Living through the pandemic, sustainably...

This past year, with the raging pandemic, has caused havoc in our daily lives, upending the normal routine for everyone. This virus does not seem to be slowing down during the time and people are giving their best to defeat it, with every government on the planet, having the same goal - to contain the pandemic and bring normalcy to its citizens.

Everyone were used to a normal life during pre-covid times, many enjoying their regular groove, some enjoying their ability to challenge and control their lives to grow themselves, some loving their peaceful lives with families and so on. When Covid spread, it impacted people and societies at large at an unimaginable scale.

Life-styles changed with the prolonged pandemic, each and every individual looking to pull through with all their might. From the poverty-stricken to the middle-class, citizens in every nook and corner of the world were looking to their governments for support, and care. Shops shut during lock-down impacted businesses, and in-turn causing to lay-off workers to save businesses.

Few already had a general idea of the Climate Change and the implications of its negligence. Few might be ignorant towards its effects with many assuming that Climate change might not be real or maybe that its not affecting them. That's where we are mistaken. Climate change is real and it affects everyone - Humans, animals, all those living on the planet. No one's spared.

During the course of these testing times, individuals have been adjusting their life-styles. To look at it in one way, pandemic could have been a major factor in pushing people, with individuals willing to pay more and thereby encouraging sustainable products, and subconsciously thinking that everyone has to have a part in making the future safe for themselves, fellow citizens, and their children's future.

With more and more people looking at nature-friendly products for their use, this behavior is now forcing manufacturers and corporations to not only make their products eco-friendly but also change the way they are doing business. Having increased awareness on the consequences of climate change, people are now voluntarily renouncing things which they feel it might harm the nature. Due to this, corporations have to either fall in line or close up their shops.

Customers aren't the only ones pushing corporations to toe the line, employees in such corporations also have an important role in steering the course. Every employee wants to be employed in corporations/institutions which makes sure that no exploitation of natural resources happens or causes ecological imbalances with their business practices.

Sometimes, corporations could be genuine about their intentions about saving the climate or sometimes it could be just a facade, looking at this whole thing as a sole means for milking the profits, but with people starting to buy goods and services which are not impacting the environment, the end result might do some good.

Countries in the west has a deeper understanding on the matter mainly due to increased awareness on the effects of climate change among its citizens. Major achievement for all of us was the "Paris Agreement", where 196 countries adopted a treaty on climate change. The goal of the agreement is to bring down temperature of our planet by 2030.

Few countries were initially reluctant to jump into the "Save Climate" bandwagon due to economical implications and we have to understand that they were fair in showing reluctance as many countries thought they were being forced to implement the agreement. The reason where the developing countries were apprehensive in joining "Paris Agreement" was due to the economy. Governments in developing countries were majorly focusing on moving people away from poverty and increase the per-capita income of every citizen. With this in mind, asking these countries to commit resources when they themselves are working hard to uplift every citizens was a cause of worry and this caused hesitancy in joining the Climate club.

To overcome this challenge, countries which are highly developed and technologically advanced would help the developing countries which are more vulnerable to a slight change in climate. Rising sea-water level is a major concern for island countries such as Indonesia, Japan etc. Countries are also requested to move towards sustainable development plans in cities and provinces.

Winston Churchill once said "Our future is in our hands. Our lives are what we choose to make them". Applies very much to our above context.

Each of us should work inclusively and do our bit in preserving our 4.54 billion year old planet.