Elicia Esmeris
10/23/2018 3:50 PM
A new solar power farm started getting built in Niskayuna around a year ago. Solar energy not only saves the environment, but but it could also reduce the cost of our electric bills.
Elicia Esmeris
"Saving the environment saves lots of animals, and we all want to save animals, amirite?"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 980 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO144gallons of waterhave been saved
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UP TO3.0hoursvolunteered
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UP TO360minutesof additional sleep
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UP TO20minutesspent learning
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UP TO28plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
Elicia's actions
Water
Mulch the Base of Trees and Plants
I will prevent water runoff and increase absorbency by mulching the base of plants and trees at my home or work.
Health
Eliminate Toxic Plastics
I will avoid buying toxic plastics - including polycarbonate, polystyrene and polyvinyl - and instead replace them with bioplastic or durable options.
Health
Audit Toxic Cleaning Products in my Home
I will spend 5 minutes researching toxic chemicals found in cleaning supplies and personal care products and remove them from my home.
Waste
Advocate For More Food Packaging Options
I will advocate for alternatives to single-use packaging at local grocery stores, markets, at work, or on campus.
Health
Go get a check up
I will make an appointment for my annual physical.
Waste
Find Local Recycling Depots
I will spend at least 5 minutes finding out where to recycle the recyclable items that I can't put in my curbside bin.
Health
Healthy Sleep
Effectively working for sustainability requires self care! I will commit to getting 30 more minute(s) of sleep each night to achieve at least 7 hours per night.
Health
Learn More about Food Deserts
I will spend 5 minutes learning about food deserts and find out how I can advocate for healthy and fresh food in my region.
Water
Conserve Toilet Water
I will save up to 12 gallons (45 L) of water a day by flushing only when necessary.
Water
Eco-friendly Gardening
I will plant native species, landscape with water-efficient plants, and use eco-friendly fertilizers.
Water
Insulate Water Pipes and Water Heater
I will avoid wasting water while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up.
Nature
Forage for My Food
I will use the 'Learn More' resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.
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.
Community
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 3 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.
Energy
Turn it off
I will keep lights, electronics, and appliances turned off when not using them.
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?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONEnergy Turn it offHow is electricity generated where you live? How does it impact the environment, animals, and humans?
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REFLECTION QUESTIONWater Conserve Toilet WaterWhat would a sustainable water future in your region look like? What needs to change?
Elicia Esmeris 10/11/2018 6:44 PMWe dont have an unlimited water supply in our region(or anywhere), and i think that everyone can find a way to conserve water. It can be simple things like taking shorter showers, turning off the sink when youre not using it, or only flush the toilet when its necessary(though i dont know why you'd flush a toilet if its unnecessary). -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWaste Advocate For More Food Packaging OptionsWhat concerns you the most about how we are affecting the planet? Consider both local and global actions.
Elicia Esmeris 10/11/2018 6:36 PMOne of my main concerns is that lots of people know the consequences of pollution, but way less people try to do something about it. I dont know if people dont care or if they dont believe that they can make a difference, but there are signs like global warming that tell us that if we want to protect our future, we cant do whatever we want to our environment. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Healthy SleepConsider how many hours of sleep you get now. How would you like to shift your sleep patterns? What are you finding works for you to be successful in this action?
Elicia Esmeris 10/11/2018 6:28 PMI find that i usually sleep less than i would like to. I found that being in complete darkness helps me fall asleep quicker, so after im done reading or doing my homework, i shut down all the lights around me. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONHealth Eliminate Toxic PlasticsWhat single-use items (e.g. straws, coffee cups, vegetable bags, plastic bags) do you regularly use? What could be substituted instead?
Elicia Esmeris 10/11/2018 6:23 PMSome things that i use are straws, plastic bags, and plastic water bottles. These could easily be replaced with reusable versions, or in the case of straws, could just not be used in general. -
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?
Elicia Esmeris 10/11/2018 6:20 PMI think the environment can play a big role in our health. If you live in a heavily polluted environment, smoke or other dangerous materials could get on your body, and if you live in a dangerous environment, it could create mental health issues, which are just as bad as physical health issues. -
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?
Elicia Esmeris 10/06/2018 10:38 AMOne thing i found when looking was that people could use leftover wood from construction/demolition projects for animal bedding, except i hope they know what type of wood they're recycling because some types of wood aren't safe for certain animals.-
Louisa Lubiak 10/11/2018 2:10 PMHey Elicia, I just want to let you know that EcoÇhallange is off to a great start. Keep it up!
~Louisa, EcoLogicals Team Captain -
Monica Martin 10/06/2018 11:34 AMVery interesting. It never seizes to amaze me what can be done with leftover things. People can be really creative. As you said, hopefully they're paying attention for the animal's sake.
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REFLECTION QUESTIONCommunity Volunteer in my CommunityWhat is one thing you can do to help your community become more sustainable?
Elicia Esmeris 10/05/2018 10:43 AMVolumteer work is a really big part in making a community more sustainable. Non-profit organizations and groups could do things like cleaning up the environment to provide some environmental sustainability. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONNature Forage for My FoodAmongst the motivations for foraging are: a source of food; means of income; connecting with nature; cultural tradition; or transmitting "local ecological knowledge, and a means for stewarding local and native plant populations" (McLain et al. 2012, 13). Which of these would be your chief motivation and why?
Elicia Esmeris 10/04/2018 5:04 PMHaving local ecological knowledge can help you appreciate your environment more and push you to do something to help the environment. Also, if people from all over the world took care of their native plant populations, lots of animals could also be protected and the world could be a lot healthier than it is now. -
REFLECTION QUESTIONWater Eco-friendly GardeningWhat are the most prominent water concerns in your area? Examples include drought, flooding, pollution, access, security, and privatization.
Elicia Esmeris 10/04/2018 4:45 PMIn my area, there arent many immediate concerns with the water, and theres not that much extreme weather conditions. But pollution is a big concern everywhere and if everyone helps even a little, the pollution amount can be reduced.