Coronavirus pandemic having some positive impact on environment

The coronavirus pandemic is having some positive side effects on the environment.

The water looks clearer in the world-famous canals in Venice, Italy and NASA images show how pollution is dropping rapidly in cities across the globe.

As people around the globe take precautions against COVID-19, “I think one of the interesting things about it is, wow, the earth bounces back,” says FGCU professor of ecology and environmental studies, Dr. Win Everham.

Everham believes in a time of uncertainty, “It’s kind of cool that it’s happening at a moment where everybody’s under a lot of stress and reconnecting with the natural world maybe helps them deal with some of that stress.”

On top of air and water, wildlife may respond to changes.

“Here on campus, some of the students are saying, ‘Have you noticed how many more birds there are now that there’s not 16,000 students on campus every week,'” Everham said.

He hopes when we get back to normal, whatever that may look like, we hold onto that balance of work, family and protecting the environment.

“This is what gives us real peace,” he says.

Everham says while they don’t have data to back up more birds on campus, currently, they’re in talks of collecting data now and seeing what changes may happen whenever things return to normal.