Naples' aerial images

Since Sunday, 25 October, people in Italy haven't been gatherings along the streets to protest against new lockdown measures. Actually, entrepreneurs, retailers, and representatives associations are still afraid they couldn't be able to reach their goals in order to maintain employment. 

Here below there're two aerial images of Naples, the Italian town most hit by COVID-19 second wave. Although Naples is located in a developed country, it is a town where there are many informal labourers, who are suffering the most. 

Many people around the world have been displaced, and many of them have been living in countries that are suffering from conflicts. We also have in some places a combination of drought related to climate change, conflicts and economic crisis. In this context, lockdown measures, closed borders, curfews, and travel restrictions have disrupted global food supplies and incomes. I Hope the number of new infections will decrease soon, because it is not something the poorest communities can deal with.

Naples' young people protest to lockdown measures

Many young people took Naples' streets on Friday night to protest new COVID-19 restrictions. They disagreed on new lockdown measures issued by the Local governor. They also said that those COVID-19 measures are typical of authoritarianism. But I would like to remind them the article 16 of the Italian Constitution, that allows the Government to adopt such restrictions: "Every citizen has the right to reside and travel freely in any part of the country, except for such general limitations as may be established by law for reasons of health or security. No restriction may be imposed for political reasons. Every citizen is free to leave the territory of the republic and return to it, notwithstanding any legal obligations." 

Unfortunately,  Italy's opposition parties are so able to manipulate young people. 

Moving to rural villages

While we are still seeing detrimental COVID-19 effects on the towns worldwide, the number of new infected people continues to rise in my country. Today, on October 21st, there were 15,911 new COVID-19 cases in Italy. In terms of new infections, it is the Italian record in one single day.

In this perspective, many people, who have the opportunity to work remotely, are moving to rural villages to stay safe and live healthier lifestyles. Actually, If I had the opportunity to live in a rural village, I would leave the big town.

A friend of mine, who had left a big city one month ago, sent me a picture of two young donkeys. Since he has been living in a small rural village, he has had the opportunity to enjoy things like that in the picture below.

I have heard that donkey milk has been successfully with regard to children with cow's milk protein allergy, as its composition is more similar to human milk than ruminant milk.

Safeguarding native donkey breeds represents an opportunity for the development of rural and marginal areas, given that donkey milk is now appearing on the market due to its potential benefits for human health.

Remote working: boundaries between work and personal life

        

The image above shows a view of Naples, South Italy, where there have been about 700 new coronavirus cases a day since the first week of October. With over one million deaths and 37 millions infections, the virus is still spreading rapidly worldwide.

 

While countries across the world impose new restrictions and struggle to tackle a new surge of infections, many companies and institutions are pushing their employees to adopt remote working model. Governments across Europe are also issuing measures with the aim of encouraging remote jobs, which are on the rise all over the world. Actually, many companies had already adopted remote working before the epidemic began to spread in early 2020.

In this context, people who work remotely have to build their mental structure related to the new working model, considering that sometimes there is no clear end to the workday. Actually, many psychologists see that one of the most important issue for employees is that a clear disconnection is needed. And with regards to mental structure, it is essential to switch working from home, because work time tends to extend in private life.  

The problem is that many people, who have been working remotely since Covid19 began in early 2020, are still unable to create boundaries between work and personal life. For instance, people shoudn't cook or deal with their dishwasher while they are sending emails or reading documents related to their job. 

On the contrary, rather than attempt to reconcile work time and private life, we  have to establish boundaries between them. In this perspective, it may be helpful dressing for the office, instead of working in pajamas or replacing the shift that happens when workers commute to and from the office.

                       

                                                                                

                                                                                                          

The four pictures above show places, located in small villages, where I would like to work remotely, from home.

Fighting economic decline and unemployment

While the global cruise tourism market is expected to decrease sharply in the aftermath of the Coronavirus epidemic, lands of wellbeing and wine and food tours can be powerful tools in the fight against economic decline and unemployment in Italy. Actually, last month I was so delighted to see many tourists from Germany and Northern Italy while they were enjoying whirlpools and cascades of hot thermal waters in Central Italy's old villages. Despite social distancing rules, they were also tasting wine and extra virgin olive oil through local historic cellars. 

In Central Italy, from October until the beginning of December is time of olives' harvest. The grapes of "Chianti" are also ready for harvesting in Autumn. That's perfect for tourists, who may have the opportunity to enjoy a unique experience together with the winemakers of Tuscany. It's truly authentic way to discover Italy's landscape.

Population may increase in old villages

From 17th to 22nd September I spent four days in Central Italy's old villages. While I was visiting those beautiful places in Tuscany, I was delighted to see economy wasn't hit enough by the epidemic crisis. The two distinctive local products, wine and olive oil, have been shipped abroad, and many tourists, mainly from Norther Italy and Germany, have been gathering the beautiful alleys and the museums, that exihibit large collections of Etruscan findings. Obviously, people have been observing social distancing rules strictly.

Some old villages in Tuscany are perched at cliff of the rock, and divided in narrow alleys and small squares. Their old urbanistic system clearly represents the medieval structure. Each alley hides other curiosities and bears witness to the importance of those small towns in ancient times. Underground passages and rooms, carved into the heart of the rock, had been used in medieval time as cereal container, wells and wine cellars.

 

The good news is that since the pandemic began, early this year, many people who work and live there, such as grocery clercks, B&B owners and supermarket cashiers, haven't lost their job. It seems that most workers, who continue to work from home two or three days a week, have choosen to leave Rome and other big towns. It's easy to forecast real estate's price will increase in those old villages.  

Good effects of remote working on our planet

As the Covid-19 pandemic still continues to transform our worklife, it is easy to see that the post-coronavirus future will be a model that combines remote work and office time. And many experts forecast that the proportion of regular home workers will double in one generation.

As it is known, since Covid-19 pandemic started in early 2020, companies have been managing in varied ways, and they have sent their employees home. Actually, coronavirus epidemic has been forcing businesses globally to adopt remote working. In this context, some employees will continue to work remotely, until at least 2021. Others can decide where to base themself. 

Working from home two or three days a week could be optimal for balancing socialbility, independence, an flexibility. That's the main reason why many models of hybrid working include alternative ways of how to structure remote work with phisical presence (office work). As a consequence, some companies will not maintain the same amount of office space for a smaller number of workers. 

The good news, in terms of pollution, is that the reduced proportion of commuting workers will give positive environmental effects on our planet. 

The picture above shows a medieval village in Central Italy, where we spent last weekend. The vulcanic tufa rock is found everywhere, from the bare rock to the houses, towers and churches.  If I were a remote worker, I would like to live there.