We're the Problem

Quarantine life has been hard. No one likes being ordered to stay home, especially when it’s so beautiful outside. However, it may be so beautiful outside because we’re inside.

Corona virus has forced the world to see that what little we’re doing for climate change is not enough. Recycling plastic, metal straws, and electric cars are great, but we won’t reverse the environmental damage fast enough. Shutting down cities worldwide and forcing people inside has had reverse effects on the environment. We’ve seen positive changes within the first 2–3 weeks of lockdown.

Waters are so clear in Venice, Italy that you can actually see the fish, which have made the swans and dolphins return. Without gondolas and motorboats roughening the waters, the animals aren't in danger. People haven't seen this in years and I want to see it with my own eyes too. Unfortunately, I know if I and everyone else books a flight to Italy, the animals will disappear again and the waters return murky.

Moving more East, the Himalayas haven’t been visible in India for over 30 years until now. It's astounding to me that there are a generation of people in India who didn't know they could see the Himalayas from their city. India was to the point of opening oxygen bars, literally paying to breathe. I hope India takes initiative to make environmental changes. It's a beautiful country with an even more beautiful culture and I want to experience it all, but not if I can't breathe there.

Above us, the hole in the Ozone layer is closing up. China releases the most carbon emissions into the atmosphere out of everyone and those levels are down over 20 percent. I am sooooo excited to see this little changes. I didn't think I'd be alive to see Mother Nature heal herself. We have a long way to go to undo all the damage, but it's thrilling to see that it can be reversed so quickly.