HOUSTON — You can call it a welcome consequence of the pandemic. NASA says Floridians can literally breathe easier because so many of the state’s 21 million people have been staying at home.
Scientists who study air quality are reporting a 30 percent reduction in levels of Nitrogen Dioxide over the Sunshine State. NO2 is a gas created by burning fuel, and the Environmental Protection Agency says it’s harmful to both human health and the environment.
According to NASA, Orlando and Miami have seen the largest reductions.
Researchers say Florida’s stay at home order is the most significant factor, but they also point to theme park closures, the cancellation of MLB spring training and the early departure of the state’s snow birds as reasons for the decline.
Of course, COVID-19 is a global pandemic, so billions of people across the country and around the world have been under lockdowns and quarantines for months.
On April 9, NASA reported similar air pollution reductions over Washington, D.C., New York and much of the northeast.
China has experienced a significant improvement in air quality since the outbreak began there late last year.
And jaw-dropping images have come out of India, where people in some cities have reported seeing blue skies for the first time in decades.
What other people are reading right now:
- Gov. DeSantis says reopening can begin May 4, restaurants can open with restrictions
- Where's the bacon? We're 'about 3 weeks away from not having pork on the shelves,' congressman says
- 100 bodies found decomposing in rental trucks outside New York funeral home
- 'Ineligible' for unemployment assistance? Florida wants you to apply again
- Pinellas County beaches reopening Monday with restrictions
- 10Investigates: Renters faced with rent hikes during pandemic
- Hotlines, websites offer the latest on COVID-19
FREE 10NEWS APP:
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for the Brightside Blend Newsletter
