for reducing risk. This includes <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-smoky-bar-can-teach-us-about-the-6-foot-rule-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-145517" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increasing ventilation rates</a> to bring in <a href="https://theconversation.com/keeping-indoor-air-clean-can-reduce-the-chance-of-spreading-coronavirus-149512" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fresh air and filtering existing air</a> to dilute aerosol concentrations.</p><p>On a personal level, it is helpful to pay attention to the types of interactions that are taking place. For example, many individuals shouting can create a higher risk than one individual speaking. In all cases, it's important to minimize the amount of time spent indoors with others.</p><p>The CDC has warned that B.1.1.7 could <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7003e2.htm?s_cid=mm7003e2_w" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">become the dominant SARS-CoV-2 variant</a> in the U.S. by March. Other fast-spreading variants have also been found in <a href="https://virological.org/t/genomic-characterisation-of-an-emergent-sars-cov-2-lineage-in-manaus-preliminary-findings/586" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brazil</a> and <a href="https://www.who.int/csr/don/31-december-2020-sars-cov2-variants/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South Africa</a>. Increased vigilance and complying with health guidelines should continue to be of highest priority.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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A gorilla and baby in San Diego. Mohamed Abdelrazek / EyeEm / Getty Images
Gorillas at California's San Diego Zoo Safari Park have tested positive for the new coronavirus, the zoo announced on Monday.
<p>While studies have shown that primates can be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, this is the first time the virus has been passed to great apes, as far as scientists are aware.</p><p>"Aside from some congestion and coughing, the gorillas are doing well," San Diego Zoo Safari Park executive director Lisa Peterson said in the press release. "The troop remains quarantined together and are eating and drinking. We are hopeful for a full recovery."</p>
<div id="48f1e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="07ae85abcb5d8869a6cddab4bbced806"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1348721392624168960" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Members of our gorilla troop tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Aside from some conges… https://t.co/8nzpISp7qm</div> — San Diego Zoo Safari Park (@San Diego Zoo Safari Park)<a href="https://twitter.com/sdzsafaripark/statuses/1348721392624168960">1610395212.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Zoo staff first became concerned about the gorillas Jan. 6 when two of them began coughing. So they sent fecal samples to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CA HFS) to test them for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Preliminary tests did show that the virus was present in the troop Jan. 8. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) then <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2021/sa-01/ca-gorillas-sars-cov-2" target="_blank">confirmed</a> the presence of the virus in three gorillas on Monday. However, Peterson told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gorillas-test-positive-coronavirus-728944350363be5d4b0bc907f31f3b8d" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a> Monday that eight gorillas who live together are all believed to be infected.</p><p>The zoo suspects the infection first passed to the gorillas from a member of their care team, who also tested positive for the virus. The individual was asymptomatic and wore a mask around the gorillas at all times. The zoo has been closed to the public since Dec. 6, <a href="https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-zoo-says-gorilla-troop-positive-with-sars-cov-2-marking-1st-known-transmission-to-apes/2492954/" target="_blank">NBC7 San Diego reported</a>.</p>
<p>"There is some question: Did it come human-animal? That's being determined and want us to respect that process," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said, as NBC7 San Diego reported. "But nonetheless, that's long been a concern – human to animal transmission – but our beloved gorillas, obviously, we are concerned about."</p><p>The zoo noted it is unclear how the gorillas will react to the virus, since it has never been observed in apes before. However, conservationists have been <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coronavirus-great-apes-2645576034.html" target="_self">concerned</a> since the pandemic started that the disease might spread to great apes. Gorillas have been known to die of human respiratory viruses like the common cold. In March of 2020, 27 experts from the Great Ape Health Consortium wrote an open letter calling for all great ape tourism to pause and for field work to be reduced to protect wild gorillas from catching the new disease.</p>
<p>The gorillas in San Diego are western lowland gorillas, according to The Associated Press. Poaching and disease have decreased this type of gorilla's population by more than 60 percent in 20 years, the World Wildlife Fund said.</p><p>For now, the San Diego gorillas are receiving vitamins, fluids and food, but they are being monitored by veterinarians and the zoo is talking to experts who have treated coronavirus in humans in case the gorillas get worse. Any information the zoo officials acquire will be shared with scientists, health officials and conservationists to protect gorillas in the wild.</p><p>While no other great apes have contracted the virus, it has spread to other zoo animals, mostly large cats, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/11/gorillas-san-diego-zoo-coronavirus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian reported</a>. All of them have recovered. The virus has also been reported in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/denmark-mink-coronavirus-2648633663.html" target="_self">farmed</a> and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/utah-mink-coronavirus-2649520996.html" target="_self">wild minks</a> and some <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/pets-coronavirus-2645784937.html" target="_self">cats and dogs</a>.</p>
<p>The USDA said that the risk of animals passing the virus to people is currently considered low, but encouraged those who are infected or think they may be infected to stay away from pets or other animals.</p><p>Director of viral diagnostics at the University of California San Francisco Charles Chiu <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Two-gorillas-test-positive-for-coronavirus-at-San-15862229.php" target="_blank">told the San Francisco Chronicle</a> that the important thing to determine from a <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/public-health" target="_self">public health</a> perspective was if the gorillas had all contracted the virus from one person or spread it amongst themselves. The latter would be much more serious.</p><p>"Then you can have an ongoing source of infection, and ongoing source of new variants that in turn can be transmitted back to humans," Chiu said. "It's very worrisome."</p>
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Mountain goats roam the streets of LLandudno on March 31, 2020 in Llandudno, Wales during the COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine measures. Christopher Furlong / Getty Images
By Marie Quinney and Gabriela Martinez
This article is part of The Davos Agenda.
During 2020, many of us saw images of deserted urban areas being reclaimed by animals and heard reports of carbon dioxide emissions plummeting as transportation ground to a halt. A new analysis shows that the U.S. had reached its lowest level of emissions in three decades.
<p>It would be easy to assume that COVID-19 allowed nature to thrive. However, we must not prematurely celebrate nature's comeback.</p><p>Far from downplaying glimmers of hope and beauty that were welcomed interruptions to an otherwise difficult year, acknowledging that these have little impact in the long run will serve us better to achieve meaningful progress.</p><p>The outlook on the coming decade may be bleak if we do not seize the narrowing window of opportunity that we have to make systemic changes. By doing this, we can both prevent similar crises in the future and create sustainable, healthy and equitable jobs, societies and economies. The pandemic made an unquestionably strong case for a shift towards a<a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/09/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean-6-common-questions-answered" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/09/what-does-net-zero-emissions-mean-6-common-questions-answered" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">net-zero</a>,<a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_Of_Nature_And_Business_2020.pdf" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_Of_Nature_And_Business_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nature-positive</a> global economy and, thankfully, we have the knowledge and the tools to make it happen.</p>
<h3>Nature Bouncing Back?</h3><p>Amidst the tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy entering a global recession, you could be forgiven for thinking that it wasn't all bad news.</p><p>We were inundated with delightful images of previously unseen animals strolling through city streets. <a href="https://www.insider.com/shaggy-mountain-goats-welsh-town-lockdown-2020-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mountain goats explored Welsh towns</a>,<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/22/animals-cities-coronavirus-lockdowns-deer-raccoons" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/22/animals-cities-coronavirus-lockdowns-deer-raccoons" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">deer were spotted congregating outside metro stations in Japan</a> and<a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200403-pumas-in-santiago-wildlife-takes-to-cities-amid-coronavirus-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200403-pumas-in-santiago-wildlife-takes-to-cities-amid-coronavirus-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pumas took to the streets of Santiago, Chile</a>.</p><p>Many ecosystems also appeared to have been given time to regenerate, being temporarily spared humanity's polluted hand. The<a href="https://www.insider.com/venice-canals-clear-city-residents-self-isolate-prevent-coronavirus-spread-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.insider.com/venice-canals-clear-city-residents-self-isolate-prevent-coronavirus-spread-2020-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">canals of Venice famously turned clear</a> and plants started to make a comeback in built-up areas such as<a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">parks</a> and<a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/news/picture/nature-reclaims-public-spaces-during-loc-idUSRTX7EJ1H" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">city squares</a>.<br></p><p>Similarly, due to the slowdown of economic and social activities, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/08/covid-19-lockdowns-global-air-quality-india-london-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">air quality</a> improved in many places around the world, including megacities including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720326036" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Delhi</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/08/covid-19-lockdowns-global-air-quality-india-london-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">London</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51944780" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York</a> and various cities in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11869-020-00963-y" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">China</a>. Global CO2 emissions and total nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions decreased by as much as 30% and, as car traffic plummeted and industrial production slowed down, the<a href="https://www.sciencenews.org/article/covid-19-coronavirus-greenhouse-gas-emissions-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> reduction of greenhouse gas emissions</a> followed. It seemed that at least the atmosphere was benefiting from the global pandemic.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ0ODUzMy9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NzQ5ODI0MX0.NaCx18e_NCBB5SnFxwxI7L_sZclIuFAR6YlnpIxl1eg/img.gif?width=980" id="902a5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="adef5c711181422b7e367aeb853ca9a7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="640" data-height="474" />
NO₂ levels in the air above India (U.S. date format). World Economic Forum
