EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Dacia Harris

Asheville High School!

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,178 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

5.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

1.0

donation

made
UP TO

36

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

meatless or vegan meal

consumed
UP TO

785

minutes

spent learning

Dacia's actions

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Research Peatlands

#13 Peatlands

I will spend 30 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

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

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will research and tell 5 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY ACTION

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 90 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Rooftop Solar Consultation

#10 Rooftop Solar

After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Solar Water Consultation

#41 Solar Water

I will contact a local installer/distributor to see if a solar water heater makes sense for my house.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 45 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Support Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will donate to The Nature Conservancy, which works with Indigenous Peoples to secure land tenure and resource rights, support improved governance and local institutions, assist in natural resource mapping, planning and management; and strengthen livelihoods and sustainable economic development.

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

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 240 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 20 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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
Materials Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:57 AM

As a homeowner, driver, teacher, etc... I look at my individual actions as a way to show those around me a different way to live. I know I have a LONG way to go but with the increased understanding and support I strongly believe that we can make those positive changes.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Reduce Animal Products

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?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:53 AM

NA has had a long-standing belief in unlimited resources and so if we can raise more cattle, chickens, hogs, etc... then we can eat all of that without issues. I grew up in a farming family and our plates were always 1/2-ish meat and the veggies took up a portion with the bread. As an adult, I realized that this was not a sustainable practice so I work with my students and family to break that meat-centered mindset.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:50 AM

So that we have healthy soils for future generations and we have food to eat.

Read More
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?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:49 AM

It makes me less inclined to create food waste now that I know that the food isn't "bad." This has helped significantly with my food and meal planning.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Learn about Temperate Forests

As you learn more about the scope and seriousness of the environmental challenges we face, what impact does that have on your thinking and actions? What are the parts that feel overwhelming? What parts help you feel hopeful?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:38 AM

This semester I have more kids who spend time outdoors than I've had in years. This makes me incredibly happy as we "save" what we know and if the kids know the forests, the grasslands, the deserts, etc...we are more likely to get changes that will have a positive impact on those areas.

The overwhelming aspect is having government officials who make decisions that are based on the immediate return and not the long-term future.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Buy Bamboo

Are bamboo alternatives readily available in your community? If not, what are other sustainable alternatives?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:33 AM

SOOOOOO Excited!!! At a picnic last weekend the "plasticware" was bamboo including silverware and plates. I was super excited as I usually travel with a set of utensil and a plate so I don't have to use plastics.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Research Peatlands

Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:26 AM

By changing what you buy and making sure that you are buying sustainably grown products you can reduce the need to drain more wetlands (like the ones below).

Read More
Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:19 AM

This week my earth & environmental science classes have had the BEST time with open discussions regarding why we can't or don't make some of these changes. The micro-wind discussion today was my FAVORITE!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

What inspiration and wisdom can you gather from your family, faith, or community traditions that would help you in both communicating about and addressing our most pressing energy issues?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:18 AM

The biggest deterrent I believe is that we are scared of change and if we listen and hear what the concerns are we can start to alleviate those concerns over time. I believe that likely this will have to happen in small scale implementations versus LARGE scale as those large changes are what scare folks the most.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? Were you surprised by the information you found?

Dacia Harris 4/24/2019 6:16 AM

I had the opportunity to participate in an activity where were created our own wave turbines (micro of course) to generate a current. They mentioned that there are high-pressure water tanks being used to store the energy which I thought was FANTASTIC as then you don't have to run cables under the ocean floor tearing up the benthic ecosystems. This can be done on a larger scale (see an example HERE) too.

Read More