Earth Day During COVID!

Los Angeles (Photo – pixabay.com).

Since the first Earth Day began in the 1970s, typical events included slogans, contests and discussions about the importance of saving the Earth. Occasionally, laws would be passed, usually over a good amount of objection, that actually helped to reduce pollution or did something that benefited our little planet.

By Vincent Chang

The COVID-19 Pandemic brought a sudden and drastic halt to many of these events due to quarantine requirements throughout many parts of the world. Life literally came to a halt for most. People weren’t able to go to their place of employment, school and certainly not places of enjoyment such as restaurants, movie theaters or amusement parks.  Cities and towns that normally were bustling with people on the move were empty. Roads and highways that normally were clogged with traffic (while emitting high levels of toxic poison into the air) were suddenly cleared of vehicles. The air was free of airplanes as people were kept from traveling.

People, being people, began to look for alternatives to staying home all day. They went for walks, bike rides, started home gardens and visited open places.

As a result, the air which we breathe and a necessary part of life – whether human or animal, became measurably cleaner and the sky that much bluer. Mother Earth, after playing host to an ever more demanding species, could finally take a breather.

COVID-19 forced humankind to step back if for a moment, and showed us what a beautiful place Earth can really be. Yes, we lost hundreds of thousands of family and friends to the virus – a heavy price to pay. But the lockdown reminds us that we need to be careful about our natural resources and that we are only temporary stewards of this little ball among many in the galaxy. The clear skies and low emission show us what can be.

We can’t forget this lesson. We need to consider less harmful alternatives in all aspects of our lives. Instead of taking your car a couple of blocks to your local restaurant, you might ride a bike, for example. Not only are you putting out less pollution, you are getting physical exercise. Instead of meeting clients at the office, consider online meetings. Make a real difference.

As we recover, let us not get back into our old routine. Instead, continue those bike rides, walks and visits to our natural resources. Happy Earth Day!

Vincent Chang, elected City Clerk of Monterey Park, is a co-founder of BikeSGV (now ActiveSGV) and serves on the Boards of the SG Rivers and Mountain Conservancy (RMC) and Water Conservation Authority (WCA).