April 3 - April 24, 2019

Thomas Fletcher

" Now is the time to open our arms, expand our horizons, and dream big. Big problems require big solutions. (Van Jones) Embrace the Challenge!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,632 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

16

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

320

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

365

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1,162

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

4.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

12

zero-waste meals

consumed

Thomas 's actions

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

Transport

Purchase a Carbon Offset

#43 Airplanes

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 10 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Social Justice

Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by attending a training, workshop, or presentation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Donate

#21 Clean Cookstoves

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 60 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
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 Heat Pumps

#42 Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#54 Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

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

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

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
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?

Thomas Fletcher 4/17/2019 7:21 AM

Every few months I get a notice from my (not renewable energy utility) Duke Energy that shows my energy usage in comparison to other households. I am consistently one of the lowest users, mostly because I take steps to conserve energy. I keep my thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer, turn it down at night, only turn on lights in rooms I am using. I am taking steps to improve my building envelope's energy efficiency by increasing insulation. I wrap my hot water heater to insulate it so it does not lose heat. I'd really like to go solar, and am looking into whether or not that makes sense.

Read More
Thomas Fletcher 4/15/2019 11:30 AM

Wonderful that we have such great farmers markets where we can buy food grown locally and support a robust network of small farms many of which farm organically and sustainbably.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Purchase a Carbon Offset

A round-trip flight from New York City to Los Angeles emits just over 1.5 tons of CO2. What can you do to reduce the number of flights you take per year?

Thomas Fletcher 4/12/2019 2:38 PM

I don't fly that much but have an opportunity to fly somewhere about once a year. Purchasing a carbon offset is not an ideal solution but at least it does something to counter the big negative emissions of flights. I'm careful about what my donation to offset my flight goes to, preferring local solutions and I usually pay double what the offset indicates to be a bit more positive and not simply neutral. Also, the prices of carbon offsets are usually low and don't account for the entire costs of burning fossil fuels. Not ideal, but something.

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?

Thomas Fletcher 4/11/2019 11:44 AM

I had always thought about geothermal energy as something only available where there are volcanoes or hot springs. And I thought about it in terms of a large geothermal plant that would supply energy to a community. I did not realize that geothermal is also available on a household basis and can involve use of the moderate and even temperatures of the ground in an exchange system. As far as advocacy goes, I've not heard of any plans for large scale geothermal in my area. However, it seems like a broad education effort plus advocacy for things like tax incentives or other sources of support funding could raise the level of awareness and affordability of this option for many people.

Read More
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?

Thomas Fletcher 4/09/2019 6:52 PM

Many people around the world cook indoors over open wood-fueled fires which has tremendous health risks (e.g., diseases and cancers over the long-term from breathing in black carbon and other pollutants, the risk of fires themselves in the short-term). Communities lose the benefits of forested lands as a result of tree loss for fire wood. The denuded land is more prone to landslides and floods. These are issues to hit poor people much more often than average, making this a justice issue. Love the clean cook stoves solution and love even more the work on small-scale biodigesters coupled with clean cook stoves as solutions with multiple benefits. Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlUEEnzY9bI

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Support Local Food Systems

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?

Thomas Fletcher 4/09/2019 6:42 PM

Fresh, healthy, locally grown foods. Supporting local farmers. The benefits to one's own health, the health of the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I'm a big fan of solutions with multiple benefits.

Read More
Thomas Fletcher 4/09/2019 6:38 PM

Out for my daily short walk. This could become a habit. It's an easy stroll to nearby stores, with a couple of street crossings where care needs to be taken

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?

Thomas Fletcher 4/09/2019 6:35 PM

Nice to walk around my neighborhood, pollen and all. I made a loop through my subdivision and then down the main road to a small shopping center. The walkways and paths are not complete. Crossing the main road was a bit of a challenge. Those are places I'd work on to make this a more walk friendly neighborhood.

Read More
Thomas Fletcher 4/08/2019 1:12 PM

I'm finding that I'm learning much about solutions to climate change in a range of areas and how I might take action beyond what I'm already doing. Many of the challenge actions that go directly to reducing my own carbon footprint, I'm already doing. But I'm learning more ways I can make a difference

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Social Justice Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

What did you learn about indigenous peoples' land management that you can apply in your own life?

Thomas Fletcher 4/08/2019 12:49 PM

Indigenous peoples are in the best position to "manage" the lands in which they live. They know the land the best. They understand the complex interactions of life in the ecosystems in which they live. Through time they have developed sustainable means of living in and being a part of these ecosystems. This is a good lesson for all of us. People should have an indispensable say in how their communities live within the means of their local lands. Everyone should have an opportunity to develop this expertise.

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