From young activist Greta Thunberg's well-known advocacy, to the growing Great Pacific Garbage Patch trapping marine animals in their own home - the matter of the environment has been plaguing us for centuries, but it has only recently been recognized as a prominent issue. We have all learned about the greenhouse effect in science class and seen social media posts about global warming; perhaps some of us have even participated in Vancouver's climate strike just two years ago. Recent circumstances with COVID-19 and the challenges it brings have made environmental matters dim in contrast. However, this is but a false impression: the coronavirus is, in fact, exacerbating the pollution of the environment and the gradual ruination of our planet.

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists with its destructive path around the world and takes a heavy toll on all of us - causing considerable inconveniences at the least, and great suffering at the most - we must also take into account what this global crisis means for our environment. Masks, which have become essentials of daily life, are piling up and creating its own discernible heap among the many types of garbage we already produce. Disposable medical masks, especially N95's, are particularly useful in protecting against the coronavirus, which unfortunately results in frequent use and discarding. Everyday, "up to 7,200 tons of medical waste" is generated (Trafton). This situation is even more prominent among the healthcare industry, where workers are required to wear and change masks constantly. If they were to put on "a new N95 mask for [everyl patient they encountered during the first six months of the pandemic, the total number of masks required would be about 7.4 billion .... [leading] to 84 million kilograms of waste" (Trafton). This is the weight of "252 Boeing 747 airplanes" (Trafton). Moreover, there are no strict guidelines for recycling masks, so people are more likely to dispose of them as "solid waste" (University of Southern Denmark). When this happens, the masks are broken down in the environment, releasing "more micro-sized plastics ... than ... plastic bags" (University of Southern Denmark).

"These may pose indirect adverse impacts on plants, animals and humans", says Environmental Toxicologist Elvis Genbo Xu (University of Southern Denmark). Masks are, however, still a necessity for health care workers as well as everyone who wants to go out into public areas. Nevertheless, there are several environmentally friendly options that allow for both safety during the pandemic and the increased well-being of our planet. On a personal level, we can all help reduce plastic consumption through using reusable or recyclable products. As well, by wearing non-disposable masks, you can easily contribute to minimizing the number of masks discarded and degrading in the environment; an estimated amount of 63,000 tons of medical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is due to end up in Canadian landfills by the end of this year. That would be enough PPE to go to the moon 6.5 times or travel 2,500,000 km. You can also recycle your masks at school by placing them into the Vitacore box in the lobby or science wing. Through an action as easy as tossing your mask into said box as you leave the school, to using paper products instead of plastic, you can make a difference on this planet. Through the unity of many other people around you, this can be profound. Living in the 21st century right now, we are dependent on technology and industrialization, so it is sometimes easy to forget how much nature means to us, and how it is decaying right in front of our eyes.

All in all, climate change and waste reduction are not temporary issues, nor are they mere social media trends. The pandemic has been taxing, but we must not forget about the impacts of our actions, no matter how much easier an alternative option may seem; it could be another step towards future consequences many times more dreadful than the inconveniences we are dealing with right now. Nature is one of the natural beauties in our lives on Earth - what little time we have with it should be valued.