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By Jillian Webber

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I was a freshman when GW Composting began as a university-sponsored pilot program with the uncertainty of progressing even into the following semester. Launched in February 2018, this program was run by interns at the Office of Sustainability and Campaign GW, with weekly Friday collections in Kogan Plaza. (Alex Rubenstein covered this story back in 2018.)

Intern Colin O’Brien drove much of the effort to begin this program, as well as trained a group of interested volunteers in January. I began collecting compost in my freezer and participating in the program, volunteering when I could. These Friday collections were very successful, amassing over 2,400 pounds from February to May and seeing an average of 36 participants each week.

By that summer, GW Composting hit the ground running as a permanent program, headed by intern Jonathan Kvilhaug. 

During Fall 2018, the program collected over 3,400 pounds with an average of 46 participants each week, showing an increased awareness of the program and expansion of the compost community. I volunteered with Jonathan many Fridays, often helping him set up and staying until other volunteers arrived. The program continued to have plentiful volunteers after partnering with sustainability service courses. 

The success continued into Spring 2019, with increased participation of graduate students and university departments, as well as expansion to GW’s Mount Vernon Campus. This semester totaled upwards of 3,500 pounds with an average of 58 weekly participants, both notable increases from prior semesters.

In Fall 2019, the program was run by intern Brianna Reynolds and achieved success yet still, collecting over 3,600 pounds that semester. Additionally during this semester, Student Association VP for Sustainability Jan Nowak gathered numerous composting stakeholders, including members of the Office of Sustainability, Residence Hall Association, and Campaign GW, as well as myself, to discuss expanding GW’s composting infrastructure. Soon thereafter I began working for the Office of Sustainability and Zero Waste Department, and was tasked with developing the new Residence Hall Composting Program.

This program is set to begin as a pilot in three residence halls on campus and provide composting convenience as well as encourage students to become involved with the composting community. Student volunteers in each pilot dorm will serve as monitors for bin contamination and student participation. The goals of this program are to increase composing awareness, expand composting accessibility, and have self-sustained, contamination free composting residence halls. Additionally, through my Zero Waste position we were able to begin expanding compost collections to GW events, the first of which was with the law school in March 2020.

Implementation efforts for the Residence Hall Compost Program and event composting were halted due to the pandemic. However, campus composting did not stop altogether!

In Fall 2020, I have been working with intern Natalie Wright to collect compost in Kogan Plaza every Friday. We have seen great success despite the public health crisis and an extremely limited number students on campus. To be successful this semester we have operated outdoors, worn masks and gloves, and always ensured our participants are wearing masks and practicing social distancing. We had 172 unique participants and a total of 4,750 pounds of compost for both Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, substantial numbers given the circumstances. We have utilized Instagram to expand our audience, educate on the importance of compost, and share what can and cannot be composted. One of my favorite aspects of this semester has been the immeasurable bonding with different folks during this tough quarantine period. Even Anne LeBlanc, the wife of GW’s President, composts with us! Compost education and fostering an inclusive community are two of the most important aspects of my compost journey at GW.

I will graduate in a matter of days and younger sustainability changemakers will take the infrastructure and participation to new heights! I see the future of GW’s composting expanding to the residence hall program, increasing collection opportunities in Kogan Plaza, catering compost bins at campus events, developing front-of-house composting in District House and other university vendors, and more. Building on past composting iterations is what has allowed us to come this far, and hopefully that trend will continue. Whatever it may be, I am excited to see the difference students make!

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By: Brianna Reynolds

The George Washington University’s (GW) latest progress in sustainability is their commitment to eliminate single-use plastics. This is one way that GW is embedding sustainability into the culture at GW. A single-use plastic policy is a necessary step towards zero waste and circularity. Eliminating single-use plastic at GW includes vending, events, dining, departmental purchases and retail partners. To learn more about this commitment, click here.

It’s so important for large institutions to address climate change, specifically plastic pollution, because they are often the greatest contributors to environmental destruction. Plastic is indestructible, which means that it does not biodegrade (anytime soon) and cycle back into Earth’s natural systems. Plastic waste accumulates in landfills, oceans, the side of the highway, and even in our bodies. The impact of single-use plastic is significant because of its frequent consumption and short average lifespan, or time of use, of only 12 minutes.

More and more consumers are demanding sustainability, ethics, and less plastic. One way to demand change is to vote with your dollar, whether it be purchasing cruelty-free makeup, supporting Black-owned businesses, or buying local produce. Where your money goes matters. This flow of capital will bring wealth into underrepresented communities and limit suffering to animals and the planet.

To build on GW’s progress towards zero waste, let’s look at stores that will help us, the individual, on our own journeys toward less plastic use and healthy choices. 

