EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Lorraine Laubscher

EcoChallenge Rhinebeck

Points Total

0 Today
0 This Week
1,083 Total

Participant Impact

up to

9.0

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
up to

1.0

donations

made
up to

36

conversations

with people
up to

1.0

people

helped
up to

1.0

documentaries

watched
up to

170

minutes

spent learning

Lorraine's 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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

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 9
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Social Justice

Help Girls Overcome Health Barriers

#6 Educating Girls

I will donate 1 Femme Kit(s) to help girls overcome health and sanitation barriers to being able to attend school.

Completed
One-Time Action

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

Completed
One-Time Action

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

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

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

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

Completed
One-Time Action

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

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 10 friends, family and/or colleagues.

Completed
One-Time Action

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Biomass

#34 Biomass

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

Completed
One-Time Action

Electricity Generation

Spread the Word about Energy Alternatives

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will research and tell 2 people each day about the benefits of alternative energy sources like wind turbines, solar energy, geothermal energy, and methane digesters.

COMPLETED 13
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 15 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

Completed
One-Time Action

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

Completed
One-Time Action

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching other Drawdown Food Solutions.

Completed
One-Time Action

Feed

Reflection Question
Materials Research Cement Alternatives

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?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/24/2019 9:12 AM

Cell phones - who would have thought?And their carbon footprint is getting larger every year.
Apart from the fact that carbon emissions are caused by the manufacturing of smartphones, every day use also contributes to its carbon footprint.

http://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2018/04/the-energy-hogging-dark-side-of-smartphones/

Read More
Reflection Question
Materials Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

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

Lorraine Laubscher 4/24/2019 9:02 AM

By getting involved in projects like the Eco Challenge that creates opportunities to gain more knowledge on ways to help save our environment.
By challenging myself to do my part in saving the environment through incorporating the R's into my lifestyle.
By encouraging other people to be more aware of what they can do to contribute.
By realizing that no matter what happens, God is in control.
By appreciating and enjoying what we have now.

Read More
Reflection Question
Materials Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

Lorraine Laubscher 4/24/2019 5:18 AM

My biggest concern is the fact that my children (and their children and so on) won't be able to explore and enjoy the beauty of the world as we know it. There are even things that I will never be able to experience because it won't survive until I have the chance to explore it.
This brings me to my second concern - with over population, water and food shortage in some countries, rise of the cost of living, political and economical troubles and the dangers of crazy people on the internet - is it a good idea to still have children?

Read More
Reflection Question
Materials Recycle Everything I Can

How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "R's" make you feel?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/24/2019 4:35 AM

Growing up we always kept the plastic bags from grocery shopping and reused it in various other ways. When they made durable, reusable shopping bags, we started using those.
I can keep on reducing my meat intake and replace it with plant proteins, when eating out I can try and order meals that will be good as leftovers (reducing my food wastage), I can encourage friends and family to buy reusable water bottles and steel straws so that we reduce our plastic waste and instead of throwing plastic leftover containers away I can wash it to be used for something else.
It might sound like a lot of work to do, but I know it is going to make me feel good to do something positive for our environment.

Read More
Reflection Question
Electricity Generation Learn More about Biomass

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!

Lorraine Laubscher 4/23/2019 7:22 AM

I never knew the technical term for it, but we have been using (primitive) biomass heating on our farm to heat the water used in the house. However, we use to cut down dead trees on the farm to fuel the fire.

Read More
Reflection Question
Food Composting

Producing food that goes uneaten squanders many resources—seeds, water, energy, land, fertilizer, hours of labor, financial capital. Which of these kinds of waste most motivates you to change your behavior regarding food waste? Why?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/23/2019 7:00 AM

Growing up, my parents encouraged me to appreciate the food we had and always have a "clean plate" after eating, because someone had put in the effort to: plant, grow and harvest the grains or vegetables, or prepare the meat, or bake the bread, or cook the meal, and so on.
I guess hours of labour is the greatest motivation for me.

Read More
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?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/23/2019 6:53 AM

For me, a sustainable community would be people who work together and do their parts equally in creating a better environment. Everyone should recycle what they can, create their own compost, walk/bike as much as they can, encourage their kids to take the bus to school, carpool/train to work, encourage healthier living by buying local produce instead of fast food and switch off unnecessary lights in the evening to save electricity.

I've noticed that our neighbourhood has quite a bit of food wastage. Dishing smaller plates or using the food waste to make compost would be a good start. If a person/family does not like to eat leftovers, give the leftovers to someone in need.

Read More
Reflection Question
Electricity Generation Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

What is the most exciting solution you explored? Why is it exciting to you?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/22/2019 10:57 AM

I am intrigued by the wave & tidal electricity generations solutions - very interesting stuff.
I like the idea of methane digesters because it produces more than just electricity - the solids that are left over once the biogas has been removed can be used as fertilizers.

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?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/22/2019 10:52 AM

I have heard about the possibility of using waves and tides to generate electricity, but I did not know exactly how it would work or that there are companies who already generate electricity this way.
I am astonished! It is very interesting

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?

Lorraine Laubscher 4/20/2019 5:24 AM

Meat is associated with luxury in almost all of the third world, or less developed countries. The United States and Canada are considered two of the wealthiest countries in the world - meaning the people can afford to eat meat.
The United States has a population of approximately 326 million; more people = more hungry tummies that want meat.

I don't think the consumption of meat really says much about the values or ways of American living. There are families who can afford to eat the healthy and organic foods, supplementing meat for plant based proteins where they can. Then there are families who cannot afford these luxuries and eat protein that fits their budget.

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