EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Barry Price

Woodstock Day School

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
450 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

20

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

4.4

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

14

meatless or vegan meals

consumed
UP TO

60

minutes

spent learning

Barry's actions

Action Track: Social Justice

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 15 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 3
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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Use Muscle Power

#49 Cars

I will cut my car trip mileage by only taking necessary trips, and I will only use muscle-powered transportation for all other trips.

COMPLETED 2
DAILY ACTIONS

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

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

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will enjoy 2 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.

COMPLETED 7
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Research Heat Pumps

#42 Heat Pumps

I will spend at least 60 minutes researching heat pumps to see if installing one makes sense for my home/building.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 20 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

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?

Barry Price 4/24/2019 1:58 PM

I found incremental change easier to incorporate into my routine. Deciding to take time to eat lunch in a cafe on plates with metal utensils both saved on plastic waste and made for a more civilized experience. The drawdown raised my awareness to reconcile changing habits with better life experience.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Action Track: Social Justice Express My Support

How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?

Barry Price 4/13/2019 3:49 PM

The presence of more people walking adds a degree of safety by virtue of more activity and less optimal conditions for crime. More walking increases opportunities for fitness and social spontaneity and

Read More
- Amy Shapiro 4/14/2019 6:13 AM
  
  If you find out who is the right person in the local government to talk to about walkable cities let me know. I had a student call around trying to find out and she wasn't able to.
  
  Read More
- Steve Dunning 4/14/2019 5:30 AM
  
  social sponataneity - love this
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Land Use Buy Bamboo

Are bamboo alternatives readily available in your community? If not, what are other sustainable alternatives?

Barry Price 4/10/2019 5:36 PM

Disposable utensils, plates, some construction materials. Just read about bamboo straws but I manage well without straws.

Read More
- Amy Shapiro 4/14/2019 6:12 AM
  
  I found bamboo toothbrushes at Target. When you're done with them you cut the bristles off and compost them. Estivie and I refused the free plastic toothbrush at his last dentist visit and suggested that the dentist start handing out bamboo brushes.
  
  Here's the brand available in target:
  https://thehumble.co/
  
  Read More
- Steve Dunning 4/10/2019 6:47 PM
  
  I love that you manage well without straws.
  No spit balls for you!
  
  Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Research Heat Pumps

Why is taking action on climate change important to you? Why do you care?

Barry Price 4/10/2019 5:29 PM

It is important to try to undo some of the damage my generation has (knowing or unknowingly) done. Action demonstrates acceptance of resposibility to ourselves and our children and families.

Read More
Barry Price 4/10/2019 5:26 PM

I joined the challenge as it gives me hope to participate in an effort with like-minded people. It has made it easier to attempt to change some habits.

Read More
Barry Price 4/10/2019 4:04 PM

It is going okay. Meals and food sourcing are not difficult. Reflecting on drawdown actions is also not a stretch for me. Transport is the most difficult but we’be managed to be incrementally more efficient by having our awareness raised.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transport Use Muscle Power

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

Barry Price 4/10/2019 4:02 PM

No question that walking or cycling adds a reflective component yo travel. The possibility of being able to incrementally observe more around you, and take in more detail about your surroundings. Also, the posdibility of more spontaneous interactions with other community members.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Smaller Portions

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?

Barry Price 4/10/2019 3:59 PM

Digestion itself improves, and a more balanced caloric intake relative to what your body needs vs craves.

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?

Barry Price 4/10/2019 3:57 PM

I suppose it is cultural and traditional. Not all consumers are comfortable leaving the comfort zone of the kindd of meals thry gree up eating. Our culture places s strong emphasis on meat by associating it with holidays, occasions and considering it an ‘American’ pasttime.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities Plan to Insulate

What are some of the benefits of making your home more energy efficient?

Barry Price 4/10/2019 3:54 PM

Beyond reducing consumption of oil, comfort is a big benefit both in the heating snd cooling season.

Read More