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April 3 - April 24, 2019
Justin Way's avatar

Justin Way

No Gaia No Glory

"To understand our individual contribution to a collective problem and discover ways to solve it together. "

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 886 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    99
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    6.5
    locally sourced meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    6.0
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    110
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    1.0
    public official or leader
    contacted

Justin's actions

Materials

Go Paperless

#70 Recycled Paper

I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by 0.11lbs (0.05kg) a day or 41lbs (18.6kg) a year by opting into paperless billing, ending unwanted subscriptions and opting out of junk mail.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Install a Toilet Bank

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will reduce the amount of water flushed and save up to 11 gallons (41 L) of water per day by installing a toilet tank bank.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Choose Recycled Paper

#70 Recycled Paper

I will plan ahead to only use paper products made from post-consumer recycled paper for my home or office.

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

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More About Geothermal Energy

#18 Geothermal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Micro Wind

#76 Micro Wind

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of Micro Wind.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Advocate for Forest Protection

#38 Forest Protection

I will contact 3 congress people or representatives to advocate for public policy that protects forests and the enforcement of existing anti-logging laws.

UNCOMPLETED
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 6
DAILY ACTIONS

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 0
DAILY 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

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 75 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 2
DAILY ACTIONS

Land Use

Forest-Friendly Foods 1

#5 Tropical Forests

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Donate

#21 Clean Cookstoves

I will donate to nonprofits that install clean cookstoves in low-income countries.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Improve a Bus Stop

#37 Mass Transit

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or implementing some other small improvement.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Plant Trees

#15 Afforestation

I will plant 5 tree(s) in my community, public parks, or backyard.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Land Use

Research Peatlands

#13 Peatlands

I will spend 20 minutes researching the environmental benefits of peatlands and what is being done around the world to conserve and restore them.

COMPLETED 3
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Recycle Everything I Can

#55 Household Recycling

I will recycle all materials that are accepted by local haulers or drop stations in my community.

COMPLETED 5
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

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
    Action Track: Social Justice Express My Support
    How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/22/2019 1:42 PM
    I hate walking on the road near my house because it is so busy and loud. If it were not these things, I would go out to restaurants and other amenities closer to my home instead of hauling around town to other neighborhoods. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Generation Learn More About Geothermal Energy
    Geothermal energy is reliable, abundant, and efficient. Project Drawdown states that public investment will play a crucial role in its expansion. In what ways (i.e. with money, time, advocacy) can you invest in geothermal energy?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/10/2019 2:48 PM
    Currently, I cannot. I live in an old apartment building with no plans to install such a system. That being said, when we do buy a house someday, I would absolutely consider this technology. It might be a relatively large initial investment, but it will last for years and give me the piece of mind that my energy is literally free coming from the heat of the Earth. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings and Cities Plan to Insulate
    What are some of the benefits of making your home more energy efficient?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/08/2019 3:17 PM
    Making my home more energy efficient can lead to cost savings, reduce my demand on the grid, and serve as a model for others to make sure their homes are insulated and cared for properly. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Generation Learn More about Micro Wind
    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?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/06/2019 3:24 PM
    Microturbines could probably work anywhere here in Denver/Aurora. This is a windy place, so putting them out in open fields or even on top of buildings, big and small, would likely generate enough electricity to be cost-effective. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use Choose Better Wood Products
    Beyond carbon sequestration, what other benefits do forests offer you personally?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/05/2019 2:59 PM
    Forests offer me respite from the concrete jungle, clean air to breath, shade on hot days, and homes for my animal friends. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use Research Peatlands
    Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/05/2019 1:46 PM
    I can choose different oil products and conserve paper use at home and at work so that demand for palm oil and paper goes down. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Land Use Research Peatlands
    Much of Indonesia's peatlands have been drained so they could be replaced with palm oil or pulp and paper plantations. How can you make choices that help to protect peatlands, even if you live far away from one?

    Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/05/2019 1:46 PM
    I can choose different oil products and conserve paper use at home and at work so that demand for palm oil and paper goes down. 

  • Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/05/2019 12:26 PM
    Breakfast will likely be my spot to do this... I already don't eat meat for breakfast so this should be an easy one! We will try to do some vegan meals during the challenge as well. 

  • Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/04/2019 4:06 PM
    It's amazing how cutting out something like beef can reduce your impact on basically all levels.

  • Justin Way's avatar
    Justin Way 4/04/2019 4:03 PM
    We just did Skype interviews yesterday and will do them again tomorrow so people don't have to fly out here unnecessarily!