<p>Lockdowns also highlighted both a fundamental human need for nature and the divisions between those who had access to it and those who did not. For those with a balcony, view of nature or a garden, the lockdowns may not have felt as oppressive. People craved their own patch of green and marvelled at the sight of animals roaming around freely. Nature, we may have thought, was healing.</p><p>Sadly, however, the breather that nature appeared to get is not only temporary but is extremely localized. Other areas have not been having the same luck.</p>
<h3>Nature Loss and Climate Change on the Rise</h3><p>If not for COVID-19, the year 2020 would have been remembered for environmental disasters that continued despite scattered improvements. COVID-19 news domination was punctuated by reports of <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-exceeds-4-million-acres-burned-wildfires-2020-n1242078" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wildfires</a>,<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54433904" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54433904" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">flooding</a>,<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-was-a-record-breaker-and-its-raising-more-concerns-about-climate-change-150495" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-2020-atlantic-hurricane-season-was-a-record-breaker-and-its-raising-more-concerns-about-climate-change-150495" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tropical storms</a> and the<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/highest-recorded-temperature-ever-death-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/19/highest-recorded-temperature-ever-death-valley" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">highest temperature ever recorded</a> on Earth.</p><p>As pollution levels decreased in many cities, the effects were countered by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972033059X" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increased emissions from home activities</a>. Although nitrogen dioxide <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0883-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">declined sharply</a> in <a href="https://cen.acs.org/environment/atmospheric-chemistry/COVID-19-coronavirus-quarantines-cause/98/i11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Italy</a>, <a href="https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-over-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">China</a> and <a href="https://www.stats.govt.nz/indicators/nitrogen-dioxide-concentrations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Zealand</a>, COVID-19 responses triggered the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896972033059X" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase of global ozone concentrations</a>, which contributes to climate change.</p><p>Lockdowns in countries with high levels of biodiversity also restricted the ability of governments and communities to protect wildlife. Incidences of illegal poaching and deforestation increased in<a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/covid-19-lockdown-precipitates-deforestation-across-asia-and-south-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/covid-19-lockdown-precipitates-deforestation-across-asia-and-south-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">South America</a>,<a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-deforestation-idUSL8N2BJ12Z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-deforestation-idUSL8N2BJ12Z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asia</a> and<a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/poaching-deforestation-reportedly-on-the-rise-since-covid-19-lockdowns#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPoaching%20and%20deforestation%20are%20unfortunate,humans%20in%20the%20first%20place." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://www.conservation.org/blog/poaching-deforestation-reportedly-on-the-rise-since-covid-19-lockdowns#:~:text=%E2%80%9CPoaching%20and%20deforestation%20are%20unfortunate,humans%20in%20the%20first%20place." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Africa</a>. <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-environment-idUSKCN21S1I1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deforestation</a> in the Brazilian Amazon increased by 30% in March 2020 compared to the previous year and <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/07/double-blow-to-colombian-amazon-and-indigenous-groups-from-armed-militants-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">forest fires</a> lit by land grabbers broke records in Colombia. <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/illegal-fishing-philippines-2646162839.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1" target="_self" rel="noopener">Illegal fishing</a> is also on the rise in many areas, with fishermen taking advantage of a drop in enforcement capacity.</p><p>COVID-19 has also halted the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-020-1275-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nature-based tourism industry</a>. In many countries, communities relied on this as a source of income, in addition to these funds being used to protect nature. For countries like the <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/seychelles/overview#:~:text=Tourism%20accounts%20for%20approximately%2030,decline%20by%20more%20than%2050%25" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Seychelles</a> and <a href="https://data.adb.org/media/4411/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vanuatu</a>, tourism accounts for 30% and 45% of their GDP, respectively. The economic crisis may prevent such tourism from returning for quite some time, while conservation is unlikely to be perceived as a priority for government spending.</p><p>The improvements witnessed in biodiversity and emissions during the lockdowns are unlikely to remain, and the situation is on course to get worse than before the pandemic. For the climate, there is historical precedent for this. There were also <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17387-financial-crisis-may-have-been-good-for-the-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dips in emissions during the 2008 financial crisis</a>, yet emissions bounced back as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/27/opinion/sunday/coronavirus-climate-change.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">economies recovered</a>.</p><p>Today, experts are concerned that global emissions in 2021 <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/global-carbon-project-coronavirus-causes-record-fall-in-fossil-fuel-emissions-in-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">will rise beyond 2019 levels.</a> In addition, many countries have been <a href="https://in.boell.org/en/2020/11/24/environmental-regulation-and-post-covid-19-economic-recovery" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">loosening environmental regulations </a>and, in some countries, early recovery packages were targeted towards bailouts for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/nov/09/revealed-covid-recovery-plans-threaten-global-climate-hopes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">oil and high-carbon infrastructure</a>.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ0ODU0OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NTg2NDYwNH0.9fcY_k1mLyDQDdv0FvUlonL0Z-lt7yYOocof6Tw2h4Q/img.png?width=980" id="bbe9a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="63b2896e84d3e53a93eee3818daa4aea" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1522" data-height="1012" />
Human activity is destroying our natural world. World Economic Forum Nature Risk Rising
<h3>Towards a Net-Zero, Nature-Positive Recovery</h3><p>While the lockdowns provided a glimpse of how life could be different for our planet, this will only be the case through decisive and deliberate action. It shouldn't take a pandemic, with devastating consequences on millions of lives, to let nature reappear and emissions drop. Rather than being good for the environment, COVID-19 only showed us how unsuitable our current socioeconomic systems are.</p><p><a href="https://www.vivideconomics.com/casestudy/greenness-for-stimulus-index/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Some stimulus packages</a> are acknowledging the importance of placing nature at the heart of our recovery, and in September world leaders<a href="https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?893466/Leaders-Pledge-for-Nature-World-leaders-commit-to-reversing-nature-loss-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?893466/Leaders-Pledge-for-Nature-World-leaders-commit-to-reversing-nature-loss-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pledged to reverse nature loss</a> by 2030. However, on average, the pandemic is likely to reinforce negative environmental trends with stimulus packages in only <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20201217092751-wk5b9" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">seven of 25 major economies</a> estimated to have a net positive impact for the climate and nature.</p><p>As world leaders discussed stimulus and recovery packages to keep the economy afloat, milestone global meetings to decide how to address biodiversity loss and climate change had to be postponed to 2021. These are critical opportunities to reset our economies and societies for the better. Governments and businesses must focus on addressing some of the increasingly indefensible realities of our societies and economies that this pandemic has uncovered. For example, they must ensure that economic activity is regenerative, rather than destructive, to nature, that businesses reduce their carbon footprint, and that there are sustainable, equitable jobs.</p><p>As the World Economic Forum's recent reports have found, <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_New_Nature_Economy_Report_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than half of the world's GDP</a> is highly or moderately dependent on nature, and opting for a nature-positive economy in key sectors could create <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_The_Future_Of_Nature_And_Business_2020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">395 million jobs by 2030</a>. We are likely to, therefore, pay a high price in the future for overlooking its importance in decisions made today.</p><p>Similarly, in the <a href="https://www.hacfornatureandpeople.org/" target="_blank">High Ambition Coalition</a>'s <a href="https://www.highambitioncoalition.org/statements/green-recovery-statement-2020" target="_blank"><em>Statement on Resilient Recovery</em></a>, it stressed the importance of aligning <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/coronavirus-tracking-how-the-worlds-green-recovery-plans-aim-to-cut-emissions?utm_campaign=Carbon%20Brief%20Daily%20Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Revue%20newsletter" target="_blank">green measures</a> from stimulus packages with climate ambitions. The UN's 2020 <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/green-pandemic-recovery-essential-close-climate-action-gap-un-report" target="_blank">Emission Gap Report</a> highlighted that recovery investments in climate action could cut up to 25% off the emissions projected for 2030. Countries need effective policies to <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079602" target="_blank">support zero-emissions technologies and infrastructure, reduce fossil fuel subsidies, stop new coal plants and promote nature-based solutions</a>.</p>
<p>The pandemic transcended borders in more ways than one. We saw unprecedented levels of international cooperation, with information sharing and the deployment of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52431627" target="_blank">healthcare personnel</a> and <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20200410-donating-masks-and-shipping-gear-vietnam-promotes-its-own-coronavirus-diplomacy" target="_blank">equipment</a>. It also taught us that, when we work together, we can enact great change. This needs to be channelled into the fight against nature loss and climate change too.</p><p>COVID-19 offered many the chance to stop and reflect on the sort of world we belong to. If nothing else, the pandemic revealed that our economies are inherently vulnerable to shocks. Images of animals reclaiming once-bustling city streets, and a dip in greenhouse gas emissions were a relief during a time of such angst, but they are exceptions that are likely to be long forgotten unless we work towards a better future. Designing net-zero, nature-positive stimulus packages is key in preventing future outbreaks, improving economic and environmental stability and enabling people to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/davos-agenda-environment-net-zero-emissions-nature-positive-recovery/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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The "DEMON" at home stands for: D - Device Addiction, E - Eye strain, M - Mental health problems, O – Obesity, N - Neck and Back pain. nensuria / Getty Images
By Alisha Moopen
As the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic gains strength in many parts of the world, it is evident that the old normal has slipped, and a new sense of normalcy is setting in. This has been evident with the arrival of the work-from-home, study-from-home and socialize-from-home model, whenever possible.
