People are responding to the pandemic with a growing capacity for nurturing Earth and its inhabitants. Damaging practices both past and present have people Apocalypse Proofing, and a mainstream mission to prevent further harm has been unleashed.

Some threats affect people and the planet. The Costa-Rica-based Centre for Regenerative Design and Collaboration recently launched a new process of recycling low quality plastic waste as a constituent material in concrete building blocks for housing and infrastructure projects. In alignment with Costa Rica’s goal of being plastic free by 2021, the protective innovation benefits both the environment and people in need. CRDC is already going global with pilot plants in South Africa, the U.S. and Cambodia, all locations where the company says low-cost housing is needed.

Caring for Earth also means caring for Earth’s creatures. Thus, preventative measures also take shape through policies that ensure the humane treatment of animals. In New York, a bill banning pet store sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits passed through the state Senate. If signed into law, New York will be the third state (after California and Maryland) to take a firm stance against a puppy-mill-to-pet-store pipeline. Nearly three hundred cities across the nation also have bans in place.

People are consciously caring for the environment via their diets, too. As plant-based foods gain popularity, people are making conscious food decisions not only for their bodies, but for the planet. In 2020, product innovation consultancy Mattson found that of the top 5 reasons people choose plant-based foods, “Better for the environment” ranks second with nearly half of U.S. adults (48%) agreeing it’s a key benefit.  That’s a rise of 55% compared to just two years ago (31%). 

Brands can take preventative action, too. Restaurant brands can partner with a food delivery app like Grub Hub, allowing people to donate directly towards food insecurity with their purchase: #ExtraGrub. Partnering restaurants can increase the impact by donating extra and unwanted food to community kitchens during the global pandemic.