'It's positively alpine!' Disbelief in big cities as air pollution falls

[riversedge]

Source: msn.com




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The screenshots began to circulate on Delhi WhatsApp groups last week, captioned with varying expressions of disbelief. Having checked the air quality index, something of a sadistic morning ritual among residents of India’s capital, most could not believe their eyes.

Gone was the familiar menacing red banner, indicating how each intake of breath is really just a toxic blast on the lungs, replaced instead by a healthy, cheerful green. Could it really be that Delhi’s pollution levels now fell into the category of … “good”? “It’s positively alpine!” exclaimed one message.

A nationwide lockdown imposed across India almost two weeks ago to stop the spread of the coronavirus – the largest lockdown of its kind attempted anywhere – has led to widespread chaos and suffering, especially among the country’s 300 million poor. Yet in Delhi, the world’s most polluted city, it has also resulted in some of the freshest air the capital has seen in decades.



It is a lockdown silver lining being repeated across the world, as toxic megacities such as Bangkok, Beijing, São Paulo and Bogotá, where varying coronavirus restrictions have been imposed, all reported an unprecedented decline in pollution. Yet it is countered with one cruel irony: with most residents of these cities strictly confined to their homes, few have any way to appreciate this newly fresh air, except through an open window or a during speedy trip to the supermarket.

In Delhi, air quality index (AQI) levels are usually a severe 200 on a good day (anything above 25 is deemed unsafe by World Health Organization). During peak pollution periods last year they soared well into a life-threatening 900 and sometimes off the measurable scale. But as Delhi’s 11m registered cars were taken off the roads and factories and construction were ground to a halt, AQI levels have regularly fallen below 20. The skies are suddenly a rare, piercing blue. Even the birdsong seems louder........................
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Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/it-s-positively-alpine-disbelief-in-big-cities-as-air-pollution-falls/ar-BB12sQtw?ocid=st2

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a view of a city: Empty roads in Bogota on 21 March, after quarantine was imposed on the city. Photograph: Raúl Arboleda/AFP via Getty
a long road in a city: An avenue in Cali, Colombia, on 1 April. Photograph: Luis Robayo/AFP via Getty Images



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: An aerial view of empty street on the first day of lockdown in São Paulo, Brazil. Photograph: Reuters
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An aerial view of empty street on the first day of lockdown in São Paulo, Brazil. Photograph: Reuters

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[kairos12]

1. What happens when the smog lifts over Los Angeles?

U.C.L.A.

[turbinetree]

2. Or along the front range in Denver..............will have to ask my brother tonight...........

and have him send me a picture and if he has noticed a change...........

[DENVERPOPS]

4. The difference

has been profound............

[WhiteTara]

3. punny punny!

[sakabatou]

11. XD

[eppur_se_muova]

5. A good time to remind people that this maladministration has ROLLED BACK EPA guidelines for ...

auto emissions. Funny, the mfgrs don't really wan't to make dirty cars anymore, even if Anus Orange approves. But maybe witnessing this for themselves will convince some people that it's a bad idea.

[diverdownjt]

16. Who could have seen the world coming to a full stop like this?

I've been an environmentalist since my college days(1978-...).
I never thought this kind of shut down could ever be possible.

The reason why is horrible...but cleaner sky's is possible. I hope that everyone
remembers this when we go back to normal and seriously move forward as a species
instead of quarreling nations fighting over scraps.

[Grins]

6. And the clear water in Venice's canals...

Where the locals can look down and actually see fish. And dolphins!

[kurtcagle]

7. Sadly, no

The pictures of dolphins in Venice's canals was a very good bit of Photoshop work, though the canals ARE cleaner.

Here in Seattle, we've had fewer cloudy days and the temperatures have been cooler for this time of year - in the low 60s during the day, and upper 30s to 40s at night. Air quality here has also improved dramatically, and the mountains, usually just barely visible through a haze this time of year, are very distinct.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

8. You know, you dont need to go to Asia to notice a difference in air quality - where I live in my

lil midwestern city a block from a major 6 lane thoroughfare, Ive just been lovinn the SMELL OF FRESH AIR instead of exhaust fumes.

This afternoon I was out in my garden and smelled the sweet wonderful smell of RAIN coming - used to love that as a kid growing up in rural WI.

[Warpy]

9. Dangerous side effect: people who experience clean air

are going to start to demand it.

[JudyM]

13. Hoping so.

[Nacht Owl]

10. You know, this kinda/sorta/maybe causes me to wonder: What virus are we talking about here?

[roamer65]

12. Too many cars and too many people.

[keithbvadu2]

14. Wonder about Beijing? India?

Wonder about Beijing? India?

[Johnny Noshoes]

15. Here in NYC

We get bright blue skies, high white clouds and you can hear birds singing on a nearly empty Park Avenue on a cool crisp spring Saturday afternoon.