Skip to main content
October 2 - October 23, 2019
James Sadler's avatar

James Sadler

Green Demons

"In the wake of a global climate crisis, I want to hold myself accountable for being a part of the solution rather than apathetically contributing to the harming of our environment. Through incremental lifestyle adjustments, I will better understand my role in the fight against environmental catastrophe."

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 407 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    12
    disposable cups
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    14
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    12
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    12
    miles
    traveled by foot
  • UP TO
    21
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    10
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved

James's actions

Community

Support Businesses Owned by People of Color

Racial inequity is both a sustainability and justice problem. I will support businesses owned by people of color in my community whenever I shop.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Water

Say No to Plastic Straws

An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 3 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Walk Instead

I will walk 3 mile(s) each day instead of driving and avoid sending up to 2.58 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use a Reusable Mug

I will avoid sending 2 disposable cup(s) to the landfill each day by using a reusable mug.

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

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
    Water Say No to Plastic Straws
    What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?

    James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/23/2019 11:59 AM
    The items I most frequently use are plastic cups (the cold ones), straws, and plastic bags. All of these items could be substituted or gone without, especially in the case of plastic bags or straws. As a part of this challenge, I have found that grocery shopping has changed dramatically as I am now placing produce directly in my cart as opposed to using plastic bags the grocery store provides. In addition, I have always brought my own bags, but in the event that not all of my items fit into the bag, I have used paper bags to fill whatever was left. The other day, I decided to say no to any bags, and walked home with my hands full of whatever didn't fit into my bags. For the coffee cup dilemma, I know that I need to be more cognizant of my reusable cup and remember to bring it everywhere with me.
  • 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?

    James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/21/2019 7:21 AM
    People in wealthier countries eat more meat than those in other locations because the process for raising livestock is much more expensive. As opposed to growing fruits, vegetables, and grains, whose growth requires the land and a few other components, livestock raising requires the production of a crop for the animal to eat before the meat can be sold, resulting in a waste of the calorie potential of that parcel of land. If there were no demand for meat production, there would be enough available land to produce enough food for everyone on the planet. Therefore, the production of meat for the consumption of the wealthy results in both an environmental and social problem.

  • James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/16/2019 9:10 AM
    Today was very hard for me in the realm of committing to only using a reusable mug. I walked into the office of my internship, and someone had brought in a couple of extra coffees. To my dismay, I had to refuse it and allow for someone else to take the paper cup. For anyone who knows me, this is a true sign of dedication because my favorite things in life are those that are free. In addition to reducing my consumption and contribution to high levels of waste, this challenge also helped me to not drink coffee in excess (even if it is free!), as I have had two cups this morning already. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transportation Walk Instead
    Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Do you feel that this fact applies to you? If so, how might you incorporate more muscle-powered transportation in your daily life?

    James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/15/2019 1:00 PM
    While I do concede that a large portion of my transportation is motor powered, 90+% of that is public transportation, which is largely powered through alternative energy. Even so, the benefits to muscle-powered transportation are both personal and large-scale: through this mode of getting around, we are physically improving our bodies while also making strides toward the protection of our environment. Unfortunately, my bike was stolen about a year ago, so in the mean time I could utilize Divvy bikes to get around. Or, in the short time we have left before it becomes uncomfortable, I can walk around more. If I have the leisure of spare time, I usually try and walk as much as possible. Since the start of this challenge, I have been trying to walk home from work more, which has been a good opportunity to avoid motor-powered transportation and also invest more time in listening to podcasts and music.

    • Barbara Willard's avatar
      Barbara Willard 10/16/2019 5:37 AM
      This was a thoughtful reflection James.  I agree that human-powered transportation often takes longer.  I have found, however, that sometimes biking can be faster than driving due to traffic congestion.  But walking, my favorite mode of transportation during nice weather, is slooowwwww.....
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Community Support Businesses Owned by People of Color
    Keen Independent Research Foundation conducted a recent study that highlights the disparities in the availability of city contracts and loans to businesses, and how this disparity correlates to owners as people of color. The study showed that Minority businesses enterprises (MBEs) are more likely to have difficulties in receiving loans or city contracts. In what ways can you address systemic racism like that demonstrated in this study?

