Katie Ash

Northwest Housing Alternatives

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
394 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

18

miles

not traveled by car
UP TO

18

miles

traveled by bike
UP TO

90

minutes

spent outdoors
UP TO

9.6

pounds of CO2

have been saved

Katie's actions

Health

Happiness

I will write down three things every day that I am grateful for, or send one email every day thanking or praising someone.

COMPLETED 15
DAILY ACTIONS

Community

Join my Neighborhood Association

I will join my neighborhood association or another local group.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Explore My Area

I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Go by Bike

I will commute by bike 18 mile(s) each day and avoid sending up to 9.59 lbs of CO2 into Earth's atmosphere.

COMPLETED 1
DAILY 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
Nature Explore My Area

How can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place?

Katie Ash 10/15/2018 11:11 AM

We went hiking with a friend from out of town, and it was great to get to see it all through his eyes. It made me think about the different biomes within the Portland area and how the shape of the land and the geological make up can change the flora and fauna that lives there. We had a wonderful time at the gorge!

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Katie Ash 10/12/2018 10:16 AM

It's nearly halfway through the Ecochallenge, and I've checked off one of my one-time goals, kept up with one of my daily goals, but I still have another one-time goal and daily goal that haven't been completed yet. The daily goal I've been struggling with is riding my bike to work. This has been complicated because of weather, as well as obligations during and after the work day that require me to be able to drive around, pick things up, and be at my destination quickly. It has been an unusually busy time both at work and in my personal life lately and my partner was out of town for awhile as well, which meant that I needed to be able to go home quickly to take care of the dog. Despite having some clear reasons why I haven't been able to bike as much, it still makes me feel like I'm just making excuses. I'm hoping to be able to do more biking next week to make up for not meeting my goal this week.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Community Join my Neighborhood Association

How can your community support inclusive decision making?

Katie Ash 10/08/2018 8:58 AM

Making sure that all community voices are heard and represented in my neighborhood association was one of the main reasons I wanted to get involved. I am heartened by the fact that when I told this to the group, it was supported and echo-ed by many of the other members. I am excited to learn more about how I can get involved and what I can do to make my neighborhood a safe and vibrant community that is inclusive of all its members.

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Happiness

How does/can practicing gratitude keep you centered and motivated to work for a better world?

Katie Ash 10/05/2018 9:57 AM

It's always nice to focus on the positive. It gives me a few minutes in the day to reflect on the wonderful blessings I have in my life, especially when the world can feel like a difficult place to be in.

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Katie Ash 10/03/2018 9:17 AM

First day of the ecochallenge! Knowing that gave me the motivation to actually get on my bike and ride into work this morning. It always feels so intimidating and difficult, but once I do it, it is so lovely! The air right now is so crisp, the leaves are turning, and the bike path I use to get to work is finally open again - yay!

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REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Go by Bike

How do your transportation choices affect your engagement in your community? Does your experience differ while walking, riding transit, biking or driving?

Katie Ash 10/03/2018 9:16 AM

Riding my bike makes me feel more a part of my community. Rather than zoning out in my car, shutting out the world around me, I get to see the changing of the seasons, watch the kids line up and wait for the school bus, hear the early morning birds along the springwater trail. It is a much more visceral experience that helps me feel closer to nature and to the city itself, as I get to take in the changing landscapes as I travel through neighborhoods. Walking slows this process down even further.

I don't get the opportunity to ride public transit very often, but when I do I really enjoy the communal feeling of traveling with a bunch of other people--everyone headed to their separate destinations, joining our paths for just a little while before scattering back out to our lives.

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