COVID-19 has positive impact on ecosystem

Praphorn Praphornkul

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Thailand Environment Institute (TEI) has reported that the COVID-19 pandemic is having positive effects on the natural ecosystem, as it provides time for many tourist destinations to recover. The amount of garbage, including discarded face masks and plastic waste however, has increased exponentially.

 

TEI President, Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, said air pollution, particularly in Bangkok, has reduced sharply due to fewer vehicles on the road. A number of natural destinations are starting to recover. Leatherback sea turtles, which are the largest sea turtles and are in danger of extinction, are laying eggs on beaches in Phang Nga and Phuket provinces at an all-time high rate. This is also good time for the government to develop tourism plans and maintain the ecosystem by limiting the number of visitors to natural sites.

 

Dr. Wijarn said some 1.5 million face masks are being used and disposed of in Thailand each day. The amount in Bangkok is about 150 tons per day. Members of the public are advised put them in red bins, which are designated for hazardous waste. Used masks will be incinerated at a temperature of 1,000 degrees Celsius. People should not burn them on their own because they can cause harmful effects on human health and air pollution.

 

The amount of plastic waste has also increased by 15 percent, due to the surge in deliveries. In normal times, Thailand produces 1,500 tons per day. Now. the country is producing 6,300 tons of plastic waste per day, and about 1,500 tons are in Bangkok alone.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-04-19

 

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32 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

COVID-19 has positive impact on ecosystem

It probably also helps that no construction tycoons and their armed-to-the-teeth entourages are currently permitted to mill around in national forest reserves.

When we all die - the ecosystem will be in the best shape.

Goes to show how quickly our environment can recover and clean itself when we are out of the picture. I'd like to think this virus is a warning from nature for us to get our act together or else we'll be s***canned. 

but

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

The amount of garbage, including discarded face masks and plastic waste however, has increased exponentially.

so not really so good then ?

 

10 minutes ago, johng said:

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

The amount of garbage, including discarded face masks and plastic waste however, has increased exponentially.

 

10 minutes ago, johng said:

but

so not really so good then ?

 

And they, or we, cannot blame the tourists for that.

Sent by a superior being to flush out the eco system?

Where do they find these guys, total rubbish ( excuse the pun) Still mountains of flotsam along the roads, why not offer jobs for the unemployed collecting the rubbish for a daily wage ? Other countries do it successfully with people on the dole and prisoners, etc. Yes I have done it as a volunteer when I was younger..

27 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Goes to show how quickly our environment can recover and clean itself when we are out of the picture. I'd like to think this virus is a warning from nature for us to get our act together or else we'll be s***canned. 

If that is the case, it started at the right place and spread into wrong places. Needs to teach virus geography. 

5 minutes ago, Retarded said:

If that is the case, it started at the right place and spread into wrong places. Needs to teach virus geography. 

I don't think it's literally a message from nature. That's not how it works. I said "I'd like to think it's a warning". 

 

This virus is the result of an oppressive and authoritarian regime telling lies and feeding dis/misinformation. But it certainly wouldn't hurt to take heed of this situation and turn it into something positive. 

Seems a very large increase on the plastic waste.

30 minutes ago, marko kok prong said:

Seems a very large increase on the plastic waste.

Don’t think so.  Just a redistribution of where the rubbish is discarded of.  Hard to get a number of the amount of garbage thrown on the side of roads etc.

3 hours ago, Zikomat said:

When we all die - the ecosystem will be in the best shape.

If people could finally understand that everything is connected and that polluting and destroying the environment does not help anybody , there would be no reason for the virus to appear .

 

3 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Goes to show how quickly our environment can recover and clean itself when we are out of the picture. I'd like to think this virus is a warning from nature for us to get our act together or else we'll be s***canned. 

You are right !

It still is a warning only .

If people still do not learn and act consequently , ( very possible , as greed and self obsession is a fundamental part of our species ) , there will be a more deadly Virus the next time .

Our planet is precious .

Mankind does not own it and we have NO right to destroy it .

Edited April 19, 20206 yr by nobodysfriend

I would not be surprised, if this (and the smaller number of traffic casualties, due to people, staying at home) will soon be paraded as a great success by the super- competant government...

 

4 hours ago, Retarded said:

If that is the case, it started at the right place and spread into wrong places. Needs to teach virus geography. 

For Nature it is the human species that became a threat . It does not differ between Asians or ' Farang ' ( Caucasian ) , or others ...

And it does not care about human politics ... it just cares about the results of it .

Edited April 19, 20206 yr by nobodysfriend

5 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Goes to show how quickly our environment can recover and clean itself when we are out of the picture. I'd like to think this virus is a warning from nature for us to get our act together or else we'll be s***canned. 

We won't though, at least until the monetary system / elitism is abolished and population levels are stifled, and we're nowhere near such a radical change.

Let's hope the handful of remaining living creatures will be untouched now and won't be eaten.

Thai ecosystem ???? Trees, grass and ... hmm... hmm... that thing .... hmm.. yes, the ... something called animal.. not sure.... oh yes, birds, mosquitoes and ants. 

As COVID-19 is to people, people are to the ecosystem.