April 3 - April 24, 2019

Laurie Husted

"Help my community grow our natural, human, social and economic capital while operating within the limits of the ecosystem."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
2,050 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

2.0

donations

made
UP TO

7.0

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

30

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

240

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

40

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

1.0

person

helped
UP TO

1,142

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted
UP TO

1.0

tree

planted

Laurie's actions

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

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

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

Plant Trees

#15 Afforestation

I will plant 1 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

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

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 50 friends, family and/or colleagues.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact bike routes and express my support for better biking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Give a Microloan

#62 Women Smallholders

I will give 1 microloan(s) to women who need help starting a business.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Fund Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

I will donate to supply a community with reproductive health supplies.

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Action Track: Social Justice

Donate

#21 Clean Cookstoves

I will donate to nonprofits that install clean cookstoves in low-income countries.

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 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Learn about Temperate Forests

#12 Temperate Forests

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the environmental services provided by and the environmental issues affecting temperate forests.

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 12
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 25 percent of my food from local producers each day. This could include signing up for a local CSA, buying from a farmer's market, visiting a food co-op, foraging with a local group, or growing my own ingredients.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Purchase a Carbon Offset

#43 Airplanes

If I buy a plane ticket, I will purchase a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Use Muscle Power

#49 Cars

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 2
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?

Laurie Husted 4/24/2019 2:55 PM

I learned there are dozens of women-owned businesses in our small community of Red Hook. And there are Many places to spend dollars locally with the businesses who support Drawdown goals. Thank you to our local businesses for what you do for climate. Till next year!!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Use Muscle Power

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

Laurie Husted 4/24/2019 7:23 AM

I biked to work today for the first time this season and got to hear and see things I don't when I'm inside a car -the good - like the call of a hawk, the smell of a blooming tree, a turtle crossing the road and the not so good - bottles and cans tossed on the side of the road (but we'll clean them up on the upcoming Red Hook Clean Up day!) I love the ability to exchange smiles with people as I move through my community.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Advocate for Solar Installation

How does advocating for rooftop solar connect to your values? How might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the shift to clean energy?

Laurie Husted 4/23/2019 9:32 AM

I'm excited to advocate for Red Hook Central School District's proposal to put solar on all three roofs in the school district! The project will not disturb land and will have minimal visual impacts. It saves the school district money which keeps our taxes down and is an equitable solution; an important component of sustainability. We need to let people in our district know that this is a win-win for us all and to vote for it as part of the school budget vote on Tues May 21.
Here are details from the Superintendent -

Dear Parents/Guardians:
I am pleased to announce that the District will be seeking voter authorization to pursue a significant solar project. This project is in collaboration with the New York Power Authority (NYPA) and Solar Liberty. While the project will be bonded over a fifteen-year period, it is anticipated that there will be an immediate positive cash-flow impact for the District.
In addition to NYPA and Solar Liberty, the District has been working with local partners to confirm the underlying assumptions of the project. We believe that the local borrowing costs for the project will be more than offset by the annual energy savings (approximately $80,000), state aid (approximately $75,000), and a one-time NYSERDA incentive (approximately $370,000).
The project consists of approximately 2,250 solar panels (on the roofs of all three school buildings) that will generate an estimated annual output of 964,969 kwh. The total estimated utility savings over twenty-five years is $2,189,156.
A separate budget proposition for this project has been placed on the Tuesday, May 21, 2019 Ballot. Additional Information can be found on our website at redhookcentralschool.org.
Regards,
Paul Finch, Superintendent of Schools

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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?

Laurie Husted 4/23/2019 9:22 AM

I need to cut out nutella from my diet because it contains palm oil (palm oil is apparently is also in laundry detergent!) it sounds like it's very ubiquitous in our kitchens and homes and comes under a few different names. Growing it has contributed to large scale tropical deforestation. I did find an organic red palm oil so there is an affordable alternative. It also comes in gallon size!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Plant Trees

How is planting trees good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health?

Laurie Husted 4/23/2019 9:11 AM

In Red Hook we have three governments (town and two villages) who all have tree committees. I am so grateful for these volunteers who think about how to calm traffic, keep homes shaded, prevent erosion and create a bucolic environment for us all!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation Support Companies Leading in Green Energy

Every dollar you put into solar or wind is a dollar not put into traditional financial institutions. You'll also be bolstering the fossil fuel divestment movement, too. Name some companies you know that invest in green energy. How can you support them?

Laurie Husted 4/21/2019 2:15 PM

I just read that Kohl’s is on the top ten list for investing in green energy. There is a kohl’s local to me and I will choose them over a competitor next time I need to shop. Here’s what they’ve accomplished:
3. Kohl's department stores

The company with over 1,160 department stores in 49 states entered select stores into a PPA with SunEdison for a 20-year term in 2007.
As a result, the solar power systems provide about 40 percent of each store’s power. As of December 2015, the company had 163 solar power systems in 15 states.
The largest solar panel system is installed at its E-Fulfillment Center 3 in Edgewood, Maryland. It features 8,360 solar panels which generate over 3 kWh of energy a year, enough to supply 317 homes annually.
Kohl’s also invests in wind power. In 2011, it installed wind turbines on two locations. One of those was at its distribution center in Findlay, Ohio, where wind turbines generate 40,000 kWh a year.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Choose Better Wood Products

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

Laurie Husted 4/21/2019 2:00 PM

I live on 12 wooded acres with a pond and spend time walking in the woods. Yesterday I saw (and heard) two red tailed hawks and today two woodpeckers and a bluebird. That our property provides habitat for birds make me happy! Walking in the woods I also spotted some ramps. I haven’t seen the possum (who dines at our compost pile and lives In our woodpile) recently but I learned today that they eat 1000s of tics which helps keep us healthy(
if they get ones that carry Lyme disease). We use felled trees in our high efficiency wood burning stove and are shaded by living trees in the summer. The ecosystem services trees provide make us Happier, healthier and more comfortable!

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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?

Laurie Husted 4/16/2019 8:37 AM

I learned recently some athletes think that red meatis the easiest and best way to get their protein. It’d be great for a nutritionist to shatter that myth. Also here’s a vegan chocolate bunny

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Express My Support

What do you like most about biking in your city? What would you like to improve?

Laurie Husted 4/15/2019 8:43 AM

I attended an Open House that discussed Governor Cuomo’s Empire State trail. We learned about traffic calming measures to be installed on the road leading into Bard - Called speed tables . There’s a section with no measures planned because of insufficient site lines- Section B where cars currently go avg of 45mph
. I wrote a comment card asking whether landscaping could be implemented to help slow cars down.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Purchase a Carbon Offset

A round-trip flight from New York City to Los Angeles emits just over 1.5 tons of CO2. What can you do to reduce the number of flights you take per year?

Laurie Husted 4/12/2019 3:10 PM

“Zoom” works so well for face to face mtgs over the computer! We just offset our flight to Zurich since we are spewing 14,000 pounds of pollution on this trip. It was $70. We need to pay for our pollution. If the government would put a price in carbon the market would start to correct this balance. I realize air travel is a Hard nut to crack.

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