Spread Love, Not COVID 19

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COVID 19 is a global pandemic that none of us need reminding of. Our lives have increasingly been effected as the virus has spread. During this time, we need to spread love, not COVID 19. 

The main goal here at LOELOH is to love our Earth by addressing climate change and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. This past week though, I have found it difficult to contemplate climate change while preparing for COVID 19. 

Prior to this pandemic, it would have been thrilling to hear that carbon dioxide emissions are dropping.  However, as the number of positive cases and deaths continue to climb from COVID 19 the news about improved emissions is bittersweet.   I could not agree more with the following headline from GRIST, “Coronavirus: The worst way to drive down emissions.” (1,2)

Even in the midst of COVID 19, climate change is ongoing.  In upcoming posts, I will focus on how we can positively address climate change from the safety of home.  At home, we can make progress on habits and routines that can have positive effects on climate change. An added benefit of staying at home is to prevent further transmission of COVID 19.

Small and big acts of love add up to make the world a little better. Below are ways specific to COVID 19 to support ourselves and each other.

Spread Love, Not COVID 19

For you and everyone around you, make sure to stick with the guidelines to prevent further spread of COVID 19, like staying at home, proper hand hygiene, social distancing, and sanitize frequently touched surfaces in your home. Remember, spread love, not COVID 19. In case you need a review check out the CDC’s website. Also the World Health Organization (WHO) is a fantastic resource for information about COVID 19.

Love for Yourself

COVID 19 is unlike anything we have experienced.  It is stressful to adjust to this temporary normal so make sure to take care of yourself to better adapt to the situation.

FOOD Make sure you continue to eat nutritious meals to maintain your health. If you have more time, try a new recipe for a plant rich meal, like veggie tacos or black bean burgers.

Exercise Start a new exercise regimen or challenge yourself with something new.  If where you live allows you too, go out for a hike or bike ride.  Check out these online videos for yoga and pilates workout?

No Equipment No Problem Check out these body weight strength training regimens from Healthline and NerdFitness.

Sleep Well If you are having trouble sleeping or establishing a sleep schedule, the National Sleep Foundation has several resources.  This article shares their “Healthy Sleep Tips”

Mental Health Make sure to take care of your mental health too. Meditating, journaling, and reaching out to others are great ways to nurture our mental health.  If needed reach out to healthcare professionals that can provide therapy online.

Create your routine How do you need to structure your day to prioritize your needs for work, your health, and if needed your family and friends?

Reach out We may need added support, so reach out to your family, friends, and neighbors for assistance.

More Love for Yourself

Limit the News With the flood of news and updates about COVID 19, it is important to both stay informed AND take care of ourselves.  Limit how frequently you check on the news and if you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious, set a media and screen time limit for yourself. Also make sure you are receiving your news and information from reliable and trusted sources.

With the news, also read about the GOOD news There is a lot of love our human family is sharing as well.

• Philanthropy and love from celebrities and fans alike
• Spain and Italy cheering for health care workers
• Healthcare workers making us laugh

LAUGH Speaking of laughing, make sure to laugh, whether it is at cute animals or even at ourselves. This comedian hosted a charity event and focused on the importance of comedy during quarantine in Wuhan.

Try a new hobby or skill Get crafty, try a free language learning app, or gardening.

Spring cleaning Go through all the nooks and crannies of your home. For decluttering, I strongly recommend the KonMari method of discarding and then organizing.  However, do not discard your useful home goods like furniture, clothing, books, cleaning supplies etc.  Check out where you may donate these items or recycle the less useful ones. If you are concerned about donating items that may be contaminated with COVID 19, this article reviews how long COVID 19 lives on certain surfaces. You may also label your goods to be donated and then donate once you are able to safely do so.

Sunshine If you are able to, get outside for some fresh air and sunshine.  Go for a hike, bike ride, jog, or a walk around the block. Host a social distancing block party with your neighbors.

Take time to Relax With a good book, your favorite drink, movie, snack, or warm shower.

Virtual Tours Check out these 30 different virtual tours of museums, zoos, aquariums and theme parks from your couch!

Love for Our Family and Roomies

Be Flexible! As one of my dear friends recently exclaimed “Gonna have to be flexible people!” As many of us are adjusting to spouses, significant others, roommates, and kids all being together 24/7 we have to be flexible with each other.  We also have to be flexible with coworkers as we are adjusting to working from home and adapting to our temporary normal.

Write a letter to someone Write a letter to a family or friend. Get crafty and make a card for them too.  No stamps?  No problem. We can order stamps online and have them shipped to our home. 

