EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Dylan Canady

Lucky's Market

"Go green, stay gold."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,632 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

65

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

108

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

45

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

3.0

public officials or leaders

contacted

Dylan's actions

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

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 10 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 10 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

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

Forest-Friendly Foods 2

#5 Tropical Forests

I will replace or remove the palm oil, coffee, and cocoa products in my current diet that are known to contribute to deforestation.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

#8 Solar Farms

I will use my spending power to reward companies leading in purchasing green energy and incentivize others to invest more in green energy.

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

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

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

Land Use

Choose Better Wood Products

#38 Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Social Justice

Advocate for Forest Protection

#38 Forest Protection

I will contact 3 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws.

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

Fix Leaky Faucets

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Choose Recycled Paper

#70 Recycled Paper

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

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 15
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?

Dylan Canady 4/24/2019 4:01 AM
Last day of the challenge, awesome job Lucky's Market! Every day is Earth Day, so keep it going!

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Dylan Canady 4/22/2019 4:18 PM
My last post may come across fairly negative, so I wish to clarify; let's try to shift the concept of Earth Day toward being a celebration of the efforts we have made in the time since the previous Earth Day. Let's do our "good deeds" all the time, so that next Earth Day, we can look back with pride, and look forward with hope.

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Dylan Canady 4/22/2019 4:12 PM
Something important to remember on a day like today; just as one day a year can be huge given enough people trying to make a difference, so too can the other 364 days of indifference. Earth Day is a great celebration of our incredible home and the progress we've made toward protecting it from ourselves, but in reality, every day is Earth Day.

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Dylan Canady 4/18/2019 4:33 PM
Forgot to check in for my daily challenges yesterday, it's easy to lose track of things. But we're still doing pretty well as a team, keep it up!

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- K T 4/19/2019 7:15 AM
  Don't forget you can always go back a couple of days to check off your Actions if you forgot the day of!
  
  Read More
Dylan Canady 4/14/2019 6:42 PM
Living in Florida, sustainable, renewable energy is about more than pollution reduction, it's also about Hurricane-preparedness! Hurricane Irma left me with no power for a week, but she cleared up the skies in her wake and we had nothing but sunshine after the storm. With solar power, I could have had at least my refrigerator running, even if I didn't have enough power to run A/C or other high-energy systems. This also would have reduced food waste, since I could have kept all my perishables!

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Dylan Canady 4/11/2019 2:23 PM
Brick Street Farms is a hydroponic farm right in the heart of St Petersburg, FL. They produce fresh, sustainable fruit and vegetables year-round, and carry other organic products in their market. The hours are a little wonky, but if you can make it, I recommend checking it out! Link to website: http://www.brickstreetfarms.com/when-where#mission-statement

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

In your opinion, what contributes to people in North America eating more meat than any other countries? What does this say about North American values and ways of living?
Dylan Canady 4/10/2019 5:59 PM
The culture in the united states is largely focused on having bountiful amounts of anything and everything that one may need. Historically, meat has been a luxury afforded only by the wealthy and eaten by average citizens only ocassionally. Those who ate meat with any frequency usually did so as a result of special efforts - hunting, trapping, etc. As industrial farming, refrigeration, and transportation have all advanced, the cost of meat has decreased enormously, and very few, if any, US citizens have to hunt or trap for their food. This has all turned a luxury into a staple, and our air, soil, and water are paying for it. Everyone wants to live like nobility in a society where it is no longer relevant.

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Dylan Canady 4/09/2019 6:01 PM
I don't want this to sound like a paid advertisement, but I just ordered a roll of parchment paper (for baking) from Brandless. They're a relatively new company that sells a variety of products with no major brand names or flashy packaging. The parchment paper is FSC certified, and their toilet paper is tree-free, made from bamboo. Jury's still out on how soft it is, though!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What are other easy and low-cost ways to reduce your water usage at home?
Dylan Canady 4/08/2019 7:59 AM
The simplest answer is reducing water usage; avoiding unnecessarily long showers, not letting faucets run needlessly, etc. Beyond that, low flow appliances and attachments can all help, with varying levels of affordability. One trick I use at home is keeping a bucket under the faucet in my shower. As I let the water hear up before getting in, the bucket collects the water that would otherwise be wasted, which can then be used for watering houseplants, washing my work hat, and anything else that may come up.

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Dylan Canady 4/07/2019 3:01 PM
So close! Come on Lucky's!

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