April 3 - April 24, 2019

Leigh Frick

"I strive to be a socially and environmentally responsible citizen. As part of my local and global community, I am conscious to embrace both creativity and diversity. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
806 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

2.0

donations

made
UP TO

4.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

20

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

220

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

55

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

2.0

people

helped

Leigh's actions

Transport

Test Drive an Electric Bike

#69 Electric Bikes

I will test drive an electric bike at a local distributor to see if it makes sense to use one in place of my car, or to extend the area I can cover by bike.

UNCOMPLETED
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

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

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

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 20 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 4 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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

Women and Girls

Help Girls Overcome Health Barriers

#6 Educating Girls

I will donate 2 Femme Kit(s) to help girls overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

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 10
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Recycle Everything I Can

#55 Household Recycling

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 10
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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
Transport Test Drive an Electric Bike

Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Private vehicles account for 60% of trips of a mile or less. Do you often drive short distances instead of biking or walking? If so, how might incorporating an electric bike into your lifestyle help you make more climate-friendly choices?

Leigh Frick 4/24/2019 6:12 PM

Because of the traffic, I drive my car short distances to any times in a week. I did not get to test drive an electric bike, but I did do research on costs and the positive effects of this type of transportation. My children have electric vespas but we dont get to use them often enough- again, due to traffic. I am hoping that this will become a reality for our family as we look to add an electric bike for me. That would allow us to travel together which makes it a much safer transportation option.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Forest-Friendly Foods 1

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?

Leigh Frick 4/24/2019 6:05 PM

I have barely had any meat during the ecochallenge and I plan on continuing making that a habit, only having it on special occasions. I knew it impacted the environment, but I had not done much research on exactly how it affected deforestation. I think my next step is to limit my dairy and egg intake. That will be harder for me, but learning about how much land is cleared for crops will stick with me. I have always been passionate about the impact of housing and business development on the land, but our eating habits has as much, or more, affect on deforestation.

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?

Leigh Frick 4/24/2019 5:58 PM

There are buildings in downtown Atlanta that could host micro turbines. They could find buildings that are conducive to wind paths so that turbines can more efficiently produce the needed wind speeds. I also think micro turbines could be placed near Lake Lanier since winds tend to pick up speeds near water. Because it's such a tourist location, they could be used to produce energy for the resorts and other entertainment venues.

Read More
Leigh Frick 4/24/2019 3:25 PM

I really am amazed at the awareness this challenge has raised in me about being environmentally responsible. I am thinking deeply about the decisions I make with my food, the community around me, and my own practices at home. The small shifts in thinking that I have made in the past 3 weeks- changing my diet to less meat, smaller portions, rethinking the materials I use in my home- have challenged me to not be complacent with my lifestyle. Taking time to research eco-friendly options for our community and world has already caused me to stop and think about materials I could replace or stop using. I certainly am now thinking about the food I eat and how it impacts the environment! I have truly enjoyed this experience.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Choose Better Wood Products

Beyond carbon sequestration, what other benefits do forests offer you personally?

Leigh Frick 4/23/2019 8:09 PM

Well, forest offer us many different goods such as wood and food. There are any different fruits alone that grow. In my area that benefit me personally. I struggle the amount of development in my area because that costs us many trees, plants, and bushes. The carbon dioxide from trees is so impactful to our health and the air quality. It not only impacts humans, but affects the wildlife, plant growth, and even quality of our water. I read that a single, leafy tree is estimated to produce a day's supply of oxygen for 2 to 10 people. That's amazing! Unfortunately, money talks and this drives the amount of development occurring in many cities, including mine.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Watch a Video about Methane Digesters

What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

Leigh Frick 4/23/2019 7:58 PM

A sustainable community is a community that is prepared for the healthy functioning of its community. It has systems and practices in place to support the economic, social, and environmentally decisions and actions of its community. For this to happen, the people of the community have a consistent recycling plan. They also invest in their community and the quality of the natural resources available to them. They have local farms or gardens to promote healthy eating that the community can get involved with. This includes growing their own food or purchasing foods close to their area. Even restaurants make the effort to buy from local sources. Most importantly there are local clean-up efforts that are organized by different groups.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Online Energy Audit

What are your next steps for saving energy?

Leigh Frick 4/23/2019 7:38 PM

We are going to replace our windows in an effort to conserve energy. Last summer we added more insulation to our attic and we plan to add more insulation this summer. Another step we plan to take to conserve energy is having someone come out to inspect our house and guide us on ways we can save more energy. I know there are some minor changes that we dont think of that would save even more energy so I am excited to have someone come out. My husband wants to replace our downstairs air conditioning unit with a higher efficiency heating and cooling units. That shod take place in the next 6 to 8 months.

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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?

Leigh Frick 4/23/2019 1:37 AM

I am usually so cautious about food freshness that I dispose of food on the earlier side rather than risk it. Taking time to read about the difference between sell by, use by, and best by dates is something I should have done way back. I commit to being more aware of what type of freshness date is given and not automatically dispose of food just by reading the actual date. My husband always uses food later than the sell by and best by dates because he hates to waste food. I am going to try to make decisions using what I now know and not waste as much food.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Smaller Portions

Fun fact: Your brain and stomach register feelings of fullness after about 20 minutes of eating. While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come out of eating smaller portions?

Leigh Frick 4/23/2019 1:28 AM

Eating smaller portions will help us to keep a higher level of energy during the day. Eating "just enough" food gives you the fuel to both feel better and feel recharged. When we eat larger portions, which we often do, we are more likely to feel drained, uncomfortable, or lazy. That impacts our drive to be active, be healthy, and be productive. As a teacher, I tend to eat fast so I have really been able to monitor this behavior by doing this challenge.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls Help Girls Overcome Health Barriers

In what other ways could you help girls overcome health barriers to being able to attend school?

Leigh Frick 4/13/2019 7:10 AM

It is heartbreaking to read the background/ mission statement on why femme kits are needed in other countries. Everyone, every girl, should have a right to proper care and proper hygiene. The girls who will benefit from these femme kits are being set up to not have to worry about something I took for granted as a teenager. I plan to follow up with more ways to support these girls and women.

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