Living within the four walls of my home, with so much chaos worldwide, I have discovered a silver lining that keeps me going during this Global Pandemic. Dolphins have been spotted in the canals of Venice, and the chirping of birds has returned to the cities. The majestic Himalayas can now be seen all the way from Jalandhar, and the Delhi sky looks as blue as ever. Nature is prospering and blooming without human interference.
Seeing how nature has healed itself is undeniable evidence of the negative and immediate impact humans have on the environment. As lockdown restrictions ease globally, and we return to their lives, albeit with the ‘new normal’, I believe that are valuable lessons we can take forward from these times, about how to reduce our environmental footprint. With numerous countries under some form of lockdown, human travel has drastically reduced. This has had a positive impact on reducing air pollution. For example, pollution levels in Delhi had come down by around 79% during the initial phase of the lockdown. To maintain this air quality, we must try our best to travel by vehicle when only absolutely necessary, and to opt for greener transportation methods like cycles or carpooling. Spending more time at home during lockdown led to an increase and greater awareness of household waste. People were acutely aware of the amount of waste they were generating, and many took steps to reduce this waste. To carry this habit forward into our lives, postlockdown, we must continue to be cognisant of the waste we produce and how we can take steps to reduce this. For example, instead of throwing away leftover food, we can reuse it the next day to create a new preparation. For food that is no longer edible, it can be composted at home. This helps convert the food into organic fertiliser, reducing methane emissions from landfills and lowering our carbon footprint. Another step to reduce waste is to avoid plastic packaged food. The packaging adds to non-biodegradable waste, and the food is a less healthy alternative than fresh food cooked at home. In some way or the other, nature is giving us a taste of its own medicine. Nature has healed itself while all of us are locked within the boundaries of our homes. We are trapped indoors whereas the plants and animals are thriving outside. We are being punished for all the damage that we created. Everyone, including me, is eager to return to a semblance of life as it was. But if there’s one lesson we’ve learned from lockdown, it is that we can clean up the earth through our conscious choices and actions. Though there has been a positive impact on the environment due to the lockdown, there is fear that once people start travelling again or go back to doing what they have been doing, all the positive impact will also disappear.
Covid-19 has given us the opportunity to watch the planet heal from behind our windows. Together, I hope we can sustain these practises even after quarantine, so that this silver lining continues long after the virus is eradicated.
Inaayat Passi writes on environment & nature.