Sustainability from an outside view looks like the main focus is only the environment. However, sustainability is based on a three pillar approach including people, planet, and profit.
Amidst the global pandemic COVID-19, we passed a huge milestone of Earth Day 2020, celebrating 50 years of collective activism. As Joshua Howe states, “the original Earth Day in 1970 was a largely white middle-class affair focused on educational events that highlighted problems of pollution and waste. And it was hugely popular. The event had the support of local, state, and federal officials (Pat and Dick Nixon planted a tree), and it drew more than 20 million participants, nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population at the time.”
Over the years, the power of Earth Day has lost impact. While the world is focusing on COVID-19, the EPA press office released on March 26th, 2020 the “EPA is announcing a temporary policy regarding EPA enforcement of environmental legal obligations during the COVID-19 pandemic.” COVID-19 has been a major collective driving force to prioritize health at all costs. During Shelter in Place while all of the essential workers risked their lives daily, the rest of the us stayed home watching businesses closed their doors and schools quickly shifting to an online platform. While the world waited, organically the planet began to flourish. We saw dolphins in Venice, pollution drops in India to show the beautiful Himalayas, and families together making homemade meals.
Social and environmental justice takes many forms and during this pandemic it appears we as humans can adjust and make changes rapidly if prioritized. So let’s support the planet and its people and our invaluable resources, keep our planet emissions low and while socially distancing stay true to build back better and not return to the norm. Let’s rethink how society lives and business is done and help the people and planet thrive!
Written by: Jenny Dela Cruz, COO Snowball Print Marketing
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