by Adeleke Goring
Recycling. Where does it even go? Does it make an impact? The average consumer doesn’t see the effect that recycling (in its various forms) can have on the environment. Although tedious and bothersome at times, the results are priceless. Earth Day is a day used to encourage participation in protecting the environment, and not just on April 22nd -- but every day. We need to find new, innovative ways to reduce our consumption of resources. To reuse the materials we would typically toss aside, materials that would otherwise be additives to an unfathomable amount of waste that pollutes our planet.
Our healthcare workers risk their lives on the frontlines, defending the public from COVID-19. The public owes them an equally aggressive attempt at confronting the virus: flattening the curve. Staying at home is important, but not entirely possible. Everyone has to go to the grocery store. Everyone needs access to their medications. The CDC recommends that we refrain from traveling outside of our homes, due to the high infection rate, and protect ourselves with tactics like social distancing. But when we do leave home, we deserve protection that is both effective AND sustainable.
As an initiative founded on the principles of servant leadership and community action, Guardian on the Go is committing to the mission of Earth Day by upcycling scrubs and other materials to create reusable masks. Upcycling is the use of discarded products to create something of a higher quality, and in this case, masks that save lives and are sustainable. Both recycling and upcycling are essential, as they reuse materials instead of throwing them away--ensuring less landfill waste.
COVID-19 has resulted in an extreme demand for protective masks by the general public. This new sudden demand has created a shortage of masks in the medical community. More and more we hear about the lack of supplies for our healthcare professionals who are in constant contact with the virus. This shortage is dangerous and many workers have already contracted the virus. The mission of GOTG is to help meet the public demand for masks in accordance with the CDC guidelines, while protecting our communities and reserving essential medical supplies for healthcare workers. To serve, Guardian on the Go also donates 100% of the profits back to the community through various efforts to help those displaced or research and medical efforts.
Disposable masks are necessary for care providers. They require medical grade masks in order to keep themselves and their families safe while they interact with the virus everyday. Guardian on the Go has created masks that are suitable for everyday use and fit the CDC’s recommendation for public use. These washable masks can be sanitized at home and are a sustainable, eco friendly alternative.
Guardian On The Go masks can be purchased online at their website or through the Instagram account, @GuardianontheGo. Masks like theirs, along with the public’s determination to flatten the curve can help stop the spread of the virus. Do your part as a citizen of our world. Serve your neighbors. Protect yourself, others, and the planet with Guardian on the Go.
