Our Collective Role in the Global Pandemic

Authors

  • Gelsey Garcia

Abstract

The emergence of COVID-19 has sparked a global conversation about the need to reconsider our food choices, particularly the consumption of wildlife and domesticated animals. Viruses that cause human illnesses often originate from animals, highlighting the potential risks associated with these practices. Wet markets and factory farming facilitate interactions between animals, enabling viruses to cross-contaminate and spread to humans. This article examines the consequences of anthropocentric eating habits, corporate greed, and lack of knowledge about microbe-level issues. It emphasizes the urgent need for a cultural shift away from animal agriculture to prevent future deadly pandemics and protect public health, the economy, and the environment. By making informed and responsible food choices, we can collectively contribute to a safer and healthier world.

Author Biography

Gelsey Garcia

Gelsey Garcia is a passionate, intersectional environmentalist who graduated in May 2021 from the College of Arts & Sciences at Rutgers University-Camden where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and a minor in philosophy. During her senior year, she independently researched the impact of fast fashion on environmental issues, such as plastic pollution in various water sources through the release of synthetic polymers (polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides, and acrylonitrile) during the washing process for the Department of Chemistry at Rutgers University-Camden under the mentorship of Dr. Georgia Arbuckle-Keil. She plans on pursuing a career as an environmental law attorney and wants to build a bridge between chemistry and ethics to find innovative solutions to various environmental issues. Garnering inspiration from her environmental ethics course, Garcia hopes that this paper will encourage readers to reflect on their anthropocentric ways and take the necessary steps towards developing a more sustainable lifestyle because the future of our planet depends on it.

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Published

2023-07-18

How to Cite

Garcia, G. (2023). Our Collective Role in the Global Pandemic. The Rutgers-Camden Undergraduate Review, 1(2), 7. Retrieved from https://rcur.libraries.rutgers.edu/index.php/rcur/article/view/2131