5 May Milan from Elena Martelli
21 May Milan from Elena Martelli
Elena Martelli
The past months have been quite hard here in Milano: the whole area has been severely hit by the Covid. We have had lot of dead, and we were constantly worried about our old parents, since the elderly were the most exposed to the virus. During quarantine Milano was almost unrecognizable: silent and quiet; clean streets; no traffic and noise; clear skies. The most impressive thing was the quality of the air: Milano sits in one of the most polluted area of Europe; during the quarantine, with no cars around and the factories almost closed down, we were able to experience clean and fresh air for the first time! We could smell the perfume of the coming spring. It was amazing!
Now the lockdown is almost over, and people are slowly going back to their normal life. There are still some restrictions: We must go around with surgical masks, and we are not allowed to crowd in bars, pubs and restaurants. Cinemas and theatres are still closed. We are not allowed to travel from one region to another. Everybody is worried about economic recession: many people have lost their jobs, and a lot of activities won’t be able to go back in business. The uncertainty is great. I personally felt more secure during the quarantine than now. Also because many people are disregarding the distancing rules, we fear the virus may recur, forcing all of us to another lockdown.
During the two lockdown months we have witnessed the incredible recovery of the whole Nature: wild animals walking through villages and cities; rivers usually polluted becoming crystal clear; dolphins entering all the way through harbors approaching humans without fear; whales peacefully swimming close to the coasts. Now that humans are back in activity, I’m afraid we’ll go back polluting and devastating the environment as usual, if not worse. I feel very anxious about it, and I fell more depressed now than during the quarantine.
The past months have been quite hard here in Milano: the whole area has been severely hit by the Covid. We have had lot of dead, and we were constantly worried about our old parents, since the elderly were the most exposed to the virus. During quarantine Milano was almost unrecognizable: silent and quiet; clean streets; no traffic and noise; clear skies. The most impressive thing was the quality of the air: Milano sits in one of the most polluted area of Europe; during the quarantine, with no cars around and the factories almost closed down, we were able to experience clean and fresh air for the first time! We could smell the perfume of the coming spring. It was amazing!
Now the lockdown is almost over, and people are slowly going back to their normal life. There are still some restrictions: We must go around with surgical masks, and we are not allowed to crowd in bars, pubs and restaurants. Cinemas and theatres are still closed. We are not allowed to travel from one region to another. Everybody is worried about economic recession: many people have lost their jobs, and a lot of activities won’t be able to go back in business. The uncertainty is great. I personally felt more secure during the quarantine than now. Also because many people are disregarding the distancing rules, we fear the virus may recur, forcing all of us to another lockdown.
During the two lockdown months we have witnessed the incredible recovery of the whole Nature: wild animals walking through villages and cities; rivers usually polluted becoming crystal clear; dolphins entering all the way through harbors approaching humans without fear; whales peacefully swimming close to the coasts. Now that humans are back in activity, I’m afraid we’ll go back polluting and devastating the environment as usual, if not worse. I feel very anxious about it, and I fell more depressed now than during the quarantine.
21 May Milan from Elena Martelli
This pandemic has highlighted a big problem: the likely connection between the virus and pollution. Since Milano sits in a flat land with high mountains on the north and hills on the south, it has an unbearable level of pollution all year long. It is in fact one of the most polluted areas in Europe. Therefore, in few hours I’m joining a flashmob in Piazza Duomo (in front of the cathedral): hundreds of bikers will gather (in full respect of the distance rules due to Covid) to ask the city administration for more and safer bike lanes. Milano is a flat and rather small city, but the majority of it’s inhabitants go around by cars. Bike lanes are few and fragmented, so it is quite dangerous to go around. We can no longer go on ignoring the problem: we must change and we have to do it now.
This pandemic has highlighted a big problem: the likely connection between the virus and pollution. Since Milano sits in a flat land with high mountains on the north and hills on the south, it has an unbearable level of pollution all year long. It is in fact one of the most polluted areas in Europe. Therefore, in few hours I’m joining a flashmob in Piazza Duomo (in front of the cathedral): hundreds of bikers will gather (in full respect of the distance rules due to Covid) to ask the city administration for more and safer bike lanes. Milano is a flat and rather small city, but the majority of it’s inhabitants go around by cars. Bike lanes are few and fragmented, so it is quite dangerous to go around. We can no longer go on ignoring the problem: we must change and we have to do it now.
