EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Meghan Jones

WSP USA

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,409 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

54

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

2.0

documentaries

watched
UP TO

348

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

75

conversations

with people
UP TO

55

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

public official or leader

contacted

Meghan's actions

Transport

Research and Advocate for High-Speed Rail

#66 High-Speed Rail

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching and advocating for a comprehensive high speed rail network in my country/region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Tour a Green Roof

#73 Green Roofs

I will set up a visit to tour a green roof in my city, and ask about the codes and process for installing a green roof.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Go by Bike

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will commute by bike 9 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 9.24 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

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

Women and Girls

Host a Film Screening

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will host a film screening and discussion about women's and gender equality issues.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

I will spend 5 minutes each day researching women-owned businesses I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 20 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
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

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

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 17 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Research Peatlands

#13 Peatlands

I will spend 14 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

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
Food

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?
Meghan Jones 4/24/2019 1:46 PM
Thanks to a great presentation by Julie Sinistore, I learned that animal products have a greater opportunity cost. Some of the nutrients that we can get from plant-based foods are lost at every stage of consumption. This is good inspiration to cut out the bovine middle-man and go straight for the veggies!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?
Meghan Jones 4/24/2019 11:15 AM
I had heard of the term, but I didn't realize how it increases the resilience of farms in the face of extreme weather conditions. Very cool!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use

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?
Meghan Jones 4/23/2019 8:28 PM
It sounds like something I can do to protect peatlands is to steer clear of palm oil! I also learned that there are peatlands at Neskowin Marsh on the Oregon Coast. There may be opportunities to volunteer with the organizations that protect that wildlife refuge.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons?
Meghan Jones 4/23/2019 8:22 PM
I learned that regenerative agriculture can yield more food per acre and more opportunities for farmers than non-organic agricultural methods. Check out this 17-minute video for more information: https://regenerationinternational.org/why-regenerative-agriculture/

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Social Justice

How can you advocate for transportation systems which minimize environmental impact while also meeting human needs?
Meghan Jones 4/23/2019 7:13 PM
I get regular emails from The Street Trust, an organization in Portland that promotes safe and equitable transportation options. They make it easy to advocate for legislation that supports these types of systems by sharing "action alerts" with information on relevant bills.

This question was part of the challenge to pick up litter at a bus stop. This was a fun way to support transit while making my neighborhood a little cleaner! If you live or work near a bus stop, I recommend tacking this challenge onto your list for the last day. Chances are you will get thanked by passersby while you make a visible improvement to your community!

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls

What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?
Meghan Jones 4/22/2019 9:20 PM
Equal opportunity comes down to giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. If someone unconsciously assumes that a woman has less credibility because of her gender identity, then that woman does not have equal opportunity to be heard and respected. While a singular incident may be minor, receiving this treatment on a regular basis can make the woman doubt her own competence. This tendency represents a significant barrier to women's equal participation, but also one that we can overcome by avoiding the assumption that we know better than the person standing in front of us.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls

What is the next step beyond raising awareness of women's and gender equality issues?
Meghan Jones 4/22/2019 9:05 PM
The next step to reducing gender inequality is to create role models for young girls. If a girl does not see women in leadership roles, she will have a difficult time envisioning herself in a similar position. I believe the same rule applies for any underrepresented population.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls

Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. How can you better support communities by supporting women? Can you share any past experiences that may help others take action?
Meghan Jones 4/22/2019 9:02 PM
I was excited to learn through this challenge that many of the shops and restaurants in my neighborhood are owned by women! If women invest more in our communities, my support for these businesses means more support for the whole neighborhood. Seeing women succeed also gives young girls the confidence to pursue and achieve their own goals. I am fortunate to have the example of my grandmother, who ran a doll shop for 25 years. Thanks to people who supported her business rather than shopping online, she has been able to dedicate a large portion of her earnings to improving the lives of her neighbors in need.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

What are the factors that influence your choice of transportation? These can include things like money, time, and convenience, as well as perceptions of danger or safety. What would need to change for you to regularly choose more climate-friendly options?
Meghan Jones 4/22/2019 8:45 PM
Factors that influence my choice of transportation are schedule, safety, and health. When reading about high-speed rail, I was excited by the prospect of a faster and more reliable way to get around the NW, particularly between Portland and Seattle. Many of us who travel between the two cities choose air travel because we can arrive in time for morning meetings (not possible on Amtrak) and avoid congestion on the interstate. A high-speed rail service would reduce emissions from the hundreds of people who make the same schedule-driven choice.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

Concrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but may its carbon footprint is not obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?
Meghan Jones 4/22/2019 8:42 PM
An everyday material that I suspect has a large carbon footprint is synthetic fabric. A quick Google search shows hundreds of articles where I can find out more about the impact of synthetic fabric and sustainable alternatives.

Read More