EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Matt McQuinn

NYPA

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,309 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

470

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

336

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

42

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

0.3

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

11

meatless or vegan meals

consumed

Matt's actions

Electricity Generation

Rooftop Solar Consultation

#10 Rooftop Solar

After researching the incentives at the federal, state, utility, and local levels, I will contact a local installer/distributor for a solar panel installation consultation on my house.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Explore Other Electricity Generation Solutions

All Electricity Generation Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Electricity Generation Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Research Heat Pumps

#42 Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 30 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 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Solar Water Consultation

#41 Solar Water

I will contact a local installer/distributor to see if a solar water heater makes sense for my house.

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

Buildings and Cities

Plan to Insulate

#31 Insulation

I will find out how to make my home more energy efficient through better insulation and weatherization.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Stay on the Ground

#43 Airplanes, #63 Telepresence

Instead of traveling by plane, I will find an alternative way to accomplish the goals of an upcoming trip (i.e. telepresence, vacation locally).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Conduct Virtual Meetings

#63 Telepresence

I will encourage my office to hold meetings virtually whenever possible instead of requiring travel.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 16 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching other Drawdown Transport Solutions.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 11
DAILY ACTIONS

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 60 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 240 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.

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
Transport

How can you ensure that your virtual meetings honor your values and your company's culture?
Matt McQuinn 4/23/2019 5:53 AM
We are fortunate that NYPA has invested in the necessary infrastructure to support virtual meetings. Video conferencing can allow for that face-to-face feel without the wasted time (or negative environmental impacts) of having to spend time traveling to meetings.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

What was your process like for restructuring your trip? How can you avoid more air travel in the future?
Matt McQuinn 4/23/2019 5:48 AM
When I was younger and had less money I tended to travel mostly by car when taking trips. Now that I am older and can afford it I tend to travel by plane. I recently took a trip and opted to skip the airline and take the highway. I had to allow for the additional time that was needed but it was a great reminder of how much more economical highway travel can be. I saved a ton of money and was able to afford additional activities once I reached my destination.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?
Matt McQuinn 4/23/2019 5:18 AM
I’ve learned that finding low-impact transportation options in rural areas is extremely difficult.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?
Matt McQuinn 4/23/2019 5:10 AM
I try my best to do what I can, when I can.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Dependable fresh food, supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these (or other) advantages inspire you the most?
Matt McQuinn 4/23/2019 5:03 AM
I like to support local growers when possible. I have a lot of respect for the people who choose farming as their profession. It is truly an art. If not cultivated, it can easily be lost.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

Fun fact: Your brain and stomach register feelings of fullness after about 20 minutes of eating. While dishing food out, we tend to load our plates with more than we need. Using smaller plates helps to mitigate this. Aside from the environmental benefits, what other benefits might come out of eating smaller portions?
Matt McQuinn 4/23/2019 4:56 AM
Eating smaller portions could help you maintain a healthy weight.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!
Matt McQuinn 4/18/2019 8:43 AM
Yes, modern advanced biomass heating technologies, if properly installed, can rival the efficiency and emissions of current fossil fuel systems. While not a carbon neutral fuel, biomass can be considered “carbon better” when compared to traditional fossil fuels. Biomass fuels also contribute to local economies but keeping local fuel dollars local.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Electricity Generation

Micro turbines can be placed on large structures to take advantage of stronger, steadier breezes. The Eiffel Tower now sports vertical axis turbines that produce electricity for use on site. Where could micro turbines potentially be installed in your city?
Matt McQuinn 4/18/2019 8:36 AM
Micro turbines could potentially be placed on bridges, communication towers, water towers, or even tall buildings.

Read More
Matt McQuinn 4/17/2019 5:51 AM
For those who might be interested in finding out more about Community Solar, NYSERDA has some useful information.

https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Programs/NY-Sun/Solar-for-Your-Home/Community-Solar

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

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?
Matt McQuinn 4/16/2019 12:38 PM
Ease of access. If more people understood the true societal cost of the meat products they consume perhaps they would consume less or seek out more sustainable options.

Read More