The Planet’s Sigh: Unexpected Lessons of Social Distancing
Amy Powell, founder of ATTAINABLE and Quilt leader, explains why this pandemic may be a rally for the planet. To learn sustainability tips for quarantine and beyond, join Amy at a Quilt! Download the free app to sign up to browse free and virtual conversations and connect with women around the world, anytime, anywhere.
by Amy Powell
It is April — and although we are experiencing a particularly intense time, there is still reason to celebrate. April 22, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a day when typically, communities around the globe rally in the streets together to honor Our Planet’s abundance, and to remind our nations of the urgent and vital need for change that we (everyone) must generate in order to maintain Our Planet’s health, and the environments in which we live.
Today however, instead of rallying in the streets to celebrate, we find ourselves at home, indoors. In order to flatten the coronavirus curve and to keep our communities safe, we are not gathering, meeting, driving, traveling or “doing” much of anything these days. And because of this our environments have shifted. And the way we’re celebrating Earth Day has shifted too.
At home, we’re (begrudgingly) adapting to sequestered survival — developing new routines, connecting with our indoor surroundings, and jumping online for pretty much everything — work, social engagement and to find seemingly, endless entertainment. In an indoor world, is there anything we’re missing?
The Good News
As we shelter-in-place, just like our personal environments have shifted, Our Planet’s ecosystems have shifted too. Countries across the globe — Los Angeles to Wuhan — are experiencing significant reductions in air pollution. In New York City, a study showed “emissions of carbon monoxide, mainly due to cars and trucks, have fallen by around 50%”. And other countries are finding improvements in water quality — most noticeably Italy’s canals are clearer.
In the short-term, these shifts and changes sound super positive, even hopeful when it comes to an urgent need for change. But in the long-term, when our shelter-in-place requirements are lifted and we’re able to roam freely back in the “wild”, will these positive changes stick?
This brings me back to the question, in an indoor world, is there anything we’re missing? One thing that cannot be replicated indoors? The (great) outdoors. Can humans thrive indoors, without a connection to nature?
Why Nature is Good For Us
For decades, environmentalists have expressed the fact that “humans derive physical and psychological benefits from spending time in the natural world”. Reversely, research also suggests that a “disconnect [from nature] may be a major contributor to physiological dysfunction and unwellness”.
One study shows, “living close to nature and spending time outside has significant and wide-ranging health benefits”. Another study, challenging survey participants “about their perceived connection to nature and feeling a part of it,” find nature to be “intuitively” good for us, giving a “significant increase [to] people’s health, happiness, connection to nature and active nature behaviours… sustained for months after the challenge was completed”.
It is also reported that spending just 120 minutes in nature every week is connected to “good self-reported health and high self-reported well-being” and that when people are put in natural environments for just 30 minutes “it decreases heart rate, decreases blood pressure, decreases stress cortisol, [and] improves psychological well-being”.
(Pro tip: If you happen to be feeling particularly low — which we’ve learned is normal when spending most/all day inside — try the practice of “earthing”, also known as “grounding” to energize your body and mind. Find out how to ground yourself here.)
Will the Good News Stick?
So, when our shelter-in-place requirements are lifted and we’re able to roam freely back in the “wild”, will the positive changes Our Planet is experiencing stick, for the long-term? BBC News reports “there are warnings [that] levels could rise rapidly after the pandemic.” Further, Environmentalist Alexander Verbeek states that “a brief pause on our normal emission levels does not prove we are going to reduce emissions in the longer term, as we must” but “it proves that it can be done”.
Just think, when we’re able to flatten the coronavirus curve, and we can return to life as “normal”, how exactly will we be stepping back onto Our Planet? Will we drive the same cars as before and take the same routes to work? Will we hop on a plane to visit friends for the weekend, or take a trip just because we now can? Will coal burning power plants and factories ramp back up into production just like before? If life resumes as “normal”, overtime the positive shifts that Our Planet has seen will soon be reversed and the environment’s health will continue to decline, in a rapid way just as it was before the world took an unwanted pause.
