COVID-19 bringing pollution drops and a New Perspective

NORMAL, Ill.- The pandemic has brought pollution drops and a new perspective for the Illinois State University Office of Sustainability.

“With this ‘pause’ in our daily activities, we are recognizing the human impact on our climate,” said Director Elisabeth Reed.

The office plans to return to campus out of this pandemic with a fresh perspective and a renewed energy to make our campus and community a more sustainable place.

“While we are not solving climate change with a pandemic, we can certainly take this time to reflect and learn from this experience.”

While working from home, Reed is beginning the development of the first campus-wide ISU Sustainability Strategic Plan.

“We are assessing the value and needs of sustainability at ISU and creating a road map of goals for the future. This plan will require team work from various constituents all across campus,” said Reed.

During this pandemic, there has been a shift in litter but Reed said there isn’t anything new about this.

“The litter has just changed, from plastic bottles or cans, to gloves and masks,” said Reed.

According to Reed, often times this is not from people being lazy or throwing these items on the ground.

“In fact, they could have properly disposed of the items in a trash can,” said Reed.

However, with strong spring winds or an uncovered dumpster, items can get blown around and land far from where they were placed.

In fact, this is how so much of our plastic ends up in a river and then the ocean, picked up by our sewage drains and then floating down stream.

At this time, Reed is optimistic with the news reports of less air pollution, cleaner waters and a shrinking ozone hole.

According to NASA, nitrogen dioxide levels across eastern and central China have been 10 to 30 percent lower than normal.

But the work is far from over for the ISU Office of Sustainability, even with some cancellations.

The office and ISU students are very disappointed to cancel the Earth Day Breakfast for this year.

However, they are optimistic to hold the same event next year, for Earth Day 2021.

Photo Courtesy to the Office of Sustainability

ISU has a long standing relationship with Living Lands and Waters with Alternative Spring Break students helping to clean up the rivers every March.

“Despite cancelled campus events, we are still celebrating Earth Month, because every day is Earth Day, through our social media platforms,” said Reed.

They are currently posting environmentally-themed book reviews by their Sustainability Interns.

Every one who likes the video will be entered in a raffle to win the featured book. We will also post helpful tips and other advice to be more sustainable throughout this month.

Reed said we have to start asking questions and finding solutions both with systematic change and in our own personal lives.

“What have we learned? How can we change systems when the world re-opens?”