It is no secret to anyone that we are experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in history, Covid-19 or as it is commonly called, Coronavirus, in just a few months has killed thousands of people, and we can only prevent it from continuing expanding staying at home. Although it is not all bad news, our Mother Earth has breathed again, the contamination has decreased in such a way that the canals of Venice have become crystalline, and you can see animal life that months ago was not there.
Through photographs and videos, the reappearance of these dolphins in the waters of Venice has been appreciated, as well as some migratory birds, which are not usually seen in this area of Italy. The fish have also drawn attention, who can now be observed with the naked eye, contrary to what happened before, since the marine fauna “hid” under the cloudy waters of the canals.
In China, where the health crisis began during the month of February, the average number of days without air pollution increased by 21.5% compared to the same dates of the previous year. This could be seen with perfect clarity in satellite images published by NASA, where a drastic reduction in nitrogen dioxide emissions is seen in the main cities of the country.
In Madrid, you can also feel the Coronavirus effect in the environment, the closing of factories, the desert streets and the little movement of cars translates into less pollution, cleaner waters and clearer skies. The Madrid City Council's Air Quality Surveillance System affirms that, during confinement days, the five districts of the city have measures classified within the “very good” category of the air quality index. On the other hand, in Barcelona the data of the Generalitat indicate that the concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were halved after only three days of forty.
Will this crisis mean a call for help from our Mother Earth? What we must be sure of is that once this pandemic is overcome we must change or improve our habits. It is already clear that if it is up to our behavior to recover the environment, it is time to reflect on our actions.