Send delivery to your extended family I love sending homemade baked goods to family and friends.  However, I cannot rationalize going to the post office to mail cookies as an essential activity these days.  Instead see if you are able to set up a food delivery order from their favorite local restaurant.

Keep in Touch In addition to texting, give people a call.  Or set up a video conference/call through Google Hangout, Zoom, Go to Meeting, Skype, or Facetime so you get to catch up and see all of their purty faces 😉.

Offer Help While you are catching up with your loved ones see if there is anything they need or something you can help them with. Especially parents adjusting to both working from home and home schooling their kids. As well as the elders in your family who may be feeling more isolated.

Love for Our Kiddos

Scholastic Learn At Home Scholastic is offering free at home learning.

Love from Cookie Monster and Friends Sesame Street rained out all the free Ebooks and have a entire page devoted to caring for each other during COVID 19!

Increasing Access to Technology for Low-Income Families Cox and Spectrum are providing internet to families with students in grade school.  NerdiT in Delaware and Comp-U-Dopt in Texas are helping provide computers to students from Low-Income families. What could you do to connect the low income families in your area?

Love for Our Elders

Extra love for our elders The older people in our families and communities may be feeling more isolated, reach out to them too. Call them, write them a letter, or send them a drawing. Love For the Elderly is an organization that started in 2013, that sends letters to the elderly.

A Phone Call Away A volunteer group in Florida has established a hotline for elderly people to call to request help with grocery runs and medication to be picked up.  This hotline will help to overcome barriers or access to different technologies.

Love for Our Healthcare Workers

Let us spread love not COVID 19 for our local healthcare workers and staff who are working overtime with limited resources, with an increasing number of patients from COVID 19 and other sick patients.

Gloves, Masks, and Sanitizer Do you have extra medical supplies at home? Check in with your local hospitals and clinics to see if they are accepting donations.

Sew Skilled If you know how to sew or want to learn how some hospitals are asking for donations of homemade face mask. JoAnn Fabric is providing instructions and supplies needed to make a face mask for FREE to be picked up at their store.  Please check with your local JoAnn for more details and keep in mind infection prevention measures.

Food Help provide a meal for your healthcare team. CareHealth in Alabama is supporting local healthcare workers by sending them meals provided by local restaurants.

Cheer via Snail Mail Check if your local health care system will accept notes or cards of encouragement to their staff like Carson Tahoe Health in Nevada.

Love for Your Community

Build your neighborhood network  In Wuhan, they established neighborhood text message groups to help each other out with grocery runs or medical supplies and other needs at home.  They would bring food to those who did not have transportation and share medical supplies.  Along with other home needs (possibly toilet paper 😉) (3)

How to create a Neighborhood Network This Google Doc, created by a write named Sarah, provides instructions and guidelines of how to create a Slack group to connect your neighborhood. (3)

Additional Neighborhood Networks In Chicago, Alicia Kamil sent out a text to her fellow members of an anti-gun violence group GoodKids MadCity to provide and deliver groceries to those who need it. Invisible Hands is a volunteer group who deliver groceries and other supplies to those at risk in New York and parts of New Jersey. (3)

Leave some toilet paper in the store This is true for really any product at the grocery store.  If there are only a few left on the shelf of the item you need, please leave some behind for the next person who needs it too. We all need toilet paper and then some.

FOODIES UNITE If you are able to, continue to support your local restaurants who are providing take out or delivery.  Make sure to keep infection prevention measures and your local mandates in mind.

Love for The Greater Good

Food Banks As more and more adults and children are unable to go to work or school because of COVID 19, more people will not have access to basic necessities like food.  If you are able to, donate or volunteer at a local food bank or contribute to international food banks.

• NoKidHungry to provides meals to children in America
• FeedingAmerica a network of food banks across the US.
• Global Food Banking Network supports food banks in over 30 countries around the world.
• Feedback Global is an international group that is fighting food waste and hunger.

Donate Blood If you are still able to go out and are safe to donate blood, please donate blood.  American Red Cross provides information of a donation facility based on zip code.

This is indeed a challenging time for all of us, and some more than others. Let us continue to spread love, not COVID 19 by supporting ourselves and each other. We will get through this together, one day at a time. 

Resources

1: Coronavirus: Air pollution and CO2 fall rapidly as virus spreads: Science & Environment, BBC. (2020, March 19). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51944780

2: Coronavirus: The worst way to drive down emissions: Grist. (2020, March 03).  Retrieved from https://grist.org/climate/coronavirus-the-worst-way-to-drive-down-emissions/

3: Opinion: You Can Learn Something From the People of Wuhan, Buzzfeed News. (2020, March 24). Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/triciawang/a-lesson-from-the-people-of-wuhan-community-hyper-local?origin=web-hf

 

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