{"id":45232,"date":"2020-06-09T10:34:04","date_gmt":"2020-06-09T17:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/?p=45232"},"modified":"2025-08-19T12:28:26","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T19:28:26","slug":"positive-environmental-impact-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/positive-environmental-impact-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"THE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can you hear the earth breathing now?<\/p>\n

I want to in no way minimize the tragedy and loss that has occurred because of the coronavirus pandemic. People are suffering and mourning loved ones all around the world and people are out of work and aren’t able to provide for their families – first and foremost my thoughts and prayers are with all of you. <\/p>\n

In the news, almost every story is doom and gloom with the coronavirus pandemic flipping our world upside down. After almost three months of being in quarantine with my family in Los Angeles, watching both CNN and FOX every night (in an attempt to form a non-biased view of the current situation) I, like everyone, have been inundated with the overwhelming tragedy and loss.<\/p>\n

But on the other side of this, there is an incredible story that is just beginning to be recognized and told – a silver lining that could change the future of the world and it affects every single one of us regardless of race<\/a>, financial status, or location.<\/p>\n

For the last three months, the environment has been in recovery mode. While businesses were closed and people were staying home the earth finally had a chance to start to regenerate itself after years and year of our relentless, reckless pollution and waste. As things begin to go back to “normal,” as businesses open again across the USA and people go back to work and back out into the world, all these environmental gains will be lost. But what if they don’t have to be?<\/p>\n

\"Beach<\/p>\n

For a moment let’s imagine a hypothetical scenario. <\/p>\n

What if we don’t let things go back to the way they were? What if each fight to keep the ground the earth has won the last few months? What if we each take the more eco-friendly practices we have implemented during the current coronavirus outbreak and carry these forward? What if we all collectively choose to carry a new, healthier, more meaningful mentality on with us?<\/p>\n

What if we finally choose to stand up and acknowledge with both our words and<\/em> actions that we don’t agree with what society says we should value – that a society driven by the need to constantly grow, buy things we don’t need and can’t afford, throw things away, pollute the earth beyond repair, (and a society that treats people differently based on the color of their skin), is shallow, immoral and not sustainable. What if we all choose to take a stand and each change our values to embrace a simpler, happier, more sustainable, more fulfilling life for the long haul?<\/p>\n

I want to share some uplifting stories and statistics with you about the positive environmental impact of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s important that we understand what we’ve gained in such a short time and that there is hope for a healthier, better future. After I will share some of the ways I have implemented more sustainable practices at home during quarantine along with tips for living more sustainably that I have gathered from our We Are Travel Girls team (all of whom work remotely by the way).<\/p>\n

I hope these positive stories and these sustainable living tips will be uplifting and inspiring and light a fire in you to do your part to live and travel more sustainably now and for the rest of your life. Together we can take this tragedy and use it as a force for positive change!<\/p>\n

\"Santa<\/p>\n

The Positive Environmental Impact Of The Coronavirus Pandemic<\/h2>\n

1) Tourist Spots Are Recovering Right Now<\/h3>\n

With non-essential travel on hold, tourist destinations around the world are experiencing a time of environmental recovery due to sharp decreases in visitors. Over tourism has long been an issue and popular tourist destinations have been suffering without reprieve year after year with no end in sight.<\/p>\n

But due to the coronavirus outbreak, currently, places like the Venice canals<\/a> in Italy, the temple complex of Angkor Wat<\/a> in Cambodia, and the Great Barrier Reef<\/a> in Australia are getting a much-needed break from tourists.<\/p>\n

For example, the Venice canals are visibly more clear than they have been in years! And Thailand’s coral reefs are getting time to regenerate. The Thailand government indefinitely closed Maya Bay on Phi Phi Leh island<\/a> in 2018 to give the beach and coral reefs offshore time to regenerate after enduring extensive damage by tourists ever since the area became a hot spot from being featured in Leonardo DiCaprio\u2019s movie <\/a>The Beach<\/em>. With reduced tourism because of coronavirus, the islands will have more time to recover and become healthy again. <\/p>\n

\"Maya<\/p>\n

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2) Traffic Has Plummeted Along With Traffic-Related Pollution<\/h3>\n

In cities across the United States, traffic on the roads and highways has plummeted due to people staying home because of the current coronavirus outbreak. According to this New York Times article<\/a> pollution has dropped too. A satellite that detects emissions in the atmosphere linked to cars and trucks shows huge declines in pollution over major cities including Los Angeles, Seattle<\/a>, New York<\/a>, Chicago<\/a> and Atlanta.<\/p>\n

Data from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P satellite show that atmospheric levels of nitrogen dioxide, which are influenced hugely by car emissions, were considerably lower over Los Angeles in the first two weeks of March compared to the same period last year. LA is a car-dependent city and normally features some of the highest smog levels<\/a> in the country.<\/p>\n

Air pollution from vehicles has also drastically plummeted in the Seattle area, which was one of the first major cities in the country to have a coronavirus outbreak and request people to stay at home to combat the spread. The impact was almost immediate.<\/p>\n

According to a report by INRIX, by March 8th, 2020, the number of trips into downtown Seattle during morning rush hour had declined nearly 40 percent. New York City is less dependent on car travel than other major cities, but vehicle traffic has still steeply declined there resulting in less traffic-related pollution. And the same story continues across all major US cities. <\/p>\n

