We can’t wait for the world to get ‘back to normal’, life as we knew it in 2019. But it’s not really a rewind button that the world needs. But a pause and reflect button. While we’re all rooting for the pandemic to be over, there is something to take away from this (terrible) experience. The pandemic has left all of us with new routines and understandings. And lots of new habits. While most of these habits, we can’t wait to ditch, there are some that are worth retaining, in the interest of the planet. 

Kathleen Rogers, president of EarthDay.org, says. “We are at the edge of a cliff—if we don’t act now to reduce carbon emissions, there will be no way back.”

When the world paused and we were forced to rethink the way we were going about our lives, we sure did pick up some good habits. 

Here are seven habits we should stick to, even after the pandemic is over. 

1. The road less travelled: Fly and commute less
The secret is out. That meeting could have been a call, and that call, an email. As work became work-from-home, there were lesser airplanes in the sky, fewer cars on the road. As we transition into post-pandemic we must not be quick to catch a flight or take a drive, but instead ask ourselves, if there is another way to do this?

2. Cook-at-home: Be mindful about grocery and food
Nobody can forget the empty-grocery-shelves phase of 2020. Most of us started eating at home more during the pandemic. We learnt how to bake, cook, and whip unnecessarily foamy coffees. Cooking at home is more often than not, more sustainable than eating out, and we should definitely keep the heat up on this one

We were also forced to be very mindful of groceries, consume with care, plan meals and be more grateful. It’s a no-brainer that being mindful about food, and reducing waste is good for the planet, and we should have been doing it pre-pandemic too.

3. Take a science class: Understanding nature better
A lot of us googled viruses, bats, microbes, germs a lot more than we probably ever did. The pandemic forced us to do our homework and understand the workings of science.

As habitants of the planet, a lot of us know very little about the world we live in. If we continue reading, googling, and researching, we are sure to find ways in which we can do better for our planet , or atleast value what we have more.

4. Small is a big deal: Supporting small and local business
2020 saw appreciation and support for small businesses. It got us to see their value in our economies and cultures. A lot of us supported them and switched to buying from them- a habit we should definitely keep. It’s always sustainable to buy local and small businesses are more often than not less exploitive than large corporations.

Arture saw a lot of support, as our users and followers kept us afloat during the toughest parts of the pandemic. We were able to launch new products and colour, and continue to do so. Our latest one, is the classic you-can’t-go-wrong-with-it colour - Tan. Our bestsellers are now available in this new colour. Take a sneak peek here.

5. But what about the oceans: Being careful with single-use plastics
The pandemic and the sudden surge of products like masks, gloves, safety suits and wipes got people thinking about how all this is disposed and the impact it has on our oceans and landfills. This is something we should have been thinking about since much before.
It’s not just the gloves and wipes - it’s tons of other single use plastic we use anyway in our daily lives. Those require our continuing worry and restraint too.

6. Go water the plants: Continue your home garden
The lockdowns got a lot of us to explore hobbies we could carry out at home, as well hobbies that would be calming and soothing. Gardening checked all boxes and a lot of our homes got filled with house plants.
We’re not going to tell you why growing plants is good for the planet. But it’s also a pretty green practice to grow your own herbs or few vegetables. Definitely a hobby worth taking into the post-pandemic world.

 7. Don’t shop till you drop: Shopping sustainably and mindfully
As malls shut and online deliveries got affected, a lot of us didn’t shop as we would usually. And with the economy slowing down, splurging wasn’t a common sight either. The pandemic forced us to buy only when we need, and be mindful of our consumption.
Even though shelves are restocked and malls open now, we hope shopping excessively for the sake of shopping, never becomes normal again.

Tell us about sustainable habits you developed during the lockdown and how they have changed you, in the comments below.