Here are several low waste, sustainability-focused shops across the United States for your sustainable, low-waste needs:

  1. Mason & Greens (Alexandria, Virginia)

Vegan and gluten free options, 100% palm oil free, BYOJ (bring your own jars + containers)

Mason & Greens is the DC area’s first zero waste shop of its kind! Mason & Greens provides sustainable dry goods and groceries. This shop has curated some of the most sustainable products on the market-- anywhere from bulk hand soap to natural deodorants to vegan baked goods. Mason & Greens welcomes you to bring your own containers to fill up on all the goodies and essentials. They are about building a sustainable model for the future that has your health and the planet’s health at the forefront. 

  1. Package Free Shop (New York, New York)

Accessibility, zero waste, inclusivity

Package Free Shop’s mission is to make the world less trashy by providing you with sustainable swaps for your everyday needs. Package Free is an ecosystem of brands that make natural and package/plastic free products. This is your one-stop shop for everything you may need to reduce your waste. They offer plastic free and carbon neutral shipping for all your online shopping. Package Free is built on the principles of accessibility, only buying what you need, and adding value through education. They measure positive environmental impact through how much trash has been diverted from landfills as a result of what they sell.

*Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Package Free NYC locations are currently closed. The online store is actively taking orders.

  1. Conscious Space (Fort Myers, Florida)

Local sourcing, apothecary, community building

Conscious Space is a zero waste and apothecary shop in Southwest Florida where you can explore bulk herbs, soaps, teas, essential oils, and more. Conscious Space sources ⅔ of their products from local makers! This is a small, woman-owned business that is committed to supporting BIPOC communities. They have a wide range of herbal products, zero waste essentials, and personal care goodies. 

  1. ANIMALIA (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Passion, quality, character

ANIMALIA is a zero waste shop focusing on consumer consciousness and a slower, more mindful purchasing model. ANIMALIA offers a bulk refill dispensary and food waste collection. The founder of ANIMALIA desired to find goods made by artisans not machines, with care and joy not mass produced. The shop has curated products that are small-batch, fair trade, and thoughtful. This is a place where you can reconnect to humanness and the human behind each product.

  1. Dry Goods Refillery (Maplewood, New Jersey)

Sustainable grocer, repurpose, package free

Dry Goods Refillery is New Jersey’s first zero waste store. Dry Goods Refillery’s mission is to bring back how grocery shopping used to be-- less waste, organic, and local. They carry all kinds of food for your zero waste pantry from spices to beans to flour. Their website features some recipes using products from the store! Dry Good Refillery partners with local businesses as much as possible and strives to have a truly circular refill system.

  1. The Nada Shop (Encinitas, California)

Sustainability, simple, refillable

The Nada Shop is a zero waste store in Southern California offering refillable, natural household and body care products. The founder of The Nada Shop aims to make low waste living simple and easy for consumers. This shop has non-toxic skin care oils, soaps, hair care, and more. The Nada Shop is woman-owned!

  1. We Fill Good (Kittery, Maine)

Responsible, empowerment, reduce

We Fill Good is a one stop shop for affordable and local products aligned with low waste and eco-friendly practices. We Fill Good is dedicated to finding and providing alternatives to plastic use. All of their products/partners include at least two of their values: Certified Organic, family business, Bcorp, hand made, small business, upcycle, socially responsible, woman owned, fairtrade, cruelty free, made in the USA, and recycled material. 

Cheers to progress!

Sources: 

GW Commits to Eliminating Single-Use Plastics | GW Today | The George Washington University (gwu.edu) 

PO_Educational_Sup_v16_NOV2018.pdf (plasticoceans.org) 

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With the climate crisis more pressing than ever, Bill Gates discussed his new book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster at a virtual webinar on February 17. CBS Correspondent Michelle Miller moderated the webinar, and attendees came from 4 D.C. based schools: The George Washington University, Georgetown University, American University and Howard University. One of the richest people in the world, Gates discussed his unique journey on how he became involved in the fight against climate change. Here are our main takeaways:

1. Innovations are key to reducing carbon emissions

At the event, GW Presidential Fellow Renea Williams got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ask Gates what he believes are the most promising solutions that already exist to help combat climate change. While facing the challenge of avoiding a climate crisis can be daunting, Gates is optimistic because of his belief in innovation. From an early age, he’s always been obsessed with computers. Gates recalled when having a computer on every desk was a wild idea and now years later that idea is tame.  

“My basic optimism about climate change comes from my belief in innovation. It’s our power to invent that makes me hopeful,” Gates said. 

