Honestly speaking, Colombia is a place that is always active. For whatever reason, the night leading up to the morning of the earthquake was an active one.
People were coming into and out of our building and then there was the sound of a helicopter. Making sleep seem like an impossible task.
The night leading up to the morning of the earthquake, was a restless one. Full of noise and activity. So much so that by the time the actual earthquake happened, it felt like a continuance of the commotion and restlessness that preceded it.
Until things got really real and the realization sets in that, you are in the middle of an actual earthquake!!!!!!!
Trouble In Colombia.
From that point, the first thing that came to mind was Venezuela, literally next door in South America. The images of which, are obviously still fresh in the minds of all who paid attention to the twin earthquakes that happened in La Guaira, Venezuela.
To be sure, the earthquakes that hit Venezuela and their aftermath, are a worse case scenario, come to life. With those earthquakes being so close, both in terms of location and time (June 24th). One of the first things your mind wonders is, are you about to have to walk in Venezuela’s shoes so to speak?
Is this building about to collapse on you? Surely, you need to get away from any windows???!!!! The last thing you want is to have to try and outmaneuver flying pieces of broken glass!!!! You then start to realise that it is probably a good idea for you to hide under a table, but wait, there is no table!!!!
You then figure out your next best bet is probably to put on some shoes and simply get out of the building. At this point, your fight or flight reaction is kicking in and since there is no way to fight an earthquake, your survival instincts are only screaming one thing at you: run!!!!!!
Now, being from the Caribbean, depending on who and how you are, finding yourself in a situation where your only instinct is to run is extremely different to say the least. However, clearly, this is different.
Whoever You Are, You’re No Match For An Earthquake.
To switch back to reality, luckily for us, precisely when things were increasingly getting intense and our instincts were only telling us to run. Is precisely when the Earthquake ended.
With all of the commotion from the night prior and a whole earthquake finally behind us. Sleep made itself undeniable.
Eventually, when we did leave our building, most of the surrounding shops and businesses were closed. This was strange. Having had no contact with social media, the television and a busy schedule.
There was no reason to believe that the earthquake had been severe until, you notice that so many businesses are closed on a Monday!!!!
Then you talk to people and find out that the earthquake was 7.4 an caused significant damage and even death, both in your community and throughout the country.
Another moment where reality hits you in the face. Beautiful, beautiful Colombia. A place where Reggaeton and Salsa, quite literally, culturally, run this town. Is now the latest epicenter of tragedy, via earthquake.
You’re In Colombia During An Earthquake, What Do You Do Now?
The only thing you can do. Namely, point out to people that 2026 has been a standout year in a way no sane person would hope. 2026 is a year where the danger this planet is in because of climate change, is utterly obvious and undeniable.
In a short period of time, we’ve seen Earthquakes become commonplace and their destructive power in plain sight for all to see. Venezuela, Japan, Mexico and now Colombia all hit by earthquakes.
The fight or flight reaction in human beings is real, scientific and well documented. However, the truth is, none of us can really fight, or outrun an earthquake.
In an earthquake, the very ground that you are standing on is ready to run from underneath you! You can try and climb, but you’ll still be in danger. Similarly, running and fighting an earthquake, is also impossible. The only thing you can do is hope and/or pray, for the best.
If you are able to survive, the only thing you can then do is try to encourage every other human being on the planet to take their carbon footprint seriously.
Try and live somewhere that is safe, connected and walkable. That has everything that you need and love, without you needing a car to get to it.
When it comes to cars the less we use them, the better. Moreover, we need to prioritise driving electric or hybrid cars and leaving car ownership primarily for people with families. They are to be viewed as a necessity rather than the traditional rite of passage (of adulthood) that they have been viewed as.
When it comes to air travel, we all need to ensure that we consider the environment then too. In the same way that every financial decision we make, needs to ideally be financially sound. Every decision we make in our lives needs to be made in a way that is in harmony with the environment.
Air travel needs to be limited as much as possible. So as to minimise the damage done to the environment. Thankfully, here in the Caribbean, there are a lot of amazing places that are normally only an hour away by plane.
Being able to travel and see the world is an education and definitely amazing. However, we all have to make sure that the way we fly as individuals is as environmentally friendly as possible. Otherwise, when your plane lands and you head off to whatever location. Potentially a natural disaster will be awaiting you.
Finally, another important thing we can all do is take a look at our consumption of meat. The irony of planet earth’s environmental predicament is that our eating habits are basically the number one environmental threat.
Simply put, we can either consume less meat and/or go vegan or, ensure that we only source meat from companies whose operations are in harmony with the environment.
In other words, we all can live on a planet less at threat from hurricanes, droughts, floods, earthquakes, etc, by simply either giving up meat or, buying meat that is produced in a sustainable way.
As consumers, we need to become aware of how the meat where we live is produced and only purchasing meat from companies that produce meat in a sustainable way.
This literally is all it takes to turn things around before they get any worse.
Hurricane Melissa Tried To Warn Us.
From a Caribbean perspective, it has been crystal clear for a while that being green, was a life or death matter. Historically, in the Caribbean, we fear Hurricane season.
We’ve seen how pollution from outside of the Caribbean, has meant increasingly powerful Hurricanes here in the Caribbean.
However, Hurricane Melissa was clearly the major red flag, alarm bell, warning humanity to change how it treats the environment or to risk, risking it all.
As far we know, Hurricane Melissa, is the most powerful Hurricane in Jamaican history.
Anyone with common sense, could then put two and two together. The way us human beings live, is the driving force behind why Jamaica has experienced its strongest Hurricane ever.
In other words, nature is telling us to change how we treat the environment, in order to save the environment.
Either we listen, and at least only buy meat from companies that produce meat in a sustainable way.
Or, risk everything.
Hopefully, awareness of this simple fact is the problem. Hopefully as this awareness spreads, we all put in the little bit of work needed to bring our consumption habits in line with being in harmony with the environment.
That is all we have to do and hopefully, we realise this and do what we need to do to protect the environment, soon!!!!
In a place like Colombia, the Caribbean and in general, life is still worth living despite the challenges that we all face. However, for us to be able to live our lives fully, we all need to start ensuring that we are living in harmony with the environment.
