Earth Day
Wednesday was Earth Day. With the pandemic, Earth Day seems…sadly trivial. What this global lockdown has resulted in though, beneficially, is cleaner skies. Less traffic. Less exhaust. Fewer emissions. Even skies above smoggy metropolises are clearer.
People are connecting with the earth, tilling soil, weeding, planting flowers, growing vegetables. In large cities, people are stepping out on their balconies and seeing mountains where once their view was obstructed by haze.
Now they see blue skies. Stars. We take these things for granted, living in a rural area. Stars are part of our evenings. But imagine living in a place where it has taken this global tragedy to reveal the sky above.
Earth Day was first celebrated in April of 1970. This week marked the 50th anniversary. Thanks to laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, so many strides have been made in terms of our air and water quality, such as a 50 percent decline in key air pollutants since 1990 and a decrease in municipal and industrial discharges resulting in more fishable waters.
And yet sadly, people living in areas with more polluted air are more likely to experience complications from COVID-19.
Almost 200,000 people across the world have perished including over 45,000 people in the United States alone. Millions of people, including my own sister, have lost jobs. People are stuck in houses with abusive spouses. Some children are stuck at home with abusive parents or without adequate food. Tragedies abound.
But also, in this isolation, in this quiet, there are beautiful moments. Parents singing and dancing with their children. Strangers clapping together, celebrating medical personnel. Car parades for birthdays and homecomings. Long walks. Time. And more time. No more running around harriedly, trying to make it to music lessons, the ballfield, the office and fitting in a few moments to eat dinner.
We have time to cook, to craft, to appreciate the small, wonderful moments of life.
I am brought back to blue skies. Stay-at-home orders have resulted in cleaner air. For instance, satellites have documented a marked decline in nitrogen dioxide. Even a few national insurance companies reduced premiums because of fewer people being on the road leading to fewer accidents. Fewer cars means less pollution.
Had this column come out during “normal” times—that is, during a time devoid of a global pandemic, social distancing, and mask wearing—I would have talked about all the little things we can do to reduce our footprint on this land. But we are all doing one of the biggest things we can do for this Earth—that is, we are staying put. Travelling less.
For all that I talk about being sustainable, my driving habits are (were) anything but that. I was driving my children about six miles one way to school each day, picking them up, driving to Covington (40 miles one way) twice a week, driving to Milledgeville (30 miles one way) twice to three times a week . . . I was burning gas and time.
My children could ride the bus or they could ride with other children. I don’t have to go to Covington every week. I could drive less. I could carpool. I could still patronize local businesses, but I could be more deliberate—planning several visits in one trip instead of the constant back and forth. I could save money, gas and, most importantly, time.
I have seen several social media posts about people evaluating their lives during this crisis—realizing what and who is truly important.
I have always known that time is most important to me. This is something my father gave me—his time, and something I am so grateful for. My children ask me, “Will you play badminton with me?” or “Will you do a puzzle with me?” The question, buried under the game, is “Will you spend time with me?”
And for me, the answer will always be yes. We can celebrate Earth Day by remembering to give of our time and to sacrifice small things to make a big difference.