Ecochallenge.org

2019 People's Ecochallenge

October 2 - October 23, 2019

Siri Vikan

WSP USA

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
665 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

advocacy action

completed
UP TO

1.0

community event

hosted or attended
UP TO

15

conversations

with people
UP TO

10

hours

volunteered
UP TO

5.0

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

72

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

295

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

270

minutes

being mindful
UP TO

18

plastic straws

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

36

whole food meals

consumed

Siri's actions

Community

Host a House Party

I will host a house party with 15 friends and/or colleagues to watch a movie or present a guest speaker on an environmental issue that matters to me.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Volunteer in my Community

I will volunteer 10 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Simplicity

Meditate

I will meditate or create a moment of silence for 15 minute(s) each day to reflect on things important to me.

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

Join a Local CSA

I will sign up for a local CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 1 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 2 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Meet My Local Farmers

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those who produce my food in other regions of the world to make better choices when I shop.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smart Seafood Choices

I will visit seafoodwatch.org or download the app and commit to making better seafood choices for a healthier ocean.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Whole Foods Diet

I will enjoy 2 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.

COMPLETED 0
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Learn More about Food Deserts

I will spend 10 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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
Community Volunteer in my Community

What is one thing you can do to help your community become more sustainable?

Siri Vikan 10/23/2019 12:10 PM

I mentor engineering students. Within my mentoring, we discuss how much of an effect engineers can have on sustainability with resources, building materials, utilities, etc. It has been great to make them more aware and watch them become passionate about protecting our environment.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Host a House Party

How does environmental quality influence your sense of community?

Siri Vikan 10/23/2019 12:07 PM

Environmental quality makes me conscience our others and how my actions effect others. Today we discussed sustainable building.

Read More
Siri Vikan 10/23/2019 11:05 AM

I have LOVED this challenge! I have learned so many valuable lessons and look forward to continuing to implement them into my life! I think the most surprising lesson came through sustainable farming and the horrible lives people and animals are living for a dumb cup of joe. Very grateful to have the information to make better choices!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Smart Seafood Choices

Many states and countries have advisories on eating fish. Find out what is advised for your region. Do you think your diet choices fall within these guidelines? What steps do you need to take to make sure that they do?

Siri Vikan 10/23/2019 11:00 AM

I keep the guide on my phone to follow the recommendations. I live in an area with a lot of heavily polluted waters and do not want to feed the poison to my child.

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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?

Siri Vikan 10/23/2019 10:58 AM

My biggest focus is to stop using the plastic vegetable bags at the grocery store. I have purchased reusable bags and need to remember to use them. Getting out of this dumb habit is harder to break than other changes that I have previously made. It is weird!

Read More
- Emma Johnson 10/23/2019 1:03 PM
  
  I'm trying to break this habit too! I wish stores would put up signs reminding people that you really don't need one.
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Meet My Local Farmers

When you know who produces your food, you are connecting personally to your complex regional food system. What are the advantages of knowing who produces your food and where it comes from? Do you think this might enable someone to advocate for a better quality of life for those who produce their food, both near and far?

Siri Vikan 10/22/2019 11:59 AM

The main advantage of knowing there our food originates is that my daughter will know HOW it grows from the ground and where it grows in relation to our house. Knowing that this healthy food is grown by people near us, in our community, helps humanize food production. In stead of just having it show up on a shelf in the grocery store. There is SO much that I learned from the attachments! I am feeling a bit overwhelmed that this is still our reality. The part about expensive coffee that is forced to go through an animals digestion is just horrific. I had not heard about any of that. I am making a commitment to purchase sustainable coffee from this moment on. Horrified.

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?

Siri Vikan 10/21/2019 11:51 AM

There are so many reasons and answers... I think people in wealthier societies are marketed and told to eat said amount of animal products. Eating meat uses more resources than eating plants. In my opinion, meat is not required at every meal. We have been vegetarian for over 7 years and my daughter is happy and healthy. She also wants to be vegetarian and felt guilt eating meat.

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- Julie Sinistore 10/21/2019 12:41 PM
  
  That's wonderful!
  
  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?

Siri Vikan 10/21/2019 11:46 AM

I have traded produce with neighbors to avoid waste and to increase in variety. I purchase organic, when possible, to reduce the containment in my food and in the soil and water.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
High Impact Action Track Learn About Local Environmental Justice Concerns

Who is most affected by environmental degration and/or environmental irresponsiblity in your community? How are they affected?

Siri Vikan 10/21/2019 11:38 AM

Disadvantaged people are victims of environmental degradation and irresponsibility. People without resources, time and/or education are often those dealing with the worst that our land has to offer, which began with the Native Americans being forced to live on land without many resources. In St. Louis, there are several areas with high radioactivity, flooding and poor drinking water that are inhabited with lower income & lower educated population.

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Siri Vikan 10/16/2019 8:53 AM

I just returned from my vacation & was unable to check-in (YAY complete disconnection!)! It was great to be doing this challenge on vacation with my daughter! We were able to have several great conversations as a result!

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