How Social Distancing Can Help You Live More Sustainably
While living more simply, you’re also being more sustainable — which is good for you, and good for the planet
Let’s get one thing straight. Social distancing is not fun. A global pandemic is anything but peachy. Still, there’s nothing wrong with finding a silver lining in the clouds. As an environmental advocate who’s slowing down for the sake of all of us, sustainability is it. As it turns out, sustainability and social distancing interact in some compelling ways.
Using what we have
When we think about what’s really essential and what’s just nice to have, we tend to shop less and use what we have more. This goes for the can of vegetables in the dark recesses of the pantry just as much as the forgotten trousers in the closet. Simpler recipes reign, and yesterday’s styles reignite.
Bringing our own bags
Prepping for a trip to the grocery store now feels like preparing for battle. We’ve got the gloves, the mask (albeit homemade) and the sanitizer, just in case. We’ve got the credit card in our pocket and a pen for touching the keypad. Most importantly, we’ve got our own bags, which we’ll fill ourselves whenever possible. No one else needs to touch them.
