The whole world is stuck indoors trying to break the curve and stop the pandemic from spreading. Times seem tough but there’s still hope and if each of us join hands and practice caution, this will soon be reduced (praying hard) to a bedtime story we’ll share with our grand-kids.
As we deal with one global crisis, it is perhaps a good time to sit back and reflect over our daily decisions, activities, and lifestyle choices that have been affecting our planet. If it weren’t for coronavirus, the chances of the human race battling other major issues like water shortage, air pollution, or depleting forest covers could have very well been on the brink.
It’s important to learn from our lessons. As we self quarantine, let’s try to make it a sustainable quarantine. Here are a few habits we can change for when we get out of quarantine, to be more mindful and thoughtful about our daily habits.
Switch to reusable products
Despite pharmacies and super markets open for essentials, it’s still a challenge to get out to potentially expose yourself to the virus. The times demand for a lifestyle change so take this opportunity to switch to reusable products. Menstrual cups and period panties over use and throw tampons or cloth wipes over paper tissues, are some easy swaps you can try to reduce your footprint and conserve your resources till you quarantine and hopefully beyond.
Monitor your Water Usage
This is one of the most important points to keep in mind for a sustainable quarantine. According to the New York Times, health workers at refugee camps in Syria are suffering a shortage of water to simply wash their hands for basic hygiene, which makes me stop and think how grateful I am to have access to clean water. Washing our hands is crucial but there are still some conscious practices we can all implement to lower our water consumption. Simple ideas like turning the shower off when shampooing or brushing teeth can help us conserve water. It is also essential to find the right balance between maintaining hygiene and being mindful of our resources.
Compost More
With plenty of time on hand, it’s hard to find activities within the house that can keep you busy and offer some productivity at the same time. Composting ticks both these boxes along with many other benefits for the planet. Don’t worry if you don’t have a compost bin. You can fashion out a make-shift compost container from of an old plastic box.
Try Some Natural Forms of Exercise
It’s moments like these that make you wonder how absurd it sounds to travel in a car to go to a gym so you can ride a stationary bike. Exercising and staying fit is not limited to gyms and electric equipment. Simple stretches, yoga, and breathing exercises at home, overlooking the window are not just great for your body but will also help you overcome the stress of the pandemic.
Try those Do It Yourself Videos
This may be a good time to try out some DIYs that we all come across on our feeds but never have the time to try them. Our favorite is a DIY dry shampoo recipe by the.kind.and.intentional.life. It’s easy to make, saves water, and ideally fits into our plan for a sustainable quarantine.
Recipe:
+ shaker bottle (we use old glass spice jars)
+ 4 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
+ 1 teaspoon bentonite clay
+ 1 teaspoon baking soda
+ 5-10 drops essential oils (I use cedarwood and ylang ylang, but I did melaleuca and lavender for Matt)
+ some cocoa powder if you have dark hair (trust me)
⠀⠀
Mix it all together and place in your container. Sprinkle a little on roots and work into hair with your fingertips. Voilà!
You can also try to unleash your inner artist by personalizing or painting your old t-shirts or denims, taking this time to sustainably revamp your wardrobe.
Conclusions
There is always a lesson to be learnt from times like these. Let’s take this quarantine to connect with our inner selves and our loved ones. Think about nature and look for ways to care for it. The world needs a cumulative effort, so make sure you lend a helping hand.
