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April 3 - April 24, 2019
Sarah Partain's avatar

Sarah Partain

Virginia Mason IPACTeam

"Personal happiness is my choice"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 403 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    10
    lightbulbs
    replaced
  • UP TO
    480
    miles
    not traveled by car
  • UP TO
    480
    miles
    traveled by bus
  • UP TO
    135
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    156
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved

Sarah's 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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 10 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Public Transit

#37 Mass Transit

I will use public transit 40 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 12.99 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 18
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 17
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?


  • Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/22/2019 10:01 AM
    Hope everyone is having a Happy Earth Day!
  • 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?

    Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/18/2019 11:05 AM
    Walking in Seattle as a means to get from work to the bus is a necessity. Some of the hills are very steep and the sidewalks have no grip (smooth or become slick in the rain). Better shoes for this area is the most feasible solution because improving the sidewalks is costly venture. However, taking advantage of walking trails in and around the area (Green Lake, for example) offers and opportunity for walking, people-watching, and enjoying the beauty of the city.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings and Cities Choose LED Bulbs
    Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?

    Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/18/2019 11:01 AM
    I have an older home with wall heaters. Not sure about replacing/upgrading these for more efficient heating options.

  • Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/08/2019 10:46 AM
    Can I tell you that riding the articulated bus is difficult for me? The seats recline too far and my knees hit the seat/partition in fron of me. When I choose to sit sideways, I get motion sick. No-win situation this morning. :-(
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transport Use Public Transit
    How has your access to various kinds of transporation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?

    Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/08/2019 10:41 AM
    As a younger person I used public transportation because I did not have access to a private vehicle. Now I use public transportation because I don't want the hassles of driving in rush hour traffic. It takes just as long to get to and from work on the bus, but I arrive happier.

  • Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/08/2019 10:35 AM
    Brining leftovers for lunch is a good way to make sure I'm not wasting food and that I'm saving money as well.
  • 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?

    Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/08/2019 10:31 AM
    I could go to a professional conference
  • 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?

    Sarah Partain's avatar
    Sarah Partain 4/03/2019 9:11 AM
    weight loss, diabetes management