A Posivite Among Negatives: Pollution during COVID-19 by Zack L., 8th Grade, with assistance from Kellee
COVID-19 put a pause on the world, and although its effects have been primarily negative, the effect on our environment has been primarily positive.
Since we have all been in quarantine, pollution has changed dramatically around the world. The stay at home order around the world has been keepings us away from our cars and onto our bikes. Our pollution levels have dropped due to the large number of people not using their cars. The EPA has said, “motor vehicles collectively cause 75 percent of carbon monoxide pollution in the U.S.” Because of the world wide quarantine efforts, we have all been off the roads and reducing this amount of pollution. These images are good representations of before and afters the quarantine:
Additionally, water pollution has been affected positively by the lessening of carbon pollution levels and other pollution. For example, the Venice Canal, which is normally polluted to where few animals exist and the water is murky became clear and swans, dolphins, and octopuses are spending their time in the canal.
See other examples of positive effects on pollution during the quarantine here: https://www.boredpanda.com/cities-air-pollution-coronavirus-lockdown
The effects of pollution are huge. As we emit more gases into the air, the temperature slowly increases. Due to the increase, things like wildfires become more common. The temperature increase can also cause glaciers to melt meaning the water levels will rise and possibly even flood some places. Air pollution affects our lungs, heart, and brain. We don’t feel it at first, but later on, our bodies will have taken in so much pollution that we’ll get really sick. Air pollution kills 4 million people a year and many are living with polluted water, but we can stop that. This change shows that our polluted world is reversible.
We can all keep these levels lower by using our bikes or walking instead of driving everywhere we go. We can also keep these levels low by reducing the amount of plastic we use or recycling more. There are many clean up groups out there to help pick up plastic or trash from our streets or plant trees to produce more oxygen. These groups get donations from people to go do more. There is so much we can do to keep this positive effects on the planet from reversing:
- https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/earthday.html
- https://www.wwf.org.uk/thingsyoucando
- https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/live_more_sustainably.html
If we all join together to keep our Earth healthy, this could be the begining of a better future.
Thank you, Zack, for this inspiring piece!
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