Cory Wyffels
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 578 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO14meatless or vegan mealsconsumed
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UP TO132milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO132milestraveled by bus
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UP TO150minutesspent exercising
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UP TO45minutesspent learning
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UP TO33pounds of CO2have been saved
Cory's actions
Electricity Generation
Learn More about Biomass
#34 Biomass
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of biomass.
Electricity Generation
Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy
#29 Wave and Tidal
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.
Electricity Generation
Learn More About Geothermal Energy
#18 Geothermal
I will spend at least 10 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of geothermal energy and consider investing in this technology.
Land Use
Forest-Friendly Foods 1
#5 Tropical Forests
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching the impact of my diet to see how it contributes to deforestation.
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.
Food
Smaller Portions
#3 Reduced Food Waste
I will use smaller plates and/or serve smaller portions when dishing out food.
Food
Reduce Animal Products
#4 Plant-Rich Diet
I will enjoy 1 meatless or vegan meal(s) each day of the challenge.
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.
Food
Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
#3 Reduced Food Waste
I will spend at least 5 minutes learning how to differentiate between sell by, use by, and best by dates.
Buildings and Cities
Go for a Daily Walk
#54 Walkable Cities
I will take a walk for 15 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.
Materials
Research Cement Alternatives
#36 Alternative Cement
I will spend at least 10 minutes researching cement alternatives that reduce the carbon footprint of concrete.
Transport
Use Public Transit
#37 Mass Transit
I will use public transit 12 mile(s) per day and avoid sending up to 3.04 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Generation Learn More about BiomassHad you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!
Cory Wyffels 4/22/2019 2:48 PMYes, but did not know a ton about it. That the specific type of feedstock is so important, for example waste from mills or a sustainable perennial crops use less energy and deplete less groundwater than corn or sorghum which are annual grain crops. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONElectricity Generation Learn More About Geothermal EnergyGeothermal 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?
Cory Wyffels 4/22/2019 2:09 PMSupporting the research for geothermal energy, advocating for the technology/energy, and donating money are ways to help invest in geothermal energy. The biggest issues with geothermal energy are the costs of an experimental well location and the public perception. Advocating for the reliability of geothermal energy and encouraging more research as well as the need for funding would be influential. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONMaterials Research Cement AlternativesConcrete is a good example of a material that most of us encounter every day, but may its carbon footprint is not obvious. What other everyday materials might have a large carbon footprint? How can you find out more?
Cory Wyffels 4/17/2019 6:59 AMOther construction materials and everyday plastic and rubber materials likely have a higher carbon footprint. The carbon footprint could be from the plant in creating the material or for the transport of the product throughout its life. This information can be searched for online in different journals and research studies. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONBuildings and Cities Go for a Daily WalkWhat have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?
Cory Wyffels 4/15/2019 10:10 AMSince I work in the city it is very walkable. When I am able to walk near a park that makes a big difference in the separation from vehicles and pollution feel. Trees and parks, along with sidewalk space separated further from roadways makes the walk more enjoyable. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONLand Use Forest-Friendly Foods 1How is your diet currently impacting deforestation? What can you do to decrease your negative impact and increase your positive impact?
Cory Wyffels 4/15/2019 10:00 AMThe main causes of deforestation are from expanding plantations for soy, palm oil, cocoa, and coffee crops. My main contributors are soy and coffee with some palm oil in products. I can reduce my coffee and soy consumption and find alternatives for products that contain palm oil. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Smaller PortionsFun 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?
Cory Wyffels 4/09/2019 1:27 PMHealth benefits, cost benefits, reducing food waste, increasing leftovers, less dish area to wash, etc. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Learn the Truth About Expiration DatesHow does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?
Cory Wyffels 4/09/2019 12:59 PMKnowing the difference allows me to make informed decision as to the true expiration of an item. The use by and best by are for food quality and the item will be the best if eaten before or by this date, but if soon after the item may still be fine, just the quality will likely have reduced. This will save in tossing items when the use by or best by dates are close or just passed. The sell by is for the retailers and that does not indicate the products self-life, the food item still typically has 1/3 of the useful life remaining when it is suggested to leave the store shelf. This will help in differentiating the best by and use by aimed at consumers and the sell by aimed at the retailers allowing for a better understanding of a products shelf-life. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONMaterials Choose Recycled PaperGood job on choosing recycled paper! How can you take your action a step further?
Cory Wyffels 4/09/2019 10:57 AMUsing recycled plastic or other materials! Also using less paper or going paperless at work when possible! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONMaterials Recycle Everything I CanHow could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle? How does considering implementing these "R's" make you feel?
Cory Wyffels 4/09/2019 10:45 AMReducing is the main way to help in producing waste. Reducing plastic use and food waste are two items that I could incorporate more into my life. Reusing or repurposing items such as clothing or glass jars/bottles for a different capacity instead of throwing out or recycling is another way that the R's can be incorporated into my lifestyle. It makes me feel resourceful and impactful in terms of saving money, materials, and being sustainable. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONTransport Use Public TransitHow has your access to various kinds of transporation throughout your life influenced your current attitudes about transportation and your transportation behavior?
Cory Wyffels 4/09/2019 10:39 AMLiving close to a city and having easy access to transportation has encouraged me to take advantage of public transportation, whether it is the bus or train, to get into the city or to work. I still use my car weekly out of convenience if I am going grocery shopping or going to a location where public transit is not an option. Growing up near public transit has definitely pushed me to be more accepting of it and take advantage of it on a regular basis.