Creating a new normal in the aftermath of Covid-19

Creating a new normal in the aftermath of Covid-19

The pandemic has had many awful effects on us all but when we take a step back and look at how this lockdown has given the earth a chance to begin to heal itself, this silver lining can help to give us some reprieve from the seemingly all-consuming doom and gloom that is often portrayed all around us at a time like this.

• Air pollution levels have plummeted.

• People have been taking fewer flights.

• Venice’s canals have cleared up.

• Animals have reclaimed land.

• People are reconnecting with nature and giving back to the Earth.

Covid-19 has forced us to put many things into action that would not otherwise have happened at this time, but not all of them are for the worse. Remote working, a drastic decrease in travel and an increase in video conferencing have all had an incredibly healthy effect on the planet.

So, the big question here is: what happens next? Once this is over, and life can resume as normal, do we let it? Do we go back to living exactly as we had before? And how long would it take to undo all the earth’s healing if we did?

At Jersey Post, we’re looking at this pandemic as an opportunity for learning and growth. What have we had to learn to do to adapt to this temporary situation that could actually benefit us – and the planet – in the long run?

Remote working is the most obvious change that many companies have had to embrace in light of recent events. This sees a drastic reduction in commuting travel to and from the office. Having had to adapt to this new way of working due to Covid-19, we’ve been impressed with the high levels of productivity our staff have maintained throughout recent months, And we’re now looking into how we can embrace more flexible working in the long run.

We’ve also adapted to video conferencing for meetings which would normally have been face to face, which again has removed much travel and subsequent carbon dioxide emissions from the equation – both locally and overseas. Going forward, we’ll be looking to adopt these changes long-term.

When people stay home, the Earth becomes cleaner and wilder. While we couldn’t suggest that people remain indoors, what can we learn from this to help continue our Earth’s healing moving forward? It would be a terrible shame to see all these beautiful changes become quickly undone when we all return to ‘normal’ life.

If we could all try and maintain some of the changes we have made during this time, then we could all start to make a difference. Perhaps you’ve rediscovered a love of cycling and could cut out some of your car journeys or you’ve simply learned to be less wasteful with the resources available to you.

If we can all pledge to adopt just some small changes for the long run – both on an individual and a commercial scale – it would make a difference. Perhaps we can create a new ‘normal’, one where we have learnt to respect the Earth a little more.

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