April 3 - April 24, 2019

William Jayne

"My plan is to learn as much as I can about how to serve my planet better, not only during the challenge but for the rest of my life. I will have failed if I score well in the challenge and forget all that I learned when the challenge is over."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
766 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

60

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

80

minutes

spent learning

William 's actions

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

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 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 20
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 22
DAILY 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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Plant Trees

#15 Afforestation

I will plant 50 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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?

William Jayne 4/25/2019 4:32 PM

I learned a good deal of new information from the challenge. I got a better understanding of peatlands and renewable energy sources. Biomass seems to be a much more viable option for fuel than I realized, in the short term anyway. I also learned that I can resist my craving for hamburgers more easily than I thought, though I did cheat one night (I did not mark myself as having completed the challenge that night) but that was more due to peer pressure, which I already knew I give into far too easily. I wish I had done a bit more research and gotten a chance to do some more worthwhile activities but time got away from me. Next year I will join the challenge again and shoot to score at least a thousand points.

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?

William Jayne 4/24/2019 5:25 PM

Meat is a bit of an expensive food item. People in America have the money to spend on meat and they don't mind doing it. We hear all about how bad it is not only for us but the environment, but people in this country love to consume, especially expensive goods because this is a symbol of status. Americans tend not to care if their habits affect other people, they just want to enjoy themselves.

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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?

William Jayne 4/24/2019 5:21 PM

You will gain less weight, feel less lethargic, and save lots of money.

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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?

William Jayne 4/24/2019 5:15 PM

Healthy, happy livestock, self-sustaining food sources - low maintenance, low cost

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!

William Jayne 4/21/2019 6:42 PM

I read an interesting article form edie.net about the use of poultry litter and coffee grounds as fuel. I had heard of biomass technology before, but I thought it was the use of plant material, not so much "poultry litter," which I found to include guano, feathers, spilled feed, and other chicken related waste. Aparently use of this fuel improves the standard of living for chickens as well as offsets carbon emissions by as much as 90%.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Plant Trees

How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?

William Jayne 4/16/2019 8:48 PM

Having planted trees before, I know first hand the joys of the task. For starters, being outside in the fresh air surrounded by adult trees is good enough for your health. Planting trees and being able to think that one day, 50 years later, you may come back and see that all the little seedlings you planted have grown 100 feet tall. It made me proud to think that I assisted in the birth of a new forest that with proper care will one day provide habitat for birds and other animals, oxygen for the rest of the world, and storage for carbon.

Read More
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?

William Jayne 4/10/2019 8:20 PM

I live in a pretty small town so there are not many structures that are very tall. However, the is a building with a tall bell tower with a non functioning bell in it. Perhaps a wind turbine could be placed there to give the tower a real purpose.

Read More
William Jayne 4/08/2019 5:17 PM

So far my challenge is going well. I have not thrown away any food (not that I typically do anyway), I have had no meat, and I have learned a lot about peat lands and expiration dates. I still want to do more research on other topics, and more research on peat lands, but so far I think I am doing alright.

Read More
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?

William Jayne 4/06/2019 6:12 PM

Palm oil is nearly inescapable. Any palm oil free products should be favored over those that use it, and if you must use palm oil products, make sure they use sustainable sourced palm oil. Then try to find out if they are telling the truth.

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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?

William Jayne 4/04/2019 5:54 PM

To be honest I would rather spend this money on a nice new guitar. This would not be the best use of the money though. Realistically that money could go to rent, auto insurance and all of the other burdens that will be placed on me in the coming years when I am living on my own. But I'll be dreaming about that new guitar all along.

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