<p>But while we retreat into the safety of our houses, we must stay vigilant as the battle has not been won yet. Rather, there are an array of dangers lurking within our own four walls, brought about by this pandemic, which can negatively impact our health. These dangers are the DEMON – Device addiction, Eye strain, Mental health, Obesity, and Neck and back pain – and if left unchecked, can quickly escalate into lifelong challenges.</p><h2>1. Device Addiction</h2><p>While the use of electronic devices has enabled work, study and communication with family and friends, the move into the digital world from the physical world has come with a price. We are ever more dependent on our screens.</p><p>From Zoom (which <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/LWNvCYMZyhLVWDps0kSy1?domain=engadget.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">surpassed 300 million daily meeting participants </a>in 2021) and Microsoft (which saw its productivity suite users generate <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/DU-KCZWgzs5Kq78HjSXdE?domain=microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than 30 billion collaboration minutes in a single day</a>) to Netflix (which <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/9-TNC19MGTMJA6Bfp7uBI?domain=fool.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">added nearly 26 million subscribers in the first half of this year</a>) and Google Classroom (which saw <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/8z-0C29X7Tp52VZF2XcpS?domain=bloombergquint.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the number of users double compared to last year as quarantines spread</a>), we have become dependent on a small number of apps provided by these tech companies to enable the basic functioning of our lives.</p><p>"Nomophobia," or the fear of being without a mobile device, became more entrenched in the global vocabulary during 2020. In such scenarios, a routine conscious digital detox that involves disconnecting from smart devices for short periods can be the answer.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTI2NDgwMy9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjE5NTI2M30._amjulAi144FRM00J3V4ZO6ijF1HbuTPHvP8wJ-Z97s/img.png?width=980" id="64914" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ac369d8dd7ef5ce38901b5f70c393fa0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1704" data-height="1052" />
The effects of COVID-19 on workers' lives. Ipsos-World Economic Forum
<h2>2. Eye Strain</h2><p>A direct consequence of device addiction and increased screen time is eye strain which can result in eyesight problems. For students, the advent of online learning – which supplemented existing screen time for gaming and entertainment – has been paired with the significant increase in the probability of developing myopia or near-sightedness. In fact, the rate of <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/nSWFC393yTpDgX9FQAdHo?domain=theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">myopia has been rising globally</a> with its prevalence among children in 6 to 19 years bracket estimated at around 40% in Europe and North America and even higher in Asia. Among adults, the "computer vision syndrome" or digital eye strain is becoming more prevalent with symptoms like dry eyes, persistent headaches, blurred vision or reduced visibility. To keep this at bay, one should factor in regular eye-health check-ups while also embedding a break every 20 minutes to look at an object 20 feet away, and reducing screen time when possible.</p><h2>3. Mental Health Deterioration</h2><p>The third issue – and one that has been widely discussed – has been the deterioration of mental health for many people. The past year has seen challenges for all ages and groups. Students have been unable to interact physically with their peers and teachers and they have suffered growing anxiety about their futures. Many people have not been able to see parents or loved ones. For working adults, <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/covid-19-work-mental-health-world-economic-forum-ipsos-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than half globally</a> have experienced anxiety relating to job security and stress due to changes in their working patterns. Entrepreneurs have also had to make significant changes to try and keep their businesses afloat.</p><p>Last year undoubtedly saw turmoil as worries and fear for the future have crept into our everyday reality. The World Health Organization expects that <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/9z-DC492zTB42z9SMGl9v?domain=who.int" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the need for mental health and psychosocial support will substantially increase in the coming months and years</a>. Hence, it is paramount that self-care strategies become a part of the daily routine to protect mental and physical health. Simple and effective measures include maintaining a daily rhythm, limiting exposure to negative news media, focusing on positive thoughts, setting priorities and staying busy, while also staying connected with family members.</p>
<h2>4. Obesity</h2><p>Obesity had been highlighted as a global problem even before the heightened risks of COVID-19 were apparent. Various factors have contributed to a rise in obesity, including <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/OegVCmEkYUjyopPFxtppu?domain=pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inexpensive calorie-dense food, screen dependance and the changing structure of communities that reduces or replaces physical activity, and inexpensive nonphysical entertainment</a>. With quarantine and stay-at-home guidelines becoming normal, the opportunity to step out of the house for exercising and simple activities like walking dwindled.</p><p>But, while staying home might have been safe in the short-term, it runs the risk of aggravating diseases like diabetes and hypertension in the long-term, which in turn increase our vulnerability to COVID-19. In fact, just a few years ago, <a href="https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/OegVCmEkYUjyopPFxtppu?domain=pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than $400 billion of excess direct health care expenditure was due to obesity in the United States</a>.</p><p>To ward off obesity, simple steps like getting 8 hours of sleep every day, regular exercise (even if it is at home), a well-balanced and healthy diet, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and setting some time to relax and recharge can make the difference.</p>
<h2>5. Neck and Back Pain</h2><p>The final challenge is the neck and back pain from the long hours spent in the home office. Limited movement can stiffen neck and back muscles, causing severe pain and discomfort. If left unchecked, this can result in permanent pain which may transform into numerous visits to doctors and chiropractors for healing. Moreover, this can also be aggravated by make-shift workstations which may not always be appropriate for long-term regular work. A few solutions include standing and working as a part of the work set-up through adjustable stands and tables, investing in a chair that provides good lumbar support and taking frequent breaks to stretch arms, neck and back. A small break, perhaps once an hour, does the trick.</p><p>Given we are in for the long-haul, people need to recognize the DEMON lurking in their homes – and stay away from it.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/household-demons-to-be-mindful-about/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Online meetings have become the norm during the Covid-19 pandemic. fizkes / Getty Images
Taking business trips – or even just commuting to work – can produce a lot of carbon pollution. But for a long time, many people resisted the alternative of remote work and virtual meetings.
<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/17277881/height/45/theme/standard/thumbnail/yes/direction/backward/" height="45" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Elise Keith is the founder of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.lucidmeetings.com/">Lucid Meetings</a>, an online meeting management and consulting company.</p><p>"People enjoy coming and being together in the same place whenever possible, in fact to the degree that everybody believed that that was really the only way to have an effective meeting," she says.</p><p>But the COVID-19 pandemic forced many companies to give virtual meetings a serious and sustained try.</p><p>Keith says that after people got comfortable with the technology, they started realizing that with good planning and organization, online meetings can be effective. They can even help build community.</p>
<p>"The CEO would show up from their home just like they were and their kids would walk in," Keith says. "And people began to look at that and connect, like, 'Oh these are real people I work with who really care about what we're doing.'"</p><p>So Keith expects that even after it's safe to meet in person again, many companies will choose to rely more often on virtual meetings.</p><p>She says employees enjoy them, they can save companies money, and they're better for the climate.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/01/covid-19-pandemic-may-lead-to-wider-acceptance-of-online-meetings/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>
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A Big COVID-19 Vaccination Problem: The Cold Supply Chain Can’t Reach Everywhere
04 January
Health + Wellness
Health workers take an ambulance boat to the remote riverside community of Galileia in Para, Brazil, on July 29, 2020. TARSO SARRAF / AFP via Getty Images
By Timothy Ford and Charles M. Schweik
To mitigate health inequities and promote social justice, coronavirus vaccines need to get to underserved populations and hard-to-reach communities.
