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Welcome to 2018 People's Ecochallenge!

Watch the short video below to learn the basics.
You'll be an 2018 People's Ecochallenge expert in no time!

Ecochallenge.org
2018 People's Ecochallenge
October 3 - October 24, 2018
Diana B's avatar

Diana B

Houston Mennonite Church

POINTS TOTAL

  • 0 TODAY
  • 0 THIS WEEK
  • 401 TOTAL

participant impact

  • UP TO
    2.0
    documentaries
    watched
  • UP TO
    48
    meatless or vegan meals
    consumed
  • UP TO
    180
    minutes
    spent learning
  • UP TO
    18
    plastic bottles
    not sent to the landfill
  • UP TO
    32
    plastic straws
    not sent to the landfill

Diana'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 8
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Reduce Animal Products

I will enjoy 2 meatless meal(s) and/or 1 vegan meal(s) each day this week.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty

I will watch 2 documentary(ies) about food sovereignty: the right of local peoples to control their own food systems including markets, ecological resources, food cultures and production methods.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Waste

Use a Reusable Water Bottle

I will keep 1 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Use Reusable Bags

I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.

COMPLETED 18
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Skip the Straw

Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 2 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.

COMPLETED 16
DAILY ACTIONS

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
    Waste Skip the Straw
    How could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?
    Diana B's avatar
    Diana B 10/06/2018 2:50 PM
    I do most of my shopping at resell shops and try not to buy more clothes / food or anything else that I need. I regularly look through my items and see if there is anything that I am no longer using that someone else could use and I give it away. 
    Read More
    • Clarke Ohlendorf's avatar
      Clarke Ohlendorf 10/24/2018 12:59 PM
      That's awesome, Diana!  Well done!



      I've been thinking about my purchases a lot more lately.  David keeps telling me to go shopping for clothes (I've lost about 20 pounds in the last year and many of my pants specifically aren't fitting well).  But, I've been thinking I may do my next round of clothing replacements at resell shops.  *puts thinking cap on*
      Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Food Reduce Animal Products
    What do you think contributes to people in North America eating more meat than in other places, and what does this say about North American values and ways of living? How do we start shifting a meat-focused food culture?
    Diana B's avatar
    Diana B 10/06/2018 2:45 PM
    I think the basic reason that people eat more meat in North America is because we have been victims of propaganda that meat is the only viable protein and is necessary to human health . I think that recent documentaries such as Fork over Knives and What the Health have made inroads in this because they are more palatable – mainstream – to the general public  than some of the other movies/books/documentaries  that told the same story.
    Read More
    • Clarke Ohlendorf's avatar
      Clarke Ohlendorf 10/24/2018 1:03 PM
      We definitely hear those kinds of messages frequently.  Agreed.  There are a lot of things the general population could be eating instead, but I think we frequently choose not to critically analyze our food sources nor ingredients.  

      Personally, because of the FODMAP diet my doctor has me on, I rely heavily on meat for nutrition/calories, because plant based sources of protein are typically hard for me to digest effectively.  However, I'm hoping to find more protein sources soon that I can handle, which aren't meat based. 
      Read More
  • Diana B's avatar
    Diana B 10/04/2018 6:46 PM
    Has an impromptu stop at the store and was  prepared with the reusable bag I had stored in my purse. 
    Read More
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Waste Use Reusable Bags
    What do you do if you find yourself in the situation of needing a bag for items but don't have a reuseable one with you? Carry things out in your hands? In a cart? Accept a disposable one? If you find yourself in this position often, what system could you put in place to try to establish this a successful habit?
    Diana B's avatar
    Diana B 10/03/2018 7:46 AM
     Keeping a small reusable bag in my purse would be the first step which I have done this morning. My purse is very small and since I’m on the bus caring things in my hands is not very doable. I have a bag that fits perfectly into my small purse and there is no reason I can’t make that a habit.
    Read More
  • Diana B's avatar
    Diana B 10/02/2018 5:34 PM
    I take reusable bags when I go grocery shopping, but sometimes decide to stop at the Kroger near my gym and I don’t have bags with me. Going to throw a few bags in my gym bag so I have them just in case. 
    Read More
    • Clarke Ohlendorf's avatar
      Clarke Ohlendorf 10/03/2018 8:51 AM
      Great idea, Diana!  Makes sense.  :-) 
      Read More
    • Kristine Kastenbaum's avatar
      Kristine Kastenbaum 10/02/2018 5:37 PM
      If I forget my bags, I try to either put everything in my purse or just carry it out by hand. Or buy another reusable bag if I need to!
      Read More