The Coronavirus is affecting all of us differently, some more negatively than others. However, while the virus is negatively impacting people, how is the rest of the world dealing with this? Is this virus really bad as everyone is claiming, or is there a silver lining? I think that the Coronavirus is a very real and scary thing, and we should all be staying inside as much as possible to prevent the spread to others, especially elderly people. As we’re doing this, how is Earth responding?

People have been polluting the earth for many years, way before this ever came into light. However, I feel like this break where people are being forced into their homes is much better for earth than we think. China’s pollution levels are 30% lower than what they typically are around this time of year, according to NASA. Not only is the air we breathe being affected, but the water that is used to heavy travel is getting a chance to clear up and recover, just like Italy’s canals are doing.

Though the earth’s progress is extremely important, sometimes the smaller things can make you smile just as much. Without the heavy population on the streets of big cities, many zoo animals have been taken on walks in the streets, just as you would a regular house pet. A few weeks ago, the Atlanta Humane Society took a group of kittens to the Georgia Aquarium to observe the fish swimming in their tanks. Those kittens have recently been named Nemo, Guppy, Marlin, Bubbles, and Dory.

While people are stuck at home, they’re being forced to clean things out, learn new hobbies, and have genuine conversations with family members. They’re also being much cleaner than they were before. Though this virus is a terrible thing, especially for families that have been closely impacted, I think that it is a good wakeup call for all of us. We all need to make the best of this time indoors to improve our own lives, and hopefully pick up new habits for when the quarantine order is lifted.