Because of the international crisis of COVID-19, people all over the world have been in self-isolation and/or quarantine. This has left a positive impact on the environment since there has been less pollution in the air from automobiles and factories.

While many have been enamored with the pandemic that they missed it, the half-century celebration of Earth Day was Wednesday, April 22.

According to The Atlantic, “As cities and, in some cases, entire nations weather the pandemic under lockdown, Earth-observing satellites have detected a significant decrease in the concentration of a common air pollutant, nitrogen dioxide, which enters the atmosphere through emissions from cars, trucks, buses and power plants.”

Air pollution can introduce serious health conditions in the human body including heart disease, respiratory illnesses and strokes. Therefore, without even intending to, by staying self-isolated and following government ordinances, we have positively impacted our climate.

The Atlantic also said that city soundscapes have changed as well. Rebecca Franks, an American who lives in Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China, said, “I used to think there weren’t really birds in Wuhan because you rarely saw them and never heard them. I now know they were just muted and crowded out by the traffic and people.”

Whether people want to admit that climate change is real or not, the facts proving that it is are loud — the facts Mother Nature has thrived during this pandemic cannot be disproven. If you haven’t been outside, whether on your front porch, in your backyard or strolling down the sidewalk, take this moment to breathe a breath of fresh air and appreciate something positive that COVID-19 has brought us.