EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Rebecca Blum

Climate Coolers

"Hoping to Drawdown as much as possible!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
771 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

10

conversations

with people
UP TO

22

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

102

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

102

miles

traveled by carpool
UP TO

225

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

55

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

50

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Rebecca's actions

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Try Carpooling

#75 Ridesharing

I will commute by carpool 6 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 2.96 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Choose Recycled Paper

#70 Recycled Paper

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 25 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 10 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Recycle Everything I Can

#55 Household Recycling

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

COMPLETED 22
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 22
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
Materials Recycle Everything I Can

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "R's" make you feel?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:07 PM

I can implement "repair" and "reuse." I can repair if I break a perfectly good item that can be fixed and restored to its original condition. I can reuse by using reusable bags and containers. I now have a reusable plastic container for my lunch instead of always using foil and plastic bags.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Choose Recycled Paper

Good job on choosing recycled paper! How can you take your action a step further?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:05 PM

I can take this further by informing others on recycled paper and the benefits of choosing it. That way, it can continue spreading.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Research Cement Alternatives

Concrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but may its carbon footprint is not obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:04 PM

There are many everyday items and resources with large carbon footprints. Coal is the first in my mind, as it omits so much gas that pollutes the air and makes it hard to maintain a healthy planet.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:03 PM

I'm most concerned about all of the food waste that we put into the trash, rather than compost. If waste is composted, it can be reused to make environmentally friendly products and make Earth a healthier planet.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Smaller Portions

Fun fact: Your brain and stomach register feelings of fullness after about 20 minutes of eating. While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come out of eating smaller portions?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:02 PM

Aside from environmental benefits, you could also be a healthier person if you eat less food. A lot of people, including me sometimes, just keep eating even after they are full. If everyone can manage portion size, America could be a healthier place.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Composting

Producing food that goes uneaten squanders many resources—seeds, water, energy, land, fertilizer, hours of labor, financial capital. Which of these kinds of waste most motivates you to change your behavior regarding food waste? Why?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:01 PM

The lack of water most motivated me because so many people don't have enough water to maintain a healthy hydrated lifestyle, and that could be so beneficial to so many people worldwide.

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?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 6:00 PM

I could help advocate by informing people about the benefits of geothermal energy and how they could get set up with it in a convenient way.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Go for a Daily Walk

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?

Rebecca Blum 4/24/2019 5:59 PM

I loved being outside and just enjoying nature for what it is. Not much could make my walks more enjoyable, my street is beautiful and I love walking through the sunrises.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Try Carpooling

List some of the places you frequent often (work, grocery store, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?
Rebecca Blum 4/11/2019 6:13 AM
School

Home

Saw Mill Club

I could definitely choose some days to carpool or use other, better solutions.
Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Reduce Animal Products

In your opinion, what contributes to people in North America eating more meat than any other countries? What does this say about North American values and ways of living?

Rebecca Blum 4/10/2019 7:40 AM

I think all of the fast food restaurants contribute to this because there are not really any vegan or meatless fast food chains, and fast food is a part of so many peoples lives. This says that Americans need healthier values and need some improvements to their lifestyle.

Read More