Americans are told all the time that the earth is damaged beyond repair and that “climate change” is going to result in an apocalyptic-type future where the world is almost uninhabitable. However, that might not actually be the case if the latest news from Venice, Italy and cities across the world is anything to go by. It shows that the earth is far more resilient than many believe.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, once said that “the world is going to end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change.”
It’s unclear if that’s true, but there’s a lot of evidence that nature is bouncing back as humans practice social distancing and travel is limited.
Much of this evidence is from Venice, where the ecological systems in the canals have drastically changed in the last two months.
One of the first things that locals of the ancient city noticed is that the canal water is actually clear. If you’ve ever been to Venice, the water is a murky green color that looks decisively unpleasant (and it usually smells as well). But without the millions of tourists, gondolas and boats moving throughout the canals, the water is actually so clear in some places that you can see to the bottom (though it’s not very deep). According to one Twitter post, no one has seen the floor of the canals in years, though that doesn’t mean the water quality has improved. As a result of the clearer water, it is now also possible to see fish.
Though sadly the viral story of dolphins and swans returning to Venice was false, the dolphins were in Sardinia and the swans have always been in Venice. A biologist filmed a curious new addition to the canals recently, a jellyfish. Swimming just below the surface of the water, it was a pleasant surprise to biologists who have never been able to see much of the ecological system below the surface of the canals.
It’s not just in the waters of Venice. In Los Angeles, locals throughout the city are reporting more wildlife sightings and interactions, especially with coyotes. Though most of the animals have always been there, the creatures are enjoying life without people and cars ruining the day.
In South Africa’s Kruger National Park, lions were recently spotted sunbathing on a paved road that’s usually filled with tourists on safari. The sight was unusual to say the least as the lions are usually in other sections of the park. A town in North Wales reported that a herd of local wild mountain goats have been roaming the empty streets and grazing on local gardens and hedges. The goats usually stay on their hillside outside the town, but the decreased human activity encouraged them to expand their horizons and see if the grass is truly greener on the human side.
There have also been sightings of crabs visible in Venice, California, three mountain lions in Boulder, Colorado, wild boars in Barcelona, Spain, wild turkeys in Boston, Massachusetts and deer in a Paris suburb.
Despite the beliefs of climate activists, the earth is not on the brink of collapse. In fact, it doesn’t take much, just a pandemic and quarantines, for animals to try to reclaim some of the territory that has been lost to human expansion.
Photo by NASA
