EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Jennifer MacDonald

Washington County Oregon Ecochallenge

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
341 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

33

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

100

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

28

zero-waste meals

consumed

Jennifer's actions

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 20 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Social Justice

Advocate for Forest Protection

#38 Forest Protection

I will contact 5 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

UNCOMPLETED
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 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 15
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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 2 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 14
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

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?

Jennifer MacDonald 4/15/2019 9:35 PM

Well, looks like you can only go back in time so far and fill out your daily challenges. So I missed out on credit for three days...oops!

Read More
- Rebecca Matsumoto 4/23/2019 7:01 PM
  
  Aww!
  
  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?

Jennifer MacDonald 4/04/2019 5:55 PM

Walking through a parking lot is no fun, and especially disheartening to see the litter in the area, that you don't see driving through. Suggested infrastructure: trash cans, more sidewalks around the buildings and warnings for drivers to watch out for pedestrians.

Read More
- Rebecca Matsumoto 4/05/2019 8:27 PM
  
  I wish they would put some plants in containers for you in your parking lot. Seems the least they could do to improve the beauty and offset a little carbon.
  
  Read More
Jennifer MacDonald 4/03/2019 7:55 PM

So, my first day was off to a bad start! I forgot my silverware at home and had to use a plastic spoon at work. Of course I saved the spoon and will be stuck using it until it breaks.

Read More
- Rebecca Matsumoto 4/04/2019 3:50 PM
  
  You still got in your 3 vegetarian meals, though, I see. You even inspired me to pledge more vegetarian meals. Ripple effect.
  
  Read More
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?

Jennifer MacDonald 4/03/2019 7:53 PM

down payment on a home, or EV, or travel, or donations for causes I care about.

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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?

Jennifer MacDonald 4/03/2019 7:52 PM

People are exposed to smoke and other carcinogens when cooking over an open fire, leading to asthma or worse. These people also do not have the income to treat the sickness, and whatever income they do have is affected by lower productivity and shorter life spans.

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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?

Jennifer MacDonald 4/03/2019 7:49 PM

Our health and pocketbooks!

Less money is spent on wasted food, and our waistlines shrink from not consuming more food than we need.

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?

Jennifer MacDonald 4/03/2019 7:48 PM

My uneducated opinion is that it's a cultural thing. In the US, we admire the Hollywood cowboy eating steak and eggs for breakfast every morning, even though that's probably not what they really ate.

Essentially, I think meat became a status symbol and the ranching and meat industry are propagating a myth for their profits, at the cost to our environment and health.

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