Earth Week 2021: Lessons Learned from a Global Pandemic

Just over a year ago, for many across the globe, the COVID-19 pandemic upended life as we know it. In many cases, business, industry, travel, schools, economies, and aspects of our lives were suspended, limited, or went virtual to reduce the likelihood of transmission and exposure of the virus.  This dramatic and sudden pause resulted in significant short-term reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; in the United States alone, this represented a 12 % reduction.

The question is, will these reductions remain? The answer really depends on the pandemic’s long-term economic impact and whether we fully return to our pre-pandemic activities and habits. Unfortunately, as we are beginning to see worldwide economic activity gradually start to rebound, we see greenhouse gas emissions rising again.

Today marks the beginning of Earth Day 2021, which is being observed nationally through April 22. This year’s theme is “Restore Our Earth™” with the important message that “As the world returns to normal, we can’t go back to business-as-usual.”

In 2020, even with the dramatic drop in greenhouse gas emissions, we saw a record number of wildfires scorch thousands of acres throughout the Western United States and we had the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record with effects seen from Texas to New England.

Now is the time to act. The shutdowns and pauses, though they may have been an inconvenience, helped demonstrate that even the slightest change in behavior can have a positive impact on our environment.  Failing to see this silver lining amidst this year’s tragic events will only result in more extreme climatic events with even more negative social and economic impacts.

Will governments and industries prioritize sustainability in their economic recovery plans?

To keep global temperatures in check, the United Nations says the world must nearly halve emissions by 2030 compared to a decade ago. This year, as the United States returns to the Paris Climate Agreement, an array of environmental groups, elected officials and scientists are backing a United States target of no less than 50 percent.  In addition, 24 states plus the District of Columbia have adopted specific greenhouse gas emissions targets and many other states have policies not directly linked to greenhouse gas targets but also help to reduce emissions.

At the local level, more and more of our clients are looking at ways to reduce their emissions and/or eliminate the use of fossil fuels all together.

We can all do our part. Gilbane has embraced the need for responsible development and is an industry leader in applying sustainable design and construction strategies on our projects.  Independent of an individual project’s LEED certification targets, we believe implementing environmentally responsible construction practices on all projects to the greatest extent possible is intrinsic to our core values. We understand the importance of constructing healthy buildings with a transparent and simple aesthetic, creating a strong connection to the outdoors. Below, we have outlined a few key steps to successfully and efficiently achieving these goals:

• Step 1: Establish and/or validate individual project sustainability goals
• Step 2: Participate in or lead sustainable design charrettes with all key stakeholders in the project
• Step 3: Conduct Energy Peer Review to determine anticipated energy consumption of current design
• Step 4: Evaluate cost impact of sustainable design considerations and returns on operational efficiencies

In addition to these steps, we’re continuously evaluating our business decisions on the basis of sustainability impacts. For example, while we need to be socially connected, from a business perspective, before getting on that plane or in that car, we’re considering if a virtual option may be better. These types of decisions can help shift our impact for generations to come.

The effects of global climate change are felt by everyone; we can do our part to create a new “business-as-usual.”

Earth Week Events

Much like work and school, Earth Week, amid COVID-19, is being celebrated this year both virtually and in-person by following social distancing guidelines.

While plans to celebrate this week have changed due to the pandemic, there are resources available to help individuals participate in Earth Day. To find an event near you, click here for an interactive map.

Gilbane is hosting two Earth Day Cleanups in Washington, D.C. on April 22. Click here for more information.