5 ways to take care of the environment during coronavirus outbreak

MANILA, Philippines – Aside from the coronavirus outbreak, the world is also dealing with another harmful crisis: climate change and environmental degradation.

On Wednesday, April 22, the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. It also marks the anniversary of the commencement of the Paris Agreement, which seeks to take climate action on a global scale. (READ: How going zero waste is addressing PH’s plastic pollution)

While the world continues to make sense of a reality scarred by the virus, EcoWaste Coalition has listed 5 ways that people can help in addressing the coronavirus outbreak and the climate crisis.

“Like the acts of kindness and solidarity that we’ve been seeing throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, the small and big changes that we make in the way we treat, care for and defend our environment have the potential of spreading on a large scale starting with our families and communities,” said EcoWaste Coalition National Coordinator Aileen Lucero.

Here are 5 ways you can take care of the environment during the coronavirus outbreak:

1. Start a zero-waste lifestyle as you stay at home due to the lockdown. Begin by cutting back on single-use plastics use. (READ: How an online community encourages Filipinos to try ‘buhay zero-waste’)

2. Try picking non-toxic products with less packaging to reduce volume and toxicity of what you buy and discard during the lockdown.

3. Segregate discards and start composting food waste and other organics. This may even be the time to try home composting and gardening!

4. Properly dispose of used face masks, gloves, tissues, wipes and other potentially infectious waste to ensure the safety of waste workers and to prevent the spillage of such waste into waterways and oceans.

5. Advocate the enforcement of environmental and health laws and regulations.

Aside from sharing the tips, EcoWaste Coalition also called for climate action, as well as sustainable solutions to the pandemic.

The United Nations Environment Programme has noted that the pandemic is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of humans and the planet in the face of global threats.

“If we don’t demand change to transform our planet and meet our climate crisis, our current state will become the new normal – a world where pandemics and extreme weather events span the globe, leaving already marginalized and vulnerable communities even more at risk,” the Earth Day Network said.

As of Tuesday, April 21, the Philippines has recorded 6,599 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 437 deaths. – Rappler.com