He emphasized that there needs to be investment in innovation that will have a lasting impact. Planting a tree is a positive investment, but it doesn’t compare to other gold standard offsets such as carbon capture models that pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and sequester it for hundreds of thousands of years. The investment in innovations that have long term impacts are vital for a zero carbon emissions world.

2. Climate solutions must be rooted in environmental equity

In the discussion, Gates emphasized how climate solutions must take an equitable approach, grounded in the knowledge that climate change impacts poorer communities around the world in more devastating ways. 

Climate mitigation strategies must “be intentional about the equity element of these efforts,” said Gates. “We've got to design that in from, from the very start.” 

There should also be greater responsibility to reduce emissions for wealthier countries, who have historically contributed far more emissions than developing countries have. Gates highlighted the unfairness of the climate crisis, as poorer countries do not have as much technology and resources to build strong climate adaptation strategies. Ironically, these emissions were not even their fault to begin with, yet they are still paying the greatest price.

3. There needs to be a plan for climate change

Gates acknowledges that the young generation has taken a lead in accelerating the green movement. Across the globe, children have stepped out onto the global stage and demanding leaders commit to eliminating carbon emissions. While Gates praises the commitment of the younger generation, he also points out that there needs to be a plan. 

“A plan that really admits that it's going to be very difficult. That looks at all the sources of emissions and taps into human ingenuity, taps into the private sector and government policy,” said Gates. 

To effectively create a net zero emissions world by 2050, there needs to be a plan that details how to achieve that. The movement can garner all the momentum and support in the world, but without a plan it’s aimless. GW appears to be on the right track by committing to divest from fossil fuels by 2025, but the commitment can only be fulfilled with a clear and well-followed plan to do so. 

4. When communicating climate change, focus less on the doom-and-gloom, and more on what’s worth saving

Regarding how to effectively communicate climate change, Gates recommended for young people to really tailor their message to who they’re speaking to. Many people have heard about the daunting consequences of climate change, but hearing these warnings often does not energize them to take action and only induces their anxieties more. Gates suggested that a more innovative approach could be to focus on the natural beauty of the planet and what’s worth saving. Fostering an appreciation for the planet helps drive others towards a call to action and fosters a deeper connection between the individual and the greater climate movement. In Gates’ opinion, one of the most effective examples of this storytelling approach is David Attenborough’s environmental documentary, A Life On Our Planet.

“You know we owe it in a moral way to not get rid of those beautiful natural ecosystems,” said Gates in reflection to the film.

If Bill Gates supports solutions-driven climate communication, then GW’s very own Planet Forward seems to be on the right track. Planet Forward is an environmental news site housed at GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs for students around the country to publish inspiring environmental stories. Over the years, SustainableGW and Planet Forward have fostered a tight relationship to train students on how to powerfully and effectively communicate the urgency of the climate crisis.

By: Adrian Britt

Understanding how pesticides interact with non-target organisms is a challenge for today’s scientists. There are simply too many variables to be considered for each species that may come into contact with a pesticide once it runs off the intended application site. Thus, regulatory agencies tasked with setting pesticide thresholds rely, in part, on independent studies from the scientific community at large. Our study focused its efforts on a keystone estuarine species, Crassostrea virginica, the native eastern oyster of the Chesapeake Bay. Our lab sought to answer a vital question: How does the broad-spectrum herbicide, atrazine, effect the microbiome of the Chesapeake Bay oyster? Atrazine has already been banned from use within the E.U. because exposures to concentrations as low as 0.1 parts per billion of atrazine in surface water have been shown to adversely affect aquatic animals, causing the male gonads to produce eggs.

 

For this study, we relied on long-standing evidence that supports the importance of maintaining healthy populations of microbiota for the survival, homeostasis, and complete development of marine mollusks. We chose frequently detected concentrations of the chemical in surface waters to be the focus of our most recently published study, “The Effects of Atrazine on the Microbiome of the Eastern Oyster: Crassostrea virginica”. Relatively little is known about the impact that agricultural activity is having on our fallen oyster population, however, in this study we succeeded in shedding some light onto the enigmatic effects atrazine could be having on the native oyster’s microbial community, which in turn provide essential services for the oyster’s survival.

 

Through our study, we found that oysters which were exposed to concentrations of atrazine as low as 3µg/L saw a significant loss of key mutualistic microbial species and underwent a subsequent colonization of pathogenic bacteria. We concluded that exposure to atrazine in the Chesapeake Bay may be contributing to a significant shift in the microbiomes of juvenile oysters that reduces overall fitness and impedes natural and artificial repopulation of the oyster species within the Bay. Since the late nineteenth century, the oyster industry – including the catch, sale, shucking, packing and shipping of oysters – has contributed millions of dollars to the region’s economy.  Managing oyster populations by limiting the over-use of toxic substances will ensure that the oyster industry will become a sustainable effort. 

