like the pandemic, climate change can feel like a massive, impossible problem that we as individuals have no control over. fortunately, just like how people all over the world choose to wear a mask and socially distance from others every day, you have the ability to make an impact on the environment from the safety of your home. 

1. whip out your green thumb 

as covid-19 has held the world hostage for the past few months, not only has people’s physical health suffered but so has their mental health. according to a recent poll conducted by the kaiser family foundation, 45% of american adults say that stress associated with worrying about the virus has had a negative impact on their mental health. another survey conducted in early april by researchers at yale university and george mason university shows that about 66% of americans “feel a personal sense of responsibility to help reduce global warming” even during the pandemic.

how can people address their stress about the state of the environment, while also managing their anxiety about exposure to covid-19? gardening might help. 

an article published by the national institutes of health (nih) in 2018 explores the idea of green care, defined as therapy by exposure to plants and gardening. the article cites a japanese study that found just looking at plants reduced stress and fear. physically, patients experienced a decrease in blood pressure, pulse rate, and muscle tension. in terms of the current pandemic, gyms across america remain closed, in addition to a number of parks and beaches, depending on individual state restrictions. this has made staying active each day substantially more difficult. gardening can be a way to get out of the house, get fresh air, and make an impact on the environment. 

on a larger scale, gardening reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increases oxygen. according to the national wildlife federation, trees can absorb up to one ton of carbon dioxide pollution from the atmosphere. so if every american planted one tree, millions of tons of carbon dioxide could be absorbed each year. essentially, this would reduce global warming and improve air quality, which is particularly important during a pandemic that can affect the respiratory system. gardens also attract pollinators, including insects and birds, which are “vital to the production of healthy crops” and essential for maintaining ecosystems, according to the united states department of agriculture. 

if you’re someone who lives in a city or doesn’t have access to your own outdoor space, you can keep plants inside your home. the nih article mentions that indoor gardening has been used to treat mental health issues, not just for an at-home change in scenery but because plants can remove toxins and dust from the air with their leaves. if you don’t have the greenest thumb or feel stressed about keeping something alive, there are several types of low maintenance plants that thrive indoors. 

2. take something off your carbon plate

during the pandemic, going to the supermarket has become a stressful experience as shoppers do their best to socially distance while searching the aisles for what their family needs. many people have opted for delivery services such as instacart but still face the issue of an increase in food prices. according to the u.s. bureau of labor statistics, the price of meat, eggs, and poultry jumped 4.3% from march to april, the biggest monthly increase in 50 years.

is it possible to spend less time in the grocery store, save money, and eat more sustainably? the answer is yes, and it starts with purchasing less meat. 

methane is a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, which means it traps heat more efficiently in the atmosphere, according to the environmental protection agency (epa). the epa also states that livestock, especially cattle, produce methane when they digest their food, specifically by belching. the storage of livestock manure also produces methane, making agriculture the largest source of methane in the united states. 

in addition to contributing a lot of methane, beef production takes up a significant amount of natural resources. according to the world resources institute (wri), one-quarter of the planet (excluding antarctica) is used for cows to graze on. this pastureland is often the result of substantial deforestation. according to the yale school of forestry and environmental studies, cattle ranching is responsible for 80% of deforestation of the amazon. the wri also states that beef production uses between two to four times the amount of freshwater as other livestock does and 7.5 times more freshwater than plant-based food. 

if consumers were to swap beef for pork, poultry, or plant-based protein, the wri predicts global greenhouse gas emissions would drop by 15%. making that simple choice next time you’re in the supermarket allows you to make a positive impact. plus, you can save room in your freezer. 

3. do a little digging before you click ‘buy’ 

as weeks have turned into months, people have been scrambling to find ways to kill time while maintaining social distancing. besides relying on streaming services, there has been an increase in online shopping. according to the u.s. department of commerce, americans spent $146.47 billion online with u.s. retailers in the first quarter of 2020, increasing 14.5% from the same time last year. 

major retailers specifically saw a jump in numbers. target experienced a 141% increase in digital sales in the first quarter of 2020 and sales fulfilled by the delivery service, shipt, went up by 300%. amazon also had a successful first quarter, making $75.5 billion in net sales, an increase of 26% from the same time last year. 

with great power comes great responsibility — and a lot of packages. you have to wonder what the total amount of cardboard and plastic pollution will be when we look back on these few months of the pandemic. there are some numbers we do currently have. according to national geographic, 8 million tons of plastic wind up in the ocean each year. we also know that companies like amazon have struggled to make environmentally conscious choices in the past. last year, the washington post reported that amazon’s newly introduced lightweight plastic mailers created to reduce the use of cardboard boxes weren’t easily recyclable and clogged up machinery in recycling systems. 

on the other hand, amazon has launched a few initiatives to become more sustainable, including a guide on how to recycle different types of packaging. if you’re still worried about contributing to potential packaging pollution, you can buy products from companies that have consistently prioritized sustainability. 

