Coronavirus Proves That Immediate Change Is Possible
Nobody wants to get infected by COVID-19, aka coronavirus. As the world prepares for the impending spread of the virus, we’re seeing basic necessities fly off the shelves, buying restrictions of one bag of rice per customer, Italy in lockdown mode, and even the President of Portugal putting himself in quarantine. As such, outings to restaurants have slowed and more and more people are choosing to work from home if the possibility presents itself.
With companies like Starbucks refusing to accept personal reusable cups due to the virus and reverting to disposable cups for dine-in beverage consumption, we try to remind everyone that there is no scientific evidence linking the use of reusables to the virus at this time. However, it is still best to wash your hands often and not touch your face while in public. As hand sanitizers become sold out almost everywhere, how can you stay safe while remaining calm in light of this epidemic. There are still a few ways to embrace a zero-waste lifestyle while preventing the spread of unwanted germs.
Make your coffee at home and forgo unnecessary coffee shop visits
Work from home to avoid commuting and interacting with surfaces you cannot control
Take meetings via teleconferencing with Zoom, GotoMeeting, or Google Hangouts
Use your own reusable bags as the “cart” while shopping for groceries and use self check out to pay
Drink water from the tap with the aid of a filtration system either in-sink, in-fridge, or stand alone to avoid buying bulk plastic bottles
Avoid unnecessary travel
Stay safe everyone and hopefully the spread will lessen in the coming months. 5 Gyres will continue to monitor developments and will make announcements should any of our upcoming events be canceled.