In the last few months, the world has turned completely upside down. While most of these changes have had negative impacts, there are a few positives that can be found after all the adjustments people have had to make.
One of these positives is that the environment has been given somewhat of a respite from all the pollution that’s been driven into it in recent history. With this, many people have begun to realize how small and simple changes in our behavior, when undertaken by all, can have large positive effects on the world around us. So to help you further this positive change, here are three things you can do during the pandemic to positively impact the environment.
Less Driving
With so many things being shut down as part of quarantining from the coronavirus, there’s been far fewer people on the roadways. As a result, there’s been a lot less pollution due to carbon emissions from vehicles and other forms of travel.
While this is a step in the right direction, Martha Henriques, a contributor to BBC, shares that this won’t make a difference in the long-term unless people continue to change their driving habits. So, if you can, try to drive less from here on out than you did before the pandemic happened. With so many things taking place virtually now, this shouldn’t be too hard for many people to make happen.
Use The Right Utensils
During the pandemic, many people have chosen to eat out more in order to support local food service businesses. But while this can boost your local economy, it can also cause a lot of garbage to be made from takeout containers.
To combat this, Jennifer Chesak, a contributor to Greatist.com, suggests that you state in any takeout order that you get not to include any utensils, napkins, or condiments. By using the items that you already have at home, or choose to frequent establishments that use biodegradable versions, you’ll be helping to create less plastic waste.
Conserve At Home
People are spending a lot more time at home now than they ever have before. Because of this, they’re also using a lot more energy within their homes. But luckily, you can take measures to reduce this.
According to Steven Peters, a contributor to USA Today, you can conserve energy at home by hanging your clothes out to dry rather than using your dryer, using LED light bulbs, turning lights off when you’re not using them, unplugging electronics that are wasting energy, and being smart about how you use your air conditioner or heater.
If you’re wanting to do your part to help the environment at this all-important time, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you do this.