<p>There are few places in the U.S. that are unreachable by road, but other factors – many rural hospitals <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/11/11/rural-hospitals-cant-afford-freezers-to-store-pfizer-covid19-vaccine/" target="_blank">can't afford ultralow-temperature freezers</a> or might not have reliable electricity, for example – present challenges. However, with government will and resources, these could be overcome.</p><p>That is not true for much of the rest of the world.</p>
<p>One of us, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Cd3qQxAAAAAJ" target="_blank">Tim Ford, is a global health researcher</a> who has done a lot of international work on water and health where the cold supply chain cannot go, most recently in rural Haiti. The other, <a href="https://works.bepress.com/charles_schweik/" target="_blank">Charles Schweik</a>, studies how the spread of innovations – both digital and physical – can solve pressing societal problems and social inequities.</p><p>The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are a great start that should be celebrated, but they rely on a complicated supply chain of freezers and temperature-controlled shipping methods called the "cold chain." That reliance on the cold chain raises equity and social justice concerns, since many parts of the world cannot support one. Researchers are working hard on vaccines that can avoid the logistical and economic nightmare of cold chain delivery.</p>
<h2>Where the Cold Chain Doesn't Go</h2><p>In poorer areas, more remote parts of the world and in places where the mean daytime temperature is high and electricity is unavailable or spotty, there <a href="https://www.seforall.org/news/africas-cooling-challenge-heats-up-as-continent-warms" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">are no mechanisms to keep vaccines at low temperatures</a>. There may in fact be no roads – let alone airports – in many of these places either. And even if roads exist, they may be impassable at certain times of the year or inaccessible for political reasons or because of civil unrest.</p><p>Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines need to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/11/17/935563377/why-does-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-need-to-be-kept-colder-than-antarctica" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">be kept frozen</a> and must rely on the cold chain to get anywhere. Only large wealthy countries have the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-immunizations-epidemics-united-nations-fc4c536d62c5ef25152884adb1c14168" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">resources to implement a well-developed cold chain</a>, and that means huge parts of the world currently can't get a COVID-19 vaccine.</p><p>This is bad for public health and fails to be equitable and just.</p>
<h2>Temperature-Stable Vaccines</h2><p>Vaccines are coming that do not require ultralow-temperature storage. Some companies, including <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/health/covid-vaccine-astrazeneca-johnson-and-johnson.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson</a>, are working on vaccines that need only refrigeration as opposed to storage at freezer temperatures. In late December, the AstraZeneca vaccine <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/world/europe/uk-covid-19-vaccine-oxford-astrazeneca.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">was authorized for use in the UK</a>. Both vaccines should be <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/14/more-vaccine-developers-fda-approval-445194" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">available to the global market the next couple of months</a> and could greatly expand vaccine reach.</p><p>Both companies are also working with the <a href="https://www.gavi.org/covax-facility" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">COVAX Facility</a>, which describes itself as "a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of eventual COVID-19 vaccines." The goal is to make vaccines available to all countries participating in the COVAX program, regardless of income levels. As of mid–December, <a href="https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/covax-announces-additional-deals-access-promising-covid-19-vaccine-candidates-plans" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">92 low- and middle-income countries</a> have signed up.</p>
<p>Refrigeration is better than freezing, but for remote locations, room temperature is best, and researchers are working on thermostable COVID-19 vaccines that won't need refrigeration. Techniques that remove the need for a vaccine cold chain have been used for many decades with success. Freeze-dried vaccines are one such example. The first <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/s002217240000053x" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">thermostable vaccine</a> was developed for smallpox in 1955 and is credited in part with the ultimate elimination of the disease.</p><p>Today, researchers continue to look for innovative ways to stabilize viral vaccines: from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44020-w" target="_blank">air-drying with low-cost sugar films</a> to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12250-020-00250-1" target="_blank">freeze-drying with different stabilizing agents</a>. Some researchers are also working on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xphs.2019.02.017" target="_blank">stable liquid formulations</a>, in particular live attenuated flu viruses, that avoid the costly process of freeze-drying, which is not always easy for low- and middle-income countries to do. All these approaches could be applicable to live virus vaccines that <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attenuated_vaccine#Attenuated_viruses" target="_blank">use an attenuated virus</a>, just like <a href="https://www.drugs.com/cdi/influenza-virus-vaccine-live-attenuated.html" target="_blank">the flu vaccine</a>, as well as both of the coronavirus vaccines under development by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine.html" target="_blank">AstraZeneca</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/health/covid-19-vaccine-johnson-and-johnson.html" target="_blank">Johnson & Johnson</a>.</p>
<h2>Hope for COVID-19 Vaccines?</h2><p>So far, this is mostly basic research, but progress in this area would greatly help meet global health needs.</p><p>To date, the most promising efforts toward temperature-stable COVID-19 vaccines come from groups in China and India. Chinese scientists have developed a method to <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.cell.2020.07.024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrap an mRNA vaccine in lipid nanoparticles</a> that keep it fresh at room temperatures. Indian researchers are using an <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1074/jbc.RA120.016284" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">engineered protein fragment</a> that is tolerant of high temperatures. Most recently, a UK team has begun collaborating on a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/enesi-pharma-and-imperial-college-london-collaborate-to-develop-thermostable-rna-vaccines-with-potential-to-eliminate-cold-chain-and-transform-global-vaccination-logistics-for-covid-19-301195362.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">polymer-stabilized, needle-free, solid-dose vaccine</a>.</p><p>Given the limitations of the cold chain, there are public health, moral and ethical obligations that require investment in vaccines that can be delivered using non-cold-chain approaches. For people in many places, that is the only way they will ever get a vaccine.</p>
<p>
<em>Timothy Ford is a professor and chair of biomedical and nutritional sciences at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.<br/>
<span style="background-color: initial;">Charles M. Schweik is a p</span>rofessor of environmental conservation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Disclosure statement: The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em>
</p><p>
<em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-cold-supply-chain-cant-reach-everywhere-thats-a-big-problem-for-equitable-covid-19-vaccination-152057" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em><br/>
</p><script async="async" data-counter="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/152057/count?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" id="theconversation_tracker_hook" src="https://theconversation.com/javascripts/lib/content_tracker_hook.js" type="text/javascript"></script>From Your Site Articles
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Trending
Lehigh Gorge State Park with River and cyclist on Lehigh Gorge Rail Trail path, Poconos Mountains, near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. Jumping Rocks / Universal Images Group / Getty Images
By Natalie Marchant
- The Great American Rail-Trail will be almost 6,000km when complete, and will serve 50 million people within 80km of the route.
- Trails have proved invaluable for recreation and transport during lockdown.
- Cycling and safe routes are vital for cities planning their post-pandemic recovery.
Stretching almost 6,000km and crossing 12 states, the Great American Rail-Trail will enable cyclists, hikers and riders to traverse the entire US.
<p>The multi-use trail will run from Washington DC in the east to Washington state on the Pacific coast. Launched in May 2019, the route will eventually connect more than <a href="https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">145 existing paths. So far more than 3,200km of it has been completed</a>.</p><p>Decades in the making, the project is led by the Rail-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), which has raised <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2020-progress-on-cross-country-great-american-rail-trail-includes-4-million-in-new-funding-and-2-000-miles-completed-301188644.html" target="_blank">more than $4 million in public and private funds</a>. It will serve <a href="https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/vision/" target="_blank">50 million people within 80km of the trail</a> once finished.</p>
COVID-19 Lockdown Proves Rail Trails Invaluable
<p>Rail trails – paths built on disused railway tracks – and other recreational routes have proved invaluable respites for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing alternative commuting routes and space for people to exercise, often near built-up urban areas.</p><p>"This year has proven how vital projects like the Great American Rail-Trail are to the country. Millions of people have found their way outside on trails as a way to cope with the pandemic," said Ryan Chao, president of RTC.</p><p>"As the Great American Rail-Trail connects more towns, cities, states and regions, this infrastructure serves as the backbone of resilient communities, while uniting us around a bold, ambitious and impactful vision."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTE3Mzc4NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzYyODMyNH0.8jvrW-qlKrYTgiZ1orRe_0kbr_WsWskk3DURX5-MVY8/img.png?width=980" id="d763e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cc17db7e72e05d662013da4a5f3768af" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1194" data-height="726" />
Great American Rail-Trail. Rails-to-trails
Cycling Increasingly Popular During Pandemic
<p>While multi-use trails can be used by anyone from joggers to horse riders, cycling has become particularly popular during lockdown both as a form of exercise and a method of transport. <a href="https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-commuting/boost-for-bikes-as-europeans-gear-up-for-coronavirus-commute-idUKKBN22N1NK" target="_blank">Bike sales soared across the world</a> as people sought to avoid public transport.</p><p>There are the obvious <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-top-5-benefits-of-cycling" target="_blank">health benefits of traveling by bike</a>. Not only does it provide an aerobic workout and trigger the body's feel-good chemicals, endorphins, cycling is also easy on the joints, builds muscle, increases bone density and helps with everyday activities. Cycling is also seen as a way of handling post-pandemic pollution levels.</p><p>Paris is just one place <a href="https://www.weforum.org/videos/paris-is-planning-to-become-a-15-minute-city-897c12513b" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">planning to become a '15-minute city'</a>, where everything you need is within a 15-minute radius by foot or by bike.</p><p>Milan is implementing a similar program, while Buenos Aires has introduced free bike rental schemes. Europe has spent <a href="https://fr.weforum.org/videos/20195-this-is-covid-19-s-positive-effect-on-cycling-across-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1 billion euros on cycling infrastructure</a> since the pandemic began, according to the European Cyclists' Federation.</p>Cycling Routes Across the World
<p>At around 5,955km, the Great American Rail-Trail may be particularly ambitious in terms of scale, but it is one of many innovative cycling projects across the world. The <a href="https://en.eurovelo.com/ev6" target="_blank">4,450km EuroVelo 6 route</a> runs through 10 countries as it crosses Europe between the Atlantic and the Black Sea.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/?doing_wp_cron=1608492448.9104659557342529296875" target="_blank">346km Transpennine Trail</a> across the north of England, which opened in 2001, uses disused railway tracks left empty after the decline of the coal industry and passes through city centers, heritage sites and national parks on its way between coastlines.</p><p>Last year, the UK launched the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/09/the-uk-has-opened-a-1-300-km-cycle-trail-linking-england-and-scotland/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1,300km Great North Trail</a> running from the Peak District in the north of England to John O'Groats at Scotland's north-eastern tip.</p><p>In the Belgian province of Limburg, the <a href="https://www.visitlimburg.be/en/cycling-through-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cycling Through Water path</a> enables cyclists to cut through the ponds of Bokrijk. The 200-meter path is at eye-level with the water, allowing riders to glide across the lake.</p><p>Meanwhile the 7.6km Xiamen bicycle skyway is the world's <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/06/these-are-the-5-most-exciting-cycling-projects-in-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">longest elevated cycle path</a> and runs above the Chinese city's road network. It has capacity for about 2,000 cyclists during rush hour, with much of it suspended under an elevated bus lane, providing shelter from the weather.</p><div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8a5f1521c3cba807297f04763c18e1ba"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1337884276572551" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/us-rail-trail-cycling-covid-19-recovery/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Fauci, Public Health Officials Warn of Post-Holiday Coronavirus Spike
28 December 2020
Health + Wellness
Dr. Anthony Fauci receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the National Institutes of Health on Dec. 22, 2020, in Bethesda, Maryland. PATRICK SEMANSKY / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
By Brett Wilkins
The United States will most likely experience a "post-seasonal" spike in coronavirus infections largely due to holiday travel and gatherings, current and former U.S. health officials said on Sunday.
