Jody Elam-Foote
10/25/2018 11:08 AM
I try to stay clear of single use items. There's a water bottle at my desk, reusable shopping bags in my car, and I've given up straws all together.
Jody Elam-Foote
"Helping out my team and environment one small action at a time."
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 645 TOTAL
participant impact
-
UP TO1.0documentarywatched
-
UP TO108gallons of waterhave been saved
-
UP TO90minutesspent learning
-
UP TO60minutesspent outdoors
-
UP TO38plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
-
UP TO36more servingsof fruits and vegetables
-
UP TO17whole food mealsconsumed
Jody's actions
Health
Support Pollution Reduction
I will spend at least 30 minutes learning about water and air quality issues in my area, how they are impacting human and environmental health, and how I can help.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will spend at least 15 minutes finding out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home
I will spend 30 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 1 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.
Food
Whole Foods Diet
I will enjoy 1 meal(s) each day free of processed foods.
Health
Take Control
Both system and personal sustainability are important! I will develop a plan with my medical professionals to achieve my best health and live my life to the fullest.
Community
Join my Neighborhood Association
I will join my neighborhood association or another local group.
Nature
Explore My Area
I will explore at least one new hiking trail or nature walk in my area.
Water
Say No to Plastic Straws
An estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs. When they ingest plastic, marine life has a 50% mortality rate. By asking for no straw when placing a drink order, I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) of out of the ocean each day.
Simplicity
De-Clutter My Home
I will de-clutter, clean, and donate or recycle unneeded items in my home.
Health
More Fruits and Veggies
I will eat a heart healthy diet by adding 2 cup(s) of fruits and vegetables each day to achieve at least 4 cups per day.
Waste
Skip the Straw
Plastic bags and small plastic pieces like straws are most likely to get swept into our waterways. I will keep 1 plastic straw(s) out of the landfill and ocean each day by refusing straws or using my own glass/metal straw.
Water
Fix Leaky Faucets
I will fix faucets or report leaky faucets to facilities that have been wasting up to 9 gallons (34 L) of water per faucet every day.
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 QUESTIONWater Say No to Plastic StrawsWhat single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
-
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my HomeTo what extent do you believe that environmental factors contribute to your own health or issues with health?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/25/2018 11:07 AMI've incorporated natural cleaning products into my weekly routine to eliminate the toxins in commercially prepared products. Vinegar and baking soda are a staple at my house. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Skip the StrawHow could you incorporate other "R's" -- reduce, reuse, refuse, repair, repurpose, etc. -- into your lifestyle?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/25/2018 11:05 AMDefinitely more aware of reducing, reusing and repurposing things both at the office and home. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Find Local Recycling DepotsOur ability to recycle certain things ebbs and flows based upon many factors. Luckily there are places that accept uncommon things to recycle or dispose of in a less harmful way. What did you find when looking for places to recycle items that can't be recycled in your curbside bin?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/25/2018 11:04 AMLuckily my husband works for Hennepin County and knows where all the drop off spots are for things that our curbside recycler won't take. Lucky me! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWater Fix Leaky FaucetsFixing leaky faucets is one of the tasks that we can easily put off until later. Good job on completing this action! How will you use the momentum from completing this action to increase your water efficiency?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/22/2018 1:03 PMWe're more conscious of running water in between tasks and make every effort to turn it off when not in use! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Whole Foods DietMichael Pollan states that "it is better to pay the grocer (our edit: or the farmer!) than the doctor." What are your thoughts on this?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/22/2018 1:01 PMI totally agree with Michael. Our money is better spent on organic, healthy food than giving it to the healthcare system. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONSimplicity De-Clutter My HomeHow can you prevent yourself from accumulating more things in the future?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/22/2018 12:59 PMWe spent part of the weekend cleaning out the lake house, which was formerly my in-laws main residence. We were amazed at the amount of stuff that one can collect over a lifetime. We all pledged to get by with less and not accumulate stuff. We all agreed that experiences and relationships bring more to our lives than the stuff! -
REFLECTION QUESTIONNature Explore My AreaHow can spending more time outdoors enhance your sense of place?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/22/2018 12:57 PMWe spent time bike riding in the Cuyuna Range Bike Trails in Crosby. What a beautiful day to enjoy the fall colors, crisp clean air, and the iron ore mines. It was a great way to relax and truly appreciate the beauty around us. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Join my Neighborhood AssociationHow can your community support inclusive decision making?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/22/2018 12:54 PMCollaboration and inclusive decision making involves everyone in the community and makes community members feel that they are an important part of the process and solution. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONFood Watch a Documentary about Food SovereigntyHow does food sovereignty address the complex agrarian transition to modern food systems?
Jody Elam-Foote 10/22/2018 12:51 PMFood is a basic human right. This right can only be realized in a system where food sovereignty is guaranteed. Food sovereignty is the right of each nation to maintain and develop its own capacity to produce its basic foods respecting cultural and productive diversity. We have the right to produce our own food in our own territory. We need to grow our own food as much as possible and decrease the processed/genetically engineered food from our diets.