While last year has been likened to watching the movie Contagion in real time, there have been many things that we have learnt through all the upheaval.
Firstly, we know that we humans can adapt when we really need to, well most of us. Once we all got organised and had a handle on the facts, changes happened fairly quickly. When your health and life is at risk it becomes a no brainer.
Secondly, we now understand how important it is to maintain a certain amount of self- sufficiency. Losing the convenience of being able to travel where you want, buy what you want, you quickly start putting a different value on the choices we previously took for granted.
2020 has shown us how quickly our world can change forcing many people to investigate new skills and new interests and this has stimulated and encouraged in many an innovative mentality.
Some of the small things I can see which will have a big impact on the environment with this changed mentality are:
- Increased interest in growing your own food
- Increased support and respect for local growers and buying local produce
- Reducing miles travelled
- Increase in the ‘handmade’ market
Increased interest in growing your own food
From a health and physical activity aspect, not to mention the increased freshness of the food grown, if everyone are natural green thumbs that is.
Increased support and respect for local growers and buying local produce
We have a newfound appreciation for that local producer that you discover right on your doorstep. How convenient when suddenly our borders can be closed overnight.
Reducing miles travelled
Many people have been forced to find ways to work from home, thereby reducing miles travelled and reducing the use of fossil fuels. Others have started home based businesses using skills that perhaps in pre-COVID-19 times may not have been contemplated as an income source.
Increase in the ‘handmade’ market
An increase in the “maker handmade “market, bringing old craft skills back to a place of importance has also been positive and beautiful thing.
Here’s to 2021 with an enlightened mindset
From a sustainability viewpoint, many positives have come from the year that we never contemplated. It’s refreshing to learn that we as a species can never stop learning.
Here’s to 2021 with an enlightened mindset.