Olivia Gagnon

"I hope to gain a more well-rounded idea of what it means to be a conscious consumer and member of society through The People's Ecochallenge. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
201 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

90

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

3.0

conversations

with people

Olivia's actions

Energy

Turn it off

I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.

COMPLETED -1
DAILY ACTIONS

Transportation

Learn More and Talk to My Friends

Access to public transportation is a social justice issue! I will learn about the need for public transportation in my community and tell 1 friends each day about the issue.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

High Impact Action Track

Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

Health

I will spend 15 minutes researching environmental justice concerns in my region, their causes, and local initiatives to address these concerns.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Eat Mindfully

I will eat all of my meals without distractions, e.g., phone, computer, TV, or newspaper.

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
Transportation Learn More and Talk to My Friends

How has your access to various kinds of transportation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?

Olivia Gagnon 10/24/2019 9:37 AM

My access to transportation has definitely shifted throughout my life. In my younger years, I primarily got around (to school or friend's houses or downtown) by walking through my small town. My family drove to get around the state, because there is no public transportation through Vermont. When I moved to the Midwest and got my own license, driving became even more common, because everything is so spread out. Now, I take the train or bus everywhere when I need to use powered transportation, and I walk, which I love, through the city!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Simplicity Eat Mindfully

Mindful eating is healthier for us than eating with distractions. How do your eating experiences differ when practicing mindfulness?

Olivia Gagnon 10/24/2019 9:32 AM

My experiences in eating meals have differed greatly when practicing mindfulness. I have oddly enough felt more full when I eat without technological distractions. I also take the time to appreciate my food and where it is coming from. There have even been some moments when I am eating something quite unhealthy and I will feel more guilty because I am taking the time to think about the poor quality of my food.

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Olivia Gagnon 10/24/2019 9:27 AM

I have been having trouble talking to at least 1 friend each day avout transportation. My friends I talk to every day are tired of hearing about it, but I am determined!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
High Impact Action Track Research Impact Investing

How might impact investing help you better live your values?

Olivia Gagnon 10/16/2019 10:44 AM

After my research, I think that impact investing will help me better live my values in a number of ways. Firstly, I feel like investing the money that I earn through working into intentional investments is a positive impact overall. The ways in which I live my life (I hope) are focused on the environment moving forward. With economics directly, I had some trouble imagining exactly what this would look like in terms of sustainable monetary outcomes. However, after my research, I think impact investing will help me better live my values (particularly regarding the environment) in a financial manner!

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- Jeannette McMillan 10/16/2019 12:07 PM
  
  This would be such a cool finance class to take. I wonder if DePaul has one?
  
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Olivia Gagnon 10/13/2019 1:36 PM

Hannah, I saw your post saying it snowed a few days ago in Minnesota. I can say the same about Iowa! I was talking to my mom on the phone and she said it was flurrying!

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Olivia Gagnon 10/10/2019 8:25 AM

I have begun researching public transportation as a social justice issue. In all of my research, I have gained the overwhelming feeling that the mere lack of a car yet access to transportation by buses is so important to those who cannot afford a car. However, inequalities within bus systems clearly still exist, with some people saying that it makes it more difficult to get around because certain bus drivers will simply not take a route at night due to of fear of danger, along with the problem of faulty arrival times. There are a plethora of issues that need to be addressed, and I think the first step is getting people educated.

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Olivia Gagnon 10/05/2019 11:05 PM

Eating my meals without distraction has been a very interesting part of the challenge thus far. I am prone to looking at my phone or watching a show as I eat, but sitting while I eat allows me to think about not only the food I am eating, but also what is occurring in my life and my surroundings in that present moment. This has been an awesome change so far!

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- Barbara Willard 10/09/2019 1:21 PM
  
  I'm glad to hear this has been "awesome" for you. I should try this as well. I think I work through every meal, even breakfast. I'm going to have to take up this as an additional challenge.
  
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- Hector Cervantes 10/06/2019 5:01 PM
  
  Yes I love how you started doing this. Yes, going an hour per day without technology is less stressful. Everyone loves a meal in peace, without the stress from the outside world. The idea of living a life of simplicity is a must.
  
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Olivia Gagnon 10/03/2019 8:16 PM

I went to dinner with friends tonight and had a good meal. I didn't look at my phone or other technology throughout the course of the meal, and I had good conversation- overall, a good step!

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