EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

Leola Specht

EcoChallenge Rhinebeck

"All in for a livable planet, we can do it!"

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
809 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

1.0

documentary

watched
UP TO

35

minutes

spent learning

Leola's actions

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 25 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

UNCOMPLETED
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.

UNCOMPLETED
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

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

Electricity Generation

Choose Renewable Energy or Purchase Renewable Energy Credits

#2 Wind Turbines (Onshore), #8 Solar Farms

I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option. If my utility does not offer one, I will purchase Renewable Energy Credits to match my usage.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Learn More about Regenerative Agriculture

#11 Regenerative Agriculture

I will spend at least 5 minutes learning about the need for more regenerative agriculture.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will save up to 15 gallons (56 L) of water a day by installing a low-flow showerhead.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Launch a Recycling Program

#56 Industrial Recycling

I will set up a recycling center at my workplace or school.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Become A Master Recycler/Composter

#55 Household Recycling

I will sign up for a Master Recycler/Composter program in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of trees and plants in my yard.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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

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

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
Materials

Name some of the human activities impacting the health of water systems, both locally (your watershed) and globally (freshwater and oceans). What can you do to improve the health of water systems?
Leola Specht 4/24/2019 11:46 AM
Plastic bags are polluting our land, river locally and oceans all over. We at JSA would like to help people get in the habit of using reusable bags -- stop by 7 Livingston St. during business hours if you need a free reusable bag.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

How can you take your commitment to sustainable living beyond yourself? How can you, personally, work toward broader change?
Leola Specht 4/24/2019 11:43 AM
We at JSA are broadening our impact by collecting wine corks, brita filters, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss packaging, and razers, hearing aid and other button batteries. Feel free to drop these items off at 7 Livington St. in Rhinebeck during business hours M-F. Thanks!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Materials

What could you do differently to waste less?
Leola Specht 4/24/2019 11:32 AM
I already backyard compost fruit, veggie, coffee grounds etc. and put bones, bread, cupcakes and other food waste in the food scrap composting program in my community. To broaden it, I brought a food scrap collection container to my family Easter celebration and reclaimed "everything that was once living, no plastic" from our feast and dropped it off at my town composting program (made sure I didn't make a special trip to avoid gas burning pollution). Thanks Eco-challenge for the extra inspiration!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

Why is taking action on climate change important to you? Why do you care?
Leola Specht 4/19/2019 8:15 AM
We have been researching geothermal heating and cooling for the office bldg and have been learning a lot! Hopefully we can make it happen and get off burning fossil fuel for heating.

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Leola Specht 4/09/2019 8:27 PM
I was already using a wind and solar energy ESCO for my electricity (it's easy to chose, you still get a bill from your regular utility), and recently switched to a Community Solar project in my area for electricity. I talked with my utility provider today about energy efficiency discounts and resources available. He directed me to check out what they have on their website. I need to do more work to find out what I can do to make my home more energy-efficient.

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Leola Specht 4/08/2019 1:42 PM
Almost everyday (especially now during the Eco-challenge!) I pick up trash from the shore of the Hudson River, the ground, storm drains, retrieve plastic bags in trees, etc. -- trash is everywhere. Found this cool facebook group -- if everyone picks up 10 pieces of trash each day, we'd collectively help clean and beautify out environment :-) h ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/PickUpTenADay/

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- Petra Ruger 4/09/2019 4:22 AM
  Very cool, thank you for sharing! And many thanks for clean up our environment!! 🌎
  
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Leola Specht 3/31/2019 8:10 PM
Jeff and I ran errands by bike yesterday, about 9 miles. Then we raked up and shovelled a GAZILLION invasive non-native water chestnut seed pods from the banks of the Hudson River, and picked up trash we found along the water's edge while we were there. Being earth-friendly can be great exercise :-)

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- Leola Specht 4/08/2019 10:10 PM
  Thanks Petra! I'd like to hear about your eco-happenings too :-)
  
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- Petra Ruger 4/08/2019 5:26 AM
  Wow I must say I am impressed! Well done!
  
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Leola Specht 3/28/2019 9:04 PM
Attended the NYSAR Organics Summit on 3/26 & 27 and learned a lot about sustainable food waste handling. Happy to share what I learned and join a committee to implement food scrap recycling in Rhinebeck (because 30% of all trash is food waste which can nourish the earth rather than polluting it by being burned or landfilled!). Ping me if you're forming a committee or would like for me to share things I learned at the conference.

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Leola Specht 3/28/2019 8:59 PM
We are attending http://nesea.org/be-event/leed-platinum-environmental-education-center
on Friday, March 29 in Delmar. Anyone care to join? Or if you have green bldg. questions or certain info. you would like us to gather, let me know. We're exciting to learn - the tour will cover interior and exterior aspects of the building, as well as the sustainable landscaping strategies that were employed for site design. Topics that will be discussed include strategies for site placement that best optimize daylighting, views, and solar potential; materials selection; rainwater harvest system; energy systems; and bird friendly design strategies.

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- Leola Specht 4/08/2019 10:07 PM
  One curious thing we learned is that with lots of windows, you run the risk of birds not seeing the glass and crashing into them - so Marvin windows has a decal type thing that gets stuck on the windows which isn't visible to humans but looks to birds like a spiderweb (apparently birds don't fly through spider webs). It was also great to see first hand all the "green building" features as we learned more about them. School and other civic groups can tour it - http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/1835.html
  
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- Petra Ruger 4/08/2019 5:29 AM
  What did you learn?
  
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Leola Specht 3/06/2019 2:11 PM
I had the option to fly within CO to visit friends (much easier and seemed would take less travel time!) but instead I committed to figuring out public transportation (spotty, disconnected, hard to find info.). I will take a bus https://ridebustang.com/ to visit my friends, and in the end it will save money and start to finish may take more time after all!

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