Do you remember the time of complete lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic, when deserted river banks led to cleaner rivers, work-from-home institutionalization led to less traffic, less pollution, less noise, and no smog and people experienced cleaner air to breathe?

That’s exactly how our planet Earth is - in its original and natural state. A few days of no human activities made the environment clean and healthy. It seems that with humans, planet Earth is gloomy; without humans it seems to be bloomy. Isn’t it sad that the existence of humans is proving to be so negative for the environment.? What have we done?

The great positive change we experienced for a few days during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown is enough a reminder of the devastation humans have caused to the natural ecosystem. Our planet Earth is our home, and it’s time to clean our home and restore ecological balance.

We know that economic activities will return post Covid-19; the world will start moving at the same pace and the situation will change. But only if we ponder over the extent of human greed and pride, we will still be able to restore our ecological balance. Still, not much is lost. We still have the time to return and restore what we have snatched away from our environment.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic has elicited a global response, united efforts around the world to restore planet earth are the need of the hour. We must take responsibility and adapt to an eco-friendly lifestyle that has long-term environmental benefits. Some of the possible solutions towards the environmental damage can be -

Using green and public transport - We must encourage each other to use public transport rather than personal vehicles. Using bicycles for short distances is both eco-friendly and beneficial for health.

Encouraging ecotourism - Promoting and supporting ecotourism is another step that can be taken to protect the environment. It helps in conserving the natural environment. Also, periodically closing tourist spots can also help in cultural and biodiversity preservation.

Saving Water - Making simple routine changes like saving water while brushing your teeth, taking a shower, watering plants or washing utensils can save water. Don't waste water; use it cautiously, as per your need. It is precious both to our environment and for our lives.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle - We must recycle what we can and cut down waste. Like recycling old magazines, any paper, glass, or metal. As the famous English proverb goes - “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure”.

Reducing consumerism - Downsizing what we purchase and buying only that is required and needed. We must start being mindful of what we consume and how much we consume.

Saving energy - We can save energy by turning off and unplugging electronic items when not in use. Make it a practice; it’s a small step but makes a big difference.

Planting trees - If we plant 20 million trees, the earth will get 260 million more tons of oxygen. One acre of trees can remove up to 2.6 tons of Carbon Dioxide each year. Imagine how largely we can reduce global warming! So, plant a tree, save the planet!

Saying NO to plastic and plastic bags - We must stop using plastic and plastic bags. They are not biodegradable and can’t be recycled. Replace plastic bags with cloth bags or ones that can be recycled.

Reusing treated wastewater - Treated wastewater can be reused by discharging in non-production processes like toilet-flushing and road cleaning.

Executing waste management - Large amounts of medical and hazardous waste impacts the environment. Even during this pandemic of Covid-19, there have been negative environmental effects in the form of huge medical waste from hospitals, haphazard disposal of masks, gloves, disinfectants, etc. Thus, effective waste management is essential to minimize secondary impacts on health and the environment.

Adopting sustainable ways of living - Changing to a greener lifestyle is imperative like saying NO to plastic, using recyclable or cloth bags, optimum utilization of resources, minimum wastage, no littering, buying eco-labeled products, eating farm-fresh veggies and fruits, maintaining cleanliness and personal hygiene.

Thus, we must move to sustainable pathways. Our health is inextricably linked to our natural environment. We can only strike a chord with our environment and its creatures when we thrive in equal measure. It's time to restore our earth and build it back better. The way we make recovery efforts for the environment today will define the health of our ecosystem for the generations to come.

We are the most intelligent forms of life on earth. It's our responsibility to secure the future of other creatures and our own!