COVID-19 Impact

Nature is on Vacation

COVID-19 is recharging Nature, even if only temporarily

Needless to say, COVID-19 has had an indelible impact on our lives. Over the past six months, millions have been impacted in so many different ways. This pandemic will likely be a telling event of our generation as history books are updated to reflect the great struggle of our times.

At this point — given some of the headlines we are reading, some of the political actors we are witnessing, some of the science that we are ignoring — my prayers are to live a life where COVID was the worst thing to happen.

One of the beneficiaries, it would seem, of the pandemic is something that has been a victim far too consistently for far too long — the environment. While human activity has come to a standstill, it has created the perfect environment for Nature to take a well-deserved break.

The effects of Nature’s vacation are clear — Venice, for example, is seeing clearer canals with lower boat traffic helping the once pristine water relax again. The air we breathe is fresher (although that is not an excuse to not wear masks where mandated) as nature takes a deeper breath and rids itself of pollutants. Even the skies are clearer as light pollution decreases.

Of course, no vacation is entirely perfect and Nature’s holiday is no exception. Medical waste, and energy consumption in residences have increased substantially. The jury is still out on how much of a holiday Nature has managed to eke out thanks to the pandemic. But what was once lost, has been found.

Vacations are usually fun and relaxing. But the thing about a vacation is that it ends. And as human activity recovers from the throes of COVID, it would seem that Nature’s vacation is ending.

It might be a bit too much to hope that our recovery from the crisis does not have to mean Nature slides back into its.

But large swings of the pendulum do have the potential to move the average even if ever so slightly.

A few steps in the right direction could be an outcome of being forced to take many steps back. But today, in the midst of a lot of grief for the millions affected, I find a tiny bit of solace in knowing that Nature had the chance to take a small break.

Thanks to Amy Marley for the writing prompt that inspired this piece.