Getting bored in Self-Quarantine? Consider these Eco-Activities to freshen yourself up.
We have just reached the fourth month of 2020 and all of us, regardless of our gender, religion, ethnicity, and social status - have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). The outbreak has spread to more than 180 countries in the world. Report says that there are over 1.2 million confirmed cases and more than 69,000 people died. Our governments have decided on several measures and efforts in relation to COVID-19 response. We are no longer allowed to watch music concert, go to bars, go for movie marathon with friends and even go to work. We have been practicing physical distancing and ways to prevent the coronavirus. That means, we have to stay at home most of the time and limit our in-person social interactions. It sounds very boring, but it can actually be as enjoyable and productive as doing our regular activities before the pandemic. Here are some activities for you to be environmentally friendly during this time – and of course, we hope you’ll continue to do it even after this tough time ends!
Make Compost out of your Food Waste
Many of us have developed our cooking skill during the self-quarantine, haven’t we? How did you dispose of your food waste all this time? The fact that the way we dispose of our food waste really matters for the environment. The whole process of food production and later become food waste can accelerate the impacts of climate change. It includes the energy wasted and the use of fossil fuels in the food production cycle – processing, cooking and transporting/distributing. What’s more than that? Food waste that is thrown in landfills produce methane gas that will worsen the climate change and global warming. So, how do we avoid it to happen? One of the easy ways is composting! Instead of scrolling up your timeline, being exposed to all the worrying news out there, try to make compost at home with either one of these techniques – Bokashi composting system and Worm composting.
Back to Basic: Reduce Reuse Recycle (3R)
Minimise the amount of waste is not that difficult, it needs you to go back to basic: reduce, reuse, recycle.
• Reduce means reducing the amount of waste that you produce every day, such as by not buying plastic products, using your own stainless steel drinking bottle. If you don’t have one, we have the answer here.
• Reuse means using items that can be used many times. It could be using your unwanted old shirts to wipe or mop the floor. If you want to go for grocery shopping, always remember to bring your reusable bags.
• Recycle means making use of the unwanted used items in your house by reshaping it, for example making piggy bank from tissue box or DIY toilet paper roll crafts for your room decoration.
Plants Make You Feel Better
If you feel like doing outdoor activities or you just want to do something productive, then it’s for you! Start to think about planting vegetables, herbs and flowers outside. Don’t worry about the space, there are ways you can choose to do it. You can try container gardening, or vertical gardening.
Make Natural Disinfectants
What would you do if you tried to find disinfectants in the shop but they were all gone? Don’t worry! You still can make homemade disinfectant solutions and yes, in eco-friendly ways. How exciting is that?! There are various natural ingredients that can be used to make your very own natural disinfectant. Some natural options are vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol and essential oils. Sounds easy? Give it a try and enjoy your self-quarantine!
Those are some exciting eco-friendly activities that you can try at home to make your self-quarantine more meaningful and productive! Which one would you give a try first? Keep those on your list if you want to try one by one. Nevertheless, given all the recommended activities for you during this pandemic, don’t forget to keep yourself safe and healthy. That way, you can also care for the planet even better
“It’s essential that we understand that taking care of the planet will be done as we take care of ourselves. You know that you can’t really make much of a difference in things until you change yourself.” – Alice Walker