Introduction:
The outburst of Coronavirus first came at the end of December 2019, from the seafood market in Wuhan City of China, and was declared as a global public health emergency in a few weeks by the World Health Organization The time since we have been exposed to Covid, everything has changed. As the communication of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) increases rapidly, the whole world adopted the curfew/lockdown activity with the restraint of human vigor.[1] The inflicting of lockdown stopped all the commercial activity affecting the various important environmental parameters directly connected to human health. Covid lead We never thought that we would ever experience this kind of situation where we cannot meet anyone, everyone is isolated. People started realizing what is the importance of the small things that they enjoyed with nature earlier whether it is just a small random walk by the side of trees or going on an adventures trek in the mountains. It seemed that the time stopped. From cleaner air to liberated wildlife, coronavirus lockdowns over the world appear to have had a number of positive effects on the environment. Modern life as we know it has largely been put on pause with millions of us cooped up indoors as governments try to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. But outside, the natural world has continued to rumble on and even shown signs of benefiting from our absence
COVID: A blessing in disguise?
We saw a new scenario during the lockdown. It has not only impacted the human race or animals but also our environment. During the lockdown phase, a very unexpected turn came our way which was the rejuvenating state of the environment. We could see how the environment was healing itself. When there was no hustle and bustle in the streets which once used to be occupied with vehicles, industries were shut, no smoke from any chimney could be spotted that’s when the environment started to revive.
It is well said by Protagoras that every coin has two sides which means that there are different ways of looking at the same situation.[2] Though dealing with this pandemic has been a tough time for all of us but if we look at another side of the story lockdown helped the environment is getting rejuvenated. It seemed as if coronavirus is a blessing in disguise as not coronavirus but humans seemed like a virus for the environment who was slowly and slowly eating it up.
Impact of COVID-19
Air Quality
Pictures of clear sky and low pollution levels have been a treat for many environmentalists and green panthers around the world. The air which was toxic earlier due to the presence of greenhouse gases has no become clean. The environment was getting so clean that the Himalayan Mountain could be spotted from Chandigarh in Punjab which earlier was not visible at all. And not only in India but countries like U.S., U.K., Italy, etc. have also witnessed a decrease in pollution level.[3] This news was unexpected as no one realized that covid can have a positive impact on the environment. Everyone was stunned at the results of pollution level in lockdown as it was recorded that Pollutants levels have never been so low in history despite implementing so many environmental provisions. The sector health company (WHO) expected that outdoor air pollution kills 7 million people each year worldwide and greater than 80%urban population is exposed to unhealthy air (WHO 2020). Since people stayed home, these last few months have paved significant improvement in air quality, especially in hard-hit areas like Wuhan, as well as in northern Italy and a number of metropolitan areas throughout the USA.[4] With the reduction of air pollution in Agra due to the lockdown, the Taj Mahal looks much vibrant in clean air.
Water Quality
Not only, air quality has enhanced but also water quality has been improved. Non-functioning of the industries has resulted in the halting of discharging harmful industrial effluents and other wastes into the water which led to an evident positive effect on water quality. India’s holiest river Ganga has been one of the maximum polluted rivers in the world but the crucial pollution manipulates board has noticed a giant decrease in the water pollution inside the holy river. Clean rivers and other water bodies have a significant positive effect on aquatic life. With the lockdown and reduction of water pollution in many states of India, the water of the Ganga River is now fit for drinking after necessary treatment. Dаtа frоm the Сentrаl Роllutiоn Соntrоl Bоаrd (СРСB) аnd Uttаr Рrаdesh Роllutiоn Соntrоl Bоаrd (UРРСB) оf Indiа reveаls thаt the biоlоgiсаl оxygen demаnd (BОD) оf the rivers Gаngа аnd Yаmunа hаs deсreаsed in their mоst роlluted stretсhes. In Veniсe the wаter is lооking сleаrer аfter the twо mоnths оf СОVID-19 lосkdоwn аnd аquаtiс life is nоw visible that hаsn’t been seen fоr mаny yeаrs in the сities.[5] A flood or heavy rain can facilitate the sudden release of these substances. For this motive, many scientists trust that water enhancement is additionally related to the corona virus (covid-19). That is in accordance with the consequences lately posted inside the magazine technology of the overall environment, where the authors confirmed that the satellite tv for pc statistics, that the concentration of pollutants in Vembanad lake, the longest lake in Kerala, India, decreased by means of an average of sixteen percentage compared to the values of the preceding year.
Wildlife
Many species are returning to their herbal habitats considering induction of the lockdown. The closure of factories and industrial establishments has dipped the pollution level across the globe. There were many instances where wild animals were spotted on the quiet streets and enjoying the human-free environment which earlier seemed a dream for them. Even sea turtles have been spotted returning to areas they once avoided to lay their eggs, all due to the lack of human interference.[6] Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, a large number of birds including vultures are started to appear. Insect pollinators like flies, wasps, bees, butterflies, and moths have appeared in abundance on crops and other plants and this is a good indication for ecological balance and biodiversity. Almost total lockdown due to the COVID-19 outbreak has decreased human activities including overexploitation of natural resources and industrial work
Vegetation
The growing plants on the agricultural field have also experienced the positive outcome of covid as they got clean air and the fresh environment without pollution. With everything at a standstill, plants are allowed to thrive and grow and produce more coverage and oxygen.