<p>"We very well might see a post-seasonal — in the sense of Christmas, New Year's — surge ... a surge upon a surge," <a href="http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/2012/27/sotu.01.html" target="_blank">said</a> Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and an incoming chief medical adviser to President-elect Joe Biden, on CNN's <em>State of the Union</em>.</p><p>"We're really at a very critical point," he warned.</p><p>"I share the concern of President-elect Biden that, as we get into the next few weeks, it might actually get worse," Fauci added, referring to Biden's <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/27/Our%20darkest%20days%20in%20the%20battle%20against%20COVID%20are%20ahead%20of%20us,%20not%20behind%20us,%22" target="_blank">prediction</a> earlier this week that "our darkest days in the battle against COVID-19 are ahead of us, not behind us."</p>
<div id="d5e7f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="294ceee25cc8075272a34099efb1171e"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1343202537499930624" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Dr. Anthony Fauci says he believes the worst is still yet to come in the coronavirus pandemic following the holiday… https://t.co/gPU86rjiQO</div> — State of the Union (@State of the Union)<a href="https://twitter.com/CNNSotu/statuses/1343202537499930624">1609079415.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams also said that a post-holiday infection surge was likely.</p><p>"But what the important thing for people to understand is that even if you traveled, it doesn't mean you just throw your hands up in the air and say, oh well," he <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/week-transcript-12-27-20-sen-bernie-sanders/story?id=74922745" target="_blank">said</a> on ABC's <em>This Week</em>.</p><p>"There are measures that you can take," said Adams, including getting tested, self-quarantining, and avoiding vulnerable people such as the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions.</p><p>Former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, appearing on CBS' <em>Face the Nation</em>," <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/full-transcript-of-face-the-nation-on-december-27-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">predicted</a> "a grim month."</p><p>"We have a very difficult month ahead of us," he said, identifying California, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey as places "where cases are still building."</p><p>When asked how long it will be until the nation sees results from the two vaccines which have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">administered</a> to some 1.9 million Americans and counting, Gottlieb said that while vaccinations are "going to take about three weeks to get through all the nursing homes," there will be "some indication" that mass inoculation is "probably having an effect maybe as early as this week."</p>
<div id="1d7f4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6430a0ac4e946e91280d7a2ac89a5089"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1343414957233225728" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">More than 4.4 million Covid vaccines have been provided across the world (that we know of).
That includes, in dos… https://t.co/sPNxiSCORk</div> — Kristine Servando (@Kristine Servando)<a href="https://twitter.com/tinssoldier/statuses/1343414957233225728">1609130059.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Fauci told CNN that in order to achieve "herd immunity" — the effective neutralization of the virus following the infection or vaccination of enough people — 70% to 85% of the public would likely need to be inoculated.</p><p>The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">reported</a> 179,104 new coronavirus infections and 1,309 new daily deaths on Sunday, for a total of 18.9 million U.S. infections and 330,901 COVID-19 deaths during the nine-month pandemic.</p><p>The health experts' warnings came the morning after Trump <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/27/unbelievably-cruel-sanders-slams-trumps-intransigence-millions-lose-unemployment" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">refused to sign</a> a $900 billion pandemic relief bill, allowing unemployment coverage for millions of Americans to expire and <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/25/holidays-cant-be-jolly-if-your-family-not-safely-housed-progressives-urge-cdc-extend" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">threatening</a> millions more with eviction as a federal moratorium was set to expire at the end of the year.</p><p>Trump acquiesced to bipartisan pressure and later on Sunday <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/27/after-deadly-delay-trump-folds-and-signs-coronavirus-relief-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">signed</a> a $2.3 trillion COVID-19 relief and spending bill that will provide vaccine distribution, unemployment, small business, and airline company assistance, and fund the U.S. government through September 2021.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/12/27/surge-surge-fauci-leads-health-officials-warning-post-holiday-coronavirus-spike" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Trending
Bob Wick / BLM
By John R. Platt
Let's be honest: This has been a truly exhausting year.
We started 2020 already worn thin by three years of the Trump administration, with its constant assaults on the environment and human decency on display almost every single day — and it got worse from there.
<p>In February the coronavirus pandemic hit and took off like a wildfire, killing hundreds of thousands of people in this country and leaving millions underemployed or without jobs, healthcare, homes or beloved family and friends.</p><p>The virus would have been bad enough on its own, but the willful, outrageous failure of the Trump administration to address it, and the failure of many state and local elected officials as well, made it all much worse — and so much more exhausting.</p><p>But then, that failure shouldn't have come as a surprise. The denial of climate science from just about everyone on the far right — fueled by corporate influencers, Fox News, social-media platforms and their soul-draining ilk — had already showed us that science denial could rear its ugly head the next time we faced a crisis.</p><p>And it did, in spades.</p>
<p>Of course, COVID-19 wasn't the only thing to sap our strength this year. The pandemic came alongside seemingly countless racial injustices, angry protests, violence and intimidation by right-wing extremists, and the worst election season this country has ever seen — one characterized more than anything else by a bloviating, habitual liar seeking reelection.</p><p>His performance in the first presidential debate — like watching a rabid dog on stage — may be what pushed my own exhaustion past the breaking point. From then on the election kept going downhill, my doomscrolling went into hyperdrive, and our collective grief continued to swell while more and more people got sick and died.</p><p>And yet it kept getting worse. Spurred on by Trump's lies about the virus, people and communities "debated" whether they should or should not wear masks, stay home, stop partying, stop coming to the office — an endless fuel of "free-dumbness" driven once again by the increasingly righter-than-ever right-wing media and what passes for leadership in the Grand Old Party.</p><p>And through it all, the world experienced record temperatures, species went extinct, millions were displaced by the world's worst hurricane season and endless fires, and…and…and…</p><p>…and a record 81 million people stood up and voted for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. More voters turned out this year than any election in history, and many of us had to fight to get our votes and our voices recognized.</p><p>Maybe we weren't so exhausted, after all? Or maybe we tapped into some final reserve of strength, saved for just such an emergency.</p><p>So here's where we are now: Although the shockwaves of 2020 will be felt for a long time, and we're all obviously still exhausted, this devastating year is nearly over. Now's the time to heal, to rest, and to take all the energy we would normally have poured into the holidays and pour it into taking care of ourselves and our loved ones.</p><p>And while we're at it, stay safe and physically distant, wear masks, share scientifically accurate information, and help others to recover from the ravages of the pandemic so we can get back to the greater task of saving the planet.</p><p>And the Biden win — assuming it's not stolen at the last minute by Trump operatives and Republican legislators committed to a coup — sets us up for a lot of success.</p><p>"Biden has put forward a bold climate plan with ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions and support for both regulatory and market-driven policy measures," climate scientist Michael C. Mann tells me. "If Democrats take back the Senate, there is real opportunity for meaningful climate action by the U.S. — and not a moment too soon. A Biden win will stop the hemorrhaging, but there is a lot of work that will need to be done in repairing our reputation on the world stage."</p><p>Heck, there's still a lot of work and repairing to do in general — more than ever, in fact, since we're now four years behind where we should have been by this point.</p><p>But that work won't be possible without taking care of ourselves. That's why our team here at <em>The Revelator</em> is about to take a couple of weeks off to recuperate and recharge. We've published hundreds of articles and commentaries over the past year and we're going to do it again next year — but if we don't rest up now, we won't make it very far.</p><p>I sincerely hope you also get a chance to rest the final few weeks of the year. I know that kind of rest is a privilege not everyone has.</p><p>So do our best to reboot and meet back here the first week of January. We already have a lot of good stories in development for the New Year, and we're excited to share them with you.</p><p>Of course, before we get that far, we'll have one more source of exhaustion to contend with: the drawn-out, sore-loser end of the Trump era. Just as the post-election period was filled with Trump shenanigans, malarkey and the attempted reversal of the election, so will the very last weeks be a chance for the outgoing White House occupants and their enablers to tear every bite they can out of the government and the environment.</p><p>So keep an eye out for tomfoolery — we will, too.</p><p>Rest up, exhausted readers. The fight to save our planet and everything that lives here will keep up in 2021 — and far beyond.</p><p><em><a href="https://therevelator.org/author/john/" target="_blank">John R. Platt</a> is the editor of The Revelator. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard</em><em>, and numerous other magazines and publications. His "Extinction Countdown" column has run continuously since 2004 and has covered news and science related to more than 1,000 endangered species. He is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists and the National Association of Science Writers. John lives on the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where he finds himself surrounded by animals and cartoonists.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://therevelator.org/2020-forward-resilience/" target="_blank">The Revelator</a>. </em></p>
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Amber Tobias, left, and Melody Conour are seated inside Fable & Spirit as their table is sanitized about an hour after California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the immediate resumption of indoor dining for Orange County in Newport Beach on Sept. 8, 2020. Jeff Gritchen / MediaNews Group / Orange County Register via Getty Images
By Laurie Archbald-Pannone, Kathleen C. Brown, Ryan Huerto, Sue Mattison and Thomas A. Russo
Earlier this fall, many of the nation's restaurants opened their doors to patrons to eat inside, especially as the weather turned cold in places. Now, as COVID-19 cases surge across the country, some cities and towns have banned indoor dining while others have permitted it with restrictions. Still other geographies have no bans at all.
<p>
The restaurant and hospitality industry has reacted strongly, filing <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/coronavirus-restrictions-virginia-maryland-dc/2020/12/16/96c303be-3fa8-11eb-9453-fc36ba051781_story.html" target="_blank">lawsuits challenging indoor dining bans</a> and, in New York state, pointing to data that showed restaurants and bars <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/restaurants-bars-account-less-2-percent-new-covid-19-cases-new-york-1554206" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">accounted for only 1.4% of cases there</a> – far lower compared with private gatherings.
</p><p>
We asked five health professionals if they would <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/coronavirus-risk-restaurant-advice-2646105752.html">dine indoors at a restaurant</a>. Four said no – and one had a surprising answer.
