Pollution Climate Change Holocene Deforestation Population Acidification Y Not Freakin' Recyclable
A few evenings ago, over a small gathering with Roman friends, talk inevitably steers towards the Cvirus. Rome, which sees 4.2 million tourists a year, is bereft of the usual crowds teeming over every inch of the historical centre. In all honesty, our friends tell us, after so long our city feels like our own again. Their streets are quiet, their neighbourhood bars and bakeries uncrowded. Yes, jokes one, we are even thinking to go visit the Colosseum!
It is a terrible thing that more than 3,000 people have died because of the virus. But now more than ever, it’s important to ask: What can we learn from this? What is the universe trying to tell us?
This city—the planet—has slowed down. Pollution graphs from China show a 35% drop in carbon dioxide production, companies around the world have allowed people to work from home—the benefits of workplace flexibility extends to less petrol consumption, less need for sprawling office spaces, fewer business flights. How nimbly millions have learned to adjust to new patterns.
In Rome, stories abound of people who’ve shut shop to take their children camping. Of university students, left without classrooms, being invited to their professor’s homes for lectures and meals. Hoteliers, waiters, stand by their doors happy to chat with us—about the movies they wish to make, the journeys they hope to embark on.
I’m not suggesting that utter economic disruption, or illness that takes a human toll is the way to deal with climate crisis or the general unhappy state of our world—but this offers us a moment to consider these things: sustainable tourism that doesn’t suck the soul out of cities and its inhabitants, sustainable lives with greater time for leisure, with your children, with nature, with yourself.
Maybe, the universe whispers, this is what we need—a global slowdown, triggered not by fears of an unknown virus, but one prompted by compassionate consideration of ourselves and our planet.
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#coronavirus #globalwarming #coronavirusitaly #climatechange #coronavirusoutbreak⚠️ #climatecrisis #climatechangeisreal #climateemergency #romeitaly #slowingdown #globalwarmingisreal #globalslowdown
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Y Not Freakin’ Recyclable Home
