Hello and welcome to another edition of the Good News Bulletin,
Reduce, Reuse, Recycling
Recycling can still continue, even with COVID-19. MyTOMRA, a recycling group with locations in Brisbane, has introduced touch free recycling so that you can still help the planet during the lockdown. The process is automated so you don’t have to touch anything but your own cans and bottles, making for a safe process. Alternatively, save them all up and use the 10c refunds to cash in and celebrate the end of quarantine.
Donations
Twitter and Square Founder Jack Dorsey donated over $1B to COVID-19 relief. This is 28% of his net worth, showing up even some governments in his relief response. Corporate CEO’s often attract scrutiny for their inability to help with social issues, however, Dorsey has risen to the challenge and pitched in to help others. If only every billionaire did this, this of where we’d be…
UQ Senator, Drew Pavlou, raised over $5000 in three days to create free food hampers for quarantining UQ students. He decided to do this in response to UQ Life charging $25 for a bag of groceries, offering his free in an effort to push UQ Life to provide theirs for free also, in which he was successful. A team of student volunteers assembled and delivered 250 hampers across Brisbane, ranging from inner city to Gatton and Ipswich.
Bookstores
Bookstores across Brisbane have transitioned to online shopping to keep those in quarantine entertained. Staying home is of unprecedented importance, but is definitely made better with a good book. Independent stores such as Avid Reader, Riverbend Books, The Book Merchant Jenkins, Comics Etc and more have all of your book needs covered while we wait this out.
Easter News
Australians have banded together for the quietest Easter Weekend in a long time, demonstrating how seriously people are taking lockdown measures. Images of an empty Bruce Highway have surfaced, which as any long weekend traveller would know, speaks for itself. Across Australia, beaches and cafes remained relatively empty as we continue to quarantine to flatten the curve of this virus. Source.
Jacinta Ardern declared the Easter Bunny an ‘essential service’ in a press conference on March 5th. This is the latest in a series of executive actions taken by Ardern placing her within some of the top crisis management leaders the 21st Century has seen. In addition to classing the Easter Bunny an ‘essential service, Ardern has led the “most decisive and strongest lockdown in the world at the moment” according to epidemiologist Professor Michael Baker. Her regular Facebook live sessions regarding the Coronavirus have kept New Zealanders informed as she managed to communicate the ‘alert level’ framework to explain the importance of staying at home. These measures have eased tensions between New Zealanders and have no doubt been critical in containing the spread of the virus.
@chrisparkernzJacinda has me totally unraveling every time she speaks. ##newzealand ##selfisolation ##easter♬ original sound – chrisparkernz
World Health Day
Michelle Obama has been posting on her Instagram thanking all the frontline workers dealing with the pandemic, urging us to show our gratitude in creative ways and sharing gratitude for nurses as part of the World Health Organization’s World Health Day. The tagline of 2020’s World Health Day is ‘support nurses and midwifes’, giving critical recognition to the frontline workers.
JobKeeper
Over 6 million casual, part-time and full-time workers will be receiving $1,500 a fortnight as part of the government’s JobKeeper package. The legislation passed both houses of parliament on March 8th. This will allow businesses to continue paying their employees for 6 months from the start of May and provides many people with much needed relief.
Thank you,
for your continued support of Glass and independent media. We truely hoped we have brightened your morning and look forward to spreading more good news in weeks to come.
