Credit: Canadian Press

By Daniela Ginta

The Way I See It

GINTA: Challenging times can help us build better health for our community

Sep 8, 2020 | 4:46 AM

KAMLOOPS — We have a big week ahead. Kids are returning to school, and for the majority that means they’ll be hanging out together in classes and other common spaces. All of us share much concern for their safety, the safety of the teachers and other staff, and of course the community at large. This is a test like no other.

The virus that turned our lives upside down is still making the rounds in our province, and ballooning numbers can metamorphosize into panic, or into proactive thinking.

Hence the question: What can we do, collectively, to ensure that we reduce health risks in our community?

These last few months have reminded us of the most precious asset we own, which is our health, forcing us to reconsider what keeps us healthy whether in a pandemic or otherwise. Fresh wholesome foods instead of processed, regular physical activity, and though often overlooked and forgotten, access to clean air.

Air pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death, worldwide, and that should give us pause for thought, more so now that exposure to particular matter and other pollutants has been linked to an increased risk and severity of covid-19 symptoms.

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The slowing down brought by the pandemic has been economically detrimental, everyone agrees. At the same time, it pushed us to reconsider our way of life. Perpetual economic growth, whether industrial or agricultural, means increased pollution. Air, water and soil too.

And let’s not forget, the climate crisis, yet another threat to our children’s future, did not go anywhere during this time. Perhaps less visible at times where we are, but awfully evident in other parts of the world, particularly in the Arctic, which has warmed up twice as fast in the last couple of decades. Still, we are but one planet, so eventually we all share the same fate. Everything is compounded, sooner or later.

The recent news about KGHM wanting to revive the controversial open pit mine project has to be appropriately placed in the present-day context and with adequate consideration for the future. Our children are counting on us to do that.

Our kids are watching and listening. They are learning from the social discourse, and they are learning what’s important as they see our values displayed.

An open pit mine that has been deemed environmentally unfeasible following a thorough review is not the kind of legacy we want our children and their children to have. Our community has become attractive to many professionals, many of whom are essential such as healthcare professionals, and more so after the Ajax mine conversation was closed.

As it stands right now, essential workers – including healthcare professionals, teachers, public service employees and many others, are braving the pandemic to ensure that we have a level of normalcy that we all miss and want to see re-established.

We cannot afford to put any of that at risk. The future has a few question marks attached to it. We’re being told the present pandemic is here to stay for another few months at least, and others may follow.

Whether that’s the case or not, we can’t go wrong when aiming to improve the level of health in our community. Washing hands, wearing masks and keeping our distance from each other are all great, but let’s go beyond that and think of what can make Kamloops a good place to live, and a healthy one too.

The collective well-being has never been more at risk. At the same time, we’ve never better equipped to make wise choices. Why? Because we have the knowledge; all we need is the will and maturity to apply it.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.