Simona Gray Wolf Fischer
"Try something new !"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 936 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO17whole food mealsconsumed
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UP TO52meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO210minutesspent learning
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UP TO70milestraveled by bus
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UP TO210minutesspent exercising
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UP TO27gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO2.0lightbulbsreplaced
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UP TO210minutesspent outdoors
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UP TO765minutesbeing mindful
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UP TO1.0documentarywatched
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UP TO11pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO70milesnot traveled by car
Simona's actions
High Impact Action Track
Research Impact Investing
Simplicity
Using the links provided below, I will research impact investing and deterimine if it is right for me.
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
Energy
Choose LED Bulbs
I will replace 2 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.
Health
Go get a check up
I will make an appointment for my annual physical.
Transportation
Use Public Transit
I will use public transit 5 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to 0.82 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
Water
Fix Leaky Faucets
I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.
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).
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 1 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.
Health
Take Control
Both systemic and personal sustainability are important! I will develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.
Community
Host a House Party
I will host a house party with 10 friends and/or colleagues to watch a movie or present a guest speaker on an environmental issue that matters to me.
Food
Reduce Animal Products
I will enjoy 3 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.
Simplicity
Eat Mindfully
I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.
Food
Whole Foods Diet
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.
Nature
Go for a Daily Walk
I will take a 15-minute walk outside each day.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONTransportation Use Public TransitThe 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?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 9:15 AMI bused almost every day on this challenge, which meant I also walked all of those days. Transportation infrastructure is such an interesting thing. I think this country could be all kinds of cooler with good trains. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Eat MindfullyMindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How do your eating experiences differ when practicing mindfulness?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 9:14 AMI enjoy my meals more when I'm not eating in front of Netflix. I'm going to keep it as more of a habit. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONNature Go for a Daily WalkHow do you experience your neighborhood or city differently when walking instead of driving?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 9:12 AMDidn't do it every day, but I paid more attention to my time outside! I like my bus commute because of how much more walking I do than when I have driven in the past. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity Research My Investment PortfolioIn what ways can you increase the positive impacts and decrease the negative impacts of your financial investments?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 9:12 AMNext on my list is contacting Vanguard about impacting investment options. I like the low-cost index style of investing, but I'd like it to be fossil fuel free. One thing that's a little frustrating with some of these funds is they are all or nothing in terms of ESG (environmental, social and governance). For example, no fossil fuels in an index fund will also mean no gun manufacturers including civilian firearms (which I'm fine with, but others might not be), but also no alcohol or tobacco, or gambling, or nuclear power - it's way too big a bucket of exclusion, and feels more like a set of religious values in some ways. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHigh Impact Action Track Research Impact InvestingHow might impact investing help you better live your values?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 9:03 AMThis is fascinating. I highly recommend the website fossilfreefunds.org. I have more reading to do before I choose a fund, but my goal is end of 2019 for some major shifts in my portfolio. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Take ControlHow do environmental health, community health, and your personal health intersect?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 9:00 AMGetting older sucks. I've used this challenge as an opportunity to think about changes I want to make for the next decade, healthwise. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Whole Foods DietMichael Pollan states that “it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor.” What are your thoughts on this idea?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 8:59 AMI agree with the sentiment that you are what you eat, so you can either be made from processed stuff or whole food groups. This is the first time I've really been mindful of eating less processed food. I didn't make it every day, but I was able to do most days. It's an important distinction - you can even be a person who shops organic and all that, but if you're not eating fruits and veg whole, you're probably still not eating a great diet. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Host a House PartyHow does environmental quality influence your sense of community?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/23/2019 8:57 AMI'm going to do this, but it just didn't happen this EcoChallenge. Working on environmental issues creates a sense of community, and I find I enjoy working on this especially with others. Alone it's an impossible challenge. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Choose Clean/Renewable EnergyHow might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the shift to clean energy?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/14/2019 8:45 AMBoy, I feel like all I do is advocate some days. I signed up for community solar since my roof is not great for solar exposure. It will pay ME over time, instead of the other way around, as the array is paid off and Xcel continues to buy the power for 25 years. I'm going to the grand opening of "my" solar array on the top of Ramp A in downtown Minneapolis this coming Sunday!
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REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Choose LED BulbsChanging lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! In what other ways can you exercise your civic duty to protect the environment and reduce carbon emissions?
Simona Gray Wolf Fischer 10/07/2019 6:27 AMIt's embarrassing that I even still had any, but there were two bedside lamps. Now LED.