Hello GW, Welcome to the second installment of Campaign GW’s weekly newsletter. To anyone receiving this newsletter who may be new to Campaign GW, welcome! We are a student organization under the umbrella of Facilities at GW with a focus on sustainability and student outreach. As we move through the semester, it is important to the CGW intern team that we are there with you, remotely of course, to navigate this challenging time. In case you missed the previous installment of our newsletter, you can check it out here . We ultimately want this newsletter to serve as a central point for our community while our eco reps are scattered around the world, and we welcome your thoughts and ideas . If you know anyone who may be interested in receiving this newsletter, please share this sign-up link with them—the more the merrier! Our Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook will continue to be updated as well, so be sure to follow if you haven’t already. We hope that you are able to stay safe and healthy, and please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions or concerns. Sincerely,  The Campaign GW Team

event recap: Earth Hour 2020

Thank you so much to everyone who participated in Earth Hour with us on March 28th. Congrats to the winners of our raffle- we hope you like the free GW merch! Though Earth Hour is over, keep trying to decrease your carbon footprint by turning off lights when you aren’t using them. Here is an article with other sustainable ideas, for next Earth Hour and beyond.

happening this week: A Conversation About the Environment & COVID-19 The canals of Venice are clear now that the global pandemic has resulted in a significant decline in air and water pollution as countries impose strict quarantines and travel restrictions. The reduction in vehicle use and industrial activity has notably decreased the emission of greenhouse gases, which is great for the environment, but how has it affected the economy? Is there an inverse relationship between environmental and economic prosperity? Can we expect this upward trend in environmental benefits to last once governments attempt to stimulate their economies after the pandemic, or will we be back to square one? Is climate change now on the back burner, or are we finally making an improvement? Join us on Thursday the 9th at 6pm Eastern time for a virtual discussion. We'll tackle these questions (and more!) to understand what we can learn about the relationship between humans and the environment from COVID-19, how we can keep those lessons in mind, and how we might act accordingly in life following the pandemic. Sign up here to get the Zoom invite. We hope to see you there!

activities & links of the week First: we know a lot of you want to find ways to continue living sustainably, which is awesome! Here is a cool article about how to make reusable disinfecting or cleansing wipes. This is a great alternative for products that are in short supply in many areas. Remember, soap and warm water are simple but effective as well. Here is another great article about how to transition to a zero-waste lifestyle. Making this switch takes time, but there are simple steps you can take now to start decreasing the amount of waste you and your household produce. Check out more at-home activities below.

Take old fabric, thread, or yarn and create something. Maybe you want to teach yourself to knit, crochet or sew, or maybe you just want to throw old craft supplies together and create a Frankenstein’s monster. Now is a great time to relive the childlike glee of gluing pom-poms to pipe cleaners.

Have you always been an avid doodler? Try making a Zentangle . This is a simple drawing activity that is meant to pair well with meditation. The repetitive nature of the patterns helps you relax and “get in the zone.”

Esther, one of the CGW interns, will have a tutorial next week for some basic embroidery stitches & will share some of their ideas for fun embroidery projects. This is a fun way to spice up old clothing or cover stains and tears in that shirt you love too much to throw away.

If you can, get outside. Even taking a 10-minute walk is a good way of getting some Vitamin D and keeping your body moving. It’s officially spring in many places, which means there are flowers blooming and lots of wildlife out, so get out there and go for a nature walk! And always remember to “leave no trace.”

Have a bunch of old magazines or newspapers around? Try making a collage with paper cut outs and Modge-Podge or glue! You can incorporate glitter, pressed flowers, and any lightweight objects you find outside. If you aren’t in the mood to get a little messy, try doing some blackout poetry - all you need is a Sharpie.

VOLUNTEERING FROM HOME

CovEducation is a network of college students who provide tutoring and other academic resources to K-12 students in underserved communities. Because of school closures across the country, they are looking to pair these students with undergraduates to assist in virtual learning. Go here to find out more!

CUTE ANIMAL CORNER

It’s important to be informed and keep yourself and others safe, but it’s also important to take care of your mental health. We know that the news can be scary and overwhelming, so take a break and look at these for your daily dose of cuteness.

Check out these adorable sea otters at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. This livestream is up and running every day from 9am-9pm Pacific time. Many other zoos and aquariums across the world have live cameras set up, so there’s a good chance you can find whichever animal is your favorite.

Follow @ areyou.shuri.aboutthat on Instagram to see "a very dumb but very sweet cat," according to her owner. Run by one of the CGW interns, this page is guaranteed to provide cute cat content that may help you manage social distancing.

thanks for sticking with us. We would love to share your content in our next newsletter! Once again, please submit any of your own self-care tips, book, music, or podcast recommendations, relevant articles, livestream links, etc. We’ll be sure to share them next week. You can also direct anyone you know who might want to receive this newsletter here so they can sign up for our next one.

See you next week,