EcoChallenge.org

Drawdown EcoChallenge

April 3 - April 24, 2019

ROBIN WHITE

WSP USA

"To learn how to be a better steward of the earth. "

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,059 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

4.0

lightbulbs

replaced
UP TO

140

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

144

gallons of water

have been saved
UP TO

945

minutes

spent exercising
UP TO

5.0

conversations

with people
UP TO

27

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

21

meatless or vegan meals

consumed

ROBIN'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

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.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Research Cement Alternatives

#36 Alternative Cement

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Composting

#60 Composting, #3 Reduced Food Waste

I will start a compost bin where I live.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Choose LED Bulbs

#33 LED Lighting (Household)

I will replace 4 incandescent lightbulb(s) with Energy Star-certified LED bulbs, saving up to $14 per fixture per year.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 45 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 21
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

Food

Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.

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

Food

Support Nutrient Management

#65 Nutrient Management

I will research and support local farmers who have made the decision to not use synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

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.

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Fix Leaky Faucets

#46 Water Saving - Home

I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transport

Research and Consider Switching to a Hybrid or Electric Vehicle

#26 Electric Vehicles

I will spend at least 15 minutes researching and weighing my options to see if a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for my lifestyle.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 20 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 5 friends, family and/or colleagues.

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

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

#6 Educating Girls, #7 Family Planning, #62 Women Smallholders

I will spend at least 60 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Smaller Portions

#3 Reduced Food Waste

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

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

COMPLETED 21
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Support Local Food Systems

#4 Plant-Rich Diet

I will source 10 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 21
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
Materials

What could you do differently to waste less?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:48 AM
All kinds of things! So much of the modern working person's life is driven by convenience and time efficiency. This leads to a lot of pre-packaged items, single-use packaging, and not taking the extra time required to waste less. Wasting less requires more time, period.

Read More
- Meghan Jones 4/23/2019 9:27 AM
  Totally agree! It's so much harder to make sustainable choices during busy weeks. Thank you for the reminder to slow down so that we can reduce waste.
  
  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?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:46 AM
Knowing the difference enables me to better manage my food supplies and avoid excess, and unnecessary, waste. The typical government advice is driven by liability and caution and suggests an incredible amount of food waste in the name of "better safe than sorry."

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?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:45 AM
Supporting local farmers is important to me. Farming is a tough job, particularly if you are in an area where the climate is not ideal for growing energy dense and highly nutritious foods.

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?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:44 AM
This is sort of an obvious question - you could lose weight by eating smaller portions, you could become more aware of the hunger and fullness signals of your body.

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?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:43 AM
Eating meat is ingrained in our culture. Tradition and history play a big part in people's habits, even if subconsciously. It's hard to break the conditioning of a lifetime.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:42 AM
I love my daily walks. I've been seeing the flowers and trees emerge from their winter sleep. My walks would be improved by infrastructure changes that highlight pedestrian safety in high traffic areas and that allow me to more easily cross busy streets.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

Changing lightbulbs is an excellent first step toward energy efficiency! What's next for you?
ROBIN WHITE 4/23/2019 5:41 AM
Revisit the program on my thermostat to make sure it's still meeting my needs and reducing energy use

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Buildings and Cities

What are some of the benefits of making your home more energy efficient?
ROBIN WHITE 4/10/2019 7:59 AM
Making my home more energy efficient not only saves me money, it means I am requiring less energy that is produced most often from means that are not environmentally friendly or sustainable.

Read More
ROBIN WHITE 4/08/2019 7:48 AM
My community recently started a composting program - I'm excited to check it out! A new set of habits to learn.

Read More