"Being good stewards means learning to be good gardeners"
POINTS TOTAL
0
TODAY
0
THIS WEEK
856
TOTAL
participant impact
UP TO
54
disposable cups
not sent to the landfill
UP TO
40
minutes
spent learning
UP TO
65
minutes
being mindful
UP TO
11
plastic bottles
not sent to the landfill
UP TO
7.0
plastic containers
not sent to the landfill
UP TO
18
pounds
waste composted
UP TO
8.8
pounds of CO2
have been saved
UP TO
1.0
waste audit
conducted
Jon's actions
Food
Try a New Way to Prep
I will try a new method of food preparation, such as canning, pickling, or baking bread.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Waste
Compost Food Waste
I will avoid sending up to .69 lbs (.31 kg) of food waste to the landfill each day by composting my food or learning how to.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Waste
Use a Reusable Mug
I will avoid sending 3 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
High Impact Action Track
Reduce Single-Use Disposables
Waste
Historically, marginalized and low-income communities live closer to landfills, contributing to a multitude of health problems. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Simplicity
Research Impact Investing
Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing and determine if it is right for me.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Waste
Personal Waste Audit
I will collect all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Energy
Switch to Cold Water
I will switch to washing my clothes in cold water, saving up to 1,600 lbs of CO2 over the course of the next year.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Simplicity
Meditate
I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 5 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.
COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS
Simplicity
Research My Investment Portfolio
I will find out what stocks and bonds are in my investment account portfolio to determine if they align with my values (e.g. environmental, social responsibility, community).
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Transportation
Work from Home
I will work from home 1 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.
UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 3.4lbs (1.5kg) a month or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.
COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION
Participant Feed
Reflection, encouragement, and relationship building are all important aspects of getting a new habit to stick.
Share thoughts, encourage others, and reinforce positive new habits on the Feed.
To get started, share “your why.” Why did you join the challenge and choose the actions you did?
REFLECTION
QUESTION
WastePersonal Waste Audit
Why is it so difficult to understand the impacts our purchases and waste have on other people, animals, and places? How might your experience with this challenge impact your future consumption and choices?
Is there a way to see who has had the most direct impact during the EcoChallenge? As in, who reduced their carbon footprint the most? Points don't really reflect that directly.
While I strongly support meditation and prayer each day, is there any documentation of how this results in a lower carbon footprint? Are we supposed to chant "Reduce/Reuse/Recycle" like a mantra? Again, I like meditation, but I wonder how effective it really is at reversing climate change.
Canning and pickling food is a great way to have delicious summer fruits and vegetables all year round. Just make sure to follow the canning and pickling guidelines from the USDA. What are some foods that you would like to preserve and enjoy later in the year?
So this has proven to be more difficult than last year, for me. It's perhaps life circumstances, but the challenges seem more specific as well. Or maybe I'm just being more particular about what counts. Anyone else think points are more difficult to come by this year?
High Impact Action TrackReduce Single-Use Disposables
Bringing your own bags and containers to the grocery store, and even to restaurants for leftovers, are a couple of ways to reduce your waste. What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
I tend to use some single-use coffee cups and plastic sandwich bags. We've recently started using beeswax wraps and silicone reusable sandwich bags. I should bring my travel mug with everywhere at this point, because you never know when coffee will strike.
