Author: Phil Machin
Cheif Negotiator @ Bridge Procurement Ltd.
I reminisce back in February when I was poised to hit the go button on my new campaign, Saving for Sustainability, focused on helping to preserve our earth, a hot topic for the first few months of the new decade where more than 400,000 people officially signed up to Veganuary (and certainly many more who did not sign up) compared with 250,000 in 2019.
Fast forward a couple of months and we hit a crisis unlike we have or (hopefully) ever will experience. Our lives have been turned on their heads, with social and economic effects that are yet to be fully qualified but undoubtedly devastating.
With all this destruction and despair we must reflect on the positives in any situation. I have been in awe of the way families, communities, and colleagues have come together in a more cohesive way than ever before. Millions have made huge sacrifices in order to protect the most vulnerable, and with over 750,000 new volunteers for the NHS, this crisis has shown that we are part of an incredible community. And of course, let us not forget our new ability to enable technophobes to video call their loved ones and even enjoy the experience; simply breathtaking.
Moving back to Earth Day, sudden shutdowns in manufacturing have led to plummeting air pollution levels throughout the world. The effects are most evident in China, where satellite images have shown the drastic change in air quality and the thick pollution that once covered the land has suddenly begun to vanish. Carbon emissions are down by at least 25%, coal consumption by 35% and oil is cheaper to buy than to store.
Overall, we are living in more than just one crisis at the moment. This may easily slip our minds as the coronavirus dominates the news and our entire lives. However, for today especially, it is vital we remember the climate crisis
is still of incredible importance to our lives and we must continue and improve our efforts to preserve our planet. Moreover, Earth Day is about appreciating our home, and as the coronavirus has shown us, we live in a small and highly connected world that we all share. Let us not forget our duty to protect it.
