It’s been 50 years since Earth Day started being celebrated as a way to instill hope and optimism and to encourage action for our planet. And as we’ve started to see the true damage we’ve been doing to it over the last few decades, I feel this day has become increasingly important over the last few years.
This year though, everything is different. It’s still an important day and we now know we’re in the middle of a climate crisis, but we’re also in the middle of the corona crisis that is giving many of us new perspectives. Skies in China have cleared up and people in northern India can finally see the Himalayas after 30 years of smog. Some are seeing very little of nature at the moment as they’re at home in quarantine, but some might be spending more time in nature than ever. Because there’s not much else to do. And maybe, because we’re finally learning to appreciate nature.
Nature and people
As Sweden isn’t in complete lockdown I’ve been able to spend quite a bit of time in the forest, socially distancing. I know in these times, not everyone is able to spend much time in nature so I feel very grateful for my forest walks. I also feel very privileged to live in a country with such immediate access to nature. Because it is a privilege and it’s one that an increasing amount of people are missing out on as we collectively move to cities, destroy natural habitats and make our connection with nature more difficult.
This pandemic may also be sending us a message. As we’re putting pressure on Earth, through global heating and the destruction of the natural world for activities such as mining and farming, we’re driving wildlife into closer contact with people. Scientists speak of more deadly diseases that could be coming our way if we don’t change our behaviour and one could see Covid-19 as a warning sign from Earth.
Earth Day is celebrated every year with a varied range of campaigns, and with a lot of nice pictures on social media. Each year we’re seeing more disturbing statistics but probably not enough real action. Action that will truly shift people’s mindsets into doing better for the planet.
This Earth Day is different. And it might be one that really, truly creates a difference. Because Earth is literally shouting at us, showing us what damage we’re creating, and locking us up in our homes to think about what we’ve done. And I feel we’re actually starting to put two and two together.
Will things be different?
We’re slowly, actually, starting to appreciate nature – because we’re missing it when we can’t enjoy it because we’re forced to stay at home. And for those of us who are able to spend some of our social distance time away from people, in nature, we’re learning to appreciate what it really means for our wellbeing to be able to spend time in a forest, on a hill, by the seaside. To just be, in the moment. Listening to the wind, to the birds, or to the silence.
The jury is still out on whether the corona crisis will create a long-lasting impact on the environment. We’re seeing a lot of short-terms improvements as carbon emissions are going down but we’ll have to wait and see whether people’s ways of living will continue in a different manner even when we’re on the other side of Corona.
It’s most definitely given us food for thought though. What if we don’t need to travel around so much? What if we can host most meetings online to avoid travel? What if we don’t actually need to buy that much stuff all the time? What if, to be truly happy and healthy, maybe what we need is to take a step back and to start really appreciating Earth by living with it rather than just on it?