With more people than ever confined at home during this "pandemic", we have all had to adapt and change the dynamics of our everyday life. While not being able to leave our homes it might feel like our life has hit the pause button for any communal activities. However, it is more important - now than ever - that we keep the tape rolling and support our local communities and initiatives, and help them survive this difficult time. Just a few clicks away, here is a chance to get involved in some sustainable, kindhearted initiatives online in the comfort of your home.
#1: LOCAL INITIATIVES
DIY fermentation lessons
If you find yourself with extra time on your hands, this is the perfect time to learn a new skill with the Online Edible Alchemy Academy*. Dive into the world of DIY fermenting through easy to follow recipes and videos. Learn how to make your own delicious sourdough bread, Kombucha and many more. If you're curious to hear the full story of Berlin's "bacteria barista" and queen of fermentation, tune into our podcast episode >
Digital Volunteering
What better way to support your community during this difficult time than by volunteering online at Vostel. This amazing Berlin-based volunteering platform lets you choose to get involved with many initiatives. From sowing protective masks for health staff, to writing postcards for the elderly or even helping to serve food for the homeless. Vostel reminds us that we are all in this together and we should keep our hearts opens especially in this difficult time. Check out their Blog #supportduringcorona | How to Support Good Causes in Corona Times – also from Home for more information.
© Vostel - the passionate Vostel Team at Tempelhof
Buy a voucher, redeem later
Another way to support local cafés, restaurants, shops and projects is by buying vouchers to your favourite places which you can redeem as soon as they open again. This is the mission of Helfen.Berlin, a non-profit that developed such a platform for the corona crisis (genius!). Our friends at Green Fashion Tours now offer great vouchers for their tours - a great opportunity to learn how your upcoming summer wardrobe could be more sustainable.
© Green Fashion Tours
Grow your own food on your windowsill
With the beginning of spring and the sun shinning everyday, it’s the perfect time to start your very own veggie garden. Grüneo offers the first DIY garden box, made from 100% ecological materials, so that wherever you live, all you need is some sun and a windowsill. A perfect project to occupy your time inside, and you will never run out of food.
© Grueneo - Unboxing the Veggie Box, photo: Barbara Cilliers
#2: SUPERMARKETS
Supermarkets are emptying faster than before as everyone tries to stock up. Good news though! With SIRPLUS, one of our favorite alternative supermarkets and Germany's first "food outlet", you can order food boxes, avoid the chaotic experience of the regular stores and on top save perfectly fine food from being wasted. In their famous “Retterbox” (rescue box) you can find some delicious surplus food with a vegetarian or vegan option, and save them from waste. Decrease food waste and CO2 emission all in one. To learn more about the story behind SIRPLUS check our podcast episode with co-founder Raphael Fellmer >
© SIRPLUS, organic vegan "Retterbox"
#3: RESTAURANTS
Farm to table - Fine dining at home!
When weekend comes around and you miss eating out and not having to cook, why not support your local restaurants by ordering some take away? Berlin's renowned fine dining Nobelhart & Schmutzig now offers a food box for its delicious and 100% local ingredient menu. With this offer you can really support the local farmers and agriculture that are struggling due to the closure of restaurants. So treat yourself to a special meal. Make sure to read our fun little interview with owner Billy Wagner, too >
Waste free dumplings
Another amazing restaurant to support is DingsDums Dumplings. This unique Berlin initiative creates delicious dumplings from surplus (saved) food! Now offering free delivering all over Berlin. Stock up on these frozen dumplings to spice up your meal this quarantine. Meet Anna, one of the passionate trio behind this innovative concept, in our podcast interview >
Other sustainable restaurants who offer take away or delivery
#4: CHECK YOUR FINANCES
Finally, there's time to look where your money goes to. We all try to be more sustainable, to buy fair trade, to recycle and carry around a re-useable cup. However our money still sits in the bank financing all sorts of unsustainable practices all around the world. If you really want to know where your money goes and make sure it is only used in a sustainable way witch to Tomorrow Bank. This online banking startup is shaking the financial system - your bank account, which you can set up in 10 min, will only finance sustainable projects so that every time you use your card you can see in real time exactly how you are contributing to a better tomorrow.
#5: YOGA & MINDFULNESS
Having to isolate for so long can not only impact our physical, but also our mental health. It's important to keep moving - and how cool is it that we can now take classes of our favorite yoga teachers from anywhere? One of our most beloved studios, Jivamukti Yoga, is now offering online classes at 17:15 everyday so you don’t have to do your yoga alone. Many other studios start doing the same, so check the website of your go-to one. Combine it with the great meditation app Insight Timer, which provides you with different type of meditations depending on your mood that day, and have a peaceful quarantine.
Other yoga studios with online classes:
THE CORONA CRISIS AND MOTHER EARTH
This outbreak has definitely given us an unintended benefit. Due to the strict quarantine restrictions put in place, causing a decrease in industrial activities and transport, there has been a dramatic drop-off in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions around the globe. With reports of cleaner air and water there is some very big lessons for our environment to take away from this crisis.
This crisis has shown us that emission can vanish quickly if we drastically reduce our fossil fuel consumption. According to Lauri Myllyvirta, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air in Finland, in only 4 weeks of quarantine China saw a 25% drop in their carbon dioxide emissions compared to the same time last year. In Venice, it’s murky canals recently began to clear up due to the absence of boat traffic. In New York, Prof Róisín Commane from Columbia University points out that they have never experienced such clean air, with carbon monoxide numbers less than half what they normally are in March.
As Christopher Jones, lead developer of the CoolClimate Network, said “If we can think about how to prepare for climate change like a pandemic, maybe there will be a positive outcome to all of this,”. We have now experienced what confinement feels like and proven that we can survive while consuming much less.
We might have thought it was too late and too difficult to tackle and restructure our economy. However, we have now been offered a blank sheet, an opportunity to restart our lives after this crisis in a new, peaceful, compassionate and more earth-friendly way 
That's it, warriors of light. Keep up the positive vibes and stay healthy. We'll see you on the other side 
TAKING ACTION FROM HOME - DID WE FORGET SOMETHING?
What's your tip for making the best of the corona situation? And how would you like the New World to look like afterwards? Dream big and be bold - maybe it becomes reality 😉
Share your thoughts with us in the comments (right at the bottom of this page).
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2 comments
Thank you so much for putting this together! Just the inspiration and direction I needed.
So glad that it sparked some good ideas in you Lauren 🙏 That’s what it’s there for. Seeing the positive side of things & keeping your vibrations high is the best thing you can do!