Ever since the coronavirus pandemic has struck across the globe: Mother Earth seems to have rejuvenated itself. Marine life is seeing increased activity, pollution levels have dropped, smog has given way to blue skies, and animals, as well as birds, are moving around on their own accord.
The ozone layer has started healing itself as there is a decrease in carbon footprints. We ourselves are able to feel how clean the air is to breathe in and it’s all due to the shutdown of factories, commercial establishments, and vehicular movement. “Work from home” and “social distancing” have become the new norms in everyone’s lives.
IMPROVEMENT IN AIR QUALITY:
China noted a 25 percent decrease in emissions due to reduced use of coal and crude oil and the amount of nitrogen dioxide also dropped by 36 percent this year. Some of the most-stark differences were recorded in Italy, Spain, and France – the three countries which imposed lockdowns much earlier than other European nations. The nitrogen dioxide levels across all of them saw a slump. The air quality index sank to as low as 93 last month in New Delhi (India) as compared to 161 in march 2019, as per IQAir reports.
The WHO shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing a high level of pollutants. It also estimates the death toll due to air pollution being around 7 million every year across the globe. Nevertheless, the improvement in air quality owing to the outbreak of the pandemic looks like a ray of hope in the times to come.
UNDISTURBED HABITATS:
While the Covid-19 lockdown has made it imperative for people to stay indoors, animals seem to have been indomitable by it. The quite street corners, empty parking lots, and deserted parks have given more space for nature to take control. A Nilgai was spotted walking leisurely on the road in Noida’s busiest sector-18. Similarly, in Kerela’s Kozhikode, a Malabar civet, which is a critically endangered animal, was spotted walking on the road. Peacocks are being spotted in the lanes of Chandigarh. The olive ridley turtles have started laying eggs in Odisha’s Gahirmatha beach and Rushikulya’s rookery. You can hear the chirping of the birds all around you no matter what the time is. The sky is much cleaner and pleasant, and even the stars have started twinkling in the night.
LESS VIBRATIONS:
The decreased seismic activities are making the Earth crust vibrate less. The seismic noise is the hum of vibrations in the planet’s crust produced by its movement both due to natural and man-made causes.
The seismic noise has decreased by one third due to diminished human activity. With this, the sensitivity of machines to detect frequency waves has enhanced which can help us to detect small earthquakes and monitor volcanic activity beforehand.
IS THIS JUST A TEMPORARY MIRAGE?
It is said that times of disruptions tend to lead to big transitions. The Covid-19 shutdown has given us a glimpse into what the world might look like if we live sustainably and conserve the resources of the planet. But can people expect a transformation in the future?
We all know after this crisis, we have to get our life back in shape. However, if we require long term solutions like conservation of forests, proper waste management, utilization of clean energy, and flourishing marine life in order to see a real impact.
We can learn a lot from this phase that how Mother Earth can bounce back to life if we allow it.
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