EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Lauren Miceli

FGCU Climate Change Heroes

"Now go do something good. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,333 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

3.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

285

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

20

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

405

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

345

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

14

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill

Lauren'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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

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

Transport

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

#66 High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 25 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 3 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

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

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

I will spend 10 minutes each day researching women-owned businesses I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 45 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will donate to The Nature Conservancy, which works with Indigenous Peoples to secure land tenure and resource rights, support improved governance and local institutions, assist in natural resource mapping, planning and management; and strengthen livelihoods and sustainable economic development.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

#47 Bioplastic

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Buildings and Cities

Online Energy Audit

Multiple Solutions

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

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 Biomass

#34 Biomass

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 20
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 25 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?

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 Miceli 4/24/2019 6:38 PM

I had never heard of the term "silvopasture" before, and it was not what I thought it was going to be at all. I feel like the biggest advantage of silvopasture would be that this practice encourages farmers to plant more trees. More trees are always great for the environment, and it would benefit these farmers and the production of their livestock as well.

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 Miceli 4/24/2019 6:11 PM

When I first heard the phrase "family planning," I wasn't sure what it meant. Now it makes complete sense regarding climate change because more people on the planet means more greenhouse gases in the air. It's important for women to be able to access the information and resources that allow them to choose how, when and if they want to start a family. Not only can this reduce harmful gases in the atmosphere, but it can also create better futures for these women.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Go Paperless

What do you want to prioritize over material 'stuff' in your own life?

Lauren Miceli 4/23/2019 12:56 PM

I want to work on myself, like bettering my writing skills and planning for the future. I can easily get caught up in the desire to constantly own new things, but I'm trying to stop buying products I don't need. It's a bit harder done than said. Hopefully I will be able to focus more on the things that really matter, such as my potential career and relationships.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Online Energy Audit

What are your next steps for saving energy?

Lauren Miceli 4/17/2019 1:33 PM

My house is fairly old, so a big energy issue is with the insulation. I'm not sure if my family would want to invest in changing out the insulation. Also, our windows could be replaced to save energy as well. These, however, aren't exactly things I myself can change, so it's a bit harder to implement any of the suggestions from the energy audit.

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!

Lauren Miceli 4/05/2019 8:08 PM

I had heard about biomass technology before, but I wasn't sure what it meant. I had no idea this way of obtaining energy was considered a carbon-neutral method. At first, I thought it would be labelled a regrets solution since waste is turned into energy. However, as long as organic waste, like dead trees, is being used to create the energy, the environment doesn't have to be affected negatively.

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?

Lauren Miceli 4/05/2019 1:56 PM

Florida isn't exactly the first place people think of when it comes to the utilization of wind turbines. While researching micro turbines, I found an article that talked about Florida's usage of wind turbines in general. I don't think micro turbines would be the best for Florida residents, especially not in Cape Coral. There doesn't seem to be enough wind here or in any other Florida city. Taller, regular-sized wind turbines could help the state tap into a more consistent wind source, but, including the blades, they would need to be almost 700 feet tall.

Read More
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?

Lauren Miceli 4/03/2019 9:09 PM

When I was younger, I used to be afraid to eat anything after the sell by date. I didn't understand what it meant, but now that I'm older, I was able to find out on my own. Also, I didn't even know there was a use by option. I thought it was only sell by and best by. Now that my family is going through a hard time financially, knowing this type of information is helpful when it comes to deciding which foods can be kept and which should be thrown away.

Read More