Global Warming and The Coronavirus: By Lucy Partin

As everyone knows, we are all quarantined because of the coronavirus outbreak. Although it does suck being forced to stay inside and not being able to see your friend there have also been some good things that came out of this quarantine. 

This coronavirus outbreak is shutting down entire countries all across the world, however, it has caused a significant decline in pollution across the globe. In many countries, a mandatory quarantine and lock down was administered to help keep the spread of this deadly virus contained. However, now that the entire world has basically come to a halt we can now look at the effects that our lack of presence has done to our environment around us. In Thailand and Japan, there are Monkeys and deer that have hidden themselves in the woods now wandering the abandoned streets. In Venice, the river water is sea through and clear which has not happened since they have been built. Air pollution in china has gone down significantly. For years scientists have urged officials to come up with plans to slow the spread of global warming. However, there was no success with any of the methods they were trying beforehand. Now after only two weeks of people being inside the toll on the environment had decreased. 

Gleick a respected scientist and individual, released a quote to the press expressing her findings due to the pandemic halting all countries' activities.......

          “The pandemic is fast, shining a spotlight on our ability or inability to respond to urgent threats. But like pandemics, climate change can be planned for in advance, if politicians pay attention to the warnings of scientists who are sounding the alarm."

Climate change has always been a prominent issue in our lives however many people have chosen to ignore it. This outbreak although very severe and life-threatening has shown that we can do something to help stop or at least slow climate change. By being inside for two weeks animals have already started to come back and oceans and the atmosphere has started to heal. But once this pandemic is over and everyone does back to normal so are the devastating effects on our ecosystem. 

"This pandemic has become an awakening" stated Gleick. This quarantine and the effects on the environment are a short term solution. There need to be steps taken to prevent the rose of air pollution in china and the cloudy river in Venice. To continue to have animals returning to our environment do not stay tucked in the small forests I have left then a solution needs to be presented. 

Article link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/21/air-pollution-falls-as-coronavirus-slows-travel-but-it-forms-a-new-threat.html

Images of the goods things about the outbreak

Clear water in Venice

Air pollution in china decrease

Mobs of deer are returning back in Thailand and Japan.