 

This is the first long term study of how ecologically relevant concentrations of atrazine affect the eastern oyster. Thus the findings this study provided will help to form the foundation for future investigations into the toxicological effects of commonly used pesticides on non-target organisms.   

 

By Francesca Edralin

While the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change are two scientific crises raising political controversy, the two issues possess another interesting intersection: Could the global response to COVID-19 offer a long-term solution to combat the climate crisis?

Over recent months, stay-at-home orders have led to a temporary plunge in greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, as much of the population stayed home more and traveled less. However, as governments gradually lift social distancing orders, more and more people are leaving their homes and transitioning back to old routines.

Yet, some aspects of the quarantine routine have the potential to translate into long-term lifestyle changes. In particular, teleworking offers a multitude of environmental benefits if continued after the quarantine period. Recent research shows that increased teleworking in communities reduces air pollution and traffic congestion.

In 2018, civil engineer and transportation systems analyst at the University of Illinois-Chicago Ramin Shabanpour published a study on the impacts of teleworking on local air pollution. In his study, Shabanpour identified the current populations in Chicago capable of telework. Then, he calculated what percentage of those populations participated in telework at the time. He found that only 12% of individuals who are capable of telework worked from home to some extent. Using 12% as the base, Shabanpour and his team developed a simulation that modeled a hypothetical “twin city” of Chicago.

“We spent a few years here in Chicago developing a transportation simulation platform which, in a nutshell, is a simulation-based twin city. Using a software known as the POLARIS model, we were able to simulate what we have in the real world,” he said.

Shabanpour and his team kept all data points constant in the simulation, except for the percentage of the population who worked from home which they increased from 12% to 50%. The simulation did not manipulate the frequency that Chicago residents worked from home, only increasing the percentage of teleworkers at the current frequency.

The results proved to Shabanpour and his team how beneficial teleworking can be for the environment.

“We found that we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.7% because of an increase in telecommuting. When you talk about impact, this is actually a huge number because if you multiply 0.7% with current greenhouse gas emissions in Chicago, we find that an implementation like this can reduce 500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per day,” Shabanpour said.

Capable teleworkers do not need to solely work from home to produce these emission reductions. Shabanpour acknowledges that most teleworkers only work from home a few days per week, and they likely still drive when they telework in order to run errands. The simulation’s results account for the driving needs of teleworkers, because Shabanpour kept the frequency that teleworkers drive to work and run errands in real life constant.

Shabanpour’s study was one of the first to analyze teleworking’s impacts on air pollution and the environment. While he only examines telework patterns in the Chicago metropolitan area, his findings can apply to any area that suffers from air pollution and has a section of the population that is capable of telework.

As a result, Shabanpour has emerged as an advocate for telework. He believes that current efforts to reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions invest in the wrong solutions, instead of cost-efficient solutions like telework programs.

“We just invest billions and billions of funding into building new bridges and infrastructure – let’s start looking at this soft side of transportation. Focusing on these numbers, we can definitely reduce the transportation emissions and congestion that we have at a very low cost, compared to the big infrastructure projects that we have,” Shabanpour said.

As the quarantine period forced many companies to temporarily transition their workforce online, the potential for companies to commit to a long-term telework system makes Shabanpour’s research more relevant now than ever.

In the past, companies have hesitated to allow teleworking. Timothy Golden, a professor and telework researcher at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, finds that companies assume teleworking would decrease employer satisfaction and productivity.

“Because you’re working away from the office, particularly if the rest of the office is still there, that has the potential to make you feel cut off or separated from people,” Golden said.

Golden asserts that hybrid teleworking programs, which allow employees to split their hours between working from home and in the office, alleviate employees’ concerns of feeling isolated from the workplace. He also recommends that managers assess which employees are capable of telework, meaning they can productively complete their tasks at home.

“It’s not an all-or-nothing scenario. It’s not a one-size-fits-all,” Golden said.

Companies who supported teleworking before the pandemic prove that implementing a telework system increases productivity and company savings, in addition to reducing carbon footprints.

Dell, headquartered in Austin, Texas, is one company leading the global movement toward hybrid teleworking programs. Since implementing its “Connected Workplace” program, Dell allows employees to design a work-from-home schedule tailored to their preferences. Dell cuts 136 million travel miles and more than 35,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually through this program, as calculated in their most recent sustainability report.

John Pflueger, the principal environmental strategist at Dell who designed the Connected Workplace program, told Environment+Energy Leader, “We’re pleased with the flexibility it offers our employees and the positive consequences it has on carbon emissions.”

