The Global Shutdown Has Reduced Pollution, But Can We As A Species Weave A Silver Lining & Create A Call To Action?
Obviously, COVID-19 continues to be a catastrophe for humans, with much suffering, stress, sickness, and death. For Mother Earth though it seems to have been a bit of a respite, as pollution all over the world has dramatically reduced.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Column Values Over China
Map showing total CO lower atmospheric column values, averaged for the period following the 2019 Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday (4-10 February) (Left) and for the same for the period following the 2020 CNY holiday (24-30 January), during the lockdown (Right). Initial results indicate that CO in the Beijing-Chengdu-Shanghai-Wuhan area has decreased on average by almost 6%, with more than 46% reduction locally. (Source NCAR)
In addition, it seems that there is a deadly link between COVID-19 and air pollution. And, it doesn’t stop there; increased pollution increases the risk of other nasties including lung cancer. How can we, as individuals, do anything about this?
We know that everyone has A LOT on their minds right now and that many of you are, rightfully, focused on “getting through the day.” There is a lot we can do though. We can try our best to purchase products made with recycled & recyclable materials. We can think twice before we buy something with lots of one-time-use plastic packaging. And, we can support companies that are trying to make the world a tiny bit cleaner and better.