COVID-19: A Blessing in Disguise

A wise man once said, “With every rainstorm comes a beautiful rainbow”. These words represent 2020 perfectly. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected so many people in negative ways. However, we don’t take enough time to think about the positive things that came out of this nightmare of a year. It may be surprising, but there are quite a few amazing outcomes from 2020.

Decrease in Air Pollutants

With everyone stuck inside, the amount of cars outside have decreased drastically. This resulted in a major reduction in the burning of fossil fuels. Scientists have reported that the 2019 ozone hole was at its peak and now the depletion is starting to heal. The earth’s air quality has never been this clean since 1987, a little over 30 years ago. This remarkable accomplishment is the effect of COVID-19 lockdowns. Without them, the hole may have never gotten smaller ever again.

Improvement of water quality

It may seem surprising, but air quality is a major factor in the cleanliness of water. Thanks to global shutdowns, “The connection between atmosphere and surface water quality is very tight,” said Dennis Hallema, a hydrologist and research assistant professor in North Carolina State’s Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources. “These two systems are integrally linked”. The quality of water directly depends on the urbanization in an area. The more urbanized a city is, the higher the air pollution will be. India is the second most-populated country in the world, and its air pollution has decreased by a whopping 16 percent just this year.

Reduction in Deforestation

Deforestation is responsible for 10 percent of all global warming pollution and it is used to make wood; a primary resource in many everyday objects. With everybody staying home, the demand for wood has significantly reduced. Because of this, deforestation rates have decreased tremendously throughout the world. The Amazon Rainforest is a hotspot for lumber, and over one-million square kilometers have been destroyed from deforestation. However, in the past year, deforestation rates have decreased by 3.4 percent!

Although 2020 may have been a horrible rollercoaster of emotions, it was truly just Mother Nature’s calling.