Today we are several days away in a quarantine situation for the majority of us in the world. Each of us is quietly at home with a restriction to go out, allowing the Earth to free itself from the Covid-19, which is affecting us for several months now. And we realize day after day that this unprecedented situation is impacting not only on the economic and human activity but also on our beloved planet earth. In this article, we will focus on this environmental relief, this cool down for the Earth since the world is in quarantine.   
Since the containment we notice positive environmental and ecological consequences for the planet / Photo: Source
 

The environment takes on a new colour 

While human activity has been in intense dynamic since the second half of the 20th century, we find ourselves confronted with major environmental issues and problems: global warming, the disappearance of animal species and the depletion of resources, among others. Being in quarantine, the whole world is put "on pause", and positive effects appear to us day after day. For example, we haven’t seen such a low level of NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide) for several decades and the temperature of the planet has dropped significantly. In terms of the visual consequences, air pollution and light pollution due to the saturation of air, land and sea traffic is leaving us with blue skies and clear water that we have not seen for a long time, and never for some of us.   
Cities have returned to particularly blue skies since the quarantine  / Photo: Source
 

Tourist destinations breathe 

The quarantine obviously implies a halt to travel and tourism... It's a hard blow for us, travellers and lovers of our most beautiful destinations, but this worldwide break shows us that some of them are becoming even more beautiful, regaining colour and enjoying a breath of fresh air. Venice regains its canals filled with crystal-clear water, the sky over Medellin in Colombia is resplendent blue, while in Brazil, São Paulo enjoys fresh air and Rio de Janeiro resorts to its beaches that are free of waste.   

The animals come back to visit

In this surrounding of pure tranquillity and minimal contamination, we have been noticing for several weeks now the appearance of wild animals in these places, sometimes even going as far as urban cities. Some people notice a stronger presence of insects than before, but above all, hinds, wild boars, goats or foxes that roam the streets of certain cities. The waters of Venice's canals welcome the come back of several fish and swans, dolphins have moved closer to the Italian and North Colombian coasts and Guanacos (a type of South American llama) are returning to their habitat on the beaches of Puerto Madryn, on the Argentinean coast. It is thus a strong return of nature, fauna and flora that is taking place during the absence of this strong industrial and human activity that has been operating for several decades now. It is by observing nature regaining its rights that we realize that even in times of global crisis, certain positive consequences come to warm our hearts.   
Several wild animal sightings have been reported in various cities around the world due to the absence of human presence  / Photo:  Source

Awareness is on the rise 

It is therefore during the temporary cessation of our activity and our physical absence that we realize that life goes on without us. That our impact on the planet is more important than we thought, whether in the positive or negative sense of the term, our (omni)presence has caused animals to flee their habitats and has transformed our vital resources: air, water, land, etc.  Awareness has been growing for several years now, offering us the possibility of different ways of living, consuming and travelling, but they have always remained a minority. What if this quarantine, with its positive consequences on the environment, would finally make us aware of our ecological footprint? As hundreds of wild animals are released by the decline of mass tourism in Asia, as resources are purified and as animals return to Europe and America, it is time for us to get back on track. At Daytours4u we respect our beloved planet and that is why we are trying our best to implement fair and eco-responsible tourism through several of our tours to our most beautiful destinations in South America and we are committed to continue on this path. The world is in quarantine leaving behind several important consequences on the economy and on our lives, but each crisis is made to be better, whether it is for you, travellers, for us tourism professionals, or for all the other citizens of the world.  
The time is right for ecological awareness and self-questioning of our impact on the Earth  / Photo: Source
So here is a point of what we call a cool down for the planet, and we will see in the following days, on social networks or other media, other evidence of the return of nature and the positive consequences of this unprecedented situation. In the meantime, we are not forgetting our mission to bring you the best of South America! Even from your home.   Tips: Follow Daytours4u on Instagram and Facebook to follow our travel content and news in South America.   
 
By: Tiffany Flour, traveller soul and web content editor for Daytours4u.