EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Beth Anderson

Seattle Colleges Siegal #2

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
861 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

66

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

30

miles

traveled by bus
UP TO

36

miles

traveled by carpool
UP TO

30

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

230

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

21

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted
UP TO

2.0

trees

planted

Beth's actions

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#54 Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Conduct Virtual Meetings

#63 Telepresence

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
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

Action Track: Social Justice

Improve a Bus Stop

#37 Mass Transit

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or implementing some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Public Transit

#37 Mass Transit

I will use public transit 6 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 1.15 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Advocate for Solar Installation

#10 Rooftop Solar

I will create a plan to and advocate for solar installation at my business, apartment building, or campus.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Local Perennial Biomass

#51 Perennial Biomass

I will spend at least 15 minutes finding out if anyone is working on perennial biomass projects in my region and how I can get involved.

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

Buildings and Cities

Research Heat Pumps

#42 Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Plant Trees

#15 Afforestation

I will plant 2 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Try Carpooling

#75 Ridesharing

I will commute by carpool 6 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 2.59 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

I will spend 15 minutes each day researching women-owned businesses I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED 4
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?

REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Advocate for Solar Installation

How does advocating for rooftop solar connect to your values? How might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the shift to clean energy?

Beth Anderson 4/23/2019 2:40 PM

Rooftop solar connects to my values because I care about minimizing my carbon footprint and solar energy is a great way to do that. I think the best way I can get others involved is to install solar myself and share my experiences - the more it's normalized, the easier it will be for other people to move to renewable energy, whether it's solar, wind, or any of the other types of renewable energy that can be used at home and beyond.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Micro Wind

Micro turbines can be placed on large structures to take advantage of stronger, steadier breezes. The Eiffel Tower now sports vertical axis turbines that produce electricity for use on site. Where could micro turbines potentially be installed in your city?

Beth Anderson 4/23/2019 2:32 PM

I would think we could totally put a micro turbine on the Space Needle :-) So much for the Wheedle on the Needle, now it's the wind turbine on the Needle ;-)

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Social Justice Improve a Bus Stop

How can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?

Beth Anderson 4/23/2019 2:19 PM

The best way I can advocate for transit systems that are environmentally friendly is by making use of them and sharing my experiences. I've found that the biggest hurdle for people when it comes to transit is just getting through their first attempt, so I do what I can to remove barriers - if I'm at a bus or light rail stop and someone looks confused, I'll offer to help because I know the system well; if a friend moves to the city, I buy them a transit pass as a welcome to the city and talk to them about using it - it's only $5 here in Seattle, but it's an easy way to get more people comfortable with the system. I also make a point to ride transit with my kids - I have since they were toddlers, because if you've grown up riding transit, it's a lot less scary!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Express My Support

How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?

Beth Anderson 4/22/2019 9:58 AM

Walking is the most accessible way to get around - you don't need money, gas, or a license to take advantage of pedestrian pathways :-) Because of that, having an excellent pedestrian network is at the core of having an accessible, equitable system of transportation. It helps ensure that people of all ages, races, socioeconomic levels and abilities can access what the city has to offer, and is particularly useful to those with disabilities who are limited in their ability to drive to other areas of the city. Sure, you can use the bus system or other public transit, but without good sidewalks, how do you get to the bus? Making sure we have better walking infrastructure is critical to ensuring that our city is equitable. Beyond that, being outdoors provides scientifically proven health benefits, as does walking, as a low-impact form of exercise. So, advocating for better pathways and greenways is one of the most important things we can do for our cities :-)

Read More
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?

Beth Anderson 4/22/2019 9:46 AM

This energy resource is really interesting, but in digging deeper, it seems like it's really encountered a lot of difficulty in the real world. Several of the companies mentioned have gone under, as have some of the technologies used (like the AquaBuoy). It seems like the 2008 recession had a big effect on the ability of various companies to do the necessary R&D, and I'm not sure they've actually recovered yet. I find the concept so compelling that I wound up spending more time than I said I would looking up information about wave and tidal energy, since I'm one of the many folks who live on one of the two U.S. coasts, but I'm really bummed that there hasn't been more opportunity to study and develop this potentially huge energy source!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!

Beth Anderson 4/22/2019 9:23 AM

I hadn't heard of biomass technology before - of course, I was aware of the fact that you can use natural materials to burn for heat - but the concept of using forest waste products to create efficient heat generation is really interesting. I worked in northern New Mexico at a camp for a few summers that had one forest fire while I was there, and another last summer that was fairly devestating. Having seen some of the mess that timber harvesting companies left behind, I have to wonder if they might consider installing a biomass system at their home base in order to encourage their logging contractors to clean the forest floor up in ways that are more efficient and leave them less at risk for forest fires in the future, while also providing energy to some of their infrastructure. I'm glad I learned about it! :-)

Read More
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?

Beth Anderson 4/17/2019 9:28 AM

Growing up in a Midwestern small town, we didn't have a ton of public transit, but from middle school onward, it was what we used to get to and from school (thanks C-U MTD!). Learning how to use public transit as a middle schooler helped make it so that there wasn't quite as much of a learning curve to get to when I moved to a much larger city with much better public transit options - and one where I really needed to use public transit because driving and parking in the downtown core was super difficult. We are fortunate that Seattle - and the Puget Sound region - are working so hard to improve access to public transit, and there's always more things we could do, but I feel super fortunate that using the bus as a kid enabled me to be successful in navigating city life as an adult.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Plant Trees

How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?

Beth Anderson 4/10/2019 1:45 PM

I enjoyed planting my trees because they helped me be outside, which is great for my mental health, and because I planted them in memory of some community members who passed away unexpectedly, which is good for my mental and spiritual health. The exercise wasn't a bad thing either, although discovering a *VERY LARGE* spider in one of the pots was perhaps not entirely great for my mental, physical and spiritual health ;-)

Read More