Selina Whiteley
Bio
Published writer, Sel Whiteley, has a BA and a soon to be completed MA in Writing. She has an MA Peace and Conflict Resolution and further qualifications in human and environmental law and earth science. She is a certified science writer.
Stories (3)
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Dawn of a New Environmentalist Praxis
Coronaviruses/COVID and HIV+/AIDS are highly analogous. In terms of human rights, stigmatisation, denialism and social marginalisation have increase pandemic deathtolls. With regard to HIV+/AIDS, both US medical advisor Jonathan Mann and the French sociologist, Daniel Defert affirmed, social marginalization and stigmatization became drivers of epidemiological spread. With regard to coronaviruses/COVID, violent Sinophobic attacks, attacks against medical workers and the refusal to wear masks have helped to increase coronavirus/COVID rates. Furthermore, in just the same way that HIV+/AIDS denialism among some political leaders such as Guinea Bissau’s Yahya Jammeh and South Africa’s Thabo Mbeki led to more deaths, various political leaders such as Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro’s coronavirus/COVID denialism increased the lethality of the crisis. Both Mbeki and Jammeh disinformed their populations with regard to HIV+/AIDS and both of whom have faced litigation challenges. This may set a precedent for political figures such as Trump and Bolsonaro.
By Selina Whiteley5 years ago in The Swamp
Our Individual Socioecological Responsibility to End Coronavirus
Coronavirus is a zoonotic condition driven by terrestrial transmission. As such, it is incumbent on the government to raise awareness of the anthrogenic origin of zoonotics with their links to deforestation, wildlife trafficking and climate change. However, with, according to the United Nations, a decade left to make climate change reversible, lifestyle changes must also be taken to minimise the chance of zoonotic disease emergence. These include reducing our carbon footprint, conserving and purifying water, ethically sourcing products, for instance ensuring they are Rainforest Alliance approved, dietary transition towards vegetarianism at best or at least avoidance of factory farming products and the boycott of the fur trade.
By Selina Whiteley5 years ago in Futurism
Coronaviruses: a call for climate justice?
The interdependence of climate justice and the inalienable right to life are increasingly recognized in both legal and moral terms. Air pollution is a contributory factor in between 7-9 million deaths each year according to the World Health Organization. Legal justice has helped to promote recognition of lethal pollution. Last week, litigants managed to list air pollution as a determinant of the death of a 9 year old girl Ella Kissi-Debrah in a landmark coroner's ruling. This bodes well for NGO’s such as ClientEarth being able to litigate against air pollution.
By Selina Whiteley5 years ago in Futurism
