EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Annette Olson

Climate steps

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
432 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

180

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

30

minutes

spent learning

Annette's actions

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

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Choose Recycled Paper

#70 Recycled Paper

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

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.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Upgrade My Windows

#31 Insulation

I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.

UNCOMPLETED
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 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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?

Annette Olson 4/26/2019 11:25 AM

The daily input was difficult for me because I travel so much for work. But the actions were always on my mind, and I liked the one-time challenges. In the end, I didn't do as well as I hoped, but it still was inspiring.

Read More
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?

Annette Olson 4/24/2019 10:09 AM

Carbon is the big decider now. Money and time of course, but lately it has also been the ability to move around physically, and really work while traveling. I have rheumatoid arthritis, but planes are becoming so cramped. Trains are still roomy, and allow more easily for walking. They are also less noisy.

However, I also just read that passengers of diesel trains (in Germany, I think, from 1980s train engines) are exposed to large amounts of pollution, especially the closer you get to the head of the train. That is a bit worrisome, as I usually travel by train south of Washington DC, where only diesel trains run. Still will go train-ing. (as per this article I wrote: https://climatesteps.org/2017/11/13/train-ing-ourselves/)

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Upgrade My Windows

How does improving your home's energy efficiency help you better live out your values?

Annette Olson 4/24/2019 10:04 AM

I have been planning to get storm windows for at least six windows in my house. I am hoping I still have time today to do it. But this challenge has helped provide the impetus.

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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?

Annette Olson 4/24/2019 5:41 AM

As I compost, I kept track of this by mostly noting how much compost I had created and what types. Because of this question - I mostly finished all my meals, and scraps were things more like orange peels. For which I was happy.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Online Energy Audit

What are your next steps for saving energy?

Annette Olson 4/24/2019 5:27 AM

I had not realized that smart thermostats were really smart, I kept thinking that people were referring to smart thermostats as programmable thermostats connected to the internet so you could control it remotely. But they apparently do adjustments to temperature based on patterns learned. That's wonderful. I'm not ready yet for it, but good to know.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Explore Other Food Solutions

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

Annette Olson 4/20/2019 1:46 AM

That biochar is environmentally friendly. I had made assumptions that it was like charcoal, only to find out that it really sequesters carbon.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Choose Recycled Paper

Good job on choosing recycled paper! How can you take your action a step further?

Annette Olson 4/10/2019 12:37 PM

I always choose recycled paper - and have saved up a lot. However, at work, I need to use more of that saved paper in the printer, and just learn to adapt more and more to screen reading.

Read More
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?

Annette Olson 4/10/2019 12:36 PM

Weight loss, certainly. Which I need. Less washing of dishes, so less water use, hot water use.

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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?

Annette Olson 4/10/2019 12:35 PM

Less smell of marijuana! And less trash.

Read More
Annette Olson 3/29/2019 6:47 AM

I learned about this EcoChallenge through a link posted in my own climate change FB group Climate Steps, which I started two years ago along with a paired website that compiles actions. Thus, I am not only interested in taking the challenge itself with my Climate Steps teammates (it was so cool when they decided they wanted to do this, instead of me suggesting it), but in learning more about some of the actions. I also am helping build an app called Earth Hero that will present climate actions, with carbon impacts as the underlying data. It is great to have multiple avenues to learn about and pursue actions, and am excited to participate!

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