Has the Pandemic Affected Our Environment?

It is no secret that during the Covid - 19 outbreak, many changes in our society and our way of life have taken place. But did you know that it might be affecting the natural environment all around us? Yes, all around the world, there have been changes in pollution that might be a result of the virus. Most notable is air pollution, where there have been increases and decreases in certain areas. Some from countries far away, others in the next state over. Scientists have predicted that because of this pandemic and the lockdowns, effects on the environment have been both positive and negative. Three major changes are deforestation, the air in the atmosphere, and water quality. These are major problems that have caused or will cause problems for generations to come. Seeing these effects can help us work to change for the better.

Due to the pandemic, there have been many changes to our environment that have not gone unnoticed. One of these changes is deforestation. The level of deforestation varies from place to place. Due to the lockdown and quarantining, production has slowed down leading deforestation to decrease. This has been shown in places like Colombia and Peru. However, in other places with different lockdown procedures, there has been an increase in deforestation because of supply and demand. Another area where changes have been occurring is in the water quality, an example of this happening is right next door. A scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Nima Pahlevan studies the quality of water by looking at the proxies like chlorophyll-a which are solid materials suspended into water. They also look at turbidity which measures how clear the water is based on suspended particles like inorganic sediment in the water. In the western part of Manhattan, the water quality within one month has shown change for clearer water. This is because with more people working at home, fewer pollutants are being produced in the Hudson River. Data shows from the article NASA release; AGU Panel Explores Environmental Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic, as Observed from Space, that more than a 40% drop in turbidity during the pandemic in that section of the Hudson River. Also, sewage from homes and businesses is being treated in treatment plants before being released into nearby rivers. This helps to limit the spread of the virus and adds an environmental benefit. Lastly, there have been changes in the air in the atmosphere. An article released by the Verge; The Covid-19 Pandemic is Generating Tons of Medical Waste, shows the effects of the lockdown, air pollution has decreased by 30%. But, though there is a significant decrease, scientists predicted a larger decrease from reports. A professor at the University of Birmingham for atmospheric biogeochemistry, Zong Shi said, “The true air quality improvements due to the lockdown were appreciably more limited than some earlier reports or observational data suggested.” The most notable reason for this is because people are staying at home and not using transportation as much. Transportation affects greenhouse gases by 28%. With people not driving as much as they used to and only for necessities, it has led to improvements in lessening carbon emissions.

Although this data has been promising, individual waste created by disposable material—such as testing kits and masks—continues to be an issue. There is no doubt that there has been a major increase in medical tools and supplies that have been used all throughout the world. The question remains: what are we going to do with all of it? In Wuhan, China a new medical waste plant was built and forty-six mobile waste treatment facilities were deployed. There has been a major worry in this helping to spread the virus, which is why they have taken extra precautions in order to limit the spread. Stericycle is a medical waste company that handled 1.8 billion pounds of medical waste globally in 2018. Their vice president of Corporate Communications, Jennifer Koeing, wrote in an email: “We are closely monitoring the situation with all relevant agencies to determine next steps.'' The World Health Organization explained how all employees are told to wear protective gear, especially thick gloves, boots, masks, long-sleeved gowns, and face gear like goggles. With the pandemic still happening, it is important to ensure that individuals limit the number of social interactions and make sure to keep up with hygiene to limit the spread. But, there is still uncertainty about what the environmental effects of a major increase in medical waste would be. That is why it is so important to take actions that could affect the environment in a more positive way. An article by the Verge; How to Keep the Bike Boom from Fizzling Out, shows that from January through October of last year, bike sales in the United State rose by 62%. Riding bikes is not only a good way to stay fit but also a better alternative to going places than driving in a car. Making changes like this, or limiting the amount of trash can help one’s impact on the environment, creating a more positive future—mask-free.