April 3 - April 24, 2019

robert morgan

"We practice sustainability. By sustainable my family means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. We acknowledge nature's limits—boundaries that can't be exceeded without damaging the health of natural ecosystems upon which all life depends. We work to reduce our community's dependency on auto travel by making it safe and convenient to get around without a private automobile. To achieve this, we advocate for public transit and safe bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure rather than projects that increase auto capacity. Our family supports: Land use decisions that encourage compact development rather than sprawl to improve people's access to their jobs, school, shopping, recreation, and social life. Measures to protect and increase the supply of affordable housing near jobs to reduce demand for motorized transportation and encourage stable and healthy communities. Good transit and active transportation infrastructure to enable households to be car-free or car-light, making our community more affordable and reducing our carbon footprint. Making streets and pathways safe for pedestrians and bicyclists to get to zero serious pedestrian and bicycle injuries and foster more daily exercise. Living a more sustainable lifestyle every day."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
274 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

90

minutes

spent learning

robert's actions

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

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

Land Use

Choose Better Wood Products

#38 Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

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

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

Land Use

Research Peatlands

#13 Peatlands

I will spend 15 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
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
Electricity Generation Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

What is the most exciting solution you explored? Why is it exciting to you?

robert morgan 4/16/2019 9:24 PM

Huge wind farms on the ocean. Denmark has pioneered this concept and it seems like wind turbines set up far out on our coasts could supply vast amounts of electricity and not make much of an impact on the environment. I also like the idea of water flowing downhill from a reservoir, engaging a turbine and then being pumped back up to the reservoir using PV generated electricity to be used again the next day to flow down into hydro generators -- a system loop.

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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?

robert morgan 4/16/2019 9:14 PM

Today I noticed that cross walks had flashing yellow lights and beeped as I crossed the street. On main street in soquel new sidewalks enabled me to walk without dodging cars. I also noted green swaths of sparkly bike paint clearly marked the bike lane. What I missed was bike lanes separated by curbs and planters to make it more safe to ride on streets with cars.

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- robert morgan 4/16/2019 9:16 PM
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

robert morgan 4/16/2019 7:19 AM

The Bullitt Center in Seattle is an awesome hyper-eco building designed using the principals detailed in Living Challenge of Biomimicy--thijngs like scores for walkability, water catchment, geothermal heating, PV, recycle, bioswale--all seen as a system. Window are remotely controlled and run through a computer system. 1/4 tablespoon of water is used in toilets that utilize a biodegradable foam to whisk solids into an aerobic decomposition of waste solids in the basement--all carried down by gravity. In fact, even the staircase visibility has been planned. The elevator (with regenerative braking) is in the rear of the lobby behind double doors, while the glass-encased staircase is seen from the street and is just inside the front entrance, beckoning walkers to climb the five flights to the top and burn calories and get the heart pumping. bulli
http://www.bullittcenter.org/building/building-features/

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Buy Bamboo

Are bamboo alternatives readily available in your community? If not, what are other sustainable alternatives?

robert morgan 4/15/2019 9:20 PM

Bamboo is a startling plant. It is versatile in its and easy to grow--in fact it's like a weed and can grow in many different climes. It's versatility provides us with products such as furniture, linens, beauty products, food packaging, bicycles and even toothbrushes. I use an electric toothbrush, so I'd like to be able to fit a bamboo electric toothbrush head onto it! The furniture can be stunning--just look at the many examples found in south east asia and Japan. Beautiful, long lasting and eco friendly. I have a friend who put bamboo flooring into his home.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Research Peatlands

Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?

robert morgan 4/15/2019 9:09 PM

Peatlands while making up less than 3% of land surface hold over 40% of all carbon l sequestered in soil--even more than all our forested lands. For this reason they need to be reclaimed, managed and preserved. Drawdown lists preservation and relaxation of peatlands as 13th most important technique to slow climate change.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? Were you surprised by the information you found?

robert morgan 4/14/2019 12:40 AM

Various types of equipment can harvest energy from wave action; waves are driven by the wind which are field by the sun--this is an everlasting energy source that runs 24/7;
water is much denser than air, so smaller equipment is required to produce the same electricity as wind turbines. Less developmental costs. Challenges remain--notably wear on the equipment; produces much less ghg in installation and equipment build than hydro dams.

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robert morgan 4/13/2019 3:43 AM

2015 Climate Reality Project in Miami with Al Gore, where we got woked.

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robert morgan 4/13/2019 3:23 AM

I'm a returning student to college and was a former elementary principal and high school teacher and am now retired. I've got two great boys--17 and 14--and my wife and I've been married 20 years. I'm active in local transportation and land use development issues and advocate for more sustainable, less auto-centric policies. In 2015 my family attended a Climate Reality Training headed by Al Gore and are active in climate change and environmental issues. We decided as a family to become non meat eaters and substantially reduced our dairy consumption. We've made home energy improvements--PV, H20 catchment system 5,000 gallons, energy savings-LED, basement and attic envelop sealing and conditioning, induction stove. Our experience with the Climate Reality Project and further education in climate science and deepened our understanding of sustainability and climate change, and motivated us to not only change our lives, but become active in many environmental issues.

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