The world has seen some crazy milestones these past few years and deserves a way to monument them. If there were a “This Moment in History” starter pack I am sure there would be so many things to put in it, but I chose three monumental topics. My “This Moment in History” starter pack would include topics like Covid-19, Climate change, and the BLM movements. The world had to adapt to the Covid-19 virus, wildfires and climate changes have impacted the way people view the environment, and lastly, movements and protests have spread the word about BLM. These topics have influenced humans and animals in so many ways and will not be forgotten.
To start, the Covid-19 pandemic has been one of the most impactful topics of the world today. We had to learn to adapt our lives to protect ourselves and others from the spread of the virus. To protect us, schools implemented online learning that has become normal for so many this past year. This has given students much flexibility with their schoolwork but has also caused problems along the way. Karen says, "To ask someone to go from a land-based course to an online course without any previous online teaching experience is a huge task and it's not something that can be done overnight”. Students and teachers have had a hard year learning how to teach and be taught through remote learning and it has raised concerns for many. Although it might be hard for some, it is the best option and has helped stop the spread of the Coronavirus. In addition, a mandatory “lockdown” had been set in place early last summer to help with the spread of the virus. Restaurants and stores were forced to close and people were only allowed to go out for necessities like groceries and work. As they have slowly reopened, a mask mandate has been set to hopefully reduce the spread and protect others from Covid. Covid-19 has had a huge impact on the world and earns its spot in the “This Moment in History” starter pack.
Also, in recent years people are learning more and more about the environment and how to protect it. Climate change has been talked about for years, but people are just now starting to take it seriously and are learning the effects it has. If we don’t stop and think about the harm that is being brought to the environment, things such as air pollution, scarcity of water, and hazardous waste will occur (Green Coast). For example, in the Arctic regions, the temperature has started warming twice as fast and has brought rapid change in land life and sea life. Almost half the fish that is caught in the US comes from fisheries which makes it vital for the locals’ lives (World Wildlife Foundation). Furthermore, wildfires have had a huge effect on our world in these past few months. Bob Berwyn writes, “Wildfires emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that will continue to warm the planet well into the future. They damage forests that would otherwise remove CO2 from the air. And they inject soot and other aerosols into the atmosphere, with complex effects on warming and cooling”. This adds to the effects and downsides of the climate change that has been happening. Climate change and wildfires have and will continue to affect people and animals across the world so it deserves a spot in the “This Moment in History” starter pack.
Finally, a “This Moment in History'' starter pack would not be complete without the protests and riots surrounding the BLM movement. The hashtag “BlackLivesMatter'' was started in 2013 by Alicia, Patrisse, and Opal and has grown exponentially since then. Leon Roberts writes, “...the push for Black liberation from state-inflicted violence has evolved into one of the most influential social movements of the post-civil rights era”. The Black Lives Matter movements have spread across the globe and have recently made a huge impact on the way we influence citizens and spread the word about important topics. In May of 2020, the death of George Floyd sparked riots and protests among communities that will not be forgotten. Social media has also been included with hashtags on Twitter and Instagram. 15 million tweets were uploaded with hashtags surrounding the movements in only two months during 2020 and have grown since then. It is without a doubt one of the biggest topics in the world today and should be included in the “This Moment in History'' starter pack.
Although so many topics could have been included in a “This Moment in History” starter pack, I chose 3 influential topics to be included in mine. Covid-19 has turned the world upside down and made us adapt in ways that we thought we would never have to. Climate change and global warming have impacted families and animals and have people realizing how serious it is. Finally, the BLM movements have sparked change in the world as protests and riots spread the word. The world could never forget about these important and impactful events and will always be included in a “This Moment in History” starter pack.