EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Karuna Li

Odyssey High School

"My mission is to be a youth leader in the Climate Change movement. All crises need people willing to step up. 💪🌎"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
946 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

45

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

8.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

15

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

15

miles

traveled by bus
UP TO

165

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

30

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

5.2

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Karuna's actions

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 8 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow showerhead.

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Public Transit

#37 Mass Transit

I will use public transit 5 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 1.72 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Transport

Improve a Bus Stop

#37 Mass Transit

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or implementing some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Recycle Everything I Can

#55 Household Recycling

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Plant Trees

#15 Afforestation

I will plant 3 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

UNCOMPLETED
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

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?

Karuna Li 4/21/2019 8:12 PM

I mulched my garden! It looks nice, now. I'm glad it conserves water, too. It's kind of annoying watering it all the time.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Plant Trees

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

Karuna Li 4/21/2019 8:07 PM

Digging around in the dirt feels great! It's very relaxing. Additionally, walking around in greenery is UTTERLY RELAXING. I always feel like a new person coming out of a park or garden. I feel like such a boob for not realizing that before recently. So, planting trees is great for you mentally, because it is very relaxing. It's great spiritually because you tune into nature and become closer to it. And, it's great physically because you get a workout digging the hole!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

What would a sustainable water future in your region look like? What needs to change?

Karuna Li 4/21/2019 6:45 PM

I installed those aerator things for almost all of the faucets in my home! I really needed them, to be honest. The faucet attachments I was using splashed water everywhere. Now my water flow is normal AND saving water!

I think a sustainable water future in my region would look like: Less Beer. Beer has to take up lots of water. And we have so many breweries. I think we should advocate for the decrease in the number of breweries in Asheville and increase the funding and education about low-flow attachments. We should advocate for rain barrels and rain filters. Asheville is located in a valley, so all of the rain in the region gravitates to the city. I'm glad we have a good local and independent farmer community because independent farmers probably use less water than the multinational corps do on their giant monocultures.

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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?

Karuna Li 4/14/2019 7:02 PM

I noticed on my daily walks that I am getting to know Asheville on a much more intimate level when I walk. I will say hello to people I know instead of rushing past them in a car. I also become more familiar with the bus system, because my legs can't take me everywhere. Signs that point to bus stops and signs in general that show walkers where they are going really help. It was raining today, so roof overhangs and arbors over storefronts were very much appreciated. I also appreciate roundabouts like the ones in RAD and Biltmore Park. I don't know why, I just like them.

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Karuna Li 4/13/2019 6:34 PM

I read in the Mountain Express today that in 2022, biking and walking infrastructure in Asheville is going to be greatly improved. The city is already dropping large funds toward connecting the greenways and making the city more walker/biker friendly and less car-centered.

Read More
Karuna Li 4/13/2019 6:31 PM

Today I spent a long time in Weaverville exploring the small downtown. I spent a very long time in the Nature Park. What I found pleasing in the Park was the obvious amount of respect for wildlife. I saw a massive fallen tree trunk. The park service decided to mulch around the tree trunk instead of removing it. This fallen tree is home to many different creatures and is an ecosystem of its own. I saw almost no litter on the ground, which was really nice. There were many people walking their dogs and keeping to the path and respecting the park. The sign in front of the park said "no harassing the wildlife", which was much more specific and meaningful than "no hunting", because it means no picking the flowers or throwing stones at birds. Also, there was a garden of wildflowers. This garden had weeds and mushrooms in it, but was still fenced off to preserve the wildlife. It was a very relaxing walk. I wish I had pictures of the walk, but my phone was on its last leg. So here is a picture of a tree, instead.

Read More
Karuna Li 4/12/2019 6:41 PM

On my walk today, I walked from UNCA to Odyssey. I noticed that (as I was texting and walking), smooth sidewalks made not tripping so much easier because I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Also, signs that pointed me to where I was going and where I needed to go were so helpful. Similarly, people that can point me in the right direction also help. I suppose, creating a more friendly and active walking/pedestrian community will help to create a better city atmosphere.

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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?

Karuna Li 4/11/2019 5:08 PM

UGH. So I'm incredibly guilty of throwing away food. I admit it's become a really bad habit. I'll throw away my lunch sometimes because I don't eat it. $1,500 is a LOT of money to be wasting. I'm probably wasting more than that. Ironically, I would rather use this money to eat out at restaurants with friends or buy COFFEEEEE. I'd also like to use this money to go to cool places with friends in general, such as concerts, parks, and events.

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Karuna Li 4/08/2019 6:07 PM

On my 15 minute walk today, I noticed how helpful crosswalks and the walk buttons were. I also noticed it was much easier to walks round on straight, flat ground with sidewalks. Passing by Pritchard Park made the walk interesting. It was noticibly difficult when there was no walk button for one side of the intersection, but a walk button for the other side. One way streets make walking easier (College St and Walnut St) because the pedestrian only has to check one direction for cars.

Read More
Karuna Li 4/07/2019 6:16 PM

Hey everyone! How would you like to challenge another team? I am thinking Asheville High would be cool. They have 119 members, but that's ok, it's all about having fun and cleaning the earth :)

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