COLUMBIA, S.C. — As the coronavirus spread across the world, international and domestic travel drastically slowed.
With less cars on the roads, planes in the sky, and some industries slowing down, the amount of air pollution also dramatically decreased.
Images from India to Los Angeles showed smog free skies, while in Venice, Italy, fish were swimming in canals that were more clear than they have been in years.
A report from Climate Central shows that the percent distance in travel decreased in South Carolina by 60 percent in March and April.
One of the pollutants that is a good tool in measuring human and economic activity is nitrogen dioxide.
NASA satellites measured a 30 to 40 percent drop in nitrogen dioxide over the past few months according to NASA scientist Bryan Duncan.
“We’ve definitely seen cleaner air, that’s been confirmed by monitors, air quality monitors on the ground, as well as satellites, they’ve all verified that.”
Duncan told WLTX that nitrogen dioxide is a good indicator of human and economic activity because it has such a short lifespan.
The changes in travel were felt across the Midlands, especially at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
All three major carriers, American, Delta, and United, had a significant reduction in their flights according to Kim Jamieson, the Director of Marketing and Air Service Development at the airport.
The improved air quality is beneficial for human health, however the decreased emissions are not expected to last very long.
Travel is already starting to increase as restrictions across the state and country are lifted.
The Columbia Metropolitan Airport has noticed that the number of passengers flying has increased through the month of May and into June.
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“Toward the end of May we saw about 2500 passengers the week of May 24, the very next week we saw about 2900 passengers. And just last week, June 8, we saw a little over 3500 passengers," Jamieson tells WLTX.
The brief decrease in air pollution is a good reminder of what a cleaner world could look like.
As the economy picks back up, it's important to continue looking for better ways to decrease emissions and air pollution. Some solutions include using more efficient fuels, switching to electric vehicles, and creating more energy efficient appliances.