If the environmental impacts do not incentivize companies, perhaps the benefits in finances and productivity will. Dell’s recent sustainability report highlights that it saved $39.5 million from the Connected Workplace program, which allows the company to reduce the amount of office space they pay for and maintain. Dell also hires from a greater applicant pool, with the ability to hire top talent beyond the region of Austin.

“When a company is considering a work-from-home program or telecommuting or remote work, sustainability is probably not the primary reason why. The primary reasons are issues related more to work-life balance and being the sort of employer that the 21st-century employee has come to expect, but we found sustainability-related benefits are an important side effect,” Pflueger said.

Golden is hopeful that this quarantine period will help companies and employees realize the various benefits to teleworking.

“I think this is a defining moment for telework in that it is likely to be much more commonplace after this pandemic. Now that it’s forced on so many people, it’s changing mindsets because teleworking is no longer something that ‘other people do’, it is something that everyone does,” Golden said.

Shabanpour demonstrated the environmental benefits of teleworking scientifically, while companies such as Dell show how teleworking programs foster a more sustainable and cost-efficient workplace. Now, the COVID-19 pandemic showed many companies already have the means for telework, although they may not have taken advantage of it previously.

Perhaps what helps to flatten the curve of COVID-19 cases now just may help flatten the curve of greenhouse gas emissions as well.

For over ten years, GW has made steady progress toward its vision for a sustainable university, striving to make a positive impact on the planet and its inhabitants, while equipping students with the skills and knowledge to contribute to a sustainable future. Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing the planet and society, today and in the future. Further, the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the enormous impact humans have on the environment, and the need for more inclusive and equitable structures in our society.

This week, based on recommendations from the Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Responsibility Task Force of the Board of Trustees, GW has announced a renewed commitment to addressing climate change. The sustainability community at GW has consistently called on the university to take bold action to address climate change due to its impact on the planet and people. The Task Force took input from students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of GW. These voices are important in the shared governance of our university.

In the announcement GW renewed its commitment to addressing climate change, including divestment from fossil fuels. The university has committed to not make any new endowment investments in businesses that derive the majority of their revenue from the extraction of fossil fuels, and to eliminate 100 percent of all such investments from its endowment over the next five years.

Divestment is only the beginning of what is necessary. Leading institutions can amplify their efforts to address climate change if we reach back to remove our past, cumulative carbon emissions. As such, in addition to divestment, GW announced a commitment to remove all greenhouse gas emissions it has produced in its nearly 200 year history.

“In order to authentically commit to climate justice, we must look to the past to reclaim the future,” according to Peter Harrison, GW Trustee and Chair of the ESG Task Force. “Our moonshot approach to climate change takes responsibility for not just the university’s current carbon footprint, but also our historical emissions. We hope to inspire GW’s experts, partners, and peers to collaborate and emulate the pathway to historical decarbonization.”

The university will also accelerate plans to achieve carbon neutrality, release a plan for climate resilience for the university’s operations, phase out single use plastics on campus, capture stormwater, provide more outdoor green spaces to improve biodiversity, and convert university operated transportation to zero-emissions vehicles. Additionally, GW will develop a prominent transdisciplinary academic home, such as a Sustainability Institute, and ensure that every GW student has an opportunity for an academic experience that promotes innovative thinking in sustainability.

“Our students understand that their generation will bear the burdens of a changing climate, unless action is taken now,” said Dr. Tara Scully, Director of the Minor in Sustainability. “GW is not only addressing its own footprint, but also educating students to create a sustainable world.”

“Working through Sustainable GW, faculty across campus are developing transdisciplinary research projects to address some of the most complex problems facing society. These projects develop new technologies and also analyze public policy and social science to ensure that the technological solutions are effective,” said Robert Orttung, Director of Research for Sustainable GW.

While the ESG Task Force will now turn to social and governance matters, all three areas are interconnected. The social justice implications of climate change are real: disadvantaged groups suffer the most from environmental degradation.

“By curbing its contribution to climate change, GW intends to lead by example and show how institutions might help reduce the negative impact on populations around the globe,” said Meghan Chapple, Director of GW’s Office of Sustainability. “The comprehensive commitment to climate change was instigated years ago by GW Fossil Free students, now championed by Chair Grace Speights and Trustee Peter Harrison, and guided by faculty experts.”

While the Office of Sustainability will work with the GW community to deliver on these commitments, the progress GW has made in sustainability is due to the tireless efforts of students, faculty and staff across the university. Your contributions will be critical going forward, as well.

