Officially declared as a pandemic in mid-March 2020, the fear of the COVID-19 still lingers in countries around the world. Despite the inconvenience the virus has caused, people continue with their lives in their homes - some learning, some working, and some even holding an online concert. But the real question is: What’s happening outside our house?
▲ Venice Canal`s crystal-clear water without disturbance from tourists and boatsPeople around the world have returned home, safely away from the highly-infectious virus. Animals have finally returned to their home, too. Weeks after the virus had swept Italy, numerous people started to point out the crystal-clear water in the Venice Canals. Venice Canals, which was packed with tourists and boats every day, could finally take a breath after the dramatic drop of visitors. Ducks and marine organisms like octopus and jellyfish were spotted in the canal. While COVID-19 has put millions of lives in danger, it has ironically restored the environment temporarily. According to the BBC, China, one of the most polluted countries, reported that emissions fell by 25% at the start of the year. Surprising as it may seem, this outcome was predictable: factories stopped operating, and coal use in one of China’s six largest power plants fell by 40%. The number of days with “good quality air” was up 11.4% compared with the same time last year in 337 cities across China.
▲ Skyrocketing use of disposables after the pandemicUnfortunately, COVID-19 stirred up some trouble in the environment at the same time. In fear of contracting the virus, the National Emergency Management Agency temporarily allowed disposables to be used inside restaurants and cafes. Starbucks reported that the use of disposable plastic cups increased to more than 50% recently, 10% higher than that of in January. This is a devastating statistic for Starbucks since Starbucks started to take action on environmental sustainability before the pandemic. They encouraged people to consume ethically for the environment in various ways, such as offering a discount for people who bring their cups and providing paper straws in-store. As a result, personal cups were used more than 17 million times. However, as the severity of the virus intensified, more people demanded plastic cups - Starbucks's attempt on environmental protection coming to naught. Moreover, it was reported that food delivery service uses went up by 30%, contributing to the skyrocketing use of disposables.
Changes in the environment during this pandemic show how much influence humans can cause on the environment. In a chaotic situation like this, we have an opportunity to look back at ourselves and reflect on our impact on the environment.
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