EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Meg Schultz

Starbucks

"To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,298 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

5.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

19

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

270

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

21

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill

Meg's actions

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Research Peatlands

#13 Peatlands

I will spend 20 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

#66 High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

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

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

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 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Support Nutrient Management

#65 Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

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 19
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 5 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 15 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

Action Track: Social Justice

Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by attending a training, workshop, or presentation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Test Drive an Electric Bike

#69 Electric Bikes

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

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?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 3:16 PM

During this Ecochallenge I've learned some really interesting stuff! Although I already knew a lot about general/hands-on conservation, it was interesting to learn about more specific things that I wasn't necessarily familiar with such as the impact of cement and refrigerant materials on our carbon footprint. I found the challenges in regards to food particularly beneficial because unlike many of the other challenges--which were often done at home with bunch of tabs open in a web browser doing research--they were considered in the moment... "okay, at least one meal today is vegetarian, what do I want to try today" and that thought process impacted my whole mindset, reminding me of the whole point of this: that even little things that we do every day really do make a difference.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Learn about Temperate Forests

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 2:59 PM

Focusing on the parts that make me feel hopeful: both of my parents are biologists with focus in wildlife and environmental conservation, so I grew up in a world of study and practice in saving our planet. While I face the same challenges as everyone else of navigating a world fueled by non-renewable resources and single-use plastics/materials, I see a lot of hope for our future in the number of people who want to make a difference. On top of ordinary people who want to do as much as they can in their day-to-day, there people like my parents ready to go further. While attending college online, I took an introductory course with about a hundred other students. Of those students, at least twenty of them were majoring in the same degrees and/or fields as my parents. To see so many people out of just a hundred students who are going to commit their professional lives to saving our planet is one of the most hopeful things I can think of.

Read More
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?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 2:46 PM

"Unlike rainforests or coral reefs, peatlands have largely been ignored by researchers and policymakers, to the extent that we don’t even know where all of the world’s peatlands are." This quote, from a 2017 article by Jeremy Hance from The Guardian, is the exact point that provides our best chance to save peatlands regardless of where you are: approach policymakers and researchers.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls Support Women-Owned Businesses

Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. How can you better support communities by supporting women? Can you share any past experiences that may help others take action?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:57 AM

In my area, many locally-owned stores are pretty expensive and sell items that I don't really need (bags, fancy clothes, and decorative stuff). When it's not necessarily possible to invest in women financially, I think it's just as supportive (and necessary!) to invest in women with our time by doing things such volunteering at women's shelters and support networks.

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?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:49 AM

The biggest factor in my life currently is the distance from my home to work and the time it would take to get there. For me, the only alternative (aside from changing where I live or work, of course) would be if public transit was added to my local community. While my surrounding towns aren't quite large enough for it, I think in the (hopefully-not-so-distant) future when every city is connected by bullet train or electric bus, I would definitely take a alternative transportation method!

Read More
Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:36 AM

Despite these daily tasks being so simple, they are so important because in addition to what each challenge is impacting directly, taking them into consideration changes my overall awareness of my impact every day.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Explore Other Transport Solutions

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

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:33 AM

What I found most interesting are high-speed railways. While the United States currently does not have any, Japan recently instituted one to connect Tokyo with smaller regions and it has been quite successful. I am excited to see the future of these bullet trains in America!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Use Muscle Power

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:29 AM

While visiting larger cities that have a public transportation system, I find myself much more invested in the community when I can use those methods of transportation to get where I need to go, rather than be stressed in traffic. At home, biking around for fun is just that--fun--and I think if I could do that as my main method of getting from one place to another, I would have a much more enjoyable day.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Test Drive an Electric Bike

Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Private vehicles account for 60% of trips of a mile or less. Do you often drive short distances instead of biking or walking? If so, how might incorporating an electric bike into your lifestyle help you make more climate-friendly choices?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:26 AM

Unfortunately I live too far away for biking or walking to be an option for me, but many of my friends are attending college and live near campus, so I am working with them to find an alternative in their lives to driving or taking the bus.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?

Meg Schultz 4/24/2019 10:24 AM

By trying to make what changes I can in my own life (such as recycling, driving a hybrid car, etc) and reminding the people around me to try to make those changes too.

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