EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Valerie Percy

Chambers Elementary

"It's not just climate change - it's everything change. - Margaret Atwood"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,137 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

36

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

240

minutes

spent learning

Valerie's actions

Buildings and Cities

Research Retrofitting Incentives

#80 Retrofitting

I will spend at least 20 minutes finding out if my city, region, or state offers incentives for retrofitting existing buildings.

COMPLETED
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 60 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

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 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Communicate With My Elected Officials

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore)

I will write or call 3 elected official(s) telling them not to support fossil fuel subsidies and instead support wind energy generation.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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?

Valerie Percy 4/24/2019 7:40 PM

So here is day 22! I have so enjoyed this journey - I've learned more about climate solutions, and we've opened a few doors at our little elementary school to continue this work! Many thanks to the good people at Ecochallenge.org!! And many thanks to the Chambers Ecochallenge team <3

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

Valerie Percy 4/24/2019 7:36 PM

My vision of a sustainable community includes a lot less 'screen time', more time spent working and playing together, less time indoors, more time outdoors. In a sustainable community, we are more supportive of each other, we know each other just a little better. This way, we will build the connections and the political will needed to make all the changes we need to make in our energy sources, our transportation means, our land use, our diet, and our waste management. This is much easier to write than to make real.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Forest-Friendly Foods 1

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?

Valerie Percy 4/23/2019 7:22 PM

My diet impacts deforestation because I consume these top four contributing foods: palm oil, coffee, chocolate, and meat/dairy/eggs (soy crops grown for animal feed). I have learned that looking for the little green 'Rainforest Alliance Certification' frog on the chocolate and coffee labels helps reduce this impact. Palm oil can be avoided by avoiding most processed foods (the stuff that's not great for us anyway). And reducing meat/dairy/eggs - well, the process is underway! There are more foods and recipes available all the time that support the switch to a plant-based diet.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Research Retrofitting Incentives

How can you share what you have learned in your research with others?

Valerie Percy 4/23/2019 10:44 AM

Researching sources of financial help for retrofitting was not too fruitful in this 20 minutes! So far, in our area, I have found that Central Hudson helps out with financing and rebates of $600-$1000 depending on certain qualifications. But they are working to help you stay with their services (electric and natural gas). There looks to be some nice programs for lower income homeowners and renters through RUPCO. Keeping an eye out for other incentives....

Read More
Valerie Percy 4/22/2019 9:13 AM

CNN has posted a Drawdown Solutions quiz - check it out - how much do I know about the top 100 solutions to climate change? https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/04/specials/climate-change-solutions-quiz/?fbclid=IwAR2omZyrweSKKVVYHK7Cj5t5VM1CuTnD2mCGy_hN7Sbct1_Rrc6a75eGjN4

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?

Valerie Percy 4/21/2019 4:58 PM

Knowing more about best by, used by and expiry dates gives me more confidence in using those foods on or over the borderline. This article provides ideas & inspiration: http://stopwastingfoodmovement.org/food-waste/

Read More
Valerie Percy 4/19/2019 7:01 PM

My resolve on vegetarian eating has faltered on holiday feasting. Renewing resolve for tomorrow...

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!

Valerie Percy 4/18/2019 4:52 AM

Only 1% of financial aid given to low-income regions is devoted to family planning, apparently because of controversy. Yet studies have shown that many women in these regions want access to birth control. Studies also show that educated women have fewer, healthier children, are able to make more money, and are more likely to contribute to the health of their communities. Regions of Iran & India have implemented successful programs that offer family planning to low-income communities. This climate solution is also a big win for women, families & communities in these regions.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?

Valerie Percy 4/18/2019 4:38 AM

There are women who participate in local government, however most of those in leading roles are men. Parenting expectations likely play a role - women continue to bear the larger proportion of the 'mental load' of parenting, if not the larger share of the physical work too. Language in our minority populations seems to be a barrier to participation and access to resources for some women.

Read More
Valerie Percy 4/15/2019 6:45 PM

I stopped by Seed Song Farm today, and saw a familiar face - a Chambers student at their Spring Break Farm Camp. The good folks at Seed Song donated prizes to our school's Earth Month Challenge. It's so great to have their support. Looks like we'll be getting to know them a little better this summer, as we signed up for a CSA, including 14 work hours. Has anyone on the team ever joined a CSA in the area? Or have a vegetable garden at home?

Read More
- Sarah Gruber 4/15/2019 7:01 PM
  
  That's great, Val! Yes! I used to belong to a CSA in New Paltz. We'll be looking into a share at Seed Song! My sister owns/runs a 400+ member organic vegetable CSA in Hadley, Mass (Northampton/Amherst area)...just visited the farm this past weekend. We do grow some veggies here...lots of weeds too. :)
  
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