There is no doubt about it: COVID-19 has changed the world.
Sadly, people are dying every day, companies are closing their doors, people are losing their jobs, and everyone is anxious right now. It’s more important than ever right now to take deep breaths, focus on mental and physical wellness, stay informed, and think positive.
Let’s take a look at how this global pandemic is impacting forests, parks, and nature across the country, as well as how Rochester businesses are adapting to these wild times.
Rochester Small Businesses
When things are normal and there isn’t a global pandemic causing mass hysteria, running a business is still extremely difficult. Up to 70% of all business partnerships fail under normal conditions. Now, due to social distancing and city-wide quarantine, Rochester’s business partnerships and organizations are in jeopardy of failing.
According to the Rochester Business Journal, local companies are doing everything they can to innovate in order to combat COVID-19’s impact on the economy.
Approximately 35% of customers find out about local businesses from seeing its sign while passing. Since everyone is confined to their homes during quarantine, however, people aren’t exactly passing by businesses too often — making digital advertising even more essential right now.
Plenty of local businesses are upping their social media presence in hopes of not only acquiring new customers but simply staying afloat. Similarly, companies are now shifting their talents to creating personal protective equipment (PPE) and broadcasting their efforts in order to help hospitals and individuals throughout the community.
Roc’s Black Button Distilling, the state’s largest distiller-turned-sanitizer maker, is producing roughly 70,000 24-ounce bottles a week, plus bulk containers of sanitizer. They are delivering these products to hospitals, food manufacturers, and other essential businesses across Rochester, New York, and even other states.
COVID-19’s Impact On Nature
U.S. forest land consists of 747 million acres, which is 33% of the total land across the country and 8.8% of global forest land. Things are obviously wild right now and we might not be focusing too much on preserving nature, but it’s imperative that we do so. In Rochester and beyond, cleaning up nature could help curb future disease outbreaks. According to Conservation International, since global wildlife trade continues to grow and expands deeper into tropical forests, humans coming in contact with more wild animals — and the disease they carry.
“Ecosystems in nature function similarly to the human body: When they are robust and healthy — which means they have diverse species and space for healthy animal populations — they are more resistant to disease,” said Lee Hannah, Conservation International’s Senior Climate Change Scientist. “We must take care of nature to take care of ourselves.”
We can always do more. Whether you’re working tirelessly to deliver PPE gear to essential workers or you’re simply more conscious about the environment during this pandemic, every little bit helps. We can and will get through this together.
