“For the best part of six months, like everyone else, I've been cooped up at home transitioning through what's felt like three stages of lockdown.

Stage one was gut reaction. Lockdown was announced, primal instincts kicked in, prefab hospitals were thrown up and trolleys overflowed with bog roll. There was little time to think, to catch breath.

Stage two, which swiftly followed, saw adaptation to our new existence. Homeschooling began, living room exercises were attempted and Granny was taught the basics of Zoom. Our personal, miniature worlds became everything, the outside world fading from view. We became somewhat accustomed to our new habits, and for a month or two things - maybe -even started to feel normal.

Then lockdown measures began to ease and with it we entered stage three. Curiosity crept in. We

wandered over to our windows. We peered out. With fresh eyes we began to wonder. What sort of world would we re-emerge into? And, as we've peered out, we noticed something pretty amazing. By using our cars less, not jetting off on summer holidays and changing our everyday habits, we'd caused emissions to fall by 7%. Unwittingly, from the comfort of our own homes, we'd become climate heroes.

Now, a 7% discount at TopShop or McDonalds may not sound that impressive. However a 7% reduction in emissions is a pretty significant turning of the dial, especially in such a short timeframe. Perhaps more tellingly, though, it's a concrete glimpse of what's possible. For too long we've been told it's too difficult and too expensive to halt the relentless spewing of emissions into the atmosphere, to change our planet destroying habits. But it's not too difficult or too expensive at all. What's more, it's essential.

According to the UN we must decrease emissions by an eerily similar 7.6% every year until 2030, to prevent game over.

So, back to my window and my hopes as I peer out. I hope that when lockdown inevitably begins to fade into memory we resist the urge to simply revert to 'business as usual'. I hope we're able to use this silver lining as a catalyst, to shout about it far and wide, to hold it up as proof of what's possible. An important step towards a better, more sustainable world. And I hope that there are enough people peering out of their own windows thinking the same as I do.”