\"LA<\/p>\n

3) Air Quality In Major US Cities Has Improved Dramatically<\/h3>\n

Air quality in major US cities has improved not only because of less car pollution but also because of less pollution from, well, everything. Manufacturing and industry have slowed under lockdown and commuting and air travel have screeched to a halt. With all non-essential business and non-essential travel shut down the last few months and a majority of people staying home the US has seen a huge improvement in air quality.<\/p>\n

I live in the Pacific Palisades, just north of Los Angeles, and I have personally witnessed the drastic improvement in air quality here. In April this CNN article<\/a> reported that something dramatic and wonderful was happening in Los Angeles. Amidst stay at home orders to curb the spread of coronavirus the city of LA, which has notoriously bad air pollution, began to see some of the cleanest air of any major city in the world<\/a>, according to IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company that monitors pollution levels in cities around the world.<\/p>\n

In less than a month the air quality in LA improved by 20%! And air pollution dropped 30% in March 2020 in Northeast US<\/a> compared with the same period last year,<\/span> due to the coronavirus lockdown, according to new satellite data from NASA. Air quality (and views) also improved in Seattle<\/a> as well as many other major cities across the United States!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"LA<\/p>\n

4) While Humans Are In Lockdown Animals Are Coming Out Of Hiding <\/h3>\n

While humans are in lockdown, animals across the globe are coming out of hiding, roaming undisturbed across National Parks, countryside and cities. A pair of whales were filmed playing<\/a> just off the Mediterranean coast of southern France, an unusual sight near the usually bustling port city of Marseilles. During lockdown in Japan<\/a>, deer were photographed roaming the streets of Nora, eating potted plants off of patios, and wandering the halls of a subway station<\/a>. In Cape Town<\/a>, South Africa, penguins were filmed<\/a> wandering the streets. <\/p>\n

In March, a herd of mountain goats went viral online<\/a> when they were recorded roaming through the streets of Llandudno, Wales. <\/span>In May a pod of 60 dolphins was spotted<\/a> on the Piako River in New Zealand. In Venice, large schools of fish<\/a> are now being spotted in the city’s newly clear canals. In Oakland, California, wild turkeys<\/a> made their way onto the campus of an elementary school, while classes were canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak. These are just some of the many heartwarming stories of animals being able to peacefully roam free while humans are in lockdown. <\/p>\n

\"dolphins\"<\/p>\n

How To Live More Sustainably Now & After Coronavirus <\/h2>\n

1) Say Goodbye To Paper Towels & Paper Napkins<\/h3>\n

Did you ever think you’d live to see the day that you’d be jealous of how much toilet paper someone else has? I will never look at a roll of toilet paper the same way again. Ever.<\/p>\n

Before the coronavirus outbreak, my family used paper towels and paper napkins on a daily basis. Once coronavirus hit the USA you could not buy toilet paper anywhere – everyone tried to stockpile it, my family included. So with no toilet paper available for purchase, we decided to save all our paper napkins and paper towels in case we needed to use them for TP, and we made the permanent switch to cloth napkins.  I’m embarrassed to admit that prior to this I never thought much about how much paper waste we were creating.<\/p>\n

While not all trash is created equal (paper is at least biodegradable), trash is still trash and at the end of the day, every piece of trash you throw away goes into our overflowing landfills. One very simple way you can live more sustainably is by using cloth napkins<\/a> and cloth towels<\/a>, washing them and reusing them, instead of buying paper napkins and paper towels. It is that easy. Just make the switch and you will significantly reduce the amount of waste your household creates. <\/p>\n

\"cloth<\/p>\n

2) Work From Home If You Can<\/h3>\n

Despite temporary, short-term air pollution drop in the U.S. and across the world, scientists warn that pollution levels will rebound once coronavirus restrictions are lifted. So what are we, as a society, and as individuals, going to do about it? One thing you can do is continue to work from home if you’re self-employed or if your employer allows it.<\/p>\n

Facebook recently announced<\/a> it will allow employees to continue to work from home permanently and hopefully many employers will follow suit. If everyone who can effectively work from home does, it will significantly reduce traffic, traffic-related pollution, waste, energy consumption, and overall pollution over major cities.<\/p>\n

\"home<\/p>\n

3) Practice Patience<\/h3>\n

We Are Travel Girls Co-Founder Becky van Dijk<\/a> who is sheltering in place in Newport Beach after flying internationally from London to Los Angeles during coronavirus<\/a> says that she will take from this experience a renewed sense of patience.<\/p>\n

“Earlier this year I watched a stand up with Ronny Cheng and laughed so much at the section about our desire for needing things RIGHT NOW. In recent years we have become accustomed to not having to wait for anything, reliant on Amazon Prime so we never have to wait long for anything. Until Now. Now we have to wait – wait outside a supermarket to enter, wait days or weeks for deliveries, wait until we are told we can safely go outside again. All of this waiting may feel frustrating, but it shouldn’t be. It should be a time when we relish a slower, more thoughtful lifestyle and really think about whether we need the item at all if we have to wait two weeks to receive it!”<\/p>\n

For some light relief, I recommend watching the whole stand up, or just this part about Amazon Prime!<\/p>\n