ANKARA

Even as millions of people stay at home due to the novel coronavirus, there are still important ways to help protect the environment, according to an environmental NGO.

"Although this pandemic is changing our world and interactions with each other, it has made clear the urgent need for all of us to take part in conservation action however we can," the U.S.-based Rainforest Trust organization said in a statement late Wednesday.

Coronavirus is a zoonotic disease – transferrable from animals to humans – which is the "direct result of our destruction of nature," said the group.

Mentioning that the upcoming 50th Earth Day, on April 22, will be marked in people’s homes, the group said it is important to remember that people can still have a positive impact on the planet.

The group listed six ways that people can help the environment during self-quarantining and social distancing: recycling, composting, buying sustainable food products, supporting eco-friendly companies, staying informed, and donating to the right organizations if possible.

This year’s Earth Day will spotlight the theme of climate action with the aim of raising awareness of the "biggest challenge to the future of humanity."

Founded in 1988, the Rainforest Trust is a U.S.-based nonprofit environmental group that aims to protect the world’s rainforests as well as save endangered wildlife through community engagement and local partnerships.