according to the united nations economic commission for europe, the fashion industry emits about 10% of global carbon emissions and produces almost 20% of global waste water. however, companies like toms, patagonia, and thredup — the largest online thrift store — lead by example. there also are several organizations dedicated to educating people about conscious consumerism including remake and good on you. these resources provide a roadmap to sustainable online shopping so you can keep your life and closet guilt-free.

since 2006, there have been no new shopping malls constructed in the united states (sanborn, 2017). this once-booming market has been affected mightily by the technological advancements achieved in the 21st century. a variety of factors have contributed to the decline of shopping mall visitation in recent decades, yet the most influential is the convenience of online shopping (ferreira and paiva, 2017). people no longer have to commute through traffic to physical malls, trouble themselves with long-lines, or deal with the commotion of a high-density environment (selvakumar and raghavan, 2017). the ease of shopping on devices from the comfort of homes have initiated a downward trend of visitation in physical shopping malls. between 2010 and 2013, mall visitation has dropped nearly 50% during the holiday season (mid-november through the end of december) than in years past. these peak times in shopping are when businesses rely on to meet end-of-year quotas.

major architectural, state-of-the-art facilities are closing down and remains are leaving a large footprint of empty buildings (rosenbaum, 2016). former shopping malls, that have once been a predominant wonder of the community, are closing and leaving a negative aesthetic appeal to communities. restoration potential for revitalization projects encapsulate the minds of city planners, contractors, and local residents to transform the architectural ghost-towns into something new (peterson, 2014). the large footprint and building structure of the malls contribute to endless possibilities of restoration projects.

i had the pleasure of interviewing a local resident residing in clay, new york, who has firsthand experienced the essence of mall history. numerous malls are located within 30 miles of clay, so 26-year-old corinna manzer is a key source of knowledge regarding shopping malls. from destiny usa, shoppingtown mall, and great northern mall, corinna has visited all three within her lifetime and remembers the prime of malls. living only two miles down the road from great northern mall, i was able to encapsulate a true history of the mall through a q&a session with her:

me: how do you think the mall has changed within the last 5-10 years?

corinna: the mall has become a ghost town. there are only a couple stores still in business there, and i don’t know how they’re still making money. all the parking lots are always empty and only dick’s sporting goods has more than maybe 10 cars parked in the lot. five years ago, the whole place has stores of all different categories, a movie theatre, and i used to go there more than once a week with my friends to hangout. it used to be such a convenience right down the road.

me: what is the reason for the decline of the mall?

corinna: definitely online shopping. there’s no reason to drive there and have to deal with people when i can just hop on my laptop and buy anything i want without sales people.

me: do you think the town should keep the mall standing?

corinna: i think the mall is taking up space and the huge building is being put to no use. [the town] should tear it down and put something else up like a restaurant some other food place. it’d be more popular.

me: what do you think of restoring [the mall] into a park or other green space?

corinna: that’s a great idea! it would really bring the community together and help better the environment rather than having it as an “industrial wasteland.” the mall is a huge eyesore where it is.

other uses for mall properties

the questions asked focused around the major areas of my research, and i was able to understand a consumer’s mindset regarding malls. i also asked corinna about how other malls are maintaining their business compared to the ones closing, and she replied by stating how other malls are transitioning to a more restaurant-based approach because “food keeps people interested.” she told me restaurants are the main reason [destiny usa mall] continues to flourish. restoring malls for green spaces were a point of interest in our interview, and would lead to a healthier community for the people and environment.

abandoned malls contribute restoration potentials from the sizable footprints of the buildings. while possibilities may seem endless for the future of the industrial sites, green projects wield a positive outlook. whether a green space for park leisure or an indoor-outdoor infusion of activity, the grass is most certainly greener on the other side of shopping malls.

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works cited

staeheli, l. a., & mitchell, d. (2006). usas destiny? regulating space and creating community in american shopping malls. urban studies, 43(5-6), 977-992. doi:10.1080/00420980600676493

ferreira, d., & paiva, d. (2017). the death and life of shopping malls: an empirical investigation on the dead malls in greater lisbon. the international review of retail, distribution and consumer research, 27(4), 317-333. doi:10.1080/09593969.2017.1309564

rosenbaum, m. s., otalora, m. l., & ramirez, g. c. (2016). the restorative potential of shopping malls. journal of retailing and consumer services, 31, 157-165. doi:10.1016/2016.02.011

watson, sarah, “what is happening to commercial malls: evaluating contradicting opinions” (2016). accounting. 11.   https://scholarsarchive.library.albany.edu/honorscollege_accounting/11

sanburn, j. (2017, july 20). why the death of malls is about more than shopping. time.

dong, j., & gong, s. (2017). restoration and regeneration of industrial brownfield. boletín técnico,55(12), 314-319.