World: There is no way we can shut down in order to lower emissions, slow climate change and protect the environment.
Mother Nature: Here's a virus. Practice.
Who is measuring the positive environmental impact our actions are having on the environment?
For example, there have been reductions in air pollution. If the pollution does come back, because of stimulus measures, because of heavy industry going into overdrive to make up for lost time, there could be a counter reaction.
"Only a crisis - actual or perceived - produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around."
"That, I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes politically inevitable."
- Milton Friedman
I pulled the quotes above from one example by Naomi Klein Disaster Capitalism. She also wrote On Fire: The Burning Case for a Green New Deal.
Let's work together to collate these (credible sources) to make the case for positive urgency in addressing our climate emergency with the ideas WE have lying around.
Cheers,
Mona Lemoine, Architect AIBC, MRAIC, LEED AP BD+C, RELi AP
Senior Sustainable Design Specialist
Perkins and Will
I don't know... But one thing I feel somewhat confident about is that this forced reliance on the collaboration tools we've had for years (but never really applied well) is going to change business (not just A/E) permanently. We have no choice right now but to get really good at using them. If we keep that moving forward, that's fewer unnecessary car trips and flights, and less associated carbon. Potentially better utilization of space resources. People are going stir crazy and getting out to parks more - some people maybe for the first time. If you only protect what you love, will there be a movement for more green space and parks near our residences now that more people are appreciating them?
It's tough to look too far ahead to a day when we can look backwards at this time and say "remember when.." My hope is that this is a catalyst for positive changes - socially, economically, and environmentally.