</p>
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The Conversation / CC BY
Not an Option
<p><strong>Dr. Laurie Archbald-Pannone, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Virgina</strong></p><p>No. March 12, 2020 was the last day I ate indoors at a restaurant. At the time, there was mild apprehension – but much changed that week. The COVID-19 pandemic altered many aspects of "normalcy," and for me eating inside at a restaurant is one of those activities. I loved eating out and typically would eat out three times a week (sometimes more!). But understanding how the COVID-19 infection is transmitted, I feel that being inside without a mask on – even just to eat – is not an option for me. I strongly believe that we need to support our community through these challenging times, so we still get curbside pickup or delivery from our favorite local restaurants at least three times a week – sometimes more! – but it will be a while before I'm back inside. When I do return I'm definitely getting dessert.</p>Great Risk
<p><strong>Dr. Thomas A. Russo, Chief of Infectious Disease Division, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo</strong></p><p>No. And it's been "no" right from the beginning.</p><p>We have a little more information now, but what I <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-lower-your-coronavirus-risk-while-eating-out-restaurant-advice-from-an-infectious-disease-expert-138925" target="_blank">said in the spring</a> hasn't really changed. The <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.28.20029272v2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">greatest risk</a> of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 is being indoors with people who aren't using masks at all times. The concern isn't just big respiratory droplets when close to someone talking; it's also the <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-covid-19-superspreaders-are-talking-where-you-sit-in-the-room-matters-145966" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tiny aerosols</a> that linger in the air.</p><p>Making it even riskier is the generally poor ventilation in many restaurants. The key differences between indoor dining and shopping in a big box store or grocery store are: 1) big stores have more ventilation and greater air space; 2) everyone can wear a mask at all times; 3) you're not fixed in space, so if you see someone who just has a bandanna or their mask drops down below their nose, you can steer clear of them; and 4) it should take less time than dinner out. At a restaurant, you're stuck at that table. If a party near you is having an animated conversation, they could be generating a lot of respiratory secretions.</p><p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e415" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Some interesting studies</a> have looked at the airflow and air currents in restaurants in relation to <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/7/20-0764_article" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">where people became infected</a>. In one, a person was <a href="https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e415" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">20 feet away</a> from the source for only about 5 minutes, but the person was directly in the airflow and became infected. It's a reminder of what we've been saying – there's <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-a-smoky-bar-can-teach-us-about-the-6-foot-rule-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-145517" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nothing magical about 6 feet</a>. The high degree of community disease in the U.S. right now increases the likelihood that another diner in the restaurant is infected. If you are tired of cooking and need a break, takeout is the way to go.</p>Careful Mixed With Trust
<p><strong>Sue Mattison, Provost and Professor in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Drake University</strong></p><p>Yes. As an epidemiologist, my response may seem surprising or hypocritical: I do eat at local restaurants, but only because in April, like more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">17 million Americans since that time</a>, I tested positive for COVID-19 and recovered. According to the <a href="https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/12/08/study-of-healthcare-workers-shows-covid-19-immunity-lasts-many-months/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">latest evidence</a>, I believe I have immunity for now, and perhaps longer. But I am not pushing my luck.</p><p>I have my own list of four restaurants where I eat. I trust these restaurants because each has drastically reduced their number of tables and spaced them at least 6 feet apart, and everyone inside is diligent about wearing a mask. My husband and I also order takeout a lot. It is important to reiterate, however, that evidence shows <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6936a5.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">restaurants are a significant source of infection</a>, and those who have not recovered from COVID-19 should refrain from eating at restaurants until the community gets a better handle on the spread of infection.</p>Short-Term Sacrifices
<p><strong>Dr. Ryan Huerto, Family Medicine Physician, Health Services Researcher and Clinical Lecturer, University of Michigan</strong></p><p>No. While I understand many factors contribute to indoor dining, such as the mental health toll of social isolation, the opportunity to support small businesses and cold weather, I strongly recommend against indoor dining.</p><p>The risk of contracting COVID-19 from indoor activities is far greater than from physically distanced outdoor activities. The recent spike in COVID-19 infections, deaths and ICU bed shortages is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-post-thanksgiving-covid-19-surge-is-here-what-to-expect-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">likely linked to indoor gatherings during Thanksgiving</a>.</p><p>On Dec. 22, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-us-cases.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">201,674 infections and 3,239 deaths</a> due to COVID-19 were reported. This death toll is equivalent to approximately 20 Boeing 737 aircrafts crashing in a single day.</p><p>Even with a COVID-19 vaccine approved, staying home, physically distancing, wearing a mask and good hand hygiene are as important as ever. Think of these as short-term sacrifices to help protect your friends, family, neighbors and essential workers.</p><p>Instead of dining in, please consider exponentially safer alternatives such as ordering delivery or curbside pickup.</p>Restaurants Pose Big Risk
<p><strong>Kathleen C. Brown, Associate Professor of Practice and MPH Program Director, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, University of Tennessee</strong></p><p>No. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6936a5.htm" target="_blank">reported that patients testing positive were twice as likely</a> to have eaten in a restaurant than those testing negative in the 14 days preceding their test. I regularly get takeout but do not eat in restaurants.</p><p>What I cannot control poses a risk. I have very open and honest conversations with family and friends about where we have been and who we have been with. From there, our risk is pretty clear but still not at zero. The more people I come into contact with, the greater the risk.</p><p>In a restaurant, I am not able to assess the risk posed by other patrons or the staff. Each person in that restaurant has a network of others that, taken together, increases my risk of contracting COVID-19. Currently, Tennessee, where I live, is the <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">second-leading state for cases per 100,000</a>, which means community spread is high.</p><p>In plain language, that means there is an increased likelihood that I may come into contact with someone who is infectious – symptomatic or not – if I eat inside a restaurant. I will continue to pick up my takeout for now.</p><p><em>Disclosure Statement: </em><em>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/would-you-eat-indoors-at-a-restaurant-we-asked-five-health-experts-152300" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Tyson plants have suffered some of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks, yet the company pressed its workers to keep reporting for duty, creating an ideal environment for viral transmission. The Humane League / YouTube
By Karen Perry Stillerman
Tyson Foods is the nation's largest (and world's second largest) meat and poultry producer. It operates 110 processing plants with 121,000 employees in the United States and boasted $42 billion in revenue in 2019, putting the publicly traded, Arkansas-based company at #79 in the Fortune 500. As it seeks to maintain meat industry dominance, Tyson is counting on many of us to put its products — which include Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage and Hillshire Farm hams, as well as the ubiquitous Tyson chicken — on our holiday tables.
<p>But as you celebrate the season (<a href="https://twitter.com/UCSUSA/status/1331704326276919306?s=20" target="_blank">safely, please!</a>), consider the source of the protein on your plate and its costs beyond the checkout stand. Because the handful of multinational conglomerates that produce and process industrial pork, beef, and chicken in this country are profiting at the expense of workers, farmers, consumers, and the planet. And in an industry full of terrible actors this terrible year, Tyson is perhaps the most terrible.</p>
<h3>1. Tyson has been the worst of the worst during the meat industry's COVID-19 disaster.</h3><p>In the early days of the pandemic, the meat industry was one of the first sectors to face economic consequences from the spread of the novel coronavirus. Their vast facilities dismember and pack staggering numbers of animals — Tyson's largest pork plant, for example, processes <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tyson-foods-suspends-its-largest-pork-plant-amid-iowa-outbreak-n1189566" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">19,500 hogs per day</a>. It's a feat that relies on thousands of low-paid workers toiling shoulder to shoulder at physically demanding tasks, which is awful enough (as I'll discuss below), but it also creates an <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/why-meatpacking-plants-have-become-covid-19-hot-spots/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ideal environment for viral transmission</a>.</p><p>That's exactly what happened. COVID-19 cases began appearing in meat and poultry plants in March; by late April, the CDC received reports of positive cases at <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6918e3.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">115 plants in 19 states</a>, along with 20 COVID-19-related deaths. Tyson plants — including its largest pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, and a beef plant in Dakota City, Nebraska — saw some of the worst outbreaks during the spring, yet the company pressed its workers to keep reporting for duty, while failing to provide the personal protective equipment and appropriate distancing needed to keep them safe. In late April, Tyson sought cover from the Trump administration — the company's board chairman <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/26/business/tyson-foods-nyt-ad/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">took out a full-page ad</a> in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and its hometown paper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, claiming that "the food supply chain is breaking." Just days later, President Trump famously <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-28/trump-says-he-s-issuing-order-for-tyson-s-unique-liability" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">issued an executive order</a> aimed at keeping meat and poultry plants open despite the risks and lack of protections. In signaling the move, Trump <a href="https://thecounter.org/trump-meatpackers-liability-protection-tort-reform-tyson-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">specifically referenced Tyson</a> and its "liability problems." In June, Tyson was among the <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2020/06/29/fed-to-buy-bonds-from-food-ag-firms-788854" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">recipients of corporate welfare</a> as the Federal Reserve bought bonds from large companies to prop up the economy.</p><p>Throughout the crisis, Tyson has behaved badly in ways that endangered its workers. It has reportedly offered <a href="https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/07/20/armp-j20.