Ecochallenge.org

2018 People's Ecochallenge

October 3 - October 24, 2018

Keith Monahan

Pachamama Alliance Delaware River Valley Community

"To live a sustainable and compassionate life."

POINTS TOTAL

0 TODAY
0 THIS WEEK
1,387 TOTAL

participant impact

UP TO

25

donations

made
UP TO

37

locally sourced meals

consumed
UP TO

390

minutes

spent learning
UP TO

291

pounds of CO2

have been saved
UP TO

3.0

public officials or leaders

contacted
UP TO

22

zero-waste meals

consumed

Keith's actions

Simplicity

Track my Purchases

I will spend 15 minutes each day maintaining a record of all my purchases and learning about my spending habits.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Health

Avoid refined sugar

I will adopt a diet free of refined sugars, which eliminates sweetened beverages, candy, and processed foods.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Carry my Trash

I will carry all of my unrecyclable, non-compostable trash with me to raise my awareness of how much I send to the landfill.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Waste

Launch a Recycling Program

I will start a recycling program at my workplace or school. If a recycling program exists, I will advocate for ways to improve and expand it.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Improve a Bus Stop

I will improve a bus stop in my neighborhood by posting the stop schedule, adding seating or shelter, adding art or flowers, picking up litter, or some other small improvement.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Locally-Sourced Meals

I will source 1 meal(s) each day from local producers.

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Buy From a Farmers Market

I will purchase produce and meat from a local farmers market or food co-op.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Car Share

I will sign up for a car-sharing service, or organize car sharing with my neighbors, to cut down on the number of vehicles on the road.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Nature

Forage for My Food

I will use the 'Learn More' resources below to find where I can forage for my own food locally.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Community

Raise Money For a Nonprofit

I will raise money to support Northwest Earth Institute or another local nonprofit.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Advocate for Greener Vehicles

I will spend at least 15 minutes assessing the vehicles used by my company or college and advocate for a purchasing policy focused on fuel-efficient vehicles.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Join a Local CSA

I will sign up for a local CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture).

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Food

Zero-Waste Cooking

I will cook 1 meal(s) with zero-waste each day

COMPLETED 22
DAILY ACTIONS

Food

Meet My Local Farmers

I will visit my nearest farm to find out who produces my food, and will learn about the quality of life of those who produce my food in other regions of the world to make better choices when I shop.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME ACTION

Transportation

Choose a Carbon Offset

If buying a plane ticket, I will also buy a carbon offset.

COMPLETED
ONE-TIME 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
Food Buy From a Farmers Market

What is one food choice that you make, or could make, that would do more good and less harm?

Keith Monahan 10/08/2018 8:46 AM

Choosing to buy local in season produce helps limit the carbon footprint of the food that I eat.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Health Avoid refined sugar

Before you started this challenge, did you think you were 'addicted' to sugar? How do you feel now?

Keith Monahan 10/08/2018 8:45 AM

Considering that I would rather have a potato over a cookie, I would say I am not addicted to sugar. But I do love a good piece of chocolate every once in a while.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Meet My Local Farmers

When you know who produces your food, you are connecting personally to your complex regional food system. What are the advantages of knowing who produces your food and where it comes from? Do you think this might enable someone to advocate for a better quality of life for those who produce their food, both near and far?

Keith Monahan 10/03/2018 11:30 AM

Knowing where our food comes from allows us to make healthier decisions for ourselves and our environment. It allows us to appreciate the value associated with our food.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Car Share

Take a moment to think of places you frequent often (work, grocery store, natural areas). Could you choose one or two days a week to schedule driving with a friend, neighbor or co-worker to these places?

Keith Monahan 10/03/2018 6:41 AM

I tend to walk or take public transit when going to these places. But I do arrange car pooling when going to places that are accessible by car.

Read More
Keith Monahan 10/03/2018 6:39 AM

I'm excited to be learning even more ways to live a sustainable life.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Zero-Waste Cooking

In North America, up to 65% of food waste happens at the consumer level. Chef Steven Satterfield advocates for utilizing every part of a vegetable. How can you incorporate using an entire vegetable, including the skins, tops, and stalks during your next meal prep?

Keith Monahan 10/03/2018 6:37 AM

Roasted Beets with the skin on and sauteed beet greens sounds like a wonderful way to use the entire plant.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Launch a Recycling Program

How might thinking creatively help us address big systems problems differently?

Keith Monahan 9/29/2018 5:54 PM

I am not sure I know what creative means in this context. Much of the problems stem from lack of education and apathetic views on waste.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Waste Carry my Trash

What one thing could you do right away to reduce your waste?

Keith Monahan 9/29/2018 5:52 PM

Start bringing my lunch. Our work cafeteria wraps a lot of food with plastic wrap.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Food Join a Local CSA

Dependable fresh food, better prices (cutting out carbon-heavy supply chain and grocery stores), supporting local farmers and building resilient communities are just a few benefits of local food systems. Which of these benefits (or others not listed here) inspire you the most?

Keith Monahan 9/29/2018 9:50 AM

Resilient communities is very inspiring to me.

Read More
REFLECTION QUESTION
Transportation Advocate for Greener Vehicles

Reducing (or eliminating) exhaust emissions and improving public health are two benefits of green vehicles. What other motivators inspire you to consider switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle?

Keith Monahan 9/29/2018 9:49 AM

I don't own a car and probably won't own for quite some time. My goal is to get my company to invest in greener vehicles.

Read More