Mother Nature is Healing

It’s been almost two months since the world has been in a standstill due to this pandemic. An increase in the unemployment rate has led to the near-collapse of the economy, and a state of unrest has continued to pierce through the lives of all of humanity. It’s difficult to concentrate on anything else at this point, but the fight for survival, much less environmental preservation, continues. As the impacts of COVID-19 runs unabated in our daily lives, what does this new normalcy really mean for Mother Nature? 

We’re not reducing the effects of the crisis nor do we intend to romanticize the reality of it all, but we can give you a faint spark of hope – the earth is healing.

Lower carbon emissions. International and domestic flights are canceled, car travel crawling, and big businesses and production plants are on temporary closure around the world. Likewise, global emissions have tumbled down. Published in a 2019 article on ourworldindata.org by Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser, the global average temperature has increased by more than one degree Celsius since pre-industrial times and CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are at their highest levels in over 800,000 years.

However, according to Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at Stanford University in California said carbon output could fall by more than 5% this year because of the pandemic—the first dip since a 1.4% reduction after the 2008 financial crisis and the biggest drop in emissions since World War II.

Reduced Air Pollution. As you may have already seen on social media, we are flooded with never-before-seen images of urban zones now in a smog-free state. The photo of Metro Manila’s stunning skyline with a clear view of the Sierra Madre circulating online, for instance, has only been made possible by the imposed community quarantine. 

Another startling example is Jalandhar from Punjab’s tweets where you can now see the Himalayas more than 120 miles away—the first time in 30 years. Blue skies have also appeared over several usually smog-choked Chinese provinces while air quality in New Delhi to LA is cleaner than at any point in recent history.

Impact on Animal Markets. Most human diseases are contracted from animal hosts, including the coronavirus. Ebola, SARS, bird flu all came from animals. Animal markets and wet markets sell a wide range of live and dead species in often dirty and cramped conditions—the perfect breeding ground for diseases. Pangolins, one of the most heavily trafficked animals in the world, which as a result are now endangered, may have found a silver lining due to the pandemic. The past few months had them strongly linked to the initial outbreak of the disease in China and it prompted the Chinese government to take action.

Similarly, China has already issued a temporary ban on its wet markets due to the pandemic. However, there are international appeals to make the ban permanent. This is an imminent warning to everyone to take a hard look at the food industry: that we should prioritize buying and consuming meals that are sustainable, ethical, and hygienic.

Rising Trend in Agriculture. People are compelled to start planting again – that’s the reality. Agriculture is on the rise as people have become more health-conscious during the pandemic, as they should. Some have even started growing their own backyard gardens, may it be for produce to feed the family or decorative floras that offer comfort and relaxation amidst these trying times. One thing is for sure: our land is thriving and soon the earth will reward us with its bountiful harvest.

As COVID-19 continues to throw the world upside down, nature continues to heal— and now it’s practically in our hands-on how we can take advantage of this new normal and start contributing to earth’s healing.

Malagos Homegrown Produce offers a wide range of homegrown, eco-friendly, and all-natural products including cut flowers and soil compost for your gardening needs. You can now start that herb garden project you’ve been meaning to do with just a click of a button on your screen and we’ll immediately deliver straight to your home. You can see our cut flowers and soil compost products here: malagoshomegrownproduce/collections/flash-sale.