Terry Murphy

Detroit Sustainability Club

"To reinforce the actions on which my values are based."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
481 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

85

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

20

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

30

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

225

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

225

miles

traveled by bus
UP TO

280

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

1.7

pounds

food waste prevented
UP TO

3.6

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Terry's actions

Transportation

Use Public Transit

I will use public transit 15 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to 0.0 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Weekly Meal Planning

I will reduce food waste and save money by prepping for 2 meal(s) each day, only buying the ingredients I need.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Simplicity

Meditate

I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 20 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Locally-Sourced Meals

I will source 1 meal(s) each day from local producers.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 1 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Create Your Own Action

reduce purchase of food in plastic containers to 2 per week

everything comes in a plastic container. If I write to local producers and ask they at least make it recyclable (1,2, 5 in our area) or compost-friendly this will have a longer-lasting impact than a month of me trying to do my best.

COMPLETED -1
DAILY ACTIONS

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?

Terry Murphy 10/21/2019 11:26 AM

We cooked at home rather than eating out on Saturday night. Also carried around my spoon and paper bowl that were listed as being compostable when done in a home-compost-setting. No problem.

Read More
Terry Murphy 10/21/2019 11:23 AM

If you are ever in Boston or Cambridge, check out Life Alive, one of the best vegan/vegetarian/raw food restaurants around. Everything about it is sustainable. A conscious choice to eat there when so many less-green restaurants abound.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Buy From a Farmers Market

What is one food choice that you make, or could make, that would do more good and less harm?

Terry Murphy 10/21/2019 11:21 AM

thanks to consumer support there are more farmers markets than ever. I went to mine and chatted with the farmers and ran into a friend who recommended a dish to prepare with my ingredients in hand! Community, supporting local farmers, fresh produce ... a trifecta for sure.

Read More
Terry Murphy 10/17/2019 8:56 AM

To look back at the Plastic Challenge I was introduced to the Life Without Plastic website. Among other sustainable kitchen supplies, I got a canvas and wool lunch bag. I hesitated to spend the money. But when my nylon bag still smelled after repeated washings, I retired it to the job of rag bag and splurged. Not only does it hold two meals and keep things cool with my ice pack, but it stays odor-free. And if you look in the lower left corner of this photo you will see the paper alternative to plastic baggies. Lunchskins (from Whole Foods) are not only resealable but can be recycled. (that I can't prove). But they do win points with those who envisioned a stale sandwich.

nN

Read More
Terry Murphy 10/16/2019 10:54 AM

Challenge remains ... well challenging in certain areas. Mostly the ones I have no control over, such as how food is packaged, particularly when I have someone else purchase it on behalf. I find that even the more "environmentally aware" takeout places are turning to plastic, telling me -- with pride -- that I can compost the plastic. "OK," I tell them, "but I could compost your paper containers more easily and with less residue."

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Use Public Transit

The US spends roughly 20% of its federal budget on defense. In contrast, 2% goes to education, 20% goes to social security and 3% goes to transportation infrastructure. Do these numbers surprise you at all? Why or why not? How would you adjust them if you could?

Terry Murphy 10/15/2019 12:21 PM

Does transportation infrastructure mean better roads or more buses on those roads? I am not surprised that bridges are crumbling, bus routes are cut, and my elderly friends in Florida have no bus shelters to keep them from baking their brains in the heat. The U.S. is totally going over the cliff on this one.

Read More
- Heather Macdonald 10/16/2019 10:46 AM
  
  Hi Terry! To me at least, transportation infrastructure means the pathways that transportation is feasible. So thinking of road quality, bridges, railway connections, etc.
  
  The US has the worst upkeep towards transportation infrastructure. A lot of the roads and bridges have not had any updates since they were conceived during the 1800s during the transportation boom.
  
  I completely agree that more focus needs to be shifted towards this upkeep and an increase in budget.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Weekly Meal Planning

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Does this surprise you? Where would you rather use this money?

Terry Murphy 10/15/2019 12:19 PM

No it doesn't surprise me. I carry out my compost bucket twice a month and feed my compost worms weekly. It's horrible what I toss out as someone has little time to cook but always the desire to do "better this week." I would rather my money be used for better quality food as that would mean less of it on my budget..

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Reduce Animal Products

Why do people in richer countries eat more meat than people in other places? How does eating more meat affect our planet and other people?

Terry Murphy 10/15/2019 12:17 PM

I have reduced my meat consumption to maybe one or two meals a week. I still eat fish, which is not sustainable, but going completely flesh free is difficult ... which most will disagree with ... and rightly so.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Locally-Sourced Meals

If you were to only eat what is in season locally, what would be the hardest food item for you to give up?

Terry Murphy 10/15/2019 12:15 PM

Fresh berries and greens, albeit a lot of farmers have climate controlled buildings for microgreens.

Read More
Terry Murphy 10/09/2019 1:19 PM

It's been a crazy few days and knowing that I would be up before dawn to listen to the Nobels being announced, I made a giant pot of steel cut oats Sunday night and we have been eating it every morning. It's the kind of thing that gets better every morning! I have also been packing my lunch in glass containers and do the usual bring my coffee to work or make it here in a French press.

Read More