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April 3 - April 24, 2019
Keith Kofoed's avatar

Keith Kofoed

Seton Hall University

"Let's make the world a better place :)"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 711 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    3.0
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    20
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    330
    minutes
    spent learning

Keith's actions

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Buy Bamboo

#35 Bamboo

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

#66 High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

COMPLETED
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

Materials

Go Paperless

#70 Recycled Paper

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

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 1
DAILY ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 3 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

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

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 120 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

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
    Transport Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail
    What are the factors that influence your choice of transportation? These can include things like money, time, and convenience, as well as perceptions of danger or safety. What would need to change for you to regularly choose more climate-friendly options?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 8:29 PM
    Basically my whole life I've walked to wherever I need to go. I haven't experience any concerns about costs, safety, etc. 
  • 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?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 8:06 PM
    One of the alternatives to cement I read about is pulverized fuel ash. PFA is a byproduct of coal burning that can be packed very tightly to create a substance that is as durable as concrete. This sounds bad but if coal is going to be burned anyway, might as well make use of the residue. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use Buy Bamboo
    Are bamboo alternatives readily available in your community? If not, what are other sustainable alternatives?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 8:04 PM
    Bamboo alternatives are everywhere. I've replaced my own toothbrush with a bamboo toothbrush and the plates in my sister's house are made of bamboo. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use Learn about Temperate Forests
    As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 8:03 PM
    I feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of deforestation.Despite all the progress that is being made today, overcoming the scars of deforestation is going to be extremely difficult.  
  • 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!

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 7:55 PM
    Yes I had heard of biomass before the eco-challenge. However, I did not know how readily accessible biomass technology was. 
  • 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?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 7:54 PM
    I don't have the money to help with the creation of geothermal energy so the what I can do is share my knowledge on the subject.
  • 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?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 4/24/2019 7:51 PM
    Micro wind turbines sound like a fantastic idea to generate power in larger cities. All the skyscrapers that already exist could make great locations for micro turbines. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
    How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 3/26/2019 8:40 AM
    Understanding the differences between used by, sell by, and best by will turn me into a better shopper, saving me money.
  • 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?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 3/26/2019 8:39 AM
    If everyone had smaller portions it would create fluctuations in the market to decrease portion sizes across the board. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transport Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle
    Reducing (or eliminating) exhaust emissions and improving public health are two benefits of green vehicles. What other motivators inspire you to consider switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle?

    Keith Kofoed's avatar
    Keith Kofoed 3/26/2019 8:32 AM
    Fuel efficient vehicles prove to be more cost efficient in the long run. Not having to pay up at a gas station so frequently would certainly help my budget.  

    • Becky Hardin's avatar
      Becky Hardin 3/26/2019 8:49 AM
      I bought a Prius Hybrid because they're more fuel-efficient, and I thought I was doing a good thing because I can go further on less gas. But my professor said that hybrids are worse than regular cars due to the fact  that have 2 batteries that eventually will become waste that we can't get rid of, and they basically use the same amount of gasoline as a regular vehicle. He said the only beneficial vehicle would be an electric vehicle if you have to own a personal vehicle. Made me sad :(