Chances are, as the world does its best to weather the coronavirus pandemic, you're already doing your part to save the earth — driving less, for one. And the collective effort shows. Levels of nitrogen dioxide over major metropolitan areas, from Wuhan to Los Angeles, have dropped dramatically during lockdowns. You can now see fish in the Venice canals.
We can’t and won’t stay home forever, but we can take with us certain lessons from this time — and do what we can today to have a healthier planet in the years to come.
Skip the steak
Set the sponge aside
There are plenty of small things we can all do to use less water. One super simple step? Don’t prewash your dishes if you have an energy-efficient dishwasher. The dishwasher uses 3 gallons of water; hand-washing can use up to 27.
Don’t (re)book that flight
Not everything can be accomplished via Zoom, but we are definitely learning which meetings could have been emails — and which work trips didn’t necessarily need to happen. Flying emits about 860 million metric tons of carbon dioxide every year, and there’s a global movement to curb unnecessary air travel in the name of climate change.
Work from home
For those lucky enough to have figured out how to work remotely during the pandemic, there’s a powerful environmental argument to keep it going. It’s simple: Telecommuting reduces emissions, and requires far less fuel and energy than being in the office.
BYOB(ags)
Each year, the US uses about 100 billion plastic bags, 99% of which are never recycled. Do your part by bringing and reusing your own bags from home.
BYOB(ottles)
Roughly 35 billion water bottles go into landfills every year — not to mention the ones that end up in the ocean. Enough!
Buy secondhand
The fashion industry hurts the planet more than you’d ever believe. (It takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce a single pair of jeans!) Skip fast fashion and learn to love the thrill of a secondhand find. Better yet: vintage.
