March 24th, 2019

One of the most sought-after items during this crisis is the facemask. Which last just a few hours and then we must discard them, in addition to that by themselves they cannot avoid the contagion.

According to the Pan American Health Organization, the use of this product only is for:

People who have respiratory symptoms such as cough, sneeze, or shortness of breath. People who care for people with respiratory symptoms. Health workers when treating an individual.

If you do not have symptoms and you are at home, you do not need to use them. This way we avoid shortages for those who do need them and the generation of more garbage.

According to a study by the New England School of Medicine, the virus can remain active for up to several days on different surfaces. You can stop it by constantly cleaning these surfaces and washing your containers. Better a properly washed reusable bottle than a single-use plastic container that can spread the virus even in the trash can.

Hand-wash

Being in your home can be a great opportunity to adopt planet-friendly habits, such as avoiding the use of single-use plastics like disposable bottles, plates, glasses, and silverware. If you must go out, remember to attend to preventive measures such as hand washing and keep surfaces clean. In times of crisis, it is even more important to have healthy habits both for ourselves and for the planet. For more than 4 decades, Greenpeace has been working to take care of the planet's health by investigating and exposing those who harm it and offering environmental education content. All the work we do is only possible thanks to those who support us. Join Greenpeace and help us defend endangered forests, oceans and species, even in the most difficult times.

Gustavo-Ampugnani-Greenpeace Executive Director Greenpeace Mexico