I was just pondering that if the planet were an intelligent being it might design something like this the way an animal shakes off a few fleas from its back. Not to minimise the death, distress and poverty this has created but a bit of a positive correction of some unsustainable/unhealthy activities seems to be taking place as a byproduct. Couple of random and incomplete fragments of thought here, I’m sure there many more examples along these lines, add any if you feel like it.
Fewer people are driving cars/trucks, using buses and planes….cycling boosted so less pollution (and there’s been no coal fired electricity in the U.K.since this began), nature starting to return to some cities and towns. People in urban areas seem to be connecting more with or appreciating nature. Huge increase in seed sales and people growing food, people getting out to parks more both alone and spending time in nature with their families. More stories appearing about the meat industry being interrupted, 10,000 covid cases in the meat packing industry in the US, and meat shortages starting to happen here and there. Maybe we start consuming less of it. The danger to human health of factory farming of animals and eating wild animals (now banned in China) is being more widely publicised and discussed.
People buying less in general so fewer resources being used (if this carries on) to produce and transport unnecessary stuff. People perhaps realising themselves they don’t need so much, can survive fine on less money and enjoy more time. People slowing down in general, maybe stopping to ‘smell the roses’ more, perhaps rediscovering the meaningful without the normal rushing about to distract. Young kids having more time with parents, who are normally dropped at a nursery for someone else to look after. People realising and enjoying the mutual support of their communities. People connecting more online with new people and those they haven’t been in touch with for a while.
I wonder if the cutting down the amazon forest will slow with less demand for the timber….with eventually less money around to create a demand for the furniture. Many politicians being shown up as ridiculous and not fit to lead and people being forced to follow their own council. Whole economic system being reconsidered and wider support for and discussion of ideas such as UBI.
Learning to Rest with it All 
100% agree and i hope this kind of stuff continues. Being a cynical Cindy, i have my doubts. But i try. Today i was irate that while our governor has started lifting ( slowly) some of the restrictions it was only in certain counties. This created a tremendous back lash from the other counties not approved to re open at all and resulted in a % of businesses defying orders on purpose . the reason being that our state DA released a letter stating no fines or criminal charges will be filed if people do not comply. So, now we have restaurants opening with insane rules and procedures, which mainly consist of creating an entirely new and enormous increase in disposable PPE . the pollution in our oceans is already horrendous. In addition to the excessive use of this disposable PPe, the cleaning procedures are adding to increased chemicals being used, more trash from the cleaning and crazy extra work for some of the already lowest paid workers in the country. All because some people feel having to wear a mask or ( God forbid) having to eat at home is a violation of their rights…smh
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