From eco RI News (ecori.org)

NEWPORT, R.I.

While millions have been horribly affected by COVID-19, there is a silver lining to this pandemic. With the resulting global shutdown, the environment’s health is actually improving, and with that comes undeniable proof that humans are largely to blame for longstanding environmental degradation.

In India's Punjab region, the Himalayan Mountains can be seen with the naked eye for the first time in 30 years. For now, Los Angeles is free of its perpetual smog blanket, and the Northeast Corridor’s air is also clearer and cleaner.

It’s estimated that 8.8 million people die prematurely every year globally because of air pollution. That happens mainly in areas near major highways and/or coal-burning facilities. Researchers are studying the probability that the higher number of COVID-19 deaths reported in industrial northern Italy stem from the added hazards of air pollution in that region. This is compared to fewer virus-attributed deaths thanks to the less-polluted skies in Italy’s more agricultural southern regions.

Humans aren’t alone in their suffering. All of nature’s creatures are plagued by the ecological devastation caused by complicit governments, together with corporate entities' greedy desire to maximize profits at an ecosystem’s expense.

We must encourage and actively support the critical work of environmental and educational organizations with increasing pace. Individuals and governments must realize our newly emerging cleaner environment is a direct product of mankind’s forced curtailment of polluting activities, due to COVID-19's heavy restrictions on transportation and industry. Proof that human behavior is guilty of degrading the world’s air, water, and soil is visible and undeniable now more than ever. That it took a pandemic to begin lifting the veil from skeptics’ eyes is discouraging and saddening, but truth is often more visible during real, unexpected challenge.

Elizabeth “Lisette” Prince is a Newport, R.I., resident

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