A Positive View Of Quarantine
The Coronavirus pandemic is a problem for so many reasons, but there are advantages to quarantine. The most notable is the respite that has been given to the planet over this period of mass social isolation. But what will happen once everything goes back to normal? I think this is a perfect time to think about how we can continue to be kind to our planet once we readjust to life outside of quarantine.
David Kessler talks about finding meaning in grief. This can also be interpreted as making the best out of a bad situation and looking on the bright side. And there is a bright side. In terms of mental health, a lot of great things can come from boredom, solitude or restriction. For one, walks are generally more cherished, having a garden is a more appreciated feature to a home, and so is having a family to share one's time with. For another, many have taken to learning a new skill or doing "low priority" jobs or activities. Many have reorganised or spring-cleaned their homes, to make the space feel more sacred and special. Others have put technology down and picked up books, easels, cameras or a pen and paper. Neighbours have acted like actual communities and been considerate towards each other. In a way, being quarantined has given unappreciated joys in life a chance to prosper, including our planet.
Since the lockdown in Italy animals have been returning to the densely populated towns and cities. For example, a wild boar mother and her babies were spotted in an old Italian town, dolphins were swimming gleefully in the Sardinian ports that are usually busy importing and exporting cargo, fish returned to the canals of Venice and animals normally only seen in parks have been frolicking in public fountains. Paris was normally loud and polluted, but now people have recorded sounds of swans and birds as they chirp and sing.
The most amazing change has been the drop in air pollution in big cities, that have been recorded on satellites. The only way to give a clear view of this is through pictures.
When we stop overwhelming the planet with our habits and actually give it a rest, our ecosystem does bounce back. Amazing and beautiful things can happen when we, as humans, stop being the centre of attention. But what is bound to happen once the virus calms down is that we revert to type.
Since being in quarantine, everybody's world has changed dramatically and at this point any progress is good progress. I believe this is a good time to break people into a new way of life by implementing new sustainable plans that would have otherwise been a shock. Here are a few examples:
Following Germany's and Holland's initiative of having more accessible cycle lanes. In big cities, cars usually take over the streets and make cycling dangerous. Having too many cars on the roads causes pollution and bad air quality, as well as causing traffic and often ruining a pretty sight.
In a similar vain, big cities could take the opportunity to restrict the number of cars allowed, as France tried but failed to do when the proposal was met with protests. It would likely be more accepted as a concept now that no cars have been driven for close than two weeks.
Train travel could be recommended by governments and streamlined so that more choose the trains. Longer distance trains could start to replace flights, like they're planning to do with the train from Malmö to London.
The encouragement not to fear public transport should start immediately, which could be as simple as cleaning the services more regularly like they do in Japan and providing hand sanitisers in entrances to stations.
Open-air food markets could be planned, not only to make better use of local produce but because being outdoors in the sun does kill viral micro-droplets. Once the lockdowns are removed, there still may be a high risk of virus cases increasing again and outdoor markets could be safer than indoor markets (only a suggestion, I don't have evidence for this).
Talk of death and illness does put into question how healthy our daily habits are. Governments could push for the purchase and consumption seasonal fruits and vegetables to become more of a norm, as it is in Germany. And now that we appreciate being outdoors more, we could think about taking up more open-air sports, so that we can reconnect with nature.
With people tending more to their gardens and spring being the ideal time for planting, this could be a time for governments to encourage planting flowers that attract bees. With pollution down dramatically and wildlife making a return, we can aid bees by giving them things to pollinate.
Here are 7 plants bees like:
Lavender
Sunflowers
Primulas
Bluebells
Hellebores
Poppies
Herbs like Water Mint and Thyme
And this is all I have for you today. These are all suggestions but I do genuinely think we should learn from our environment and how well it's thriving without us. We can't keep destroying it and need to think of ways to adjust our livelihoods into something more positively influential. What better time than now?
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