2. Water bodies
◦ As a consequence of the widespread usage
of synthetic face masks and plastic gloves, a
considerable portion of these have been
deposited in water bodies, contributing to
the plastic waste burden we were trying to
stop. We may use reusable masks. In which
we rinse them properly, at home. Exceptions
can be made for disposable masks if they
were absolutely required in public spaces due
to the lack of one's reusable mask.
3. Air quality
◦ Reducing carbon pollutants would reduce both climate change
and COVID-19 risks; luckily, due to the coronavirus crisis,
many regions have seen air pollution decline. (However, the
forms of air emissions which constitute significant threats to
COVID-19 are still not clear.)
◦ CREA announced that quarantines and travel bans, culminated
in a 25% decrease in carbon emissions in China. China emitted
approximately 200 million less metric tons of carbon dioxide
during the first month of the quarantine (because of reduced air
traffic, oil production and coal consumption).
◦ In addition, The European Space Agency reported a reduction in
n2o emissions from vehicles , power plants and manufacturers
in northern Italy
Image from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
4. However, all of these astonishing improvements are
temporary. To resume our journey to restore Earth, the
most efficient way to do so is to reduce outings involving
automobile usage until electric cars start to be normal.
