by Taetske | 2:35 pm
(Last Updated On: October 30, 2023)

 

The entire world is going through a difficult phase

 

Sunrise

Sunrise image Arek Socha

 

Countries have been on complete lock-down for weeks on end and people are suffering from being confined to small spaces. Children cannot go to school and are sitting with their parents at home who try to keep them busy and not get nervous. A real strain on one’s nerves.

Domestic violence is on the rise. This is awful, and it is happening worldwide. Here in Spain, a woman can ask for a red mask in the pharmacy. This is a code for domestic abuse, and immediately the protocol is being activated to help this person.

Each country copes with the virus in different ways, some with more or less good results. Here in the hospitals, the nurses help the patients by holding a smartphone so the family can see their loved ones. People are dying and the ones left behind may not perform the customary burial traditions. One can hardly say goodbye.

These are dramatic facts and most countries in the world are going through this crisis. It has crippled the economy, and millions of people have lost their jobs. The question is, how long can we survive in this modus?

History has shown us that up till now humanity has survived, even though many did not make it. Our children and their children will take care of our continuity.

 

Where do we come from?

It is said humans migrated from Africa some 72.000 years ago and the Australian Aboriginals are currently the oldest living tribe. So you see, we have already been around quite a long time, and that is without considering the existence of human races long before this time.

 

When did Mother Earth’s problems start?

In old times like 8000 years ago, there were only an estimated few million people living on the planet. These people did not really pose a problem. They would hunt and look for berries and tubers.

This did not seriously affect the world’s ecosystem, as there was an abundance of everything. It got more problematic starting with the Roman Empire, which had a rapidly growing population asking for large-scale agriculture.

The Roman historical period starts around 500 BC and they wanted to expand, needed ships to do that. This was the beginning of deforestation around the Mediterranean.

The Iberian ship development followed this period from 1400 to 1600. Spain and Portugal needed ships to navigate the world, so shipbuilding was a booming business.

 

Obsolete agricultural machine

Obsolete agricultural machine image thierry79shooting

 

The beginning of the end

Some 200 years ago, it got serious as the Industrial Revolution started. This was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Europe and also the United States. Machines able to deliver larger quantities in a much shorter time could perform skills that originally were manual. The rise of the factory processing system.

Factories were being built, coal was being mined and cars drove around replacing the horse and carriage. Man-made foods were invented, and our lives have changed in a big way. The way how we lived got less healthy and with time, we polluted our waters and air.

Using plastic (produced from oil) has increased at a very rapid rate and has nearly replaced all other materials. Our oceans are polluted and by 2050, there will be more plastic particles in the oceans than fish.

The words “Global Warming and Climate Change” are heard regularly, and our world has started on a downward spiral. More hunger, more poverty, and more illnesses, all this being our own creation. The human species inflicts this upon itself and there seems no end to it.

 

The suffering of Mother Earth

Mother Earth shows serious signs of being abused. The natural balance is being upset by man. All creation is being maltreated, species disappearing, fertile lands becoming deserts, the list of woeful things happening is getting longer every day.

We saw it and we see it, but we let it happen as if not being capable of putting wrong things right.

One often hears the phrase “there is no planet B”, but we have behaved as if there are many planets available at a short distance where we just can pick up and move, and start all over again. Certain places on our planet show tremendous signs of destruction. It is like a miracle people can survive in this unnatural, self-created environment.

In just over 5 minutes this video shows you why Mother Earth is unbeatable.

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And then it happens

Humans are put on hold, and the Earth recuperates. In barely a few months, while we are being confined to our homes, miracles are happening worldwide. The water becomes clear, the air becomes breathable, and things that were hardly visible now appear.

 

Venice with cruiseship in the background

Venice with cruise ship in the background image Gerhard G

 

The water in Venice clears up

Through the many years, the beautiful city of Venice has been continuously and seriously polluted. So many tourists flocking to this UNESCO World Heritage Site, wanting to experience the unique historical atmosphere.

Venice was founded in the 5th century AD and is spread over 118 small islands. All the tiny boats in the canals, and even gigantic cruise ships, were threatening the city. When all of this traffic stopped, the waters cleared up in record time.

The water is actually a sewage system, but now you can see the fish swimming. Even swans have come back to the city and are peacefully floating through the canals. The air has also become cleaner. People realize how nice it would be if this city could remain so beautiful and pristine.

 

One can see mountains again which were hidden for 30 years

There are places in our world that have beautiful mountains in the background. However, the Himalayan mountains have been hidden from view for over 30 years because of smog and pollution. Many younger people were so surprised to see these lovely mountains which they only knew from seeing on postcards.

