COVID19 Pandemic: A true friend of Nature

Nature replies with a harsh and deadliest way! Mother Nature has calmly witnessed her rapid destruction by humans. Environmental impacts of coronavirus are probably the most positive aspect many researchers are talking about. As human civilization, we have tried to reverse nature and have been very harsh on nature. 

Though nature gave many indications to make us responsible, yet we were busy in making weapons. But now it is the time of Nature for her reply. In Hinduism, Mother Nature is often linked with Ma Kaali. She shows her fiercest side with sprouting red eyes and tongue touching the ground. Imagine the Chamunda Kaali form.  

Humans murdered Nature: We humans have always misused and tampered with almost everything nature offered us. The biggest blessing to the planet earth is its ability to stay green as give abundant Oxygen for life. We started cutting trees and clear acres of forest land for our benefit. I remember a Bengali song saying that if a man kills man justice is provided but if a man kills a tree who will give justice to the tree. Playing with atoms and making it to build a bomb was one of the worst inventions. Ironically humans invented their destruction. 

Till the Coronavirus pandemic, many countries were threatening each other with atomic war. We had seen many countries going into a war-like situation and we were predicting World War 3. Overpopulation resulted in more CO2 emissions. Lesser O2 generations due to afforestation and more CO2 emissions worsened the situation. We slowly and steadily brutally murdered nature. I believe we as humans deserve such pandemics, Tsunamis and natural calamities. Now the covid19 pandemic compelled all countries to shift war gears to peace. 

Nature’s Revenge: Nature is considered as a mother and mothers always warns her child about a fault. Similarly, Nature also warns several times before a vast explosion. The world frequently witnessed droughts, untimely or excess rainfalls, deadly storms and tornados, etc. India and China especially are overpopulated contributing huge CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report of 2020 India rank 3rd in the post polluted countries after Bangladesh and Pakistan. 

Health reports say there is a steep rise in lung and cardiac diseases causing several deaths. Over usage of fossil fuels resulted in holes in the ozone layer. Hence the UV rays started reaching earth resulting in its overheating. Icebergs have already started melting at a faster pace as predicted. The melting caused frequent floods in many parts.

Positive effects of coronavirus:

1) Reduced Air/ water/ sound Pollution: The covid19 pandemic made the world to go into a sudden lockdown. Recently cities like Beijing, New Delhi were in news for their polluted atmosphere. The sudden lockdown reduced pollution in New Delhi by 60% and 45%-50% in China. Cities like Los Angeles and Mumbai also inhaled cleaner air. Mumbai this year saw the largest number of hibernating flamingos making a lake turn pink. It was a lovely sight to watch.  

Mass gathering in Haridwar Ganga Ghats is highly responsible for polluting the sacred river. Over a month of lockdown due to the Coronavirus Ganga water became much clear and cleaner. Reports also say Venice witnessed dolphins very often in their canals which were unseen for long. Now the Himalayas can be seen for a longer distance due to clear skies. I stay at a very busy place with vehicle horns even late at night on a normal day. After the lockdown, there is no honking so I can hear the lovely birds chirping and the sweet cuckoo voice.

 2)  Lesser Greenhouse gas emissions: Covid19 nature impacts mainly focuses on the reduced emission of NO2 and other greenhouse gases. Shutting of all industries and modes of transport resulted in the sudden drop of such emissions. Excessive usage of fossil fuels like diesel and petrol caused heavy fog and smog in industrial areas. The condition was such critical in New Delhi that the Govt. made rules regarding sage of private vehicles. Environmentalists say the Covid19 outbreak helped the Earth to regain its form in a very rapid way which would have taken years to achieve.

Since only emergency services being operated there is very less fuel usage with its price being at the lowest. Lesser carbon emissions mean a healthier atmosphere. Nature is truly acting like a mother scolding her child very harshly for his serious fault. She is trying to teach us the righteous way of living.

3)   Reduced carbon footprints in future: Coronavirus has already claimed 225k lives and still counting. The world had become overpopulated and we converted forest lands into residential plots. This hampered the balance with more carbon footprints and reduced O2 production. Many areas have even seen Oxygen parlours where you have to buy fresh O2. 
Total shutdown worldwide reduced carbon levels dramatically which is a positive thing we can rejoice. Nature has replied harshly through Covid19 pandemic and maintained its balance. The positive environmental impacts of coronavirus gave the environmentalists many things to cheer about.

4)    Nature for the wild: Since the humans are now caged the streets, highways and freeways are now taken over by animals. Parts of India saw big horned and spotted deer, rhinos and some places also saw leopards on streets. Northern India has a large monkey population in cities. The monkeys are now moving and crossing streets moving with ease and no fear of fast vehicles. 

      

      We humans should now understand how it feels to be caged. We all visit the zoo and see the animals and birds in the same cage for their entire life. Just imagine how it would feel! Humans are the most superior but does that mean we take over the whole earth? The coronavirus pandemic turned the table upside down trying to teach us a lesson and be sensible.

5)  Healthier Ozone layer: Excessive CO2, NO2 and greenhouse gas emission caused patches and even holes in the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a blanket protecting the earth from harmful UV rays. UV rays have deadly effects on us and one of the major cause of earth’s over-heating. Nature specialists have long warned about thinning of the ozone layer and trying to repair it synthetically. 
Covid19 nature impacts splendidly and reduced any type of pollutions all over the world. This resulted in auto repair of the ozone layer to a large extent. Researchers would have taken many years to achieve the same. 

6) Less or no crime reports: The covid19 pandemic has made everyone stay inside. Hence the police stations have seen a reduced rate of crimes like robbery, snatching, etc. There are no reports of rapes or murders since the lockdown. 

Conclusion: Coronavirus have been very harsh on human civilization and taught us many things. The situation makes me believe that Nature is reclaiming its property. We who have been so ruthless on Earth for ages yet she being a mother is still only warning us and teaching us. There are more recovered cases than deaths due to pandemic. If Mother Nature reveals its full power to be ruthless then there would be no sign of life left on the planet. We need to act responsibly and regain Nature to its purest form.