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Welcome to Drawdown EcoChallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an Drawdown EcoChallenge expert in no time!

EcoChallenge.org
Drawdown EcoChallenge
April 3 - April 24, 2019
Yerka Yáñez's avatar

Yerka Yáñez

WSP USA

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 450 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    30
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    360
    gallons of water
    have been saved
  • UP TO
    75
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    18
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    8.0
    conversations
    with people

Yerka's actions

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

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

Eliminate Toxic Plastics

#47 Bioplastic

I will avoid buying toxic plastics, including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Materials

Launch a Recycling Program

#56 Industrial Recycling

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

UNCOMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Materials

Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips

#47 Bioplastic

I will spend at least 30 minutes researching how to properly dispose of bioplastics in my city and share this information with 8 friends, family and/or colleagues.

COMPLETED
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

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.

COMPLETED 5
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Online Energy Audit

Multiple Solutions

I will complete an online energy audit of my home, office, or dorm room and identify my next steps for saving energy.

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
    What single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
    Yerka Yáñez's avatar
    Yerka Yáñez 4/04/2019 7:12 AM
    I usually use sandwich bags and try to re-use them as much as I can. I am currently looking into buying wax wrappers to use instead of plastic wrap or sandwhich bags. I have bought re-usable stainless steel straws for my teas at home. I save all of my grocery bags and use them as bathroom trash bags or I gather a bunch and take them to the Target nearest my home to have them recycled. I also have re-usable grocery bags that I take to with me to do groceries. 
    Read More
    • Kathleen Mayone's avatar
      Kathleen Mayone 4/04/2019 12:31 PM
      We love the Bumkin brand snack bags in our house.  I originally purchased for the kids lunches but we all use them.  It's a light weight fabric that is machine-wash and dishwasher safe but I often just wash by hand and hang dry.  They also make sandwich-sized bags. 

      Read More
    • rebecca jew's avatar
      rebecca jew 4/04/2019 10:17 AM
      I must confess that single-use zip-style plastic bags are my weakness as well.  Glass containers are nice, but often too heavy,  bulky & impractical to carry around for lunch, especially if you bring a variety of lunch items. There are two substitute products I've been wanting to try; reusable zip-lock style bags (I founds some on Amazon & other vendors) and waxed cotton food wraps (Trader Joe's carries them).  Today is pay day - I think it's time for me to test those products  :)
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    How can you take your commitment to sustainable living beyond yourself? How can you, personally, work toward broader change?
    Yerka Yáñez's avatar
    Yerka Yáñez 4/04/2019 7:09 AM
    I am currently speaking with my apartment complex to see if they can have someone come pick up the recycling as well as posted a poll on our community page asking whom would be interested in such program.
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    What are other easy and low-cost ways to reduce your water usage at home?
    Yerka Yáñez's avatar
    Yerka Yáñez 4/04/2019 7:08 AM
    Washing you teeth with the faucet off. Hand-washing the dishes and soaping them all up before rinsing them off instead of using the dishwasher. You can buy an efficient shower head and most come with a button you can press to cut off the water so you can soap up or shampoo your hair before you turn it on again. I do all of these in my apartment. I always make sure we have no leaks or broken toilet tanks. 
    Read More
  • 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?
    Yerka Yáñez's avatar
    Yerka Yáñez 4/04/2019 7:05 AM
    We can avoid dumping unnecessary things onto the Earth. If you see something wrong, say something. I usually pick up trash if I see it on the floor. We have a limited amount of water and we are contamination the oceans and freshwater systems with all the rubbish we throw away. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    What do you want to prioritize over material 'stuff' in your own life?
    Yerka Yáñez's avatar
    Yerka Yáñez 4/02/2019 5:36 AM
    I want to have my kids grow up in an Earth where there may be clean oceans or forests, nature sounds to listen to. I want to have peace and stability for the years to come.
    Read More
    • Melanie Lulue's avatar
      Melanie Lulue 4/02/2019 10:08 AM
      I believe the current generation (younger than 18 yo)  will have a bigger impact on this concept than any previous generation. This generation gives me hope for the future because they are truly smart and care! I love seeing them get involved with community service projects and protests where necessary.  They want to be heard and seen and that is how you make a difference!
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
    Yerka Yáñez's avatar
    Yerka Yáñez 4/02/2019 5:28 AM
    We are adding too much trash to the earth. In my apartment complex there is no recycling program and I want to establish one. 
    Read More
    • Melanie Lulue's avatar
      Melanie Lulue 4/02/2019 10:09 AM
      Talk to management, but have your research ready.  Look for local (within the US) recycling companies. Not everything gets shipped to China.
      Read More
    • Meghan Jones's avatar
      Meghan Jones 4/02/2019 10:06 AM
      That is a fantastic goal! Let us know how it unfolds!
      Read More