Know About COVID-19 and the Environment

In the age of futuristic technology and capitalism, luxury and sumptuous amenities are sought after by people who are after the sweet taste of an affluent lifestyle. 

Humans have displayed remarkable and mind-blowing breakthroughs in all walks of life, ranging from artificial intelligence to astronomical prowess. As we pushed through hurdles, broke down barriers, and looked ahead to a future that would have been shrugged off as a utopian dream fifty years ago, humanity has indeed accomplished a plethora of desires. But at what cost?

In retrospect, while we took this quantum leap, looking around and paying heed to the damage that was caused should have been taken up more seriously. So here we are at the pinnacle, bearing the brunt of it. Global warming, climate change, carbon emission, wildfires, pandemics. It all points to one thing-ignorance. 

In our race to conquer the world, little did we realize the repercussions of its exploitation. Despite being warned and pleaded with through signs that were impossible to miss, we blissfully basked in oblivion, blinded by greed. So mother nature, being the genius that she is, took matters into her own hands. 

Covid-19, the deadliest pandemic of this era, exhibits how grave the situation really is. Though the origin of the coronavirus is undetermined, all fingers point to the irresponsibility and recklessness of humans. The first step to combat the repercussions of this callous course of action towards climate change is to be aware of how it took a lockdown to grasp its effect on the environment.

Know About COVID-19 and the Environment

• Climate Change

One of the few silver linings that can be discerned from the Covid-19 pandemic is reducing carbon emissions due to the lockdown. The water was never clearer, the wildlife was never wildered, and the air was never cleaner. As humans ground to a halt, nature took the wheel, and order was restored.

Due to the lockdown, schools, colleges, events, concerts, etc., were put to a stop, and the transportation sector along with it. With minimized consumption of fossil fuels and low pollution, the air quality significantly improved.

• Habitat Restoration

The detrimental interaction of humans with nature vis-a-vis deforestation, hunting, etc., also reduced as people became aware of the origin of the coronavirus. The main reason for a pandemic to emerge is the increasing pressure of humans on wildlife.

In this case, it was through the virus that previously existed only among bats. As humans continued to exploit the natural habitat, it changed the rapport between the two, causing catastrophic consequences.

• Fossil Fuels

With the lockdown being implemented, all modes of transportation-air, land, and sea, were ceased, and hence the fossil fuel demand also plummeted. This is a major win for the environment because they are non-renewable resources that are depleting at a rapid rate. 

This also brought down air pollution and other environmental consequences of the extraction process. Also, the current mining practices are hazardous to the miners as well as the surrounding habitat. Therefore, the lower demand for fossil fuels will aid the recovery of this treacherous circumstance.

• Work from home-Reduction in energy usage

The new normal forced people to work from home, which meant less energy consumption in office buildings and other corporations. As people worked from home, they had to utilize digital means of communication, thus reducing the need to travel for meetings or events.

Avoiding mass gatherings meant that entertainment centers such as malls, movie theatres, etc., had to be closed, eliminating a huge amount of energy consumption. Through various small gestures that might seem trivial, an immensely positive impact was generated, and the results showed.

Conclusion

Even though it can be difficult to notice a ray of hope during these trying times, the aspects mentioned above of how the environment has taken a hiatus to give us something to look forward to. 

We should view the pandemic as an eye-opener to understand that, as humans, it is our innate responsibility to protect and look out for the planet. The adverse effects of climate change and global warming is manifesting right before our eyes. Turning a blind eye to those signs would be a huge blunder that would most certainly be regretted in the coming years.