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">"incentives" to keep sick workers on the job</a>, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/emails-reveal-chaos-as-meatpacking-companies-fought-health-agencies-over-covid-19-outbreaks-in-their-plants" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stonewalled local health departments</a> over testing data, <a href="https://thefern.org/2020/12/documents-show-scope-of-covid-19-in-north-carolina-meat-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">low-balled case reporting</a>, and <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/2020/11/30/lawsuit-tyson-managers-lied-interpreters-covid-19-threat-waterloo-iowa-plant/6464310002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lied about the dangers of the virus</a> to interpreters for its immigrant workers. In June, the company <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/06/22/879774584/how-widespread-coronavirus-testing-helped-meatpacking-plants-halt-outbreaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announced a major testing program</a> but by July the company had <a href="https://thefern.org/ag_insider/covid-19-cases-appear-to-be-slowing-at-meat-plants-but-companies-arent-releasing-test-results/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stopped releasing the results</a>.</p><p>In a particularly egregious incident, managers at Tyson's Waterloo pork plant <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/11/19/tyson-foods-waterloo-bets-covid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">organized a betting pool</a> around how many of the plant's employees would contract the virus. Those managers <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/tyson-fires-7-at-iowa-pork-plant-after-covid-betting-inquiry/2020/12/16/1b0c1d2c-3fd6-11eb-b58b-1623f6267960_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">have now been fired</a>, but culpability for the company's brazen negligence goes much deeper — all the way to the top of Tyson's corporate structure. After all, in the words of one of my colleagues, the behavior of these managers, "while clearly sociopathic, is just a predictable outgrowth of their institutional context: absolute contempt for workers and criminal disregard for their safety."</p><p>Neglect, malfeasance, and efforts by Tyson and other companies to evade regulation and liability has had horrifying consequences for workers. According to <a href="https://thefern.org/2020/04/mapping-covid-19-in-meat-and-food-processing-plants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tracking by the Food & Environment Reporting Network</a> (as of Dec. 18, 2020), at least 51,519 workers across 565 meatpacking plants have tested positive for COVID-19. To date, 262 of those workers have died, and Tyson is facing <a href="https://siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/lawsuit-says-tyson-did-little-to-prevent-covid-death-at-storm-lake-plant/article_b6d5b2ea-ddc0-566c-b6bd-39d6f7a8d8c1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">multiple gross negligence lawsuits</a> from victims' families. Communities around these plants, many of them rural areas with inadequate access to healthcare, have also paid a price (just as <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/rebecca-boehm/with-trump-executive-order-are-meat-and-poultry-plants-a-covid-19-ticking-time-bomb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">my colleagues predicted</a> back in July): a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/117/50/31706" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new study</a> shows that as many as 8 percent of U.S. COVID-19 cases and up to 4 percent of deaths in the early stage of the pandemic can be connected to outbreaks at meatpacking plants and subsequent spread in nearby communities.</p><p>As this FERN graphic illustrates, Tyson has dwarfed its rivals in terms of total COVID-19 cases at its facilities:</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDk4NzE3OS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDEyNTQyM30.iqQMONbk90vmzYcBBgVnMEw0HaU3npFkop1UkhquQLM/img.png?width=980" id="7c60a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="dd7c7579d4c7fb24d9b6a23cc49f20ed" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="899" data-height="869" />
The Food & Environment Reporting Network has closely tracked the spread of COVID-19 at meatpacking plants, food processing facilities, and farms. FERN data, updated Dec.18, shows that Tyson Foods is responsible for the highest number of cases among workers, by far.
<p>And because Tyson's low-paid frontline workforce skews heavily toward immigrants and people of color, its actions have disproportionately harmed and put these populations at risk. The nonprofit <a href="https://foodchainworkers.org/2020/07/fcwa-joins-civil-rights-complaint-challenging-meat-processing-corporations/" target="_blank">Food Chain Workers Association</a> and other allies in July <a href="https://food.publicjustice.net/case/food-chain-workers-alliance-v-tyson-foods-title-vi-complaint?link_id=0&can_id=92857e325bc7090f1179dd6a53d503e8&source=email-we-must-continue-to-act-to-protect-food-workers-all-workers&email_referrer=&email_subject=fcwa-joins-civil-rights-complaint-challenging-meat-processing-corporations" target="_blank">filed an administrative civil rights complaint</a> with the U.S. Department of Agriculture alleging that Tyson and another meat processing corporation have engaged in racial discrimination prohibited by the Civil Rights Act through their workplace policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>Now, in a move best described as a day late and a dollar short, Tyson is reportedly "going on offense," implementing new <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/meat-giant-tyson-girds-for-virus-surge-tracking-covid-19-with-algorithms-11605448801" target="_blank">testing and tracking algorithm programs</a> and <a href="https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/530379-tyson-joins-growing-list-of-companies-hiring-chief-medical-officers-amid" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hiring a chief medical officer</a>.</p><p>Oh, and that whole supply-chain-breaking thing? Right. The same month Tyson published its <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/26/business/tyson-foods-nyt-ad/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">sky-is-falling ad</a>, the company <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/business/meat-industry-china-pork.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">exported 1,289 tons of pork to China</a>, the most since January 2017. And by November, the company was back to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tyson-foods-results/tyson-foods-beats-profit-estimates-sees-lower-covid-19-costs-in-2021-idUSKBN27W1JG" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">beating its profit estimates</a>.</p><p>But its reckless management of the COVID-19 pandemic is just one way that Tyson made 2020 worse. There's more.</p>
<h3>2. Tyson pushed rules that would harm poultry workers even after the pandemic.</h3><p>Though Tyson is also in the pork and beef businesses, most consumers know it as a chicken company. It's the nation's largest producer of "broilers" (chickens raised for meat), slaughtering <a href="https://talkbusiness.net/2020/08/tyson-foods-the-largest-u-s-chicken-processor-in-2019-georges-ranked-9th/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">38.3 million birds and producing 200.47 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken</a> every week. And that mind-boggling level of production comes at a high cost to the workers who kill, cut up, and package all those chickens.</p><p>Working in a Tyson plant is unimaginably difficult. It's <a href="https://www.splcenter.org/20130228/unsafe-these-speeds" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">physically debilitating</a>: Workers who hang live chickens on the conveyors for slaughter are pecked and clawed, while others are at constant risk of injury from knives and other sharp tool used in close confines. Workers in these plants are susceptible to repetitive stress injuries, exposed to cold temperatures and noxious odors and chemicals in the air, and denied bathroom breaks. Women and immigrants, in particular, are <a href="https://archive.thinkprogress.org/ice-raids-follow-massive-sexual-harassment-settlement-mississippi-plant-koch-foods-d95eb2720f67/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">harassed and threatened</a> by supervisors. And the whole operation subjects workers to unrelenting <a href="https://yaleglobalhealthreview.com/2016/01/25/a-call-to-action-psychological-harm-in-slaughterhouse-workers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">psychological stress</a>.</p><p>In recent years, Tyson has had one of the highest rates of severe injury among its workers — more than 68 workers per 100,000 sustained such an injury in 2015-16. One of the reasons for such injuries is the rapidity with which employees work, as birds whizz past on fast-moving automated conveyers. Workers <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/09/18/line-speeds-increase-meatpacking-workers-are-ever-more-danger" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">report constant pressure</a> to keep these automated lines moving. And still, Tyson and other poultry companies want those lines to move even faster.</p><p>Tyson <a href="https://www.desmog.co.uk/national-chicken-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">is a member</a> of a lobbying group called the National Chicken Council (NCC), which <a href="https://www.nationalchickencouncil.org/about/overview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">claims to represent</a> companies that collectively produce 95 percent of U.S. chicken. Through the NCC, Tyson and other companies have <a href="https://s27147.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/Policy-Brief-USDA-Poultry-Line-Speed-Increases-Exacerbate-COVID-19-Risk.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lobbied the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 2017</a> to allow plants to increase their line speeds an already-fast 140 birds per minute (bpm) to a dizzying 175 bpm. Although the USDA denied the NCC's first petition to allow such an increase in all chicken processing plants, in 2018 the Trump administration began allowing individual plants to <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/09/28/2018-21143/petition-to-permit-waivers-of-maximum-line-speeds-for-young-chicken-establishments-operating-under" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">request waivers</a> from existing line speed restrictions.</p><p>In April 2020, just as Tyson was setting off alarm bells about meat and poultry supply disruption due to the pandemic, Trump's USDA <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/usda-oks-record-number-of-poultry-line-speed-waivers-in-april" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">approved a record number of line-speed waivers</a> at poultry plants, including six waivers for Tyson facilities. Three of those Tyson plants <a href="https://s27147.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/Policy-Brief-USDA-Poultry-Line-Speed-Increases-Exacerbate-COVID-19-Risk.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">have had documented COVID-19 outbreaks</a>. A recent <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/11/18/2010115117" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">study</a> shows a disturbing relationship between waivers granting increased line speeds and COVID transmission: The researchers' analysis suggests that waivers predict increases in county-level case rates <em>double those</em> in counties with nonwaiver poultry plants.</p><p>Now, the Trump USDA is pushing to give Tyson and the NCC the ultimate gift: a <a href="https://civileats.com/2020/08/31/usda-seeks-to-permanently-speed-up-poultry-plant-line-speeds/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new rule that would allow increased line speeds</a> at chicken plants without the need for waivers. It's a race against the clock at this point, with a new administration set to take office Jan. 20, but they are <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-11/trump-makes-last-push-to-speed-up-chicken-lines-despite-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">trying</a>.</p><p>Should that effort fail, public records show that Tyson and the NCC have also given Congress an earful about labor, line speed, food safety, and other issues this year. In the first three quarters of 2020, <a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/search/?registrant=Tyson+Foods&registrant_country=&registrant_ppb_country=&client=&client_state=&client_country=&client_ppb_country=&lobbyist=&lobbyist_covered_position=&lobbyist_conviction_disclosure=&lobbyist_conviction_date_range_from=&lobbyist_conviction_date_range_to=&report_type=&report_period=&report_year=2020&report_dt_posted_from=&report_dt_posted_to=&report_amount_reported_min=&report_amount_reported_max=&report_issue_area_description=&affiliated_organization=&affiliated_organization_country=&foreign_entity=&foreign_entity_country=&foreign_entity_ppb_country=&foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_min=&foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_max=&search=search" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tyson spent more than $900,000</a> lobbying Congress and the <a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/search/?registrant=National+Chicken+Council&registrant_country=&registrant_ppb_country=&client=&client_state=&client_country=&client_ppb_country=&lobbyist=&lobbyist_covered_position=&lobbyist_conviction_disclosure=&lobbyist_conviction_date_range_from=&lobbyist_conviction_date_range_to=&report_type=&report_period=&report_year=2020&report_dt_posted_from=&report_dt_posted_to=&report_amount_reported_min=&report_amount_reported_max=&report_issue_area_description=&affiliated_organization=&affiliated_organization_country=&foreign_entity=&foreign_entity_country=&foreign_entity_ppb_country=&foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_min=&foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_max=&search=search#js_searchFormTitle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NCC spent an additional $360,000</a>.</p>
