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April 3 - April 24, 2019
Ashley E's avatar

Ashley E

Bardians and Our Community

"do what you can! "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 849 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    13
    conversations
    with people
  • UP TO
    1.0
    documentary
    watched
  • UP TO
    26
    miles
    traveled by bike
  • UP TO
    65
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    80
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    30
    pounds of CO2
    have been saved

Ashley's actions

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 5 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

Buildings and Cities

Go by Bike

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will commute by bike 2 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 2.27 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 13
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

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 25 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

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 5 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions

All Buildings and Cities Solutions

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Buildings and Cities Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Learn about the Need for Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning more about the need for family planning globally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 5 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Buy Bamboo

#35 Bamboo

When they are available, I will purchase products made from bamboo instead of wood, plastic, or metal.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will research and tell 1 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 5 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 13
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 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Start a Social Media Campaign

#6 Educating Girls

Through social media, I will raise awareness about gender inequity in education by sharing the information found in the links below.

COMPLETED 8
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?


  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/23/2019 7:30 AM
    The Drawdown Ecochallenge is coming to a close, but this does not mean that our efforts to help combat climate change must end! I was talking about this with a friend the other day - not only has the challenge informed us of new ways that we can help the environment, it also has made it a routine that does not have to end simply because the competition has! We must continue our work and inspire others to follow in our footsteps. 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/22/2019 7:39 AM
    My grandmother wanted me to let everyone know that the new series on Netflix, Our Planet, is phenomenal work. It presents the natural world in a beautiful light, and discusses some key environmental issues. 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/19/2019 9:53 AM
    https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/06/plastic-planet-solutions-waste-pollution/ check out these proposals by National Geographic about how to mitigate your impact where plastic containers come into play - plastics are a fossil fuel product! Switch to reusables comprised of more sustainable materials! 

    • Laurie Husted's avatar
      Laurie Husted 4/21/2019 2:04 PM
      Loved reading that the Danes average plastic bag usage is only four per year! They first banned them in the 90s. How great that Americans are starting to catch on. 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/18/2019 8:49 AM
    Less than a week left of the challenge! 
  • 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!

    Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/17/2019 8:55 AM
    The idea of burning biomass for energy is really interesting since it is a loop: "Grow plants and sequester carbon. Process and burn biomass. Emit carbon. Repeat. It produces net zero new emissions, so long as use and replenishment remain in balance." What a great bridge solution to renewable energy, although I worry about deforestation and logging and the net impacts this has on Earth's albedo and heating. 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/16/2019 8:50 AM
    6 days left of the Drawdown EcoChallenge!

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/15/2019 9:58 AM
    I love the idea of creating more "walkable" cities, like efforts in Aspen, Colorado, but I have noticed that even if cities are walkable, some people are just not willing to put in the time and effort it takes. I live on the Bard College Campus in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, on which there are multiple dining options, recreational areas, and academic buildings that are quite spaced out. Individuals that have a car on campus decide to utilize that mode of transportation rather than the Campus Connect shuttle or walking, because it saves time and energy, limited resources for many college students. How can I encourage my peers to shift their preferred modes of transit if they are worried about wasting time on viable alternatives, which is totally justifiable? 

    • Laurie Husted's avatar
      Laurie Husted 4/16/2019 8:40 AM
      Maybe this - walking will make them healthier and they’ll be able to think better! 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/15/2019 9:54 AM
    It is so surprising that transportation not only releases "...7 gigatons of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions annually, or 23 percent of energy-related emissions, which is around 14 percent of all emissions..." but also has social implications. Some people have the financial resources to drive to work while others have to rely on public transit options, limiting the jobs and activities they have access to. Transportation is also an interesting phenomenon from the perspective of environmental justice; individual car drivers pollute the air that everyone else breathes merely because they can afford to transport themselves by whatever means they choose. 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/12/2019 11:11 AM
    Check out my instagram page, @ecobardian, to see some information about Women and Girls education in my story, or check out my posts about being more sustainable on a college campus! Together we can make positive change. 

  • Ashley E's avatar
    Ashley E 4/12/2019 10:58 AM
    It's really interesting to have conversations with my peers about Drawdown. Many are interested to hear what actions have such large impacts, especially considering all of the small things that they do-like quick showers and keeping unnecessary lights off-that are not found to have as significant an influence. I let them know that these actions are still commendable, but perhaps adding on a few Drawdown goals to their efforts would have a greater influence!