Rachel Ortiz

U.S. Bank

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
282 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

160

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

30

minutes

of additional sleep
UP TO

210

minutes

spent outdoors

Rachel's actions

Water

5-Minute Showers

I will save up to 20 gallons (75 L) of water each day by taking 5-minute showers.

COMPLETED -1
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Plant an Herb Garden

I will plant an herb garden in my home, workplace, or dorm room.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset

I will enjoy the sunrise and/or sunset each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Nature

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Health

Healthy Sleep

Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 15 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.

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 5-Minute Showers

Five minute showers are an impressive step toward reducing your water footprint. What is the next step you can take?

Rachel Ortiz 10/23/2019 3:04 PM

I found I have also been turning off the faucet while brushing my teeth instead of letting it run. It isn't a huge thing, but I suppose every little bit counts.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Nature Enjoy the Sunrise/Sunset

Father Thomas Berry says, "...our primary purpose is celebration. Celebration of the dawn and the sunset and the different seasons of the year is a religious ritual, a way in which humans can establish their integral relationship with the universe, with the planet Earth." Respond to Berry's assertion.

Rachel Ortiz 10/23/2019 3:01 PM

I particularly liked this exercise this time of year to witness the shortening of days for this season. I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of getting slightly depressed that the days are getting shorter, this exercise allowed me to see the beauty in the shorter days. That was an unexpected "silver lining."

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Use Reusable Bags

What do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reusable one with you? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to create a successful habit of not using plastic bags?

Rachel Ortiz 10/23/2019 2:54 PM

I will go by the "purse test." If I can't just fit it in my purse (or a combo of carrying/putting it in my purse), then I will ask for a biodegradable option like paper. If paper isn't available, I will purchase a new reusable bag.

I haven't needed to in the past, but maybe another option could be to reuse a bag that someone else might be throwing out or no longer needs. Maybe even not purchase an item at that time and purchase at a time I am more better prepared. I definitely like the suggestion to just put it in a cart. I will have to remember that!

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Rachel Ortiz 10/23/2019 2:31 PM

At first, I thought the 5 min showers would be super difficult, but it's actually quite do-able. I actually found it kind of fun to race the clock!

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Rachel Ortiz 10/15/2019 9:04 AM

My husband and I explored a new trail in the Palos Park area. :)

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