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Amidst coronavirus concerns, Cal State Long Beach Sustainability has found a way to safely educate the campus community about important environmental issues while recognizing the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.  

Even though all in-person Earth Week events have been canceled, MD��ý��� Sustainability developed a lineup of virtual events that will take place throughout April. Students, staff and faculty can participate in different activities, including Daily Eco-Challenges, a Climate Action & Policy Q&A, a Meatless Menus Challenge and an Earth Day Film Fest.  

“Although we know that people are dealing with a lot of challenges during this time, we thought it was important to provide some opportunities to continue learning about and exploring topics that will continue to be relevant after this immediate crisis has ended,” said Holli Fajack, MD��ý���’s Sustainability Coordinator. 

The centerpiece of Earth Week, the annual, has turned into a virtual Sustainability Project Showcase. Students can submit a piece of sustainability-related work in the form of a poster, video, performance or any other kind of project that can be displayed in an online format. The submission deadline is April 27, and the showcase will go live online from May 4 to 30. 

“This year, we will be highlighting all of the work in an online gallery on our website as well as on our Facebook page so that the community can ‘like’ and comment on the students’ achievements,” Fajack said.  

Other events include: 

Daily Eco-Challenges: Anybody can learn new green tricks by following MD��ý��� Sustainability on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for their Daily Eco-Challenges. Tips include prepping meals ahead of time, making your own protective face mask, using natural lighting when working from home and eating less meat.  

Climate Action & Policy Q&A: Special guest speaker Dr. Daniel Callies from the University of California, San Diego's Institute for Practical Ethics will take part in a presentation and Q&A on climate policy Monday, April 20, at 4 p.m. Zoom login information will become available closer to the day of the event.  

Meatless Menus Challenge: Starting on April 20, MD��ý��� Sustainability’s YouTube page will feature a week’s worth of vegetarian and vegan cooking tutorials. An “Ask a Vegan” Instagram Live will also take place on Tuesday, April 21, at 11 a.m.  

Earth Day Film Fest: On Earth Day, April 22, a virtual film festival will be held using the Netflix Party extension for Google Chrome. The extension will allow a whole group to watch the lineup of films, which includes “Terra,” “There’s Something in the Water” and “How to Change the World,” and engage in a conversation about each topic. 

“So much about how we live our life has been disrupted during this time,” Fajack said, “so it is a good time for some of us to rethink some of our habits, the way we use resources, our awareness of global environmental issues, and how mindful we are being of our own health and the wellbeing of all on this planet.” 

For more information about MD��ý���’s virtual Earth Week, visit MD��ý��� Sustainability's Earth Week 2020.