But wait — does it have to be this way? Must we return to our old “normal”? What about embracing a new normal — a shift in mindset, a new way of thinking that’s entrenched in the notion that we can and should be kinder to Our Planet, today and every day. What about testing simple, personal lifestyle shifts that focus on more empowered actions, rich in practice and resilient in routine? What about a new normal that gives way to regenerating the environment and its ecosystems, lending time for Our Planet to recover. A new normal that gives rise to us and Our Planet, living harmoniously, side-by-side, thriving for the long-term, together.
Why It’s Worth Shifting Behavior Long-Term
We (humans) soak in happiness from being in nature. We are nourished, healed and sustained by the resources Mother Earth generates and by the energy she radiates. Humans are intrinsically connected to Our Planet, our given home. We must take care of her. There is much hope for helping her regenerate and heal, “it can be done”. But in order to do so, we first must embrace a mindset shift and begin taking simple yet swift action, today. Are you with me?
While we remain indoors, here are four simple, and intentional steps you can make to find inspiration, get empowered and stay connected, so that when we are able to step back onto Our Planet, we will step ever so lightly, so that we, and Our Planet can thrive together.
Reconnect (more deeply) with nature.
I like to think that I am connected with nature, but honestly the last time I remember being outdoors (pre-coronavirus) feeling truly and intentionally connected well, it was months ago. Everytime I’m in nature, I feel powerful, free, alive. How do you remember feeling? As noted above, when we actively (and regularly) connect with nature it makes us feel good. Take time to reconnect (more deeply) with nature now and especially when we’re allowed back into the “wild”. Here are ways to connect with nature from indoors. And ways to deepen your connection to nature in the outdoors. See you out there soon!
Keep learning, educate your badass self.
Learning is one thing we can keep doing in life, for as long as we want to. And with an endless amount of resources at our fingertips, we have the ability and opportunity to learn (almost anything) at no cost to us. Take time to learn about what is happening to Our Planet, why its current state requires urgent, swift change, and why we (everyone) should care. Understand why shifting our mindsets and empowering abundance in our lifestyles really matters. Get curious and start exploring. Here are a few resources to get you started:
If you like learning from podcasts, check out these recommendations.
If you’re looking for hope, read the book “The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis” by @cfigueres and @tomcarnac. Share it with a friend when you’re done.
And if you’re on Instagram, follow these climate-related accounts: @worldeconomicforum, @projectdrawdown, @greenpeace and @bloomberggreen.
Support local businesses.
This step is more important now, than ever before. Support your community as much as you can by supporting local businesses that are open — restaurants, corner stores, farmers markets and cafes. And when all other local businesses are able to open again — service providers, retailers, venues, etc. — ambitiously support them too. Spending your dollars locally supports the abundance of your community’s circular economy. Local products also mean better/ fresher quality and less travel time, reducing CO2 impact. Support local, whenever you can, for the long-lasting health of your community and Our Planet.
Talk to your friends & family about Our Planet.
Take a moment to call, FaceTime or video chat with your friends and family and talk (with outdoor voices) about Our Planet. Share tips on how to reconnect with nature while indoors, talk about what you’re learning, share reflections of embracing a “new normal”, talk with the people you know and love. The simple act of talking can bring deep awareness and engage interest around certain subject matters, in this case the need for us (everyone) to make vital shifts and take empowered action to help Our Planet recover. Watch this TedTalk to see how.
Today is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and it’s time for us to come (virtually) together and rally for Our Planet. To celebrate with us, watch this live stream and search the various specials and documentaries available. It’s time for us to create a new normal, one that is resilient, abundant and more connected to Our Planet than ever before. We have an opportunity now — to shift kindness into our mindsets, embrace and invoke rich change, and step back onto Our Planet lightly, in harmony.
Togetherness is what we need most right now, and Our Planet needs us to come together too. Let’s take this moment to reconnect with nature, learn, support and talk with one another so that we can nourish Our Planet and help her heal — she needs us today, tomorrow, and for generations to come, just as much (if not more) than we need her.
Quilt is a virtual gathering platform designed to build community around topics people care about. On the same day, you can download our app and dive into a live, intimate conversation with new people around the country or start your own. Once your gathering finishes, you’re immediately connected to the group to stay in touch, collaborate, and create the next conversation.
