EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Paul Meuer

WSP USA

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,126 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

85

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

5.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

150

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

255

miles

traveled by carpool
UP TO

6.0

hours

volunteered
UP TO

510

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

32

plastic containers

not sent to the landfill
UP TO

202

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

17

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

3.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

255

miles

not traveled by car

Paul's actions

Land Use

Choose Better Wood Products

#38 Forest Protection

I will only purchase wood and paper products from ecologically certified sources like Forest Stewardship Council.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Restore Wetlands

#52 Coastal Wetlands

I will volunteer 6 hours with a wetland restoration project in my region.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 45 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

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 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

Transport

Try Carpooling

#75 Ridesharing

I will commute by carpool 15 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 7.4 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Buildings and Cities

Express My Support

#54 Walkable Cities

I will find out who in my city makes decisions that impact neighborhood walkability and express my support for better walking infrastructure.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Explore Other Transport Solutions

All Transport Solutions

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Properly Dispose of Refrigerants

#1 Refrigerant Management

I will spend at least 10 minutes learning how to properly dispose of my refrigerator, freezer, and other refrigerants at the end of their useful lives.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Advocate For Greener Vehicles

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will assess the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on electric and fuel-efficient vehicles

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Food

Explore Other Food Solutions

All Food Solutions

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

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

Buildings and Cities

Research Heat Pumps

#42 Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 10 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Silvopasture

#9 Silvopasture

I will spend at least 30 minutes watching videos and/or reading about the environmental benefits of silvopasture.

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

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 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Go by Bike

#59 Bike Infrastructure

I will commute by bike 5 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 4.47 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 17
DAILY ACTIONS

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

Clean air, clean water and healthy food are three reasons to care about regenerative agriculture. What are some other reasons?
Paul Meuer 4/23/2019 10:18 AM
Soil erosion and nutrient loss is a major and often overlooked issue that is currently impacting agricultural productivity with major future consequences if not addressed. Regenerative agricultural practices allow for the retention and development of new soil layers through the utilization of cover crops, no-till farming, and biomass decomposition. This furthermore reduces the need to apply expensive and potentially toxic nutrient additives to field crops. From a social, economic, and ecological perspective, regenerative agriculture should become the adopted norm.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food

How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Paul Meuer 4/11/2019 6:46 AM
Understanding what those terms means translates to reduced food waste, cost savings, and healthier eating. Knowing that a sell by date is not the same as an expiration date allows you to understand that the rest of the milk can indeed be consumed without causing potential illness.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

How does advocating for green vehicles in your community connect to your values? How might you be able to get others involved in advocating for the shift to fuel-efficient vehicles?
Paul Meuer 4/11/2019 6:43 AM
At the moment, our company fleet consists entirely of ICE trucks, primarily out of necessity as there are no good alternatives at the moment for field use. Once the market expands and begins to offer competitive and capable four-wheel drive electric trucks, I would expect a shift to reduce operational costs in the near future.

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?
Paul Meuer 4/11/2019 6:40 AM
Having worked on a farm that implemented elements of silvopasture, I was able to directly witness the benefits the practice provided for land and livestock management. Moving cattle from different land areas on a rotational basis allowed for reduce costs associated with feed and shelter, reduced costs, time, and energy associated with land management, and although not conclusive, we believed the livestock were healthier and more productive, which is likely the greatest advantage. In addition, forested areas were kept free of invasive shrub-brush species and maintained a healthy abundance of native fauna and flora.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport

What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?
Paul Meuer 4/11/2019 6:31 AM
That the net operational savings far exceeds the net implementation cost for developing transport sector solutions to curb climate change.

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?
Paul Meuer 4/11/2019 6:25 AM
I have been able to eliminate most single-use items, including those listed above, and by making conscientious decisions in everyday life. Some items that still come up though are plastic beverage lids, excessive plastic packaging that's prevalent on many items, and other minor things. These items could be substituted with biodegradable plant based packaging or less packaging altogether.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

Why is taking action on climate change important to you? Why do you care?
Paul Meuer 4/11/2019 6:19 AM
The consequences of unchecked climate change will impact everyone on a global level. This includes impacts to food and water resources, advancement of deadly diseases, costs of redevelopment and loss of life following natural disasters, eradication of species and ecosystem support, degrading air quality and pollution, and the list goes on. I think there are enough reasons to care and be proactive on advancing and adopting solutions.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How do you address your own feelings of concern, fear or despair about climate change?
Paul Meuer 4/05/2019 11:05 AM
Understanding that there are significant improvements being made today that seek to improve the outcome of the future. Although negative events, false statements, and sensationalized news often dominate media, positive developments often receive less focus. In addition, personal impact may seem trivial, but your personal actions and behaviors influence that of others.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

What are some of the benefits of making your home more energy efficient?
Paul Meuer 4/05/2019 11:00 AM
Increased comfort, lower utility bills, and heighten the overall value of your home.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?
Paul Meuer 4/05/2019 10:54 AM
I will be utilizing passive ventilation throughout the spring, summer, and fall to heat and cool my apartment unit without using the HVAC system. In addition, clothes will be hung to dry as opposed to using a dryer.

Read More