EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Bill Berger

CYAGHG

"Inspire love and respect for our one home which leads to action"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,147 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

245

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

20

conversations

with people

Bill's actions

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 20 friends, family and/or colleagues.

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

Electricity Generation

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore), #8 Solar Farms

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
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.

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

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Participant Feed

Bill Berger 4/24/2019 3:28 PM
To all the CYAGHG members who took the time to participate - thank you! It was helpful to have a few people to connect with on the actions. I hope you learned a few things, shared it with others, and maybe adjusted some behaviors of your own.

For me, the knowledge gained in this challenge has definitely been put to use. From learning how to properly dispose of bio-plastics to receiving the 'nudges' to make a couple life changes 1) no more beef and 2) getting an electric car. The latter is certainly more enjoyable but I'll adapt to the former. It hit me the other day that I can no longer get my wreck sammy from Potbelly. Oh well. The sacrifice is well worth it in my mind.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

Concrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but may its carbon footprint is not obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?
Bill Berger 4/19/2019 7:40 PM
Reflection: Concrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but may its carbon footprint is not obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?

What's more ubiquitous than concrete aside from combustion? Embodied CO2 I think is the term but there's no database I could easily find to see what the CO2 emissions of a kg of one material vs another. Intuitively, products that are highly refined and complex (like laptops) must be highly carbon intensive.

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Bill Berger 4/18/2019 7:38 AM
I enjoyed learning a bit about regenerative agriculture - lot of potential there to improve food quality and start to replenish the carbon in the soil that our current factory farming practices have largely robbed. There’s no current way for the consumer to procure products which adhere to these practices. I also see huge disruption in “big agg” who will not let their shareholders down so easily unless they are able to find a way to profit from this methodology of farming. Chatting with your farmers market and maybe your grocer is the limit of what I think I can do. Any other ideas?

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- Anita Roberts 4/19/2019 12:51 PM
  Thanks for sharing, Bill! I wonder if organic farmers follow these principles. Does buying organic at the supermarket support regenerative agriculture? I try to buy local and/or organic when possible, but just because I buy something that was grown locally it doesn't necessarily mean it was grown sustainably. Interesting to consider how QR codes might impact the food distribution game; like we could go into the store and scan peach and know where and how it was produced. I'm looking forward to the farmers markets in my area reopening next month and chatting with some local growers on these topics. I feel like I'm coming out of this challenge with more questions than I came in with, and that's good. It's spurring a lot of thought.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

What are your next steps for saving energy?
Bill Berger 4/12/2019 1:15 PM
Reflection: What are your next steps for saving energy?

Did the home energy audit from SnoPud - they recommend looking into a new water heater as the best way to improve my energy use. No budget for any more home improvement this year but will consider it next year. Learned they make heat-pump water heaters...will take a look keeping in mind what I now know about refrigerants.

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- Anita Roberts 4/19/2019 12:59 PM
  They recommended I replace my water heater, too, which is sort of funny because I just replaced it last year, but not with the type they recommended (heat pump), which costs about twice as much as a traditional tank water heater and I didn't have that in the budget at the time. I do have an aging electric heat pump that heats the house that I'll likely need to replace in the next few years. It's lasted well beyond it's normal life expectancy, perhaps in part because I only use it in the cold months and don't need it for AC since it doesn't get that hot here.
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What is the most exciting solution you explored? Why is it exciting to you?
Bill Berger 4/12/2019 1:00 PM
Reflection - What is the most exciting solution you explored? Why is it exciting to you?

Since I've been in the wind industry now for 12 years or so - I take a bit of pride in that on-shore wind is such a big player in the Drawdown forecast in what the energy mix will be in the future if we are to decarbonize the economy. Didn't spent too much time reading into this as much as I did about hydrogen-boron fusion being researched by TAE. This is exciting y'all. If you believe them, they intend on having this technology commercially ready by 2025. Targeted install cost is $0.08/kwh. Install cost is around $4300/kw capacity. They plan on having a 350-400 MW plant size.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2019/01/14/private-firm-will-bring-fusion-reactor-to-market-within-five-years-ceo-says/#1918d2651d4a

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Bill Berger 4/10/2019 4:54 PM
Regarding bioplastics - I wasn’t aware of the special treatment they required in our waste stream. Check out this link for what we’re supposed to be doing in Seattle. Shocker that the compostable plastic ware (forks, spoons, etc) belongs in the trash! Green washed products. Just don’t use plastic if you can avoid it - there are sustainable replacements for the silly throw away plastics we’ve grown up with. https://kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/solid-waste/garbage-recycling/whats-in-our-garbage/plastics/plastics-recycling-information.aspx

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- Kim Mortstock 4/10/2019 9:27 PM
  Thanks Bill. I wonder what all those non-compostable (?) bioplastic utensils are doing to our compost stream...?
  
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REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
Bill Berger 4/10/2019 4:49 PM
Many of us act as though we are not part of a larger living ecosystem in which all things are related and connected. I’m happy to be in a location which respects the environment but there are many places which do not. The lack of care or respect can be the result of many influences which our fellow earthlings have no control of. I’m thinking of those born in poverty or war - they of course do not worry about the same things I do - and rightfully so. Not sure where that concern goes in this other than addressing the drastic inequality in the world and reigning in this trend of nationalism / protectionism that we’re seeing.

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- Anita Roberts 4/11/2019 8:32 AM
  Well said, Bill!
  
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Bill Berger 4/08/2019 5:32 PM
Not much to do about managing refrigerants other than being aware of the risk and try to manage your waste responsibly when the time comes to retire your fridgerator and have units.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?
Bill Berger 4/08/2019 5:30 PM
Deep question but simple answer - I cope by increasing my knowledge, talking with others, and taking actions that mitigate the causes and effects of climate change. Every now and then I take breaks as it’s quite easy to get discouraged. Looking up at a star lit sky helps me keep perspective.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Bill Berger 4/08/2019 5:17 PM
I think of my grandparents on this one who lived through some times of scarcity and it’s evident today in their refrigerator. This has rubbed off on me I think.

My rule here is that the nose knows. Smells funky - it’s probably bad.

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