To learn more about the details of the announcement, see the resources below:

GW Today Story

ESG Task Force Website

ESG Task Force Report to Board of Trustees

Message from Sustainable GW

Meghan Chapple, Tara Scully, and Robert Orttung speak to the Sustainable GW community regarding recent racist incidents and related protests across the country.
June 2, 2020

Dear Sustainable GW Community,

The events of last week, including the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the hateful action against Christian Cooper in Central Park, are devastating and outrageous, and unfortunately, all too frequent examples of how deeply entrenched racism is in our society. Not only are we horrified by the decades of violence inflicted on Black Americans, but also by the disparate access to resources and higher exposure to risk experienced by the Black community. In addition to the direct violence delivered by people in power, indirect violent acts like the COVID-19 pandemic, pollution in our air and water, and lack of access to healthy food prove those disparities to be deadly.

Sustainable GW rejects racism and inequity in all its forms, including situations where Black people are not, and do not feel, safe in parks and other outdoor spaces. We envision a world with healthy and thriving resource systems for all. That includes doing our part to address the university's impact on the ecological systems that are meant to sustain all of us. We are committed to protecting and enhancing local ecosystems, and we continue to strive for carbon neutrality to reduce our contribution to climate change, which is already having a disproportionate impact on people of color and poor communities around the planet.

The protests in cities across the country, including Washington, D.C., show the pain and anguish felt by so many Americans, and the power of our voices in raising awareness of a racist system. Here at Sustainable GW we are committed to dismantling racism in our own movement and to creating an equitable and inclusive program. This year, Sustainable GW hosted student programs to address environmental justice in Washington, D.C., modified our own practices around hiring to be more inclusive, expanded our courses on environmental justice, and hosted the first sustainability focused session at the GW Diversity Summit, where we learned that we have much more work to do. Today we reaffirm our commitment to engaging the sustainability community in conversations about equity and justice in our movement, especially when those conversations reveal uncomfortable truths.

We stand in solidarity for a just and equal society. We believe we are better than this, that Black Lives Matter, and that we can build a better university and country going forward.

Sincerely,

Meghan Chapple, Director of the Office of Sustainability

Tara Scully, Director of the Minor in Sustainability

Robert Orttung, Research Director for Sustainable GW

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Embroidery Tutorial

By Esther Stoppani, Intern with Campaign GW

Hi! I’m Esther, one of the Campaign GW interns. Embroidery is one of my favorite hobbies, and I know that a lot of people want to learn how to do this craft, so I offered to create a little beginner’s guide to embroidery! It’s a lot simpler than people tend to think and is a great way to repurpose old clothes.

 

-What will you need?

An embroidery hoop

An embroidery needle

Embroidery floss: comes in a variety of colors, it’s the same stuff that comes in a lot of “friendship bracelet” kits

Fabric: which can be pretty much whatever you have on hand, but I would avoid super tightly woven fabric and stretchy materials

Scissors

 

-The basics

To get started with embroidery, you only need a few materials.

Your embroidery hoop has two separate pieces. Lay your fabric over the inner loop so that the outer loop can be tightened around it, holding the fabric in place. You want the fabric to be taut, so stay away from stretchy materials like spandex that might warp from stretching.

 

If you’re working off a pattern or design, use an erasable or water-soluble pen to draw the design on. I would also recommend starting with embroidery floss that is not metallic or sparkly. These types of thread are harder to work with, especially when you’re first starting out.

 

Regular embroidery floss is typically 6-stranded, so you’ll want to separate out 2-4 strands, depending on how large you want your stitching to be. I almost always use 2 strands and vary my stitch types to change the size. Thread your needle and leave a tail that’s about 2 inches long. On the longer (working) thread, tie a knot at the end of the string. Now you’re all set up to start stitching!

 

-The simplest stitch

This one is probably the easiest stitch in embroidery. To create a straight stitch, push your needle up through your fabric from underneath. Pull your needle all the way through so the string is taut. Then, push your needle back down through the fabric in a different spot. This creates a small, straight line of stitching. By repeating this process, you can fill in the space between your stitches and create shapes. I use straight stitches mostly for filling in areas of color, because these stitches don’t create as much texture or variety as some of the other stitches.

 

 

-Back stitch

This starts out with a single straight stitch. Once you’ve created a single straight stitch, your needle will be back under the fabric. When you bring your needle back up through the fabric, you want to come up one stitch-length from the hole you came through. I usually make my stitches about ¼ inch long, but it depends on the design you’re making. Pull the string taut, then go back down through the hole at the end of the previous stitch to connect the two. These stitches create uniform lines and are great for outlines and letters.

