Positive Environment Changes Taking Place Amid the Lockdown

While amongst all of this shutdown and social distancing, environment could be the only beneficiary getting some time to heal itself. From cancelled events to closed malls, from not being able to shop online to not being able to plan vacays in advance, we all criticised the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. But guess what? May be the nature needed this space and time from humans to rejuvenate.

While we are busy to find cure and treatment to tackle this virus better, this pandemic is healing nature in ways which could leave us startled.

In China and Italy, the air is now strikingly clean and the pollution levels have come down. NASA scientists said that dramatic drop in the Nitrogen dioxide cloud over China as the transportation and business activities stopped. Venice’s Grand Canal which is usually fouled by boat traffic and the dark, murky waterways is running clear. In, New York, Seattle Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chicago the fog of pollution has lifted. Even global carbon emissions have fallen.

Several different regions are also observing significant environmental benefits as a consequence of the Coronavirus outbreak. For instance, researchers in New York registered a 50% decline in carbon monoxide levels, caused due to car emissions. The researchers at Columbia University also established that the traffic levels in the city have come down by around 35% when compared to the levels of a year ago.

In India, Sambar deer was found taking a stroll in Chandigarh’s Sector 9-10. A Malabar Civet was seen on the zebra crossing in Kozhikode. In another incident, a Nilgai was spotted just outside the famous GIP Mall in Noida. 

Mumbai’s coast witnessed dolphins off Malabar Hill & Marine Drive. We found Olive Ridley turtles mass nesting in Odisha. 

Almost after 20 years, around 80 Olive Ridley sea turtles have hatched and dolphins, which were never found, have been seen regularly, becoming an example of the success of the community in reviving the coastal ecosystem. The populations of Dolphin and Olive Ridley started depleting because of the mass plastic waste and unsustainable fishing in the area.

It will be great for India to see results of 21-day lockdown, and nature could finally fell alive seeing humans inside their homes and not interfering its regeneration. Meanwhile, this lockdown has given wildlife an opportunity to roam around on the otherwise busy roads. 

Over to you

Who would have thought of such a situation? But look, amongst the scary situation where humans are stuck inside their homes, the Mother Nature is breathing freely and blooming. You could now hear bird chirping even at 12 in the noon and see peacocks dance in the evening.

Hope we all are not short of time, at least now to appreciate the nature and feel blessed to be a part of it.