    James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/15/2019 12:53 PM
    While systemic racism is an issue that is far too large for an individual to tackle on their own, the best way that I can help to mitigate racial inequality is to empower existing businesses owned/operated by people of color. Just last week, I found a minority-owned coffee shop down the road from me and have been visiting back to do homework weekly. Supporting a business like this as opposed to a corporate chain feels so much better not only for the quality of product but also the social impact of my decision to support them. On the subject of increasing the number of MBEs, I could contact local government through the mayor's office or aldermen in an attempt to lobby them in favor of minorities seeking entrepreneurship. Or, devote my resources (either time or money) to existing nonprofit organizations that seek to empower minorities and their businesses. On the national scale, I could do the same thing, but more immediately I can vote for candidates that have explicit policies that plan to tackle racial inequality on their platforms.

    • Barbara Willard's avatar
      Barbara Willard 10/16/2019 5:40 AM
      Terrific that you have found an MBE and are supporting it with your dollars (the best way to support).  I support an MBE three blocks from my house.  It is a small mom and pop liquor store, Peterson's Liquor, but the folks are quite sweet, most likely an immigrant family but I've never asked.  But your suggestion to contact alderman is a wise one.  This shows a level of support deeper than voting with dollars.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Use a Reusable Mug
    Maybe you've heard how good it is to switch from a single use coffee cup to a reusable one, but it's just hard to make the switch. What stands in your way of making this a habit? By identifying the challenges, you can begin to work through them to have better success in taking this action. Knowing the difference you are making, how does it make you feel?

    James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/10/2019 9:51 AM
    The main thing that stands in my way from using a reusable mug is my memory. As I'm shuffling around in the morning, it is a strong possibility that I will forget my mug before running out the door, or even worse, forget to wash out my mug over the weekend only to be greeted with a gross mug on Monday. Since the start of this challenge, I have been washing my mug every night and making coffee first thing in the morning, which has made it much easier to remember to grab and refill throughout the day. The small shift of my routine has made me better at saving money and helping to eliminate single-use cups as I fuel my caffeine addiction, guilt-free.

  • James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/09/2019 1:09 PM
    So far, I have not eaten meat at all in the past week and have noticed myself feeling so much better in general. The other night, my friends and I made tacos with black beans, potatoes, kale, and chickpeas, which were so much better than anything with meat could have ever been. After this challenge, I don't think I will go back to eating meat because I enjoy the challenge of coming up with alternative sources of protein and cooking with foods I wouldn't normally put together, not to mention the environmental reasons for vegetarianism.

    • Barbara Willard's avatar
      Barbara Willard 10/09/2019 1:11 PM
      This is great news James! I'm a vegan so I'm used to this type of eating but the change is difficult for those are aren't.  The tacos sound terrific.  I'm going to try it out.


  • James Sadler's avatar
    James Sadler 10/07/2019 9:36 AM
    As a a barista at Starbucks, the amount of straws and lids I see going into the trash  makes me sick on a daily basis. Lately, I have been trying to encourage people to go without straws and lids. I don't understand how anyone over the age of twelve is not capable of carrying out their day without a lid and straw for their drink, so I've been challenging people to ask that question of themselves. Some people have been annoyed with me for interfering with their capitalistic right to waste extreme amounts of plastic, but others have been grateful for the chance to reflect on their consumption habits.  As a result, I've seen far more people coming in with reusable cups and straws, or simply a mug from home that does not need a lid or straw.

    • Barbara Willard's avatar
      Barbara Willard 10/09/2019 1:12 PM
      You go James!  Keep annoying people.  At least they will think twice.  I would probably go crazy in your position, yelling at all the customers and getting myself fired in the process.

    • Hannah Coyle's avatar
      Hannah Coyle 10/07/2019 5:37 PM
      I'd love to have a barista like you that reminds me to question the very regular actions I take in my day to day life. That reminder, for me, likely would have saved quite a few plastic tops, straws, and probably encouraged me to bring my own mug more religiously. It's not that we don't know what we need to be doing, it's that we hate the inconvenience. But screw that. I'll bring my own gosh dang mug if it means saving the planet.