Ashley Lorden
"I consider myself an environmentalist but I'm excited to push to do more this month and make some lasting changes! Go vegan and be thoughtful :)"
POINTS TOTAL
- 0 TODAY
- 0 THIS WEEK
- 1,222 TOTAL
participant impact
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UP TO3.0documentarieswatched
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UP TO1.0donationmade
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UP TO2.0hoursvolunteered
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UP TO2.0locally sourced mealsconsumed
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UP TO30milesnot traveled by car
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UP TO285minutesspent learning
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UP TO32plastic bottlesnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO16plastic containersnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO3.0plastic strawsnot sent to the landfill
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UP TO24pounds of CO2have been saved
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UP TO1.0public official or leadercontacted
Ashley's actions
Community
Express My Support
I will find out who in my state makes decisions that impact the environment and express my support for more environmental actions.
Community
Join my Neighborhood Association
I will join my neighborhood association or another local group.
Transportation
Work from Home
I will work from home 1 day(s) to avoid my commute's carbon output.
Nature
Forage for My Food
I will use the 'Learn More' resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.
Food
Choose Organic Ingredients
I will enjoy 2 meal(s) cooked with organic ingredients each day.
Waste
Reduce Single-Use Disposables
Historically, marginalized and low-income communities live closer to landfills, contributing to a multitude of health problems. I will find out how I can limit single-use items and do my best to limit the waste I generate.
Community
Volunteer in my Community
I will volunteer 2 hour(s) in my community during the challenge.
Waste
Go Paperless
I will reduce the amount of paper mail that I receive by opting into paperless billing and ending unwanted subscriptions.
Waste
Use Reusable Bags
I will not accept any disposable bags when making purchases.
Energy
Choose Clean/Renewable Energy
I will sign up for my utility company's clean/renewable energy option.
Community
Connect with a Nonprofit
I will connect with a local nonprofit, environmental or otherwise, and find out how I can get involved or become a member.
Food
Watch a Documentary about Food Sovereignty
I will watch 3 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
Buy From a Farmers Market
I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.
Waste
Use a Reusable Water Bottle
I will keep 2 disposable plastic bottle(s) from entering the waste stream by using a reusable water bottle.
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.
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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Ashley Lorden 10/24/2018 11:31 AMI found some great current environmental actions to write officials about on https://environmentcalifornia.webaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?_ga=2.197801321.715189735.1540405433-1341047202.1540405433 (both state and nationwide). -
Ashley Lorden 10/23/2018 8:09 PMPacked tea and snacks in reusable containers for the car today so we wouldn't be tempted to buy something out and waste packaging. Got to our destination faster too :) -
Ashley Lorden 10/22/2018 10:02 AMKind of sad the challenge is almost over! I would definitely be interested in doing again in the spring or next year. -
Ashley Lorden 10/21/2018 12:05 PMToday is a 'leftovers' day, where we do crafts and activities, cook, and get ready for the week, all using things we already have in the house. It's a way we like to finish using odds and ends and slow the rate of buying new things. -
Ashley Lorden 10/20/2018 7:56 PMInstalled a drip irrigation system for our main vegetable garden which should help it be more water-efficient. We have grass in our front lawn that we haven't been watering, but haven't been able to find a good low-water and/or native plant based alternative for the space since we want to keep it so you can walk across it. I need to do more research on lawn alternatives. -
Ashley Lorden 10/19/2018 10:36 AMSharing your best eco-tips is an important way to multiply your impact. Even though I never push people or participate in protests, etc, in the time I've been vegan I can take credit for helping 3 other people become vegan and at least 5 more significantly changing their diet towards whole plant-based foods. And by sharing my favorite vegan recipes I've fed hundreds if not thousands of people a delicious, healthy, and more sustainable meal. Whether it's small or large changes, sharing what we know and how to do better with others makes a big difference! Just remember to always approach with kindness and compassion. -
Ashley Lorden 10/18/2018 9:15 AMLast night I got takeout (which is good to avoid, but once in a while it happens), and in addition to refusing the cutlery/sauce packet type extra stuff, for the first time I successfully got them to transfer the food to my reusable bag instead of taking a plastic one. Even though I did end up with some landfill trash from the food containers, I felt good about being able to reduce it. Good reminder we can’t be perfect but we can always do our best to reduce waste. -
Ashley Lorden 10/17/2018 9:38 AMEnjoyed being able to do some walking errands near my house. Being able to afford to live in a walkable area is so great for my quality of life, and it really saddens me to think of all the people forced to live in suburbs due to cost, where the only transportation option is driving. I’m supporting high density housing, gas taxes, and public transit funding in this election. -
Ashley Lorden 10/16/2018 11:47 AMPicked up some used kids clothes last night and was reflecting on how important it is to be thoughtful about what we purchase/consume -- it is easy to generate lots of waste (without even spending much money!) when you buy single or limited use items with lots of packaging. Halloween and holidays always bring this battle up for me, it is tempting to buy lots of cheap things I won't use very much but are fun for a short time, but I need to balance that with the trash-producing impact it has. I really like the Facebook swap groups I'm in that help me buy used items instead of all new.-
Christopher Selin 10/16/2018 9:22 PMAmy swears by parenthoods and the buy nothing group on FB. Not to mention chloe’s closet and even nextdoor. What I love about all this reuse is that it’s better for the environment AND cheaper! It only adds slight inconvenience but I’m starting to see convenience as less of a good thing if it involves so much waste.
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Ashley Lorden 10/15/2018 11:47 AMThis weekend we chose winter plants to convert our raised bed and pots to -- peas, spinach, and kale. We are also going to grow a plant or two each of tomato and basil indoors with a grow light system my partner has been working on. We were hoping the pumpkins we planted in early summer would be giant by now, and they are unfortunately not that big, but we are still enjoying having a mini-pumpkin patch (of 4) in our front yard which a few kids have stopped to admire :)