<h3>3. Tyson has colluded to cheat farmers and consumers.</h3><p>U.S. meatpacking is a highly consolidated industry, and Tyson is <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-29/tyson-foods-helped-create-the-meat-crisis-it-now-warns-against" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one of the top players</a> in every major industry segment: It's one of <a href="https://mofb.org/meatpacking-industry-consolidation-must-be-investigated/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">four companies that control more than 80 percent of beef processing</a>, it's one of three that control nearly two-thirds of pork processing, and it's at the top of the list of five companies that control 60 percent of the chicken market. Such consolidation makes Tyson and its top competitors powerful — <a href="https://prospect.org/economy/meat-monopolies-endanger-workers-farmers-consumers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">too powerful</a>. Over the past year, we've learned that these companies have used their collective power to cheat both the farmers who raise the animals they slaughter and the customers who purchase their meat and poultry.</p><p>Early allegations of meat industry price fixing arose in 2016 with a <a href="https://dandodiary.lexblogplatformthree.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/265/2016/10/maplevale-lawsuit.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">class-action lawsuit</a> accusing Tyson and other chicken producers of conspiring to raise broiler chicken prices. The suit alleged that the companies have used a data company to <a href="https://thefern.org/2019/08/is-the-u-s-chicken-industry-cheating-its-farmers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">quietly share detailed financial information with each other</a> for decades. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice intervened in that suit and launched a criminal investigation that, by October 2020, had led to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-poultry-charges/u-s-indicts-six-more-chicken-industry-executives-over-alleged-price-fixing-idUSKBN26T0BT" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">indictments of 10 poultry industry executives</a>, including a former Tyson exec. Since June, <a href="https://www.politico.com/newsletters/morning-agriculture/2020/06/11/tyson-gets-immunity-from-price-fixing-charges-788429" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tyson has been cooperating with the DOJ</a>, which has granted the company immunity.</p><p>Even before the price-fixing story emerged, it was clear that Tyson and its competitors were exploiting their chicken farmers, more than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/apr/22/chicken-farmers-big-poultry-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">97 percent of whom</a> operate through contracts with the conglomerates. It's a vertically integrated system in which Tyson and other companies own the birds and control (and <a href="https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/20/chicken-growers-slaves-own-land-look-sba-loans-big-poultry-ms/2339548002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">frequently change</a>) the terms under which they are raised. Contracts with chicken farmers are so lopsided that the <a href="https://newfoodeconomy.org/poultry-farms-arent-independent-businesses-sba-report-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Small Business Administration concluded</a> in 2018 that chicken growers may not qualify for small business loans because they're not actually independent businesses at all.</p><p>In the chicken business, legal action against Tyson keeps coming. Boston Market and three other <a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2020/07/10/four-restaurant-chains-sue-tyson-and-pilgrims-pride-saying-companies-fixed-chicken-prices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">restaurant chains sued Tyson</a> and other companies for price-fixing in July. And just this month, <a href="https://www.startribune.com/target-joins-other-retailers-grocers-in-accusing-chicken-suppliers-of-price-fixing/573323631/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Target and other retailers joined</a> the original class action lawsuit, while famed <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/karen-perry-stillerman/that-tasty-chicken-sandwich-is-brought-to-you-by-a-stomach-turning-industry" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">chicken sandwich</a> purveyor <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/06/business/chickfila-poultry-prices-lawsuit.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Chick-fil-A brought a new suit</a> against the companies.</p><p>But it's not just about chicken. In May, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/6a34d27d3d7f9fdcf837c272ba539972" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">attorneys general for 11 states</a> urged the Justice Department to pursue a federal investigation into market concentration and price fixing in the beef industry as well. DOJ <a href="https://thecounter.org/department-justice-doj-antitrust-investigation-big-four-meatpackers-cargill-tyson-jbs-beef/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">launched such an investigation in June</a>, issuing subpoenas to Tyson and three other companies.</p>
<h3>4. Despite its commitments, Tyson has continued to trash our environment.</h3><p>The business models and practices Big Meat use to crank out ever-increasing volumes of their products also pose a threat to our environment, and again Tyson is an industry "leader." In 2016, an environmental organization <a href="https://environmentamerica.org/news/ame/report-tyson-1-water-polluter-among-agribusinesses" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">named Tyson the #1 water polluter among agribusinesses</a>, and another group has <a href="https://www.iatp.org/supersized-climate-footprint" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">documented its supersized climate footprint</a>. To feed the machine, Tyson and its livestock growers buy enormous quantities of industrially produced feed grains such as corn and soybean, which <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/reviving-dead-zone" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UCS</a> and <a href="https://www.mightyearth.org/2017/08/03/heartlanddestruction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">other groups</a> have shown to have devastating environmental consequences.</p><p>There's also an issue of wastewater pollution from Tyson processing plants. Earlier this year, for example, the <a href="https://talkbusiness.net/2020/05/alabama-ag-sues-tyson-foods-over-2019-spill/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">state of Alabama sued Tyson for damages</a> caused by a pair of 2019 releases from one of its facilities, which killed an estimated 175,000 fish.</p><p>And while Tyson made new sustainability commitments in 2018, watchdog group Mighty Earth alleges they haven't followed through. In February, citizens in Tyson's northwest Arkansas back yard <a href="https://www.mightyearth.org/2020/02/06/activists-stage-protest-at-tyson-shareholder-meeting-over-sustainability-concerns/" target="_blank">rallied outside the company's annual shareholder meeting</a> for greater action, <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/meat-industry-s-role-as-polluter-poses-financial-risk-to-investors-60565131" target="_blank">and investor groups are becoming more vocal</a> about the industry's environmental impact.</p>
<h3>Leaving Tyson off the table?</h3><p>So we've established that Tyson Foods is a terrible, awful, no-good company. But if you want to spend your food dollars in ways that are better for workers, farmers, and the planet, what to do? The vast majority of the industry is rotten — after all, Tyson couldn't fix prices without co-conspirators — and a case could be made that any of those companies is also villainous. Juries have repeatedly found, for example, that Chinese-owned Smithfield Foods' hog CAFOs have made life unbearable for neighbors in North Carolina (and a federal <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-courts-4b2f1db4c21e03653851e81b81996410" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">appeals court agreed</a> last month). And there's <a href="https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/07/17/meat-packers-jbs-lawsuit-coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">JBS</a>, a Brazilian company you've probably never heard of that has nonetheless become the world's largest <em>meat</em> producer, while <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/this-foreign-meat-company-got-us-tax-money-now-it-wants-to-conquer-america/2019/11/04/854836ae-eae5-11e9-9306-47cb0324fd44_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">taking U.S. taxpayer bailouts</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/27/revealed-new-evidence-links-brazil-meat-giant-jbs-to-amazon-deforestation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">destroying the Amazon rainforest</a>.</p><p>So simply saying no to Tyson in favor of their also-awful rivals probably isn't a solution. Eating less — and better — meat is probably the best thing the average consumer can do. This <a href="https://thecounter.org/conscious-carnivore-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">excellent article</a> explores the extent to which it's possible to be a "conscious carnivore." There are promising signs that the COVID-19 pandemic — which has led many consumers to look for better meat and poultry options from smaller-scale local farmers — may actually <a href="https://www.hcn.org/issues/52.7/covid-19-will-covid-19-help-save-small-slaughterhouses" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">revive the system of small slaughterhouses</a> those farmers rely on.</p><p>But changing consumer choices is just the tip of the iceberg. It will take public policies on a large scale to break the power of Tyson and Big Meat once and for all. That includes serious antitrust policies that would level the playing field for smaller producers and processors. <a href="https://www.motherjones.com/food/2019/12/cory-booker-just-went-all-in-against-factory-farming-and-the-meat-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) has introduced legislation</a> that would begin to do that. And while the Obama administration's USDA was widely criticized for failing to enforce anticompetitive rules and promote deconsolidation in our food system, presumptive agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack has <a href="https://civileats.com/2020/12/11/op-ed-dear-secretary-of-agriculture-this-is-your-chance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">another chance at that</a> in his second act at the USDA.</p><p>So while we may choose to leave Tyson off the table this holiday, here's hoping that in 2021, policymakers find the resolve to take on the company and the industry, for the good of workers, farmers, and our environment.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/karen-perry-stillerman/4-ways-tyson-foods-made-2020-worse" target="_blank">Union of Concerned Scientists</a>.</em><br/></p>From Your Site Articles
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