A Return to Pre-Pandemic Normal? 86% Say 'No Way'

by Sydney Price

A recent Ipsos poll for the World Economic Forum asked 21,000 people from 28 countries if they would rather change or go back to 'normal' after the pandemic.

A whopping 86% of respondents said they would prefer to see the world to change significantly and become more equitable and sustainable.

Bravo to that!

In addition to equity and sustainability, 72% of adults reported they wanted their personal life to change significantly.

But, what does a significant personal change mean? What does a more equitable and sustainable world look like?

Here are some trends that seem to signal big changes are already in effect.

Healthy Living

According to a survey commissioned by Parade magazine and Cleveland Clinic, nearly two-thirds of the adults surveyed said they have made healthy lifestyle changes during the pandemic including dietary changes, exercising more or a better sleep schedule.

86% of respondents who have changed their eating habits plan to keep it up post pandemic.

More Plants, less pork

Have we reached ‘peak-meat’? According to a Treehugger article, global meat consumption was expected to peak in 2030, but the pandemic has accelerated that shift. With restaurant closures and lifestyle changes, we are seeing the biggest decline in meat consumption in decades. It's well documented meat production takes a toll on the planet, so this trend is one to cheer.

Remote working is here to stay

Working from home saves employers about $11k an employee a year according to the Business Case for Remote Work report. In the same report, employees voiced that they enjoy flexibility of remote work.

Kate Lister, president of Global Workplace Analytics, said, "Twenty-five to thirty percent of the workforce will be working-from-home multiple days a week by the end of 2021."

Follow the money

According to Blackrock, one of the world's largest investment funds and part of the 'smart money' Wall Street cadre, investors flocked to sustainability to the tune of $203B USD between January and September 2020. Blackrock also expects institutional investors to double their sustainable assets under management in the next five years from 18% - 37%. We call that smart money, indeed.

The Rise of the Cryptocurrency

This controversial currency has been equally revered and reviled in financial circles and its champions herald crypto as the beginning of a more equitable, attainable banking system for all. With the massive influx of interest and investment from the traditional banking world, and the subsequent meteoric rise in the value of crypto like Bitcoin since the pandemic, they might be onto something. Are we seeing a tectonic shift in our global financial system? According to an article on CoinDesk, only time will tell.

Reducing single use plastic is more important than ever

One trend we aren't excited to see is the rise in single-use plastic. According to The Shooting Star, the pandemic has set back our efforts to curb our single-use plastic consumption which is up an astonishing 250-300% in the US since the start of the pandemic.

Plastic lobbyists claim that single-use plastic is helping the world during the pandemic (think hand sanitizer, plastic-based face masks, PPE, and take-out containers, etc.) and as logical and necessary as that sounds, it is having an enormous impact on the planet. Now, more than ever, its time to consider non-pandemic-related ways we can help reduce our use of plastic.

For ideas, see our other blog posts:

Plastic Free Beauty

Plastic Free Life Hack

Can I Recycle This?

Solving Plastic Pollution with Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff

Are you a part of the 86% who wants life to change significantly? In the new 'normal', what should stay and what should go? We would love to hear your thoughts!

o+m

Written by Sydney Price