Carrie Bero

Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
420 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

36

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

192

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

192

miles

traveled by carpool
UP TO

10

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

83

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Carrie's actions

Transport

Try Carpooling

#75 Ridesharing

I will commute by carpool 32 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 13.81 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Go Paperless

#70 Recycled Paper

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 3 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 12
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 0
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
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?

Carrie Bero 4/23/2019 8:28 AM

It was really helpful to gain clarity on the differences between use by, sell by, and best by dates. In the past, I have often taken a "better safe than sorry" approach with whether to eat food nearing expiration or to toss it. Now that I better understand these different categories, I can make an informed decision and cut down on my food waste. It was especially helpful learning about how long it is safe to eat eggs for. I find eggs to be a tricky food item for me and an area of food waste I'd like to cut down on.

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Carrie Bero 4/12/2019 1:03 PM

I'm excited about my increase in carpooling! I am eager to get my compost going. I tried to start one last fall but didn't have enough green matter. I'm hopeful that with the arrival of spring, I'll have better luck. Another thing I'd really like to work on is the daily food waste journal - I see this as a opportunity for improvement in my own habits.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

Your utility company is able to tell you your average energy usage. Ask them how your energy usage compares to others in your zipcode, and in your state. What steps can you take each day to reduce your electricity usage?

Carrie Bero 4/12/2019 12:57 PM

I have a nest thermostat in my home so I get a monthly update on how my energy use compares to other nest users in my area. I can reduce my energy usage by setting the thermostat at an energy efficient temperature. I do adjust the thermostat during the day and on weekends when we are out of town to use less energy.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Try Carpooling

List some of the places you frequent often (work, grocery store, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?

Carrie Bero 4/08/2019 1:07 PM

Work! I have started participating in our company van pool. My goal is to participate 3x a week. I will also cut down on driving by working from home once a week.

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