April is a month that raises awareness for a number of social issues. With Earth Day on the 22nd, sustainability becomes a main selling point for large and small businesses alike. Thanks to the annual observation and outcry for earth justice, 69 million tons of discarded food and over 29 million pieces of plastic have been removed from the ocean. 

This is also a time we are reminded of the mass atrocities committed by the fashion industry during Fashion Revolution Week. However, being kind to our earth (and each other) is a conversation that extends beyond one day of the year, or week. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), medical waste has skyrocketed to nearly 96 tons of waste with an estimated 3 tons of waste soon to come due to COVID-19 and the improper disposal of masks as well as PPE; most of those 3 tons are presumed to be non-infectious and comprised of plastic. With COVID impacting us all in various ways, together, we can do our part to care for the planet now that the pandemic effectively exposed the complete disregard for Earth and its ecosystems. Here’s how to make a difference, even after Earth Day:

1. Don’t Let Your Scraps Go to Waste

25 million tons of food were recovered in 2018. As The Environmental Protection Agency estimates, that was all due in part to composting. Composting is a common gardening and farming practice that improves the properties and fertility in soil. Through the combination of organic waste, composting can reduce costs associated with traditional soil and water usage, air pollution, pesticides, chemical fertilizers and agricultural gains. The EPA notes that compost can be created with biodegradable materials such as yard trimmings, wood chips, food scraps and more to accelerate growth. They also report that the natural and harmless process breaks down contaminants and reduces methane with the repurposing of coffee grounds and other biodegradable materials.

With propagating and indoor gardening becoming more popular as a result of the pandemic, several eco-friendly brands are democratizing the way everyday people can compost right from their home. Some landlords are required to have residents participate in building-wide composting mandates. However, for those who want to learn and start composting on their own, Seed & Sprout Co. is an Australian eco-luxury brand providing plastic-free and ethically-sourced bundles. Their matte, rust-resistant Composting Bin is available in two earth-inspired colors that are neutral and compact enough to decorate your kitchen or fit in your freezer. With a charcoal air filter and easy care instructions, Seed & Sprout makes the transition to saving your scraps (and to green living) an effortless one with all the bells and whistles you could possibly need to maintain your commitment to food recovery.

2. Upgrade Your Lunch

In corners all over of the world, workers are being forced back into the office after more than 18 months of working from home. Although production rates improved with shelter-in-place orders, some employees face termination if they don’t return to the office whether they’re considered essential or not. Going back to the office not only results in more concerns for employees and for those with families, but it also results in higher expenses due to mid-day breaks. Workers could be dishing out more of their savings or paychecks with daily breakfast and lunch orders.   

Reduce your dining waste by bringing your own lunch in Seed & Sprout’s Crunchbox Set. For kids and adults alike, the food-grade stainless steel lunchbox is leak-proof and comes equipped with segregated portions. You could use a sleek ecobox to food prep or bring your favorite comfort cuisine to work. The lided pots could also be used to pre-pack snacks, dips, and sides to accompany a ten-minute side convo. Seed & Sprout Co.’s modern and plastic-free take on the schoolyard lunch bag is dishwasher-safe with FDA approved components. This swap is kind to the planet, your wallet, and it certainly reduces any risks or trash that may arise with food preparations when eating out. Even when going out to eat for a special occasion, you could bring bamboo utensils and other conscious sets to safeguard their health while making it a priority to limit litter or landfill fodder when taking your food to-go. 

3. Don’t Trash Your Mask

Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation and CDC verifies Hispanic, Black, Indigenous, and AAPI folks suffered higher cases, hospitalization, and death rates early on in the pandemic with ongoing surges throughout. The lack of proper infrastructure, health equity, affordable housing among food deserts, and increased stress, COVID was proven to impact communities of color significantly more than white counterparts, both during the height of the pandemic and as of present-day. Although the world is rapidly trying to enter a post-COVID era, immunocompromised individuals and essential workers will more than likely keep mask-wearing alive. 

You might have seen disposable masks splayed across the sunburnt pavement of parking lots. Black-owned business, Henry Masks, is single-handedly tackling the disproportionate effects of COVID and medical waste by making accessibility to masks easier for people of color. Henry Masks capitalized on the subscription service boom by offering a variety of stylish, reusable, washable, filtered two and four-pack masks that can be delivered every one or two months. Extenders support those with ear sensitivities and lanyards aid the forgetful or unorganized. Custom and bulk ordering supplies masks for families and artistic types. As a subscriber of the top-rated BOB myself, I highly recommend their Minimalist 4-Pack for simple and laid-back personalities.

From panic buying and shortages to inflation and contradicting mandates, COVID has left a mark on our collective experience like the Great Depression left its mark on the era’s generations. Many of us focus more on staying stocked up with disinfectants, gas, and ample snacks now more than ever, just to ensure we’re not a so called “have not”. However, we must keep our planet in mind in the unnerving race for survival and swift rush to establish a “new” normal.