To the Editor:

Re “What the Pandemic Means for Climate Change,” by Meehan Crist (Sunday Review, March 29):

In Los Angeles, New York, Manila and Milan, the skies clear as air pollution drops. In Venice, the canal water is clear enough to see fish, and dolphins are returning. What would the world be like if we decided to pursue this trend?

Less asthma and cancer, fewer lung and heart diseases, fewer deaths. More beauty in our lives. A slowing of global emissions.

Coronavirus is catastrophic, but it opens a new path. What if the frantic rush hours, relentless production of often unneeded or quickly obsolete items, and nonstop consumer spending were to calm? If we invested in renewable energy, electric cars and public transportation, and stopped funding fossil fuels, would we create good jobs and improve health for ourselves and the planet?

Before, it was hard to envision such a change, but now we can see glimpses of what it might offer. Any new stimulus bill in the United States should include funds for a transition to a more sustainable world. We owe it to our children and grandchildren.