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Welcome to Drawdown EcoChallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Drawdown EcoChallenge expert in no time!

EcoChallenge.org
Drawdown EcoChallenge
April 3 - April 24, 2019
Caitlin Flanagan's avatar

Caitlin Flanagan

Chapel Hill High School

"I am so excited to help combat climate change with small but powerful changes and education about top climate change solutions!"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 1,082 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    63
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    120
    minutes
    spent learning

Caitlin's actions

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 35 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 15 friends, family and/or colleagues.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Online Energy Audit

Multiple Solutions

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Research Retrofitting Incentives

#80 Retrofitting

I will spend at least 15 minutes finding out if my city, region, or state offers incentives for retrofitting existing buildings.

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 15 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

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

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 15 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Muscle Power

#49 Cars

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 2
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 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 3 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Host a Film Screening

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

I will host a film screening and discussion about women's and gender equality issues.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Plan to Insulate

#31 Insulation

I will find out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

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
    Buildings and Cities Research Retrofitting Incentives
    How can you share what you have learned in your research with others?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/24/2019 8:09 PM
    I can use instagram, facebook, strike up conversations with peers, or talk about insulating/retrofitting/net zero buildings to spread the word!
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Women and Girls Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
    What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/24/2019 7:56 PM
    There are still teen/young pregnancies in my community, perhaps because of inadequate sex education or societal norms, that limit participation. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings and Cities Plan to Insulate
    What are some of the benefits of making your home more energy efficient?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/24/2019 7:25 PM
    A more energy efficient home will save energy costs and reduce global warming from need for petroleum. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Women and Girls Learn about the Need for Family Planning
    What did you learn about the need for family planning? Share some of the learning with your friends!
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/14/2019 6:03 AM
    I had a fair amount of previous knowledge, and my research reminded me that family planning (including education) leads to more autonomy, later marriage, fewer children, higher spending power, and less death among mothers and their children. I learned that giving women access to family planning would reduce 120 billion tons of carbon by 2050, putting family planning/education on par with wind turbines, etc. 
    Read More
  • Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/13/2019 2:31 PM
    Just wanted to let you all know that you can add the Ecosia browser extension to Google! Ecosia is a browser that uses ad revenue to plant trees in Africa (it takes about 45 searches to plant a tree). Google already advertises when you use it, so why not use the Ecosia browser or extension instead and put those ads to good use? 
    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?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/13/2019 1:22 PM
    Other everyday building materials that have a large carbon footprint (according to ECO2 pdf on building materials's carbon footprint) are aluminum and insulation materials. There are many other materials with a large carbon footprint, and a simple google search or look at the drawdown website could probably indicate which materials are the worst. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Generation Watch a Video about Methane Digesters
    What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/13/2019 1:02 PM
    My basic vision of a sustainable community has efficient and widespread public transportation, required compost/recycling, an implemented refrigerant management plan, carbon dividends, and energy supplied from renewable/alternative energy. For this to become a reality, funding would have to be put into wider public transport, a compost service much like the trash/recycling ones that already exist, a refrigerant management plan would need to be drafted, published, and implemented, carbon dividends would need to be passed, and alternative energy would need to be funded and more widely spread. 
    Read More
  • Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/07/2019 9:58 AM
    If anyone is looking for vegan/vegetarian friendly restaurants during the challenge, Blue Dogwood market has some great options! Soul Cocina, Vegan Flava Cafe, and Rumi Persian cafe are all located inside and have incredible food! Vimala's Curryblossom cafe is also a great option. 
    Read More
    • Sarah Duffer's avatar
      Sarah Duffer 4/11/2019 12:20 PM
      Caitlin,  You're presently the 5th ranked student in the EcoChallenge competition! Get it girl! ~Duff
      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?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/07/2019 9:54 AM
    I had never heard of the term silvopasture before the project drawdown summit I attended. After learning more, I think that the biggest advantage is sequestering of carbon by trees to help offset livestock emissions. The polyculture system instead of monoculture is also beneficial, as it replenishes soil, provides food/shade for livestock, etc. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials Properly Dispose of Refrigerants
    How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?
    Caitlin Flanagan's avatar
    Caitlin Flanagan 4/07/2019 7:09 AM
    When I feel despair about climate change, I try to start conversations about solutions and involvement with other people. If I can name a way that myself and my peers are taking action, it gives me some hope. It's okay to be concerned about our future because of climate change, but it's not okay to become part of the problem by not being a part of the solution. 
    Read More