While these measures are taking their toll on local businesses and human connection, they did have some unforeseen positive outcomes in their bid to slow the spread of COVID-19, namely our collective environmental impact. 

In March 2020, NYC produced nearly 50% less pollution than the year before, China’s emissions dropped 25%, and their coal use fell by 40% across their largest power plants. 

The European Environmental Agency (EEA), which measures Europe’s air quality, predicted that NO2 emission dropped from 30-60% in many European cities, including Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Rome and Paris.

And, after record-breaking air pollution levels for Delhi at the end of 2019, National Geographic reported a drop in harmful nitrogen dioxide by more than 70% from the early 2020 lockdowns. 

We also saw instances of improved water quality, lower noise pollution and overall ecological restoration across the globe. However, I will also add that the pandemic has brought about an increase in medical and plastic waste (through PPE and increased takeout packaging) which, of course, have long-term harmful environmental impacts. 

Such significant reductions are worth celebrating, though as we’ve come to find out, it’s critical to recognize the temporary nature of these results as well as the devastating means by which we achieved them. I think I can speak for everyone when I say no one would have wanted to lower our emissions in this way if we had the choice.

But is there at least something we can learn from this situation? 

Travel makes up a significant portion of global greenhouse emissions. We know that cities have encouraged their people to choose more environmentally friendly commute options such as public transit, cycling, or walking for years.

I wonder what would happen if we removed commuting from our routines altogether.

While I’m by no means advocating for shelter-in-place orders to continue long-term, I am curious whether working from home (as many of us have been doing throughout the pandemic) may be a more environmentally friendly option moving forward. 

In this article, I’ll be comparing the greenhouse emissions of regular commuters to their WFH counterparts to see whether maintaining some lockdown habits could help continue some of the positive environmental effects into the future.

How much does commuting to an office contribute to greenhouse gas emissions?

Commuting has long been a source of... read more

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