Thanks to humans staying at home, we're seeing a lot of positive pollution-related news. The iconic canals in Venice are clear and the Himalayan mountains are visible for the first time in forever.
But on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, it's important to remember that the "we are the virus" meme is just that: a meme.
A few months of social restrictions due to the coronavirus aren't going to deter the overall concentration of carbon dioxide that's rising into the atmosphere. Recycling is taking a hit due to people not going to work, folks are opting for disposable plastic bags instead of reusable bags, and many masks and pairs gloves are ending up on beaches. We still have a responsibility, here.
If we want the hopeful climate news to stay, making a conscious effort to use less could have an impact on big companies and green policy. (And it will be because of us, not because of a pandemic.) If millions of people refuse bottled water and opt for a reusable bottle instead, the major players in the space might just have to respond to customers' demand for more sustainable measures.
These Earth Day 2020 deals make those daily, responsible choices easier:
Stasher Bags — 25% off sitewide
Single-use sandwich bags are not a necessary evil when Stasher reusable bags serve the same purpose, minus the waste. While Ziploc bags can take up to 200 years to fully decompose, Stasher's silicone bags are dishwasher safe and can be reused over and over again. They come in a ton of cute colors and multiple sizes.
Nest Learning thermostat — $199.99 (save $50)
Coming home to a cool house after work (or staying cool all day, if we're stuck like this through the summer), is possible without blasting the AC all day. The Nest Thermostat learns temperature-adjusting behaviors of people in the house and adjusts accordingly. Putting sensors in each room also allows Nest to only turn on air conditioning if someone is in the room. It should ultimately shave tons of hours of electricity usage as well as your money spent on bills.
S'well — spend $35, get a free water bottle with code EARTHDAY50
National Geographic says that one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute throughout the world (well, before social distancing, anyway). S'well estimates that one person can displace 167 bottles per year by making the switch to a reusable, stainless steel water bottle — plus, they're 100 times cuter and keep your drinks cold or hot for hours. You can get a free bottle by spending over $35 and using code EARTHDAY50. This includes stainless steel travelers, coffee and wine tumblers, and food bowls.
Burt's Bees — 20% off all skincare
Everyone's favorite chapstick brand deserves some serious credit for its mission to save the bees and the planet. The company uses responsibly-sourced ingredients and recycled packaging, and has committed to sending zero waste to landfills. For Earth Day, you can save 20% on skincare including tinted moisturizer, natural acne serums, and biodegradable cleaning towelettes.
Pottery Barn — 20% off furniture, 25% off everything else with code EARTHDAY
Pottery Barn's longtime focus on sustainability put a slew of eco-friendly furniture and decor products on its shelves, including recycled glass lighting fixtures, furniture made from reclaimed teak, and rugs made from recycled materials (which have repurposed 10 million plastic water bottles so far). By 2021, the company wants to reach 75% landfill diversion and only use cotton that is 100% sustainably-sourced.
Awara Sleep — $350 off (plus 150 fruit trees planted for each purchase)
Eco-friendly bedding and mattresses are increasingly in high demand — and we're psyched about it. Awara's Luxury Latex Hybrid Mattress uses a mix of organic cotton, humanely-sourced New Zealand Wool, and natural Dunlop latex for a bed you can feel good about even when you're not sleeping. For each Earth Day purchase, Awara is planting 150 fruit trees (on your behalf) in farming communities in Kenya, Uganda, and Guinea.
Aerogarden — 20% off sitewide
Non-organic produce from the grocery story is a sustainability offender on two occasions: It uses a ridiculous amount of packaging and usually has been drowned in pesticides, which are a main contributor to water pollution. Growing your own veggies and herbs in a countertop LED planter from Aerogarden lets you skip the plastic wrap and forget any worries about what your produce has been sprayed with.
Pact apparel — 30% off sitewide
Men's and women's shirts and pants, underwear, dresses, leggings, baby clothes, and bedding and bath items— all made from 100% organic cotton and at similar price points to the polyester stuff at H&M or Zara.
