News
The Earth is officially healing because humans are in lockdown
The planet is benefiting.
As difficult as lockdown is for the individual, collectively we’re stopping the spread of a pandemic and now the Earth is healing too.
Finally a bit of good news!
The lockdown due to coronavirus has reduced air pollution across cities all over the globe, wildlife has been liberated and waterways have cleared up.
It seems the world is thanking us for staying indoors, reducing our travel and therefore pollution!
All across the world air pollution has seen a dramatic reduction so much so visibility has improved in the likes of LA and China which are normally coated with a layer of pollution and smog.
Citizens in India can see the Dhauladhar mountain range for the first time in 30 years after pollution dropped to low levels.
Analysis has found a huge drop in air pollution since the lockdown even just after the first 2 weeks of lockdown. Urban areas in the UK, such as London and Birmingham, are seeing the greatest reduction in NO2 emissions.
In China, carbon emissions fell by 25% over the 4-week period where factories were closed and people were advised to stay home.
Waterways such as the winding canals of Venice have never been clearer, including the introduction of wildlife that is not normally seen!
Across the world, wildlife has taken possession of the cities, boars have been spotted in Spain’s cities and wild puma have been captured wandering Santiago’s deserted city centre. Even the wandering goats of Llandudno have flourished.
Meanwhile, in North America, Orcas have also explored areas due to the lack of human presence, giving people in Vancouver the first time in decades to see the majestic species!
Across the world, lockdown is physically demonstrating the drastic effects humans have on Planet Earth. The natural world can adapt and thrive in human-absence when given space and time.
The pandemic is showing us what the future could look like should governments, businesses and individual consider changes to their operations and every day practises.
Commuters could be facing the steepest rise in the cost of train travel in more than a decade just months after prices were already increased.
It has been predicted today that train prices across England and Wales could rise by nearly 5% before the New Year.
The 2021 rise in prices was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic when train travel was at an all-time low, however, tickets still saw a price rise of 2.6% in March.
Abhijit Tembhekar / Flickr
And this morning, the Retail Prices Index for July 2021 was confirmed as 3.8% by the Office for National Statistics, meaning passengers could see fares rise by 4.8% in 2022, which would be the largest hike since 2012.
This means that the cost of rail travel could increase twice within ten months, and would see a Manchester-Glasgow off-peak return rise by £6.30 to £94.90, according to Metro.
Though all hope isn’t yet gone – changes to the fares in 2022 are still yet to be confirmed.
Jon David Houghton / Wikimedia Commons
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “No decision has been made on national rail fares.
“The government is considering a variety of options and we will announce our decision in due course.”
This news has come as train travel in Manchester and beyond is on the rise – earlier this month, we reported that zero cases of Covid were found in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, despite thousands of commuters using the station’s services as offices reopen.
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