Low Mobility
Different forms of mobility like public transport, micro-mobility, and individual commuting have seen a histrionic attenuation across the globe. Public transport has been lessening in different countries and there have been around 95% decline in users which has been reported by many transport authorities. Due to this the fuel consumption was reduced to a level never before. Referring to the data from TomTom Traffic Index, it provided detailed insights on live and historic road crowding levels in cities around the world, trаffiс levels hаve greаtly been reduсed in this оngоing раndemiс. In 25 lаrgest сities оf the UK, соngestiоn levels hаve drоррed frоm 73 tо 16% оn Арril 22, when соmраred tо рre-раndemiс levels.[7] In Indiа, ассоrding tо Аll Indiа Mоtоr Trаnsроrt Соngress (АIMTС) dаily mоvement оf truсks hаs been reduсed tо less thаn 10% оf nоrmаl levels.
Decreased avenue shipping and less air travel across the globe notably reduced gasoline consumption. In line with the statistics accrued from a Norwegian Electricity Consultancy, Rystad Power, the demand for oil, fuel, and diesel will be decreased via 9.4 percentage over 2020. However, this pandemic is a super opportunity for us to learn that how city traffic and transportation may be monitored to lessen the expenditure of gas, its intake, and hold wholesome surroundings.
Humans
And somewhere the biggest learning or positive outcome of the lockdown times was that it left a deep impact on our minds and it made us introspect our actions and what all harm we did to our environment and how ignorant we were about it be it the continuous use of our vehicles emitting dangerous fumes or littering our environment while picnics or using those plastic bags and just not being worried about the environment. These times showed us how important oxygen is and its deficiency can cause havoc in this world. When everyone was struggling to just get an oxygen cylinder that was the realization time that how the environment is important to us and how all the time we neglected it. And the biggest positive impact of these times is the self-realization of what were doing earlier and how nature has again given us a chance to revive it while enjoying it.
Energy Consumption
There was a substantial decrease in energy consumption in many countries due to complete lockdown. ‘‘Specifically, this was caused by total lockdown in India, the USA, China, and Italy, where all industries were closed during the first and second phases of lockdown (Cohen 2020; IEA 2020). For example, electricity consumption reduced to almost 30% in Italy after 40 days of lockdown. Similarly, electricity consumption declined by 15% in France, 12% in Germany, 15% in Spain, 20% in India, and 16% in the UK. Overall, electricity demand during COVID-19 was at least 10% lower in comparison to pre-COVID-19 times.’’[8]
Ways to Attain a Healthy Environment
As everyone realized the importance of the environment now, so we shall take steps to protect our environment to maintain it the way we got it from our forefathers and lend the same to the future generation. A number of the methods for the identical are-
- inspection and upkeep of cars
- green public transport machine
- improving visitors managements
- the usage of eco-friendly products
- minimizing the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
- adopting renewable strength sources
- promoting reusing and recycling of wastes
- reducing the usage of insecticides
- using the minimum required quantity of water
- plantation of bushes
- heading off deforestation
- remedy of sewage and doing away with stable, suspended, and inorganic materials from it, earlier than it enters the surroundings
- use of eco san toilets where no water is needed and human excreta is transformed into herbal fertilizers
Conclusion
Covid-19 pandemic is the first and predominant worldwide pandemic with severe results on fitness and financial system, but it has also introduced effective environmental consequences which could serve for example and notion for future behavioral modifications that could assist us to deliver tremendous modifications in surroundings.[9] In a period of simply two-three months, recovery of nature is being witnessed by way of all people. This is a sign for us to understand and react. To bring out the positive changes in the environment one must use eco-friendly products, encourage afforestation and stop deforestation, should do treatment of sewage and removing solid, suspended and inorganic materials from it, before it enters the environment, avoid wastage of water, Minimize the use of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), etc. The bold decision to impose strict lockdown measures by the Government of India despite economic losses, on the positive front, these measures brought significant improvement in air quality. Government should try to maintain the quality of the environment and make this change permanent and not temporary. This lockdown showed that the solution for natural cleanliness lies in our hands goes through the path of preservation of natural resources and sustainable development. There are several issues due to the lockdown at the front of social and economic wellbeing which cannot be appreciated at all but some positive lessons related to nature gave us a way forward for restraining from the natural calamities if care for nature is established with honesty.[10]
References:
[1] I. Khan, D.Shah and S.S. Shah, COVID-19 pandemic and its positive impacts on environment: an updated review, Springer link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-020-03021-3
[2] two sides of the same coin, Collins, https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/two-sides-of-the-same-coin
[3] Ritwik Nigam, Positive effects of COVID-19 lockdown on air quality of industrial cities (Ankleshwar and Vapi) of Western India, Scientific Reports, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83393-9
[4] I. Khan, D.Shah and S.S. Shah, COVID-19 pandemic and its positive impacts on environment: an updated review, Springer link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-020-03021-3
[5] I. Khan, D.Shah and S.S. Shah, COVID-19 pandemic and its positive impacts on environment: an updated review, Springer link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-020-03021-3
[6] How COVID-19 has changed the face of the natural world, MedicalNewsToday, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-covid-19-has-changed-the-face-of-the-natural-world
[7] I. Khan, D.Shah and S.S. Shah, COVID-19 pandemic and its positive impacts on environment: an updated review, Springer link https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-020-03021-3
[8] Positive environmental effects of the coronavirus 2020 episode: a review, NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7859094/
[9] COVID-19 pandemic and its positive impacts on environment: an updated review, Springer link, https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13762-020-03021-3
[10] Ritwik Nigam, Positive effects of COVID-19 lockdown on air quality of industrial cities (Ankleshwar and Vapi) of Western India, Scientific Reports, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-83393-9
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