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April 3 - April 24, 2019
Sarah Duffer's avatar

Sarah Duffer

Asheville High School!

"To empower my community to learn about and practice the solutions to reversing global warming! GO COUGARS!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,685 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    60
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    22
    zero-waste meals
    consumed

Sarah's actions

Land Use

Research Peatlands

#13 Peatlands

I will spend 15 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

UNCOMPLETED
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 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

#5 Tropical Forests

I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 5
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
    Land Use Research Peatlands
    Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?

    Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/24/2019 6:18 AM
    I am really trying to reduce my foods with palm oil in them. Reducing my palm oil consumption  decreases tropical deforestation AND peatlands, Both ecosystems are critical for carbon storage and cycling. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Generation Learn More about Micro Wind
    Micro turbines can be placed on large structures to take advantage of stronger, steadier breezes. The Eiffel Tower now sports vertical axis turbines that produce electricity for use on site. Where could micro turbines potentially be installed in your city?

    Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/22/2019 6:24 AM
    I would love to see microwind turbines on the exteriors of hotels, parking decks, and other buildings downtown. Microwin turbines would also be placed well in parks and parking lots. 

  • Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/13/2019 10:58 AM
    Today in my kitchen it’s all about using up what needs to be eaten to reduce food waste. I made a mango lassi with homemade oat milk this morning. Yum! 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use Forest-Friendly Foods 2
    How difficult or easy was it to change your diet?

    Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/11/2019 12:13 PM
    I love my coffee with half and half. However replacing that with chai tea with (homemade) oat "milk" has been an amazing alternative. I don't miss my coffee and creamer anymore since my chai is aromatic and still give me that daily dose of caffeine that I've come to know and love. 

  • Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/09/2019 11:36 AM
    I have really enjoyed reading the comments from the Rhinebeck team! Seeing other schools dominate the ecochallenge is an inspiration. GO STUDENTS! 

  • Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/09/2019 11:35 AM
    I enjoyed taking AP Environmental Science on a field trip to a sustainable home/office that has active solar hot water heating, photovoltaics, geothermal heat pump... and passive solar. Yesterday was overcast and rainy but today was a perfect day for a solar home field trip... cool, breezy, and sunny! 
  • 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?

    Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/05/2019 11:10 AM
    I aggressively started a zero food waste campaign in my kitchen about a month or so ago. As a result, I am saving SO MUCH MONEY it's crazy. I'm looking forward to paying off a new vitamix blender a lot sooner than what I previously thought. I'm making my own oat milk and hummus in my blender... which is also reducing my plastic waste. YAY ECOCHALLENGE!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Zero-waste Cooking
    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?

    Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/05/2019 9:25 AM
    Reducing indoor air pollution not only improves the quality of life for (mostly) women and children in developing countries, but it also increases their life span. 

  • Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 4/03/2019 9:18 AM
    My overnight oats are a solid, zero-waste go to. I buy the dry goods in bulk food and make my oat "milk" at home. It feels great to eat at least one meal a day with no plastic waste. 

  • Sarah Duffer's avatar
    Sarah Duffer 3/12/2019 5:42 PM
    So excited to be sharing this EcoChallenge with the NAAEE!