It only took a little over 1 month for the mountains to become visible again. The elimination of traffic and the shutdown of industry resulted in a large reduction of industrial smog. This miracle happened in a surprisingly short time. Think how people with breathing problems are feeling relieved now being able to breathe in clean air.

 

Baby turtle running to the sea

Baby turtle running to the sea image florentiabuckingham

 

A wonderful occurrence on a beach

Our species has been hindering all kinds of animals from behaving like they were meant to. By our mere presence, we have pushed animals and plant species away from their natural habitat. By building homes, cities, and roads, we have expanded our habitat and are putting in danger the survival of many species.

I bet they could not believe their eyes when they saw empty beaches. I am talking about the Olive Ridley sea turtle. It is estimated that some 70.000 turtles “stormed” the Indian shores to lay their eggs in the sand. Last year the turtles suffered from a dreadful storm, so there were very few babies that could hatch. This year will be different as the beaches were all theirs.

 

An unusual book

The authors of “The Great Cosmic Mother”, Monica Sjoo, and Barbara Mor explain the Goddess religion, which is humanity’s heritage. It ties religion to women’s bodies, the seasons, the phases of the moon, and the fertility of the earth. This was the original religion of all humans.

 

 

An Afterthought

Could it be that this crisis is a wake-up call for humanity? In two months, Mother Earth is becoming her beautiful self again. From my workroom window, I have a marvelous view of a mountain ridge some 80 km away. This special place has the name El Torcal and was formed 150.000.000 years ago. It is an amazing place for a hiking trip.

I overlook the valley that comes inland from the sea where the province capital Malaga is situated. Often one could see a brownish-colored blanket floating inland. The industrial part of Malaga caused this.

At the present, there is no trace of this brown haze, the sky is clear and blue. We should try to rethink and then make some big and positive changes to our behavior. Hopefully, like that, our environment will stay clean, promoting good health and happy life for the generations to come.

 

Protect the Planet

Protect the Planet image Aksh Kinjavadekar

 

Earth Day

On Wednesday, April 22, is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The first time we celebrated it was in 1970 and over 20 million people took part. Hopefully, this year one billion people worldwide will demand a cleaner and healthier environment.

Do you want to join?

It is now one year since I wrote this `post. The magical spell of living on a seemingly clean planet is long gone. Sadly, it did not change our behavior even if they force an alternative way of living on us. The pollution is back and now having to wear a mask makes breathing even more difficult.

I have made a special page for my visitors. Have a look at my Recommendations page, you might find something of your interest.

 

Source: Sierra Club, Newsletter, 8th April 2020

Photo Source: Pixabay

 

There are many ways during your life where you can do positive things for Mother Earth. There even is now something which you can do after you have passed away. You might find this a rather unusual idea. Personally, I think it is beautiful. Please read the following post with an open mind.

Beautiful After Death Gift To Mother Nature

Comments

Purdey

Hi Taetske! I see that you empathize a lot with Mother Earth and I get your concern. I hope you are not suffering from this lock down and that you do not worry too much about the future. I must confess, I never understood the logic in having cruise boats in Venice. It defies sanity. Anyway, thank you for this article and for the very cute picture of the mini turtle.

Apr 20.2020 | 02:55 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Purdey,

    Thank you for leaving a comment on my website. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Living on my organic farm in the south of Spain since 1981 has brought me closer to nature. I am not really suffering, I am staying at home and having a garden is very helpful as I can stretch my legs. No, I do not worry either as I will be 70 years old in May.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 20.2020 | 07:12 pm

Paul

Hi Taetske,

Never ever thought there will be a situation like this in our times. In the part of the world where I live (India), we are in lockdown from the 24th of March to the 3rd of May. People are really struggling and things changed a lot and the government is trying their best.

The information you shared about our beginning and the beginning of the end is very informative. When I read I saw disaster and felt bad. Indeed, we polluted everything including our minds. The beauty of planet earth video you embedded is a treat to my eyes.

There is no doubt that the things happening now is a wake-up call for humanity. Thanks a lot for the thought-provoking and insightful article.

Apr 20.2020 | 03:15 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Paul,

    Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.

    I am happy that you liked the video I used to show how beautiful Mother Earth is. Personally I am a firm believer that this is a wake-up call for humanity and I hope many people are listening.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 20.2020 | 07:18 pm

Sonny

Napoleon Hill once said, “Every crisis produces a seed to an equal or greater opportunity”. In other words, something good can always be taken from a bad situation. I love your post and I totally agree. Our planet earth is a living being that quickly regenerates without human intervention if given a chance. 

It is unfortunate that animals are often better than humans. Earth can definitely survive without us. 

Thank you and I hope you’re keeping well!

