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April 3 - April 24, 2019

The Food Fighters 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
    Women and Girls Support Women-Owned Businesses
    Globally, women typically invest a higher proportion of their earnings in their families and communities than men. How can you better support communities by supporting women? Can you share any past experiences that may help others take action?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/22/2019 8:39 AM
    There are so many resources now to find women owned businesses. It only takes a few minutes to find what stores and restaurants are woman owned. I was surprised to find that many of the women owned businesses that I found, did in fact have a focus on giving back to their communities or donating a portion of their profits to environmental organizations. A great example is a business called The Eco Collective - it's owned by three woman, they sell all zero-waste packaging projects, and hold workshops and events several times a month that all center around helping the environment.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Materials Share Bioplastic Disposal Tips
    What concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/22/2019 8:03 AM
    For me, one of the biggest concerns is single use plastics. Petroleum based plastics require fossil fuels to make, never fully return to their natural components, create a lot of greenhouse emissions as they breakdown, and are causing devastating harm to our river and ocean ecosystems. Locally we can work to cleanup our neighborhoods and beaches so that existing plastics end up in the landfill and not the oceans. Globally, there needs to be an effort to manufacture using less plastics and more with compostable or reusable products. 

  • Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/22/2019 7:58 AM
    I’ve really like this EcoChallenge so far. I’ve learned a lot about different types of renewable energies, how supporting women’s education helps the environment, and tried my first electric bike. There’s still so much we can be doing to help the environment, but it’s good to see people taking baby steps  in the right direction. 
  • 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?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/22/2019 7:54 AM
    I’ve really enjoyed just getting outside, stretching my legs, and getting a little additional exercise. Things that I’ve noticed that make walking more enjoyable: areas with street lights for walking at night, parks with trees or nice landscaping, sidewalks or streets with a large shoulder. Things that make walking less enjoyable: dodging people on their bikes or scooters (another reason to support bike infrastructure!), people who leave their dogs’ messes on the sidewalk, and heavily trafficked roads with little to no shoulder to walk on. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Action Track: Social Justice Express My Support
    How could better walking infrastructure make your city both more enjoyable and more equitable?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/22/2019 7:49 AM
    Better walking infrastructure allows safer and easier transportation by foot. It gives citizens the opportunity to get more exercise, run errands without a car, and enjoy time with their neighbors outdoors. In densely populated areas, owning a car can be expensive due to parking expenses. In lower income areas, many people do not have cars. In these communities, providing safe ways to walk to and from public transportation in crucial. Additionally, making our neighborhoods more walkable gives us an opportunity to reduce greenhouse emissions by having to drive our cars less. 
  • 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?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/21/2019 6:10 PM
    Keep track of food waste as been very insightful for me. I realized that the majority of my food waste either comes from letting left overs or produce go bad in the fridge or from restaurants over serving food. I usually get to-go boxes, but things like French fries just aren’t worth taking home. I definitely will be more conscience about eating my leftovers before they go bad and not over buying food. With all that saved money, I’d love to put it towards traveling or I could buy an electric bike!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Transport Use Muscle Power
    How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience or enjoyment differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/20/2019 6:44 PM
    Walking and biking definitely create the best sense of community. It’s creates an opportunity to say hi to your neighbors while walking your dog or see areas of your neighborhood that need some extra attention. Public transport has some element of community, but in general most people keep to themselves on the bus. Driving really doesn’t have much of any sense of community unless you are carpooling. 
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Support Nutrient Management
    How does environmental quality influence your sense of community?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/20/2019 6:40 PM
    A feel that clean, safe spaces create a better since of community. There is something to be said for everyone working together to care for their neighborhood and park. I think projects that better environmental quality such as planting trees in a park, cleaning up trash in our neighborhoods or volunteering at a community garden are another great way to connect with your neighbors. 
  • 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?

    Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/19/2019 4:45 PM
    For me a sustainable community is one where people look at their daily activities and see what kind of small changes they can make. For example, using your own coffee mug, carrying your own water bottle, and stores not selling products in single use plastics. I also think a sustainable community is one where elected officials make alternative energy, public transit, and bike infrastructure a priority. 

  • Rebecca Viets's avatar
    Rebecca Viets 4/18/2019 9:00 PM
    Went on my daily walk today as the result of leaving my keys at work and having to walk home from the Park & Ride. Luckily I can take forested hiking trails most of the way home. It did get me thinking about how else I might be able to get to and from the Park & Ride. The walk took about 45 minutes, but I could take a connecting bus or look into getting that e-bike I’ve been thinking about (I live at the top of a very very long hill!)