April 3 - April 24, 2019

Lauren Kelly

"I'm here to learn about my impact and what I can do to reduce my footprint by sharing with others and working towards a common goal."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
604 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

33

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

7.5

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

2.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

90

minutes

spent learning

Lauren's actions

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Install a Toilet Bank

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water per day by installing a toilet tank bank.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 50 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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

#8 Solar Farms

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 30 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

COMPLETED
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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 3
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 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Test Drive an Electric Bike

#69 Electric Bikes

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

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
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?

Lauren Kelly 4/24/2019 11:00 AM

Lots of people do not have time to prepare meals and want something fast and easy. Its quick and easy to drive through mcdonalds and get a big mac - you can eat in the car! Media: you never see an add for a fresh beautiful eggplant... it's always a big juicy steak, hamburger, or bacon!

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!

Lauren Kelly 4/23/2019 2:39 PM

Accessibility is lacking in most areas. I want to start thinking about how women in rural areas can have better access to family planning.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Test Drive an Electric Bike

Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Private vehicles account for 60% of trips of a mile or less. Do you often drive short distances instead of biking or walking? If so, how might incorporating an electric bike into your lifestyle help you make more climate-friendly choices?

Lauren Kelly 4/21/2019 7:06 AM

I would ride my bike more if I had an electric bike - specifically for riding to work. It will help me get there faster and encourage me to stop driving when not necessary!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Use Muscle Power

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

Lauren Kelly 4/21/2019 7:03 AM

YES! I feel better when I ride my bike - I'm in a better mood.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Install a Toilet Bank

How can your region/household prepare for changing water situations in order to become more resilient?

Lauren Kelly 4/21/2019 7:02 AM

We installed a Cistern to catch rain run-off so we can water our garden in the summer!

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?

Lauren Kelly 4/21/2019 7:01 AM

I really wanted cememt counter tops in my new kitchen. I researched green alternatives and found Paper stone - PaperStone is made of 100 percent postconsumer paper fused with a petroleum-free resin derived from cashew liquids. I think it will look just as good.

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?

Lauren Kelly 4/21/2019 6:56 AM

It's a sustainable way to yield high value timber while also providing space to raise livestock.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

Every dollar you put into solar or wind is a dollar not put into traditional financial institutions. You'll also be bolstering the fossil fuel divestment movement, too. Name some companies you know that invest in green energy. How can you support them?

Lauren Kelly 4/18/2019 5:50 PM

Pudget Sound Solar. Talk to family and neighbors about installing solar panels on their homes!

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?

Lauren Kelly 4/18/2019 5:41 PM

Building resilient communities is the most inspiring benefit of local food systems. I helped build a community garden in the South Park neighborhood and worked with the Duwamish Valley Youth Core who is maintaining it. South Park is a food desert and has very little access to fresh food!

Read More
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?

Lauren Kelly 4/18/2019 5:31 PM

Benefits - Save money! Eating less food = buying less food = wasting less food!

Read More