EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Julia Dalmadi

Edible Issues

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
633 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

44

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

1,000

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

125

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

19

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill

Julia's actions

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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 50 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

I will spend 5 minutes each day researching women-owned businesses I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Tour a Green Roof

#73 Green Roofs

I will set up a visit to tour a green roof in my city, and ask about the codes and process for installing a green roof.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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 20 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Support Nutrient Management

#65 Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

UNCOMPLETED
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
Buildings and Cities Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

Julia Dalmadi 4/21/2019 7:58 AM

The power of designing and retrofitting urban environments to encourage walking and cycling is not only improving the life quality of citizens but the environment too.
There is so much to improve in waste management. There should be more anaerobic digestion facilities supplying energy to our cities.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons?

Julia Dalmadi 4/21/2019 7:51 AM

The organic matter helps to restore soil which then supports biodiversity, more resilient crops with a higher yield, and by restoring a damaged ecosystem we can prevent pollution.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Keep Track of Wasted Food

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?

Julia Dalmadi 4/15/2019 6:50 AM

The money saved could be used for education on sustainable food production.
Also allow the families to purchase higher quality food (e.g. grass-fed beef or local and organic produce) and maybe even allow them to enjoy a meal in a restaurant and support local SMEs.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn More about Silvopasture

Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?
Julia Dalmadi 4/15/2019 6:46 AM
I have heard about silvopasture before but it was useful to do some more research.
Silvopasture is an ecosystem farming what can help the shift from factory-farmed/conventional meat production. IT combines the following aspects:

Keeping soil in constant cover, with pasture, trees and forages.

Providing a diverse diet of foods animals are designed to eat.

Producing foods on-site or locally.

Allowing animals space to move, exercise and express their innate character.

Creating a profit center based in on-farm resources.

Rather than clearing forests to grow corn and soy to feed animals in confinement, we are restoring forests while growing good forages to feed animals, who live a natural existence on pasture.
Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Tour a Green Roof

What did you learn on your green roof tour?

Julia Dalmadi 4/15/2019 6:21 AM

I visited cityplot.org. The project is run by Leonie who is from Australia and a permaculture expert. She started cityplot.org in Amsterdam where it is not only providing workshops anymore but includes projects with schools, etc. After she and her husband who is an architect relocated to Berlin they set up the instance here. They do have a few joint projects what I consider has to be the future of city planning. We need buildings supporting us to grow food on their roofs or in their backyards, etc. They are located in the building of an old brewery what has been taken over by a coop. The beds are located on the roof of a canteen and in the yard creating first a new supply for the kitchen, place for the workshops and also a community space for the coop members.
I learned about the season differences (Berlin vs. Amsterdam) and the workshop structures mainly.

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- Julia Dalmadi 4/15/2019 6:23 AM
  
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Julia Dalmadi 4/10/2019 11:22 PM

I failed to manage my eliminate toxic plastic challenge today because I went to the newly opened Sirplus store close to my apartment and resqued all this food:
I have been asking myself before how to evaluate these purchases: I do resque food from being wasted but not all this food has been produced by 1. local producers 2. on a sustainable way and 3. most of them are unfortunately in single-use packaging.

Read More
- Julia Dalmadi 4/12/2019 9:46 AM
  
  For now, yes. But things change rapidly.
  
  Read More
- Elizabeth Yorke 4/11/2019 4:11 AM
  
  Don't you think in situations like these it is out of the consumers hands?
  
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Julia Dalmadi 4/08/2019 8:59 AM

I visited the Lush Naked store. Purchased a shampoo bar with a cork container. And I had a box with me for the soap.

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?

Julia Dalmadi 4/08/2019 8:55 AM

Berlin is a very walkable city!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Eliminate Toxic Plastics

What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?

Julia Dalmadi 4/07/2019 1:35 AM

I have managed to eliminate single-use cups, straws already. My biggest challenge is to avoid single-use packaging while doing my groceries or buying my favorite dish around the corner. During the last weeks I paid extreme attention to use my own textile bags on the market and get my cheese packed directly into my own containers. I am also planning my next trip to the package free supermarket which requires some planning (waiting till I have multiple items to buy and travel to the shop as it is not around my corner).

Read More
- Elizabeth Yorke 4/11/2019 4:13 AM
  
  Somehow the process has to designed so it is convenient for all and soon becomes the norm
  
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- Julia Dalmadi 4/08/2019 8:51 AM
  
  The lady had a proper Berliner attitude, gave me the look and said that she can only do it if the queue is not long. The next week she didn't comment anymore.
  
  Read More
- Elizabeth Yorke 4/07/2019 11:04 AM
  
  Did the store you got your cheese packed in your own containers from readily oblige to your request? Or did it seem like an inconvenience to them?
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Donate

How are environmental issues like black carbon and other emissions from cooking fires or rudimentary cookstoves also human health and social justice issues? Why do these issues matter to you?

Julia Dalmadi 4/07/2019 1:07 AM

Clear-cutting forests to make charcoal is a major cause of deforestation across East Africa, leading to massive erosion and landslides. Cooking with sticks and charcoal is terrible for people’s health. More people die each year from Household Air Pollution (HAP) than from HIV, TB, and Malaria in Rwanda combined. The Inyenyeri system in Rwanda provides biomass cook stoves (incl service) for free and can reduce HAP. The pellets are 30% cheaper than charcoal and families in rural areas can pay with sticks. With the savings families can afford health insurance, while rural customers need to collect only half as much wood as before. exposing women and girls to less risk, and leaving more time for work and education.

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