EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Anne McHugh

McHugh Environmental Science

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
961 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

5.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

100

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

88

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

14

conversations

with people
UP TO

436

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

1.0

donation

made

Anne's actions

Buildings and Cities

Upgrade My Windows

#31 Insulation

I will upgrade the windows or weatherstripping in my home or office to reduce air leaks and save on energy costs.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Purchase a Carbon Offset

#43 Airplanes

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

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

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 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

#47 Bioplastic

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 5 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Support Women-Owned Businesses

#62 Women Smallholders

I will spend 10 minutes each day researching women-owned businesses I can support when shopping.

COMPLETED 4
DAILY 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

Women and Girls

Fund Family Planning

#7 Family Planning

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

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
Electricity Generation

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?
Anne McHugh 4/23/2019 8:02 AM
As a scientist, I use data about energy impacts and jobs of the future to talk to my community.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

How does improving your home's energy efficiency help you better live out your values?
Anne McHugh 4/23/2019 8:02 AM
It allows me to keep heating and cooling costs down by adding natural insulation.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use

Are bamboo alternatives readily available in your community? If not, what are other sustainable alternatives?
Anne McHugh 4/23/2019 8:01 AM
Bamboo is readily available in my community in many forms.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Women and Girls

When family planning focuses on healthcare provision and meeting the expressed needs of women, it results in empowerment, equality, and well-being, and the benefits to the planet are side effects. Why is family planning an important civil rights consideration?
Anne McHugh 4/23/2019 8:00 AM
Women need access to family planning tools to have control over their own lives.

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?
Anne McHugh 4/23/2019 8:00 AM
It is important to look into a company's corporate model and the overall impacts that consuming a particular product has on the climate. Additionally, we know that improving the economic power of women increases their ability to plan their lives.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
Anne McHugh 4/12/2019 9:58 AM
I regularly get a chai at a coffee house to go. I have been bringing my own mug or enjoying it in the coffee house to eliminate my use of disposable coffee lids.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?
Anne McHugh 4/12/2019 9:56 AM
I chose LED bulbs for their energy impact and because they reduce waste by burning out less frequently than fluorescent or incandescent bulbs.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

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?
Anne McHugh 4/03/2019 10:07 AM
Conference remotely. Drive to visit family and vacation locally.

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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?
Anne McHugh 4/03/2019 10:04 AM
I am hoping to donate it to a local CSA to provide fresh local veggies to another family.

Read More