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April 3 - April 24, 2019

Brightworks Sustainability Feed

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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
    Food Learn More about Silvopasture
    Had you heard of the term "silvopasture" before now? After learning more about it, what do you think is the biggest advantage of silvopasture?

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/24/2019 5:25 PM
    Nope I have not! Closest thing I've heard of is "managed grazing"...

    It think the biggest advantages are:
    -requires less attention (in the long run), but more understand (which eventually leads to care) of the whole system, bring our attention to quality over quantity
    -brings the farming practices back to viewing and working with the Earth holistically 
    -it is a way of planning ahead and investing in the health of the soil (and as a result, the consumer)
    -brings that ecosystem back to a homeostasis, bringing stability and resiliency 

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Learn the Truth About Expiration Dates
    How does knowing the difference between use by, sell by, and best by dates empower you to make better decisions?

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/24/2019 5:05 PM
    It clarifies the actual longevity/life span of food which translates to better understanding the potential value certain foods have to our body. It also makes me less hesitant to buy produce w/ "best by" or "use by" dates that are near. 

    Acting in accordance to the "expiration date" rather than the other's listed will pull on the supply chain to reduce the (over)supply, which not only reduces the amount of food-production resources wasted, but will hopefully also allow stakeholders in the agriculture industry to reduce the amount of chemicals used in to grow produce.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Generation Watch a Video about Methane Digesters
    What does your vision of a sustainable community look like? What would need to be changed in order for such vision to become reality?

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/24/2019 3:43 PM
    -filled with /surrounded by/composed of by solutions that are applicable/adoptable for regions' particular climate, environmental and financial resources
    -supplied w/ several, well-dispersed urban farm with locally sourced energy (which biogas, etc.) and that require climate-appropriate amounts of water     
    -functions on multiple close-loop systems and fosters w/ communal efforts to aid/watch over these systems
    -inputs to the systems, especially the close-loop systems should be geographically and economically accessible
    -Accessibility of those resources can be aided w/ environmentally sustainable transportation 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Electricity Generation Learn More about Biomass
    Had you ever heard of biomass techonology before you took this challenge? What did you learn that surprised you? Share this with your friends!

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/24/2019 3:30 PM
    I have heard of this! 

    I appreciate Drawdown's emphasis that this is a "bridge" solution and that it should really only be considered a solution if it's from waste from perennials (thereby encouraging replacing annuals w/ perennials). 

    I learned that there have been emission studies on miscanthus and willow short rotation coppice.. didn't realize coppicing would be encouraged .
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Buildings and Cities Explore Other Buildings and Cities Solutions
    What did you find out? What is the most interesting fact you learned?

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/24/2019 3:15 PM
    Drawdown's Building and Cities Sector is ranked #6!!! I am in the right industry :)

    It was interesting to see the order in which the Sector summary was done: "First, district heating was subtracted, then heat pumps, then building automation (which requires a split of impact between heating and cooling and lighting energy reduction), then smart thermostats." It helps me as a consultant guide the conversation/thought process and order of "reduce, reuse, recycle" it the context of the building design and construction industry.

    I also didn't realize how much emphasis there was on smart glazing as part of the solution. I have worked on projects where I though it was just a one-off, but apparently it shouldn't be!

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transport Test Drive an Electric Bike
    Half of all trips made in the US are three miles or less; 72% of them are driven. Private vehicles account for 60% of trips of a mile or less. Do you often drive short distances instead of biking or walking? If so, how might incorporating an electric bike into your lifestyle help you make more climate-friendly choices?

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/19/2019 11:52 AM
    I try to walk as much as I can and lucky my work schedule and life are flexible enough to allow me to do so. The ebike is super easy to ride and with that extra e-help, I would be able to go to meetings (where I try to avoid the sweaty look) via bike, without looking like I just biked!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Support Local Food Systems
    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?

    Lauren Fakhoury's avatar
    Lauren Fakhoury 4/19/2019 9:00 AM
    less transportation of food by purchasing locally, and organic!
  • 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?

    Brittany Tse's avatar
    Brittany Tse 4/11/2019 11:39 AM
    BC and other GHGE mostly negatively affects areas inhabited by people who may not have the resources to move out of those areas and to address the medical externalities of BC and GHGE as well as climate change in general.

    These issues matter to me because I care about justice and not having access to clean, breathable air and livable environments is unjust, especially when those who are suffering are systematically put in or born into unjust systems. 

    What is so frustrating is that mass education in specific regions can do so much at the source....

  • Katie Luong's avatar
    Katie Luong 4/03/2019 3:19 PM
    I already have this in my home!