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April 3 - April 24, 2019
Louise Zimanyi's avatar

Louise Zimanyi

Team Tortugas

"More green less screen"

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 474 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    180
    minutes
    spent exercising
  • UP TO
    300
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    12
    plastic containers
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    6.0
    zero-waste meals
    consumed

Louise's actions

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 4
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 4
DAILY 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

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

Electricity Generation

Learn More about Wave and Tidal Energy

#29 Wave and Tidal

I will spend at least 15 minutes learning more about the energy generation potential of wave and tidal energy.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Zero-waste Cooking

#3 Reduced Food Waste

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Buildings and Cities

Go for a Daily Walk

#54 Walkable Cities

I will take a walk for 30 minutes each day and take note of the infrastructure that makes walking more or less enjoyable, accessible, and possible.

COMPLETED 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Women and Girls

Research Barriers to Participation and Representation

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

I will spend at least 120 minutes learning more about the barriers to women's equal participation and representation around the world.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

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 6
DAILY ACTIONS

Action Track: Social Justice

Learn about Local Indigenous Practices

#39 Indigenous Peoples' Land Management

I will spend at least 30 minutes learning how local indigenous tribes are caring for the land by attending a training, workshop, or presentation.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Women and Girls

Connect With A Nonprofit

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

I will connect with a local nonprofit working on womens' or girls' issues in my community, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.

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?


  • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/23/2019 2:26 PM
    signs of spring ...a metaphor for our learning 

  • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/23/2019 2:23 PM
    It is sooooo hard to eat no waste snacks unless you bring your own 
    Studying for an exam after marking many assignments and tests - going digital next year 

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/24/2019 3:01 PM
      Yes, foil bags are hard to avoid....seems like every salty and tasty snack comes in foil bags. I'm pretty good about not getting into that, but hey, it happens. 
       I'm still researching this Terracycle company to figure out if their recycling of "non-recyclables" is really helping,  or if there is an element of "greenwashing" to their work. I'm hoping to discover that they are the real deal, because they seem to do pretty amazing work, like the cigarette butt recycling they do. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Social Justice Learn about Local Indigenous Practices
    What did you learn about indigenous peoples' land management that you can apply in your own life?

    Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/18/2019 6:51 PM
    tapping maple trees for their sap and their syrup....I am taking an Indigenous Knowledge course...
    thought you would enjoy this story:
    https://carleton.ca/grasac/story/maple-exhibit/
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Women and Girls Research Barriers to Participation and Representation
    What are some of the barriers that exist to women's equal participation and/or representation in your community?

    Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/18/2019 6:43 PM
    gender equality, equal pay for equal work ....maternity leave, motherhood!

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/24/2019 3:04 PM
      As the father of 2 girls, this is a issue close to my heart. Keeping the faith for positive changes!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Women and Girls Connect With A Nonprofit
    What are the most pressing issues for women and girls in your community?

    Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/18/2019 6:42 PM
    socialization of girls is challenging, impact of media and social media is contributing to mental health issues that are not being addressed
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Keep Track of Wasted Food
    An average American throws out about 240 lbs of food per year. The average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food that they throw out. Where would you rather use this money?

    Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/18/2019 6:41 PM
    travel!!!!!!!!  and sharing in the way other people grow and cook food ---love visiting markets!  and sharing with students how to make butter!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Zero-waste Cooking
    How are environmental issues like black carbon and other emissions from cooking fires or rudimentary cookstoves also human health and social justice issues? Why do these issues matter to you?

    Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/18/2019 6:32 PM
    these is an important issue given many families don't have other options for cooking meals

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings and Cities Go for a Daily Walk
    What have you noticed on your daily walks? What have you enjoyed? What infrastructure changes could make your walks more enjoyable or possible?

    Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/18/2019 6:29 PM
    love going to the arboretum every day, especially with the children at the child development centre, quiet, slower, noticing...

  • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/05/2019 9:29 AM
    Humber College North campus calculated that 7,000 cups are used EACH DAY which means 7,000 lids and 7,000 cup wraps!!  I can't imagine what that would be for a hospital!
    Good efforts, Nelson!!!  I always have my take out cup, cutlery and straw!  

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/05/2019 1:32 PM
      I only found out that coffee cups are non-recyclable about a year ago, and I was floored! And even the white lids and hot cup wrappers that are recyclable are thrown out all the time. 

      The Tim's at work gives me a 20 cent discount when I bring my own "WORLD'S GREATEST DAD" mug (a gift from my girls)............so I can save a tree,  AND retire way, WAY, WAAAYYYY  sooner than I had planned!   Woot woot!

  • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
    Louise Zimanyi 4/03/2019 10:55 AM
    Last week at Humber did the zero waste challenge - try to fit all garbage in a 1 L mason jar - see my pic - it was hard!!  no take out except where i could recycle - not easy to find that! i already commit to no lids or straws!

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/09/2019 9:49 AM
      Hi Louise..

       sorry, I didn't see you were asking for the link about taking your own containers to take out restaurants..... here it is. 

      https://myplasticfreelife.com/2010/02/carrying-our-own-containers-powerful-action-or-pointless-inconvenience/

      As I said, not sure if it'll work here. I don't do much take out food so haven't tried it, but intend to call a few local places and see what they say. 

    • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
      Louise Zimanyi 4/05/2019 9:37 AM
      where you post da linx?

    • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
      Louise Zimanyi 4/04/2019 7:40 AM
      ok great!!!

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/04/2019 7:39 AM
      Hey, I posted a link about some restaurants who will let you take your own containers for them to fill up. You would need to call ahead and see if they participate. I haven't tried it yet, but i'll let you know how it goes when I do.

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/04/2019 7:37 AM
      whoa, a weeks worth of garbage!? Amazing!

    • Louise Zimanyi's avatar
      Louise Zimanyi 4/03/2019 11:10 AM
      yes fit everything from one week into a 1 L mason jar

    • nelson chew's avatar
      nelson chew 4/03/2019 11:08 AM
      Wow....awesome work! Was the idea to fit a day's garbage in a jar? I'm gonna try that!