Sonny

Apr 20.2020 | 03:15 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Sonny,

    Thank you for leaving a comment on my post. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulips widget.

    To be somehow balanced good needs bad and vice versa. It is obvious our intervention has caused a lot of harm in a very short time. This does not need to be like that but we will have to change our perspective and focus  seeing creation as a whole and we are part of it.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 20.2020 | 07:32 pm

Georgi

Hi, a beautiful post. I fully support what you have communicated to us.

True it took so little time to find out how our daily comforts hurt nature. Children of big cities saw animals on the streets that walked freely. First they had to go to the zoo to see.

As in the seas animals like dolphins have returned, whales that we had driven away with our activities. The theme is very beautiful and I would also say educational. I think this epidemic makes us think. And when it’s all over, we’ll go out and look at nature differently.

Apr 20.2020 | 03:29 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Greorgi,

    Thank you for stopping by and for your comment. I hope you have downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Thank you for your kind comment. I also hope that humanity will better their ways once this pandemic is over. This has to happen on a global level, I am keeping my fingers crossed. For future generation to have a good environment where they can raise their children we have to change things big way.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 20.2020 | 07:50 pm

Kirkman

Hello, thank you for this awesome website that you have created.

The outburst of covid 19 in the world today has led to real panic across the globe leading to shut down in almost every nation. This has brought a small recuperation of the earths ecosystem. An interesting benefit is that the pollution that is caused by most industries has been reduced and nature is springing back.

The big question is this: how do we maintain this gift that nature has giving to us after this pandemic is over?  Thank you for this post

Apr 21.2020 | 12:16 am

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Dola,

    That is a good question. Will humanity take this as a wake-up call and better its ways or will we continue with polluting our habitat the same we did before this pandemic?

    I hope we have learned our lesson but only time will tell.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 22.2020 | 03:39 pm

Linda Frankson

Yes, a total wake up call in all aspects. To see the whole picture, not just the pandemic. Even though all this is happening, we can rejoice because there are better times coming. The Lord told us of these times, and they will get worse before they get better, and he tells us that all is not lost.
I believe that this pandemic will pass but will leave the economy broken. Only time will tell what is to come and I will wait for that time. Thanks, Taetske for showing us that Mother Nature is forever present Linda

Apr 26.2020 | 06:38 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Linda,

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment. It is very much appreciated.
    When we go back to “normal” I am convinced it will be a different normal from what we remember. There are things in the past that hopefully do not come back anymore. I so wish we can all live in peace and if taken care there will be enough for everybody.
    Mother Natures takes care of use but we have to treat her right.

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 26.2020 | 06:56 am

Juan Rojas

I found the article very interesting. And the video that it contains has spectacular images

Sep 22.2020 | 10:32 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Juan,

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Yes, it is a special video. The recuperation of Mother Earth was short lived. The moment the human race came out of lock down the pollution levels were rising again.

    Regards, Taetske

    Sep 23.2020 | 04:08 pm

Hannie

You could read “Grand Hotel Europa” by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer, Taetske. It’s a Dutch book of someone pretending to live in Venice. Very critical on mass tourism!
At times I think it wouldn’t be the worst what could happen – that the human race gets extinct. Seeing how a great deal of the people behave now the lockdowns are a bit loosened, pains me. I am trying my utmost to stay optimistic, but sometimes it’s just too hard. 🙂

Dec 06.2020 | 11:24 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Hannie,

    Nice to see you again. Thank you for the visit and for the comment. Remember you can download a free PDF of your choice at the Tulip Widget.

    I worked for 14 years as a tourist guide in Italy, Spain and on 2 cruise ships. In 1973 I worked 3 months on a Greek cruise ship and we would dock every 14 days in Venice. At that time it was full already but it got a lot worse over the following years.

    Mother Earth had a mini holiday but that is over know. The moment humanity started moving again her beauty became hidden once more. If we do not mend our ways it does not look positive at all.

    Regards, Taetske

    Dec 06.2020 | 12:28 pm

Aparna

It sure seems like the earth has pressed the reset button. And I am sure this is not going to be the last. This is going to become a common yearly phenomenon. Unless we start taking heed. 

The kind of destruction of all living things that man has unleashed upon earth had to take its toll. Sadly, thousands and thousands have had to pay the price with their lives. 

I hope humanity wakes up to the alarms.

Regards,

Aps

Apr 12.2021 | 06:44 pm

    Taetske

    Good evening Aps,

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment. Nice to see you again.

    I also hope that humanity will wake up on time. There have been many warnings, but until now to no avail. We seem to be blind to the fact our planet is so amazing. 

    Regards, Taetske

    Apr 13.2021 | 07:51 pm

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