James Knarian

Comerica Bank

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
406 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

35

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

165

minutes

spent exercising

James's actions

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 11
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 9
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 7
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.

UNCOMPLETED
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

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
Land Use

How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
James Knarian 4/16/2019 6:57 AM
Unbeknown to me, I have been takings chunks out of forests for years. Several products I consume frequently were listed as environmentally-unfriendly, especially coffee. From now on, I will buy coffee and other goods that are "shade-grown" or that have the rainforest friendly frog logo.

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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?
James Knarian 4/09/2019 10:24 AM
This challenge is the first time I have heard of silvopasture. After learning more about it, the biggest advantage appears to be the possibility of restoring land that has been depleted by condensed, uniform farming.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?
James Knarian 4/04/2019 7:47 AM
A $1,500 check isn't mailed to your house if you purchase food responsibly for a year. A few dollars a week, a days' worth of table scraps - that's where the money and the food are wasted. If I were more responsible tracking my food waste and corresponding expenses, I'm sure I would find money that could be spent more purposefully - perhaps on a responsibly-sourced rocking chair.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

What did you learn about wave and tidal energy? Were you surprised by the information you found?
James Knarian 4/04/2019 7:33 AM
A few articles in, and the process for processing wave and tidal energy is still fuzzy. I did learn that several projects are already underway in the United States, and that our country is in a favorable position, legislatively speaking, to continue research, development, and operation. I was not surprised at the potential of wave and tidal energy, but the information I read was a reminder that humanity has so much room to grow in utilizing renewable energy.

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James Knarian 3/28/2019 12:31 PM
Happy to be on the team and make a difference, inspired by the participation.

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