This year 2020, sets our world into a pandemic situation. The entire globe is doomed by a virus, that spreads as fast as lightning, infecting millions of people, and unfortunately have hundred thousands of fatalities. This COVID-19 affects not only us people, but also our nature, and the entire globe.

It's been six (6) months already since we are locked up in our houses here in the Philippines. Most people stayed at home as the government told people to do for their safety. Each nation sets its own rules just too avoid the spread of the virus.

A lot of news reported about how our nature is getting a break from humans, which resulted in lesser air pollution due to lesser usage of transportations (land, sea, and air) which leads to the lessening of carbon emissions too from the vehicles causing pollutions in the air.

Some bodies of water became clearer. Due to lesser human interference, human wastes such as plastics became lesser in water areas too. Here's the Manila Bay for instance.

Some animals from the wild found roaming around the cities, which some people said that nature is claiming its own territory.

It's great to see in the news how the air pollution drops, the water turned crystal clear, and that our 'world is healing', as what other people called the process.

But is our world really healing itself with the help of this coronavirus?

Is COVID saving our Nature?

Despite these reduced air pollution and clearer bodies of water, we haven't seen directly the other side results of this global pandemic.

Lockdowns have caused some people especially those who lost their jobs in the cities, to move back to their rural communities. People in these areas are using nature for food aids or resources and shelter.

There is a misperception that nature is healing and getting better. Some rural areas in the tropics are facing increased pressure from land clenching, deforestation, illegal mining, and wildlife poaching.

Take these 'new trends' here in my country for an instance, people became 'plant lovers' real quick. Some people took this opportunity to make money out of it.

I'm loving plants too, but I'm referring to those people who are doing dirty works against the environment.

Plants are being sold to aid and add their financial needs. Some people sell their own planted plants which are good, but some people are taking those plants from the wild illegally, the rare and wilder the plant, the better, for a higher value pricing.

Deforestation has been an issue too since these past years and is still continuing during this pandemic time. Brazil's Amazon Deforestation Increased By 25% this year 2020. Deforestation associated with mining on indigenous lands, where such activity is illegal, has reached record highs.

Meanwhile, illegal mining for gold and precious stones in Latin America and Africa is on the rise too, as prices have gone a sharp increase and protected areas are left vulnerable.

Wildlife crimes such as poaching or illegal animal trading, have been alarming too, threatened and endangered animals may become additional casualties of the pandemic. As tourism in the Amazon became half due to COVID, wildlife there has lesser protection and guide. The tourists served as their guardians and protectors against the rangers.

Due to travel restrictions, tourism has lessened, this is leaving animals in the wild with much less protection.

For some people, the lockdown may indeed result in a good way. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Bottom line

COVID doesn't save our Nature, nor helps it to heal. Instead, it makes people getting worsen because of a lack of authority and guidance. While humans are busy making money due to the decrease in job opportunities and high economic losses, Nature became their resources. Lands and wildlife became vulnerable and unprotected.

The only one who can save our planet, is us, humans. Stop illegal activities against our nature. Stop wildlife crimes, stop illegal logging, and mining. Start to conserve our nature, leave and let the animals in their natural habitat, and prevent the destruction of those habitats.

May this serves as an eye-opener to each and every human who doesn't care and cares.

Stay safe and keep safe during this pandemic times, but don't forget to protect and take care of our nature. Saving nature is really about saving ourselves too.

Reliable Sources:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/in-the-amazon-the-coronavirus-fuels-an-illegal-gold-rush--and-an-environmental-crisis/2020/09/03/0a4c62e6-e624-11ea-970a-64c73a1c2392_story.html%3foutputType=amp

https://www.ndtv.com/topic/deforestation&ved=2ahUKEwi1vZryiYLsAhWBZt4KHWs6BLAQFjABegQIDRAH&usg=AOvVaw2R9uw-491OhW6LHjf9gDeS

Please share your honest thoughts and feedback regarding this.

I'd like to hear your sides.

@eommaZel ✍🏻