Americans, even those who aren’t part of the 44 million who recently became unemployed, are spending a lot more time at home. While states are now easing up lockdown and quarantine restrictions, there appear to be some major shifts towards living more sustainably.
A new survey by One Poll and an infographic by Avocado have demonstrated that a majority of Americans have shifted towards taking on more eco-conscious habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The best part is that the shift in habits appears to be sticking, for now.
The survey asked 2,000 Americans how the pandemic, along with the restrictive measures in response to it, changed how they live. Around 70% of everyone survey remarked how they became aware of the habits they had that were not eco-friendly.
How Americans Are Living More Sustainably
There were 64% of all those surveyed who realized that they need to make radical changes in their lifestyle and habits.
Getting more specific, 55% said they will start recycling more. There were 43% of responders who said they will start using less paper products. Also, 44% of those surveyed said they will be making sure they reduce their food waste.
The survey also found that 66% of Americans say the pandemic has helped them consider the mistreatment of livestock used for food. They have questioned whether eating meat, dairy, and eggs is ethical. A massive 58% of people have started eating less meat ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
It is difficult to say whether these changes in lifestyle choices and habits are permanent, but a whopping 81% of people said they will stick to their new eco-conscious habits even after the pandemic is long gone.
There were even more insights gathered from this survey. There will be 42% less people leaving their homes to go to work, at least once a week. Also, 35% of people said they will be using public transportation more. With gas prices being incredibly low, it’s safe to assume that the reason for this change is because of a genuine desire to reduce their hand in polluting the air we breathe.
It’s also encouraging to see that 37% of people are planning to be composting more than they used to.
Crisis Can Be Opportunity
Any crisis, no matter how devastating it may be, spurs humans to change in some way and take action. The COVID-19 pandemic has been shown to motivate people to start living more sustainably. There is a greater eco-consciousness than there was prior to the pandemic-related shutdown, and it appears that a majority of people plan on sticking to their new habits, which will end up helping all of us.
Consider taking on more sustainable, regenerative, and eco-conscious habits to be a part of the solution and make the “new normal” something that is better than the old way of doing things. This is a tremendous opportunity we all have, as well as a rude wake-up call. If we don’t pick up the phone now, each following call may become more and more extreme. Let’s be a part of the solution, together.
