The COVID-19 pandemic has been a long, hard adventure for most of us. Many have struggled with balancing changes in work, children’s schooling, and caring for family that we never saw coming. Fortunately, many experts agree that across the U.S. we appear to be rounding a corner. With more people getting vaccinated every day we are finally seeing a general decline in both the number of new infections and deaths.
Although the pandemic was incredibly difficult for most of us, there were some silver linings to everything shutting down for a while. One of the biggest benefactors was the environment. Multiple reports of cleaner air, fewer vehicles emitting waste products on roadways, and more at-home sustainability projects exist throughout the pandemic.
Believe it or not, COVID-19 could have helped our society round a corner on sustainability efforts. For a while, everything slowed down enough to give people a glimpse of what a cleaner world might look like. Many people are hungry for more, which could prove pivotal in reaching sustainability goals in the near future.
COVID Adaptations That Last
When the pandemic first hit, many countries and businesses alike were forced to scramble to protect employees and keep the lights on for the duration. As a result, many were compelled to adapt. Some of these adaptations are likely to stick, and many of them benefit the environment substantially.
For instance, nearly 46% of employees transitioned from an in-person working environment to a remote one fairly quickly. Although there were certainly some growing pains, many companies have seen the benefits, such as reduced heating and electricity bills, less need for a physical business space, and improved workplace satisfaction for many employees.
Some governments have even taken steps to improve the transportation system long-term. For example, to facilitate safe travel for many essential employees who rely upon public transportation, cities like Bogota developed an 84km emergency bike network that allowed people an alternative for getting to work. Many cities and towns closed roads to vehicular traffic to improve walking and outdoor dining opportunities.
Changing Our Personal Lives
The role of sustainability in our personal lives has also changed dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With more people working from home, the obvious one is that most people have less of a reason to travel every day. This has resulted in a noticeable drop in vehicle emissions around the globe.
But many people are also making home improvement projects a priority. Many are choosing to make their homes more energy-efficient and sustainable. This can be done in any number of ways — big or small — including improvements like:
- Updating the heating and cooling systems in the home
- Replacing old windows with modern ones
- Improving insulation
- Installing energy-efficient appliances
- Investing in home alternative energy solutions
- Hanging clothing out to dry in nice weather rather than using the dryer
- Recycling and composting materials
- Putting in low-flow water devices
- Replacing light bulbs with LED ones
- Cleaning and replacing filters
- Lower the thermostat and use a ceiling fan
Perhaps one of the biggest home sustainability challenges associated with the pandemic is the uptick in online shopping. Online purchases result in pretty large emissions outputs, primarily because purchases may need to be packaged and shipped across the country. This creates more waste and requires substantial carbon emissions in travel alone. This is a phenomenon that many sustainability experts will need to contend with to continue on a trajectory to greater sustainability in the post-COVID era.
Going Forward
As we move into this new era, there are plenty of things our society can do to continue the push towards greater sustainability. From office workers pushing financial documents through to public health professionals managing wastewater treatment, there are ways to improve sustainability. These changes often involve small steps that incrementally push us forward into a greener future.
Perhaps the most significant means of making a lasting change is to continue to demand it from the government. Throughout the pandemic, many cities, regions, and countries have made strides towards improving sustainability efforts whether that was their original intention or simply a byproduct. The necessary changes will continue to require a guiding policy that pushes companies out of their comfort zones and into creative solutions.
There are thousands of things people can do or continue doing to increase general sustainability too. Employees can work with employers to develop a remote work or hybrid model plan that limits the need to go into the office. From home, people can recycle, compost, and start a vegetable garden. The sky’s the limit.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of things with it including — inadvertently — a push towards greater sustainability. Many businesses and individuals adapted to the pandemic by pushing new policies and small lifestyle tweaks that actually benefited the planet. Going forward people should strive to keep these adaptations in place and push for more from both the government and employers.