 

 

-Stem stitch

A stem stitch is very similar to a back stitch, but instead of coming up one stitch-length from your previous stitch, you will bring your needle up just to the side of the hole you came through. Pull the string taut and push the needle back down one stitch-length away. This will create a staggered line of disconnected single stitches. I don’t typically use this stitch type a lot, but it can be helpful when filling in areas.

 

 

-Split stitch

Start again with a single straight stitch. This time, when you bring your needle up through the fabric, do this in the middle of your previous stitch, so that the two threads of the stitch separate around your needle. Pull the string taut. You now have a single stitch with thread coming up through the middle of it. Continue along your line and push the needle back down through the fabric. Repeat. This creates a very textured stitch with little V’s in it. I like to use this stitch for outlines and decorative borders.

 

 

-Chain stitch

To start a chain stitch, bring your needle up through the fabric and pull the thread taut. Bring your needle back down through the same hole you just came up through, but don’t pull the thread taut! Leave a loop of thread sticking up from the fabric. One stitch length away, bring your needle back up through the fabric. Take the loop you just created and bring your needle up through it. Now, pull the string taut. This should make the loop get smaller and lay flat. Bring your needle back down through the fabric close to where you brought it up. You can change the shape of the loop, which is now your stitch, by gently pulling the sides. Repeating this stitch will give you a very textured, chain-shaped stitch. I love the way this stitch looks, and it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it. Doing a single chain stitch is also a fun way of making leaves and petals on floral designs.

 

 

-French knot

This stitch is a little trickier, but it’s an important one. To start a French knot, bring your needle up through your fabric. Pull taut. Then, push the tip of the needle back down through the fabric just to the side of where you brought it up. Don’t push the needle all the way through! Instead, tip the needle back up through the fabric a couple millimeters from where you just pushed it down. Again, don’t pull the needle all the way through. At this point, you should have your string sticking up towards you from the fabric, and your needle should be tucked through the fabric so that both ends are above the fabric (the middle is below). Gently take the long loop of thread and wind it around the needle 2-3 times. Pull the thread a bit to get it fairly tight around the needle. Slide these loops down the needle so that they rest next to where it comes up through the fabric. Using your nail to hold the thread in place, gently pull your needle all the way through. Pull taut. You should now have a small knot at the base of the thread where it comes up through the fabric. If the knot is loose, pull the string more and push the knot towards the fabric. To finish off the knot, push your needle back down through the center of the knot. If your knot was a little messy, you can try to tuck any loose parts in during this final step. French knots can be difficult, but find the way to make them that works best for you! I like doing it this way because if you want to make flowers, wrapping the thread around the needle 5-7 times instead will create a longer knot that looks like the petal of a rose. Making several of these and tucking them together is my favorite way to make roses.

 

 

-Tying off your stitch

When you want to switch thread colors or are moving to a different area of your fabric and don’t want to waste thread, you tie it off. After you finish your stitches, your needle will be underneath the fabric. Keep the needle and thread on this side of the fabric. Use your needle to tuck your thread under a nearby stitch, and then tie a double knot. You want to make sure the knot is secure before cutting the thread.

 

Now you know how to make some of the main stitches for embroidery, but what will you do with them?

Finding a pattern online and following it is a great place to start. This way you have instructions and a clear idea of what your design should look like. You can also just stick to practicing the different stitches until you feel comfortable. If you feel good about these stitches, you can try creating your own design or learning new stitches. Embroidery is great for making patches (I like to use felt as my fabric for these), covering up holes or stains in older clothes that you don’t want to throw out, and just adding some personalization to your clothes.

 

A couple tips and tricks before you go

You can always “undo” your stitches. Whether with a seam ripper or by just pulling the stitches out, your work can be undone if you don’t like how it turns out.

Trim the ends of your threads. All of your threads will end on the backside of your design, and it can be tempting to let it get messy since it won’t be seen. The more loose ends you have, the more likely it is for your floss to get tangled. Avoid this issue entirely by always trimming your strings after tying them off.

Don’t sit next to someone, you might poke them in the eye. When you’re embroidering, you have to pull the thread through with your needle, which means that you’re constantly reaching your arm far out to the side with a needle in your hand. You can probably see where this is going. I’ve poked enough friends to know not to sit too close when I’m working (or at least to have them sit on my left since I’m right-handed).

Always pull gently on the string. Trying to work fast and pulling the thread through quickly will lead to tangles and knots, which get frustrating. It’s a lot easier if you just slow down.

By Francesca Edralin, Student Assistant for the Undergraduate Minor in Sustainability

On Thursday, April 16 Sustainable GW hosted a webinar titled “The Big Reframe: Shifting Your Focus to the Better Things”, led by Ayana Moore of GW Facilities Planning, Construction, and Management. While I was not sure what to expect when I signed up for the session, I was so glad that I ended up tuning in. The session was interactive, engaging, eye-opening, and taught me some valuable lessons on the importance of reframing your perspective during an unprecedented time like this.

