As the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in about 213 countries across the globe, which has caused health crises everywhere and forced the economy to slow down due to loss of businesses and strict quarantine measurements, it is tough to deduce anything positive from the current scenario. However, you cannot ignore the impact it has caused on the environment in a pleasant way.

The lockdown measures applied in many countries have noticeably affected the environment due to the shutdown of industries, workplaces, schools, factories, and offices due to reduced vehicular movement. The travel bans imposed on several countries have positively added to this, as people commute less worldwide. Reducing the number of flights and trains has a positive effect on the environment. Social gatherings had been canceled, and events were banned, which has again contributed positively to the betterment of the environment.

For years, activists have been working towards reducing pollution that is contributing to climate change. More traditional methods such as gathering people to protest in person has not decreased in popularity, but further progress has been made by more than wearing their elect more scientists t-shirt out on a cold windy day. Much activism is now seen online through sharing posts on social media sites and by interacting digitally.

The methods may be different, but they have worked towards the same goal, which is protecting our declining environment. But the lockdowns implemented in the various nations did the trick which all these protests could not achieve in these many years. The pollution across the world has dropped down excessively. Water quality in reservoirs has improved, the beaches are clean, and the air has become more breathable.

The pandemic has halted travel on both ground and air, which means a decrease in the emission of Green House Gase (GHG). Many cities that have been listed as highly polluted earlier could breathe better air after years due to the pandemic. In fact, NASA’s satellite images have evidenced the pollution reduction in China right after the carbon emissions had dropped by 25% in four weeks of lockdown. But is the positive effect sustainable in the long term?

The improved air quality is not sustainable as the lockdowns have been lifted in most parts of the world and people will start functioning again like they used to. But the COVID-19 pandemic will definitely offer lessons that will help in environmental actions. A few habits developed during this pandemic phase, such as remote work, online education, and online shopping, are developed habits that will stay. Remote working has proven lighter on pockets for companies. Hence, many startups have adopted this model to increase their profit flow by reducing rental expenditures. Social distancing has also taught people to be creative inside their homes, which is a habit that will stay even after the pandemic gets over.

Another irony is that we could see no humans on the road during the worldwide lockdown, which is why animals and birds could actually enjoy the cleaner and quiet environment. It seemed strange that the virus affected only humans, whereas the animal world was unharmed.

We cannot ignore the reduction in noise pollution as the roads were empty and industries closed. In fact, it had fallen 50-70%. People are waking up to chirping bird sounds instead of honks.

But not everything is rosy, as the pandemic has also negatively affected the waste sector. The increase in medical and hazardous waste used by infected people or treating doctors such as masks, gloves, or PPE kits had to be carefully disposed of. Increased online ordering of things and food resulted in increased organic and non-organic waste. Also, the sad truth is that increased landfills also resulted in crores of bodies being buried during this challenging time. In many places, due to lack of burial space, bodies had to be buried on top of each other, which was painful to even hear about.

The pandemic has claimed countless lives, and there is no doubt about it. But as per studies in the Department of Earth System Science at Stanford University in China, the reduced pollution in just two months has saved the lives of 73000 adults over the age of 70 and 4000 children under the age of 5. The virus is terrible, and there is no other side to it, but we have learned that a few changes in the way we live can actually impact the environment. In fact, as per environmentalists, the fear of COVID is just temporary, which will pass, but the threat that climate change poses is constant as it can cause droughts, floods, and extreme storms in several parts of the world and claim numerous lives.

The pandemic has revealed our vulnerabilities and taught us lifelong lessons. It is now essential for the world to realize that you cannot push the ecosystem beyond a certain point. The animal habitats need to be maintained, and this is non-negotiable. It is essential to maintain our forests, ocean, and wetlands. Remember, the virus originated from the wildlife market in China that trade animals such as snakes, bats, baby crocodiles, wolf pup, porcupines, civet, etc. Buying, selling, and killing these animals can easily cause the virus to jump to the nearby person. This unrestricted wildlife trade market can also be the reason for future outbreaks, which must be banned immediately. The major outbreak of COVID in China again recently indicates how the environment can punish you by being cruel if humans do not learn to stop animal cruelty.

Environmentalists claim that the ongoing pandemic is nature's way of reversing the damages we have inflicted on it all these years and bringing back the lacking balance in the ecosystem.

Having said that, it is not the most compelling way to reduce environmental damage as it has come at the cost of human lives. This has caused massive stress on our medical system, affected people's physical health, and caused mental stress in many. Social distancing has been challenging, as we humans are social animals. The constant fear is the most painful factor of all. Communities can make a difference when they take care of each other, and this is an invaluable lesson we have learned throughout the process. Remember, if we protect the environment, the environment will protect us.