EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Rosemary Bakker

Energy Innovation Act(ion) Mid Hudson Valley CCL Team

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
948 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

7.0

donations

made
UP TO

6.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

70

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

5.0

people

helped
UP TO

10

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

1,046

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted

Rosemary 's actions

Transport

Purchase a Carbon Offset

#43 Airplanes

If I buy a plane ticket, I will purchase a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

#47 Bioplastic

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Keep Track of Wasted Food

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will keep a daily log of food I throw away during the EcoChallenge, either because it went bad before I ate it, I put too much on my plate, or it was scraps from food preparation.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Donate

#21 Clean Cookstoves

I will donate to nonprofits that install clean cookstoves in low-income countries.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 10 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Help Girls Overcome Health Barriers

#6 Educating Girls

I will donate 5.00 Femme Kit(s) to help girls overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

#30 Methane Digesters (large), #64 Methane Digesters (small)

I will watch a video about methane digesters (also commonly known as anaerobic digesters).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore), #8 Solar Farms

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Support Microgeneration in Low Income Countries

#48 In-Stream Hydro, #76 Micro Wind, #78 Microgrids

I will make a donation to a nonprofit that installs microgeneration in low income countries.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Communicate With My Elected Officials

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore)

I will write or call 1 elected official(s) telling them not to support fossil fuel subsidies and instead support wind energy generation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

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?

Rosemary Bakker 4/25/2019 9:11 AM

Good team work everyone! We ranked in the top 10% - #90 out of 1054 teams!!! I learned so much from doing this and from us sharing our thoughts and resources! Thanks for making this happen.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More About Geothermal Energy

Geothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. In what ways (i.e. with money, time, advocacy) can you invest in geothermal energy?

Rosemary Bakker 4/23/2019 4:04 PM

That is a good question. I know that most of the Bard campus is powered by geothermal energy and I would love to hear more about its energy solutions by our CCL team Leader Laurie who heads up the sustainable department at Bard! I know there is a company in the Rhinebeck area that hopes to begin offering geothermal....

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Communicate With My Elected Officials

What inspires you to act on sustainable energy and other energy issues?

Rosemary Bakker 4/23/2019 4:00 PM

I feel we are at a real tipping point in saving the planet from more destruction and I realize it starts at home and out in the community.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

What is the most exciting solution you explored? Why is it exciting to you?

Rosemary Bakker 4/23/2019 3:59 PM

I was excited to hear that some of these new technologies are being used already in major sites around the world. For example, the Eiffel Tower generates its electrical power for onsite needs by wind turbines!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your zipcode, and in your state. What steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?

Rosemary Bakker 4/23/2019 3:56 PM

I am a low electricity user to begin with. I have LED bulbs, use gas for cooking and turn off food before it is done to let the steam or built-up heat in the oven do the rest of the cooking... I have many Energy Star appliances. I will explore hybrid cars when I replace my 2001 car!

Read More
Rosemary Bakker 4/23/2019 5:05 AM

Hi Team! We are in the last couple of days of the Challenge. We are now ranked 90th, so let’s keep up the good work. As Anne suggested, let’s make sure were in the top 100 teams!!! If you’ve signed up for any daily actions, make sure you check off that you have completed them on a daily basis - and Paula thinks you can backtrack if you have not done that. Have a great day learning and helping to save the planet a team member at a time! I have learned so much and I’ve become so active during this challenge and it’s been fun and interactive.

Read More
Rosemary Bakker 4/19/2019 4:46 PM

Hi Team, We have 5 days left! So the last two Challenges are Action Track: Social Justice and Buildings and Cities. I know this has been quite an intensive, but even if we do a couple of Actions for each one, it all adds up! I have been learning a lot from our discussions in this Feed.

Read More
Rosemary Bakker 4/16/2019 10:47 AM

TRANSPORT. For one of the Transport Solutions, if you have an upcoming air flight, you are asked to purchase a "carbon offset". "Your carbon footprint is reduced by the equivalent amount of carbon offset purchased from emission reduction projects like dairy farms and wind turbines. This one time personal carbon offset purchase will help make a positive impact on the environment." I am going to the southwest this fall and not taking public transport! So I did a little digging and just donated $5.00 to TerraPass, "a social enterprise that provides carbon offsetting products to individuals and businesses. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, TerraPass uses proceeds from member purchases to fund greenhouse gas reduction projects such as wind farms and methane digesters." Felt good to do.

Read More
Rosemary Bakker 4/14/2019 11:45 AM

Hi Team, We have 10 days left and 4 topics @ 2.5 days per topic. Let’s go to the Transport Challenge next, then Land Use. For those of you who drive an electric car or hybrids, please let us know your experience of them!

Read More
- Gretchen Lytle 4/15/2019 5:23 AM
  
  Mark and I share his Honda Accord hybrid. We use it for most of our driving, whether it is for me commuting to work, local trips to the market or for longer road trips. We consume much less gas than we used to. This particular car also happens to be very comfortable as well as quiet and handles well - though not as well as my Subaru in bad weather.
  
  Read More
Rosemary Bakker 4/09/2019 6:06 AM

Hi Everyone, Our next challenge when you are ready will be Materials. We are 1/3 of the way through!!!

Read More