No GW student or faculty could have anticipated a pandemic as severe as this. With a student body that is constantly “doing things” in the hustle and bustle of Foggy Bottom, many of us are used to an extremely fast-paced way of life. Walk around campus, and you’ll always find students on their way to their next class, their next club meeting, or their next interview. In such a lively and active environment, the thought of having to lose it all and go home likely never crossed anyone’s mind.

And then of course, the unimaginable happened. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, GW students have been kicked off of their bustling campus, and have been sent home to an environment likely far less exciting. This scenario is unprecedented, unimaginable, and undesired for many. But could there be a silver lining to all of this?

As the stereotypical GW student who thrives off of packing her schedule with e-board meetings, a work study job, five intensive classes, and an internship, “free time” was a foreign concept to me before the pandemic. It certainly took me some time to transition to this stationary way of life, but I’ve been able to make the most of it. I’ve been able to find meaning during these slower and more isolating times.

Honestly, a lot of it required me to shift my way of thinking. As Ayana Moore emphasized in her webinar, the key is always to reframe how you see your current situation. For me, this meant no longer blaming coronavirus for cutting my sophomore year short and canceling all my April and May plans. Instead, I’ve reframed the situation, accepting that this pandemic is an issue far bigger than myself, and that everyone is pausing their lives for the greater good.

Instead of hustling from one meeting to another, I can take this time to just “be”. No outside pressures, no time crunches - instead I am learning how to enjoy the simpler things in life and emerging as a more grateful and self-aware person. Now that I have much more free time on my hands, I’ve gotten back into old hobbies, like singing and songwriting, as well as taken on new hobbies, like baking and meditating. I’ve also been able to reconnect with my family members, who I felt so distant from when I was back in DC.

In life, things will sometimes be out of your control. This pandemic happens to be one of those things. Yet, reframing is a powerful tool to make the most of this situation - and see light when everyone else sees the darkness. During the webinar, one of the students reframed the situation so beautifully: “We will emerge out of this different and more united.” 

I couldn’t agree more. This is a difficult time for sure, but it is also a shared moment worldwide for learning, reflecting, and reframing. I am confident that once we overcome this chaos, humanity will emerge stronger, more grateful, and more unified than ever before.

 

Doing Social Science Research in a Disaster

By Dr. Robert Orttung, Research Director for Sustainable GW

Given the on-going COVID-19 crisis and the growing prevalence of hazards in the world, many GW faculty and researchers are launching projects that deal with disasters in various forms. While the pandemic is the most pressing problem at the moment, there is growing concern with fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and the overall effects of climate change. 

Some of the recent initiatives around GW include efforts to study the response to the pandemic in Eurasia, Michael Keidars work to develop new medical equipment, and endeavors to understand how the crisis is affecting the Arctic. Keidar recently  won a NSF RAPID award for his research to decontaminate the environment and to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus.

A key question for social scientists working with human research subjects is how to conduct research in crisis conditions. A couple of recent articles provide some good advice. 

In a recent contribution to Nature, J. C. Gaillard and Lori Peek offer a variety of ways to be sensitive to ethical dilemmas and power imbalances. Their main advice is to be sure that the research efforts keep the interests of the local population as the foremost priority. In proposing a code of conduct for researchers working in crisis conditions, they suggest: 

  1. Having a clear purpose
  2. Respecting local voices
  3. Coordinating locals and outsiders

Another recent article in Disasters by Kathryn Falb et al, offers five practical pieces of advice for Institutional Review Boards (IRB), the organizations on campus that authorize research work with human subjects. The authors offer advice on how to quickly obtain IRB approval for research, address the traumatic experience of participants, deal with difficulties in obtaining meaningful consent, and ensure reviews have sufficient knowledge of the population's needs.

In 2019, the National Academy of Sciences published a report on “Science during Crisis.” The authors argue that “a central, curated clearinghouse for data and scientific information can improve scientific collaboration, speed up analyses, and build public trust.” In other words, we will all benefit if everyone works together. 

Crisis communications play an important role in this effort. There is a lot of incorrect information circulating about the pandemic and leaders need to identify ways to make sure that people have the facts. Evidence from past infectious disease outbreaks shows that simple interventions with correct information do not always work and we need to find more effective solutions

Hopefully careful research will make it possible to provide helpful advice in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic and other crises our society is currently facing.  

To learn more about GW’s sustainability efforts, visit sustainability.gwu.edu