The World is fighting the battle against this not-so deadly, deadly virus, but we have a beneficiary of Corona Virus too — Planet Earth! As people have been locked down inside their homes, Earth has started to breathe again.
“Corona Virus is the biggest threat to humanity today”.
“False”.
“Wait, what?”
We have always believed in the famous saying, ‘the glass is always full’. Though Corona Virus is one of the greatest threats we have come across as a race, it is not a threat to humanity. Won’t you all agree that this pandemic has brought us closer despite the physical distance between us?
These questions are almost philosophical; capable of taking you into the internal recesses of your mind. And when you finally reach a conclusion while appreciating your watchman who gets you a packet of milk every morning while coming to your building from his house as you are too scared to step out, you will be overwhelmed by what we have achieved as a community. In addition to these obvious things that we feel and see every day, we have also contributed in other indirect ways and you know who the ultimate beneficiary of this Corona Virus hullabaloo is? It is our planet Earth!
The pandemic has killed the economy and has adversely affected the mental health of millions of people in addition to claiming innumerable lives, but the planet has definitely benefitted from it.
One of the most obvious benefits is a clear sky (if you notice we have not said clearer, but clear). With almost the entire population under a lockdown and factories shut, there is hardly any vehicular emission to contribute to air pollution. As a result, the air has become clear and the sky appears beautifully blue again! (Do count the stars once you’re done reading this blog. There are way too many out there to smile at you!
The air is more breathable these days. Most countries of the world have recorded a drastic reduction in air pollution with China recording a whopping 25% reduction in its carbon dioxide emissions. Satellite images released by NASA and the European Space Agency also show a dramatic reduction in Nitrogen Dioxide emissions. The SPM and Carbon Monoxide levels are less too, and ironically enough, Corona Virus will let us breathe more efficiently in the days to come if we take lessons from the past and don’t suffocate the planet again.
Another thing that has happened is that the usage of non-renewable resources has gone down. With the energy demand being low because of the lockdown, coal usage has decreased significantly. The use of fuel has also decreased with no transportation allowed from a city to another and as sad as the situation actually is, it is certainly helping with the issue of global warming and climate change.
Apart from these, the happiest thing that I got to hear about, personally, is about the freedom that animals have gotten recently. We cannot do much about it, but we have all been worried at some point or the other about the atrocities that the wild and city animals have to go through because of us, humans. Guess they have finally found the freedom to roam around the streets alone and bask in the sun as we humans are caged inside. This is not something that we have just ‘read’ about in papers. My friend from a metropolitan city texted me three days back that he saw a fox in his street! Raccoons, Sika deer, birds, dolphins, bears, wild turkeys, and schools of fish are all out in the open without fear, looking for food and some space after all. (Okay, we can’t be very sure about the schools of fishes. The water bodies are very clear now and maybe that is why they are visible with ease. Yay, another advantage found!)
We think that the blue planet has not been this ‘blue’ since the Industrial Revolution. Let us all make it a point to take care of our surroundings when this lockdown ends so that the healing of our planet continues. Why not start today and try living a minimalist lifestyle, or if not that, at least use our resources judiciously? Maybe just close the tap while we are rubbing our hands with soap for 20 seconds!
While we are at this, we would also like you to think of ways of minimizing the pollution when this lockdown ends and industries and our vehicles are alive again. And when you get bored of thinking about ways to save our Earth, check out this blog for ways to utilize your time during this lockdown.
Oh, I forgot to tell you that I heard a sparrow singing outside my window last week. Did you witness the positives of Corona Virus too?
Tell us in the comments section below.
Originally published at https://www.fuzia.com.