Eco-friendly habits: Fighting climate change from home

By Natalie Gao and Breanna Lu Apr. 28 2021

Nicole Kim Art

Since its onset, the COVID-19 pandemic has had both beneficial and harmful effects on the environment. According to Consumer News and Business Channel, global greenhouse gas emissions dropped by seven percent since 2019 due to shelter-in-place orders. On the other hand, the environment is suffering from growing plastic waste from bags, containers, hairnets, masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment that are often improperly disposed. To reduce the negative environmental effects the pandemic has caused, many are taking steps to be sustainable at home.

“I started making reusable masks this year after learning about how disposable ones often harm wildlife that can get caught in its plastic material. I make masks with my sewing machine and sell them for three dollars to my friends and family. My masks are also lined with a washable polypropylene filter that makes them more effective,” Freshman Juhi Khetawat said.

Unlike cloth masks, reusable and sustainable bags can actually pose dangers to retail workers by potentially helping spread COVID-19. As a result, in April 2020, Calif. Gov. Newsom signed an Executive order that allowed workers to redistribute single-use plastic bags in order to stay safe, which led to increased plastic pollution. Moreover, the overall usage of plastic bags has risen since the start of the pandemic due to them being more sanitary, cheap and accessible than reusable bags. USA Today adds that plastic containers and cutlery have also become more prevalent because of increased demand for food delivery.

Stuck at home with limited ways to maintain sustainability, the Los Angeles Times says that people can reuse bags and containers, buy food in bulk to avoid excess plastic bags and invest in reusable household items.

Before the pandemic, it was easier to fight increasing plastic consumption, as recycling centers could safely dispose of the plastic. However, several of these centers have had to shut down due to concerns of COVID-19 spreading among workers through contact with waste. Stuck at home with limited ways to maintain sustainability, the Los Angeles Times says that people can reuse bags and containers, buy food in bulk to avoid excess plastic bags and invest in reusable household items. The University of California, Los Angeles, continues that when ordering takeout, people can be environmentally-friendly by avoiding plastic utensils and supporting restaurants that use compostable packaging.

Aside from reusing plastics, a form of sustainability that has become more convenient in the past year is composting at home, which involves recycling organic materials and letting them decompose in compost bins that typically consist of manure, grass, leaves, egg shells and other food scraps.

Even before the pandemic, Senior Monica Trinh’s family composted on a regular basis.

“My family started composting almost two years ago to help with gardening. More importantly, I wanted to have a more sustainable lifestyle, and since composting is an easy way of helping reduce greenhouse gases, I compost all of my food scraps at home. The only thing my family does not put in our compost bin is meat and dairy because they can attract rodents and create foul odor,” Senior Monica Trinh said.

Likewise, Senior Julianna Sosnowski’s family composts all types of food scraps, including fruits, vegetables and bread, in her backyard. For her garden, she also uses compost as fertilizer because it is more eco-friendly compared to nitrogen-filled animal waste fertilizers. Sosnowski explains that her family has always prioritized sustainability, so composting plays a big part in their efforts to reduce waste in landfills.

Additionally, environmental issues during the pandemic have resulted in an enlarged interest in sustainable technology. Forbes finds that job-postings on Indeed relating to solar or wind power increased by 69 percent from April to October 2020.

Apart from jobs, solar energy has also become more popular for homeowners.

Apart from jobs, solar energy has also become more popular for homeowners. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the pandemic initially hurt solar energy companies because the lockdown made it impossible to conduct door-to-door marketing or install solar panels. However, this caused companies to invest more in online advertising, increasing solar energy use in the long run. Now, due to shelter-in-place, more money is being spent on home improvements, which are a key factor to the installment of solar energy systems, states PR Newswire. Growing electricity bills during quarantine have further encouraged the installation of solar panels, which saves money. Furthermore, the New York Times reports that during the pandemic, investors funded green energy projects such as a plant that generates hydrogen—a potential clean fuel source—from water, contributing to a rise in renewable energy usage.

“When we moved into our house, it already had solar panels so we continued to use them. Solar panels supply all the energy we need, and we sell extra energy back to power companies. As an optimal alternative to fossil fuels, utilizing solar energy helps to combat climate change,” Sosnowski said.

Despite not having composting bins or solar panels, many have also found ways to be sustainable with what is available. Aside from biking as often as they can, Freshman Lia Yereslove and her family cut the plastic straps off of their disposable masks before throwing them away in order to reduce the amount of plastic waste that animals can choke on and become entangled in.

This year, COVID-19 proved the direct connection between human actions and climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions dropped substantially due to quarantine.

This year, COVID-19 proved the direct connection between human actions and climate change, as greenhouse gas emissions dropped substantially due to quarantine. Thus, a study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group found that 40 percent of people intend to be more sustainable due to the light the pandemic has shed on environmental issues.

After shelter-in-place orders lift completely, CO2 emissions will likely re-surge with increased activity, and scientists predict that summer temperatures will continue rising due to global warming. To help prevent the effects of climate change from worsening, the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests that people invest in renewable energy, buy energy-efficient appliances and drive less. Yereslove and Sosnowski say their current sustainability efforts will not change after the pandemic; Yereslove will continue biking for transportation, and Sosnowski plans to compost, drive electric cars and eat more vegan foods in the future. Sophomore Kimaya Sajipal hopes that she can continue her own sustainable efforts by thrifting clothes or even furniture.

Taking note of this troubling trend of environmental issues, many, including students at the school, are taking steps to be environmentally friendly while at home—reducing plastic consumption, composting and incorporating sustainable technology in their lives.

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About the Contributors

Natalie Gao

Staff Writer

Natalie Gao is a sophomore at Leland High School and a staff writer. She likes playing Tetris and making mac and cheese in her free time.

Breanna Lu

Staff Writer

Breanna Lu is a freshman and a new staff writer. She enjoys binge watching sci-fi movies and her favorite book genre is murder mysteries/crime fiction. In her free time, you